Tom Sherman wrote:
>
> Chalo Colina wrote:
> >
> > I believe you, but that makes me wonder about the relative scarcity of
> > single-speed 'bents and the relative awfulness of the few I've ever
> > seen (toy and rental three-wheelers).
>
> Are not upright bicyclesin the same relative price range (1/5 to 1/10
> of a LBS quality bicycle) also generally awful?
Most cheap _bikes_, yes. But most cheap coaster-brake cruisers are
fine. I expect you could get noticeable refinements in a one-speed
cruiser up to about $1000, but you can get 90% of that much bike for
10% as much money (if you can ride one-size geometry). There just
isn't that much there to get wrong.
> Also, most re***bent riders are middle aged and relatively affluent
> persons who found upright road bicycles too uncomfortable. A beach
> cruiser is not a replacement for a road bike, whether upright or
re***bent.
I see what you are saying, but the next logical step from a laid-back,
upright, cushy-seated cruiser bike is something similar but with a
chair.
> > I think a chicken would be better suited to a unicycle.
>
> The chicken can always use her wings to help balance.
Wings are better for balancing than for holding handlebars. I see
chickens "balance the unicycle" when I hold them in my hand.
> >> [1] The upright roadies seem to be the ones who have trouble with
> >> varying cadences, to judge by the popularity of 11-21 and 12-23
10-speed
> >> cassettes these days.
>
> > They're just the cycling equivalent of young people who adopt a vegan
> > diet for fa****on reasons. That is, they might derive tangible
> > benefits from it-- they probably won't-- and that's immaterial to the
> > reason they do it.
>
> Yep, being seen with a wide range cassette (and/or a triple crank) at
> the coffee shop would be social death. Almost as bad as riding a
> re***bent to the Fabrizio Mazzoleni crowd.
I managed to miss a re***bent event today (to which all local custom
builders were invited) because my birthday and related activity took
precedence. I was looking forward to rubbing elbows with the bearded
tribe and airing out some foolish contraptions. Unfortunately my Big
Wheel has been down for repairs after a drunken lout in New Orleans
wiped out the Charles Eames shell chair with a well-placed body slam.
The replacement (a long-sought eBay find) ****ps this way tomorrow,
just a bit too late for the show.
Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.
Chalo
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