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Something different? Other passions?

My signature names mine. I think there are many of you here who know what they are. If you don't, well, they're bicycles. I'm a "cyclist". I am truly a nut about it! I ride (train) almost daily. I belong to two clubs, one a casual group and the other a racing club. I do race (criteriums, circuit races, time trials and road races). All of the bikes, save my Cannondale M500, are fairly exotic as bicycles go. The Look 566 and the Bianchi L'una are European marks, and both are carbon framed thoroughbreds. The Look is French made, and is a beautiful, exquisite bicycle. The Bianchi is particularly special; it's an Italian made machine equipped with a gorgeous Italian Campagnolo Chorus "gruppo" (shifters, derailleurs, brakes, and rear cassette). The Felt B2 is a very light aircraft aluminum framed "funny bike"; a bike meant purely for racing, it's a low profile time trial machine with "aerobars" and other wind cheating appliances. The Giant CFR Team is an "old school" lugged carbon framed race bike from the early nineties, painted a bright yellow.

I love them all, and I ride them all.

Oh - you can find me on www.bikeforums.net. I'm "sarals" over there, too.

Sara

Thanks for sharing. Not a great cyclist myself but my Uncle, who was a keen motorcyclist took up cycling in his late 60s.

He rode from Land's End to John O'Groats (bottom left to top right of GB) with a friend at the age of 72 and got caught for speeding. Sadly cancer claimed him a little while after that.

Mercian Cycles are near to where I live. Not super modern but we have Boardman for that.

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk

Take care

G

Raced briefly back in the '80s in Toronto -- 'raced' might not actually be a good term.....maybe 'crashed' or 'finished' would be more appropriate.

I was part of two teams and certainly enjoyed riding and the social aspect of group riding. What I didn't like was this 'win at all costs' attitude that some of the riders had, and was likely one of the reasons why I got out of it...that and yeah, that crashing thing I mentioned. Interestingly, just as I got out of racing, I got into motorcycling.....

I still have my bikes from back then -- this one is a frame built by Jocelyn Lovell, likely the second-last one he built before his unfortunate accident back in 1983. Tange Aero tubing (54cm frame), original Dura-Ace, along with some EDCO stuff (crank, headset, bottom bracket), Nitto Aero bars and stem, Mavic rims, and I'm one of those weird ones who still uses tubulars (sew-ups). I believe the only components that are more recent are the pedals (more recent, as in within the last 15 years!). I used it primarily for road racing, though it's more of a time trial frame.



If you don't know who Jocelyn Lovell is, this might give you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_vQEAHwO-8

Other one I have is a Cyclops built by the late Mike Mulholland of Toronto, circa 1986. It's a cyclo-cross frame that's been built up as a hybrid. Nice thing about that one is that I was Fit-Kitted for it, so it fits me perfectly. Reynolds 501 tubing, and kind of a mish-mash of components. I'll try to post a shot of it at some point.

G-Man wrote:Sara

Thanks for sharing. Not a great cyclist myself but my Uncle, who was a keen motorcyclist took up cycling in his late 60s.

He rode from Land's End to John O'Groats (bottom left to top right of GB) with a friend at the age of 72 and got caught for speeding. Sadly cancer claimed him a little while after that.

Mercian Cycles are near to where I live. Not super modern but we have Boardman for that.

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk

Take care

G

G, thanks! Interestingly, my training partner is 72 years old. She's a very petite woman who happens to be a monster of a bicycle rider! I cannot stay with her on climbs, although we are fairly well matched on the flats. She also is a motorcyclist, she used to ride a Harley (!). So - "age don't mean a thang"!

Your uncle sounds like he was extraordinarily fit right up until the end. That's quite inspiring!

I looked at the Mercian website. Beautiful bikes! It's pretty cool that they're traditional, with downtube shifters and the like. They're nicely setup and finished.

You take care!

~~S

Vince Lupo wrote:Raced briefly back in the '80s in Toronto -- 'raced' might not actually be a good term.....maybe 'crashed' or 'finished' would be more appropriate.

