Smug Satisfaction ! Retro Revenge !

[VanhireBoys]

I was out on our club spin last Saturday morning with about 17 others !
We firstly done about 38 miles and on the way home we started into a hill outside Moycullen we affectionately know as the "Sting in the Tail" 2.5 miles of pure pain and torture

There were a few superstars on all manner of fancy modern foddar ! Boardman, Planet X, Coppi, Cervelo, Felt... You know the sort ! I was on my trusty 501 Pug ! I was told by a random Mr.Knowitall that I needed an upgrade. That only made me angry :x

Got myself a good position in the group and started climbing. One fella made a break so I tailed him... It was my turn for the front so I went for the 28 sprocket and kept slogging away.. My legs like jelly my lungs fit to bust with the words upgrade ringing in my ears !

I crested the hill and pulled in ! I had dropped the other lad tword the top !

I said to Mr.Knowitall as he got over the hill nearly last "Some times its the singer and not the song " .... Upgrade my a**e

Tell me your story where you left the carbon boys in your wake

 

[pigman]

certainly not uphill for me. I'd get dropped on a motorbike. Downhill and high speed flat, I can drop most, then the asthma kicks in and the lungs must repay the debt.

 

[vivelesalpes]

I remember getting some smug sideways looks from some MTB riders on one of the first MTB marathons at Rhyader 'cos I turned up with my very retro (and original) Orange Clockwork with rigid forks.

That was until the first hill. I ended up finishing in the top 30.

(I'm still regretting giving that bike away to a local cycling charity)

 

[Rich34]

Not a racing context and there wasn't much carbon fibre in those days, but I remember getting a round of applause at the top of the Stelvio pass in '92 when I wobbled over it on my fully loaded Orange Clockwork while touring. A round of applause from all the local cyclists on their Colnagos and Pinarellos who had passed me on the way up, weighted down only by the water in their bottles...

As for the descent on the other side - if you want stability at speed, fit panniers.

 

[531 pro]

revenge of the retro

This was a long time ago now, but we used to have a kind of novelty boxing day ten mile tt. I took my aunt's sit up and beg Hercules, complete with rod brakes and wicker basket. I fitted my look pedals to it and on the down wind led (wind behind me!) I stuck to the wheel of some guy on a low profile heaving his lungs out trying to drop me and spare his own embarassment. I could hardly pedal through the laughing. Mind you, on the return leg the wind was howling through that wicker basket and I was done for. Still did it in something like 34 minutes though. Ah yes, I were a fit young lad back in them days!!

If I remember rightly, some other lad took his postman's bike (also fitted with his look pedals) and did it in under 30 mins - and he was wearing a Santa hat.

 

[vivelesalpes]

Not a racing context and there wasn't much carbon fibre in those days, but I remember getting a round of applause at the top of the Stelvio pass in '92 when I wobbled over it on my fully loaded Orange Clockwork while touring. A round of applause from all the local cyclists on their Colnagos and Pinarellos who had passed me on the way up, weighted down only by the water in their bottles...

As for the descent on the other side - if you want stability at speed, fit panniers.

LOL I remember touring the west of Ireland on an old gaspipe winter bike and overtaking a motorbike on a descent down on a pass on the Dingle penninsula.

 

[Rich34]

Not a racing context and there wasn't much carbon fibre in those days, but I remember getting a round of applause at the top of the Stelvio pass in '92 when I wobbled over it on my fully loaded Orange Clockwork while touring. A round of applause from all the local cyclists on their Colnagos and Pinarellos who had passed me on the way up, weighted down only by the water in their bottles...

As for the descent on the other side - if you want stability at speed, fit panniers.

LOL I remember touring the west of Ireland on an old gaspipe winter bike and overtaking a motorbike on a descent down on a pass on the Dingle penninsula.

It was funny to see GSX-R riders doing a double-take when they realised having overtaken me that I was still with them! No problem staying with them in the corners (particularly the hairpins) although my 52-tooth chainring and Roger De Vlaeminck downhill position were no match for embarrassed Italians on Gixxer 750s on the longer straights...!

 

[Old Ned]

I often go out with the local group in Summer on one of my retro machines. Some of the younger ones give me (and the bike) a funny look - and an even funnier one when I'm still there at the end. The older ones just look at me in a condescending way :roll:

 

[Jonny69]

I'm not entirely sure why people think you need an expensive bike to be able to go fast.

I was riding home from central London the other week, on the long uphill stretch to the hill at Crystal Palace, when a fully lycra'd guy on a flash looking bike passed me, out of the saddle. He got about 50m in front and burned out, so I ended up catching him up again. I stopped at the lights, he jumped them and a little futher up the road I caught him again. I decided my time to blitz him was going to be on the hill itself and I worked out with the distance left I had enough time to pull over and quickly whip my coat off, which I did. I then got back on it to catch the bugger. I caught him just as we crossed the South Circular, but as we did he turned off and I didn't get the chance!!! AAARRGH!!!

I was on this by the way, my '66 RSW:

 

[hamster]

It's what's on the saddle that counts.