FrankCrank
Old layabout
....watched an episode of Equinox last night about bicycles, dated from 1989. Near the start the commentator describes bikes as being:
"Virtually standardised throughout the world, almost all bike parts are interchangable. The bicycle is seen as a mature product, no longer capable of rapid development"
The first sentence I found very amusing, especially as a homebuilder trying to source parts for a particular build. The second sentence does kinda ring true even today - bikes superficially look very different now, but basically do the same job as they always have.
In this part of the world there seems to be quite an awakening in bicycles and cycling in the last few years. I see more and more enthusiasts out and about, sometimes in groups, always dressed to look the part, and always on very expensive bikes. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were to have a Tour de Thailand type event sometime soon.
Just the other day I stopped off at a new bike shop on the way back from BKK, and was amazed at what they had in store. I glanced up at some wheels, and saw one with a price tag that would match that of a brand new motorbike over this way - was frightened to even touch it!
Anyways, if you fancy a bit of biking nostalgia, here's the link:
"Virtually standardised throughout the world, almost all bike parts are interchangable. The bicycle is seen as a mature product, no longer capable of rapid development"
The first sentence I found very amusing, especially as a homebuilder trying to source parts for a particular build. The second sentence does kinda ring true even today - bikes superficially look very different now, but basically do the same job as they always have.
In this part of the world there seems to be quite an awakening in bicycles and cycling in the last few years. I see more and more enthusiasts out and about, sometimes in groups, always dressed to look the part, and always on very expensive bikes. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were to have a Tour de Thailand type event sometime soon.
Just the other day I stopped off at a new bike shop on the way back from BKK, and was amazed at what they had in store. I glanced up at some wheels, and saw one with a price tag that would match that of a brand new motorbike over this way - was frightened to even touch it!
Anyways, if you fancy a bit of biking nostalgia, here's the link:
