Boris Bajic
Guest
This is a counter to the thread about what has helped your cycling.
Some technology in the past 20 or 30 years has made cycling MUCH more accessible and friendly.
Ergo/STI has meant that we can click cogs out of the saddle and even mid-sprint. The change blew me away when I first used this system and I think I now ride slightly differently because I can change where I want.
Clipless pedals ... another gift from providence that has helped my riding no end.
But what about blind alleys?
Threadless headsets are one of mine, but the main one is (with reservations) the endless search for an (n+1)-cog sprocket. It seems pointless for most riders. I'm old and fat but I like to ride fast and I like to hit a hill (not always pretty or dignified). Nonetheless, I fare no better with 10 on my cassette than I did with 7.
I have a boy who does a few TTs, and I can see that he might thrive with a tightly-packed cassette, but most of us are dreaming if we think we benefit from this ratio overload.
For the serious and accomplished racer, I can see the merit of ten or eleven doodahs on the thingy, but for most of us it is no more practical or desirable in the real world than a car that does 200mph.
I did the jump (always slightly behind the mavens) from five to six, to seven... I've stopped at ten, but the bike with nine is the better tool for most things.
Any other blind alleys?
PS. Don't disagree with me on the above. I'm right. God told me so, so you'll go to Hell if you say I'm wrong.
Some technology in the past 20 or 30 years has made cycling MUCH more accessible and friendly.
Ergo/STI has meant that we can click cogs out of the saddle and even mid-sprint. The change blew me away when I first used this system and I think I now ride slightly differently because I can change where I want.
Clipless pedals ... another gift from providence that has helped my riding no end.
But what about blind alleys?
Threadless headsets are one of mine, but the main one is (with reservations) the endless search for an (n+1)-cog sprocket. It seems pointless for most riders. I'm old and fat but I like to ride fast and I like to hit a hill (not always pretty or dignified). Nonetheless, I fare no better with 10 on my cassette than I did with 7.
I have a boy who does a few TTs, and I can see that he might thrive with a tightly-packed cassette, but most of us are dreaming if we think we benefit from this ratio overload.
For the serious and accomplished racer, I can see the merit of ten or eleven doodahs on the thingy, but for most of us it is no more practical or desirable in the real world than a car that does 200mph.
I did the jump (always slightly behind the mavens) from five to six, to seven... I've stopped at ten, but the bike with nine is the better tool for most things.
Any other blind alleys?
PS. Don't disagree with me on the above. I'm right. God told me so, so you'll go to Hell if you say I'm wrong.