I was part of two teams and certainly enjoyed riding and the social aspect of group riding. What I didn't like was this 'win at all costs' attitude that some of the riders had, and was likely one of the reasons why I got out of it...that and yeah, that crashing thing I mentioned. Interestingly, just as I got out of racing, I got into motorcycling.....

I still have my bikes from back then -- this one is a frame built by Jocelyn Lovell, likely the second-last one he built before his unfortunate accident back in 1983. Tange Aero tubing (54cm frame), original Dura-Ace, along with some EDCO stuff (crank, headset, bottom bracket), Nitto Aero bars and stem, Mavic rims, and I'm one of those weird ones who still uses tubulars (sew-ups). I believe the only components that are more recent are the pedals (more recent, as in within the last 15 years!). I used it primarily for road racing, though it's more of a time trial frame.

If you don't know who Jocelyn Lovell is, this might give you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_vQEAHwO-8

Other one I have is a Cyclops built by the late Mike Mulholland of Toronto, circa 1986. It's a cyclo-cross frame that's been built up as a hybrid. Nice thing about that one is that I was Fit-Kitted for it, so it fits me perfectly. Reynolds 501 tubing, and kind of a mish-mash of components. I'll try to post a shot of it at some point.

Ahhh, another cyclist!!

Vince, that's a great video! I can't say I know who Jocelyn Lovell is - but I do now.

Your Lovell is just sublime. I really like the "track bike bend" on the handlebars. You have it beautifully set up. Believe me, many folks still use tubulars, especially on carbon rims. The pros always use them except for training.

Please do post a photo of the Cyclops!

Here's some photos of my bikes.



The photo of the Look was taken right after I installed my PowerTap power meter, which is a rear hub stress gauge device. I had Easton EA90 wheels on the bike, but because the PT is laced to a Mavic Openpro rim, I went to a Mavic CXP-33 rim/Ultegra hub for the front wheel. The tires are Continental GatorSkins. The group is Ultegra, with a compact crank (50/34 chain rings). The cassette is a 12T - 28 ten speed - good for training and climbing, but I do give up some top speed with that cassette. Pedals are Look KeO.



The Felt is a 2004 B2, made from 7005 aluminum tubing. It's light, around 16 pounds. The bars are FSA Vision, pedals are Look KeO, the group is a combination SRAM Red and Shimano Ultegra. It has 9 speed gearing, with Dura-Ace bar end shifters. The crank is SRAM RED, 55/39, and the cassette is SRAM RED 11t - 23. The weak points are the wheel - they're relatively heavy Zero Light wheels with Conti Triathlon tires. It's a 50 CM frame with 650c wheels - it's a small bike (but I'm a small person).



Here's my 1992 Giant CFR Team. I picked it up on eBay for $350 last year. It's an aluminum lugged carbon frame. It uses an old style steering stem, but it's a nice 3T stem with 3T Forma bars. The group is Ultegra, it's a triple chain ring (52/42/34) and a 11t- 23 cassette. Look KeO pedals. Wheels are Mavic CXP - 33 with Continental GP4000S tires, although I swapped my Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels with the CXP - 33's when I put the PowerTap on my Look 566.



Here's my Bianchi L'una ("The One") as it appeared the day it arrived (two weeks ago!). It has a very light white carbon frame with a beautiful paint scheme. It is being built up with Easton EA90 Aero wheels, Continental GP4000S tires, Campagnolo Chorus group (except for a FSA SL-K crank with compact 50/34 chain rings), 12t - 29 campy cassette, Campy Record seatpost and a Fizik saddle, Look KeO pedals, and Ritchey Classic short drop handlebars. I'm aiming to get it in under 16 pounds.

In my stupid days, we would wait for cars to top over the mountain at the overlook and race them down the other side. It was about 3 miles of 8% grade back to back sharp curves and no problem passing them on the inside. I remember not being able to keep up with the pedals in top gear on a Schwinn Varsity.

Recently dug out my sister's '66 Schwinn Breeze and got it back on the road for her....a little rough, but it still works.....