Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.jvenugop
05-29-05, 08:30 AM
I'm delighted to resume bicycling. For about 10 years in India, I used to commuter bike to school and college, first on a Raleigh DL-1 replica roadster, then a "Sport Light Roadster" from BSA that I loved. Most bikes sold in India are single speed only, so in those ten years I almost never saw a derailleur, let alone use a bike equipped with one.
My first bike stateside after a hiatus of over a decade was the world renowned Roadmaster Mt. Fury. While the cost is low, the bike is a connoiseur's delight :-). I do not know why people heap abuse on this poor bike. Yes, it is a little heavy, the ride causes one's tender parts to ache really bad, and the derailleur looks like it was someone's high school science project. But so what? It moves.
After a couple months with what is arguably one of the Western World's finest examples of craftsmanship, I went to my local bicycle shop and ordered a Raleigh C200. After two days on the bike, I love it. Various steep roads which were previously out of bounds to Mr. Roadmaster are now very accessible. It is very close in form to the BSA SLR that I once had, with flawless shifting. I still plan to use my Roadmaster, especially if I have to park it unattended, or put it on a boat en route to Martha's Vineyard, or just learn bicycle repair.
In addition to riding a bicycle, I love to read and discuss bicycles as machines. There is something very simple about a bicycle that any individual can grasp, yet it is complex enough that maintaining and repairing one requires a fair amount of skill.
My first bike stateside after a hiatus of over a decade was the world renowned Roadmaster Mt. Fury. While the cost is low, the bike is a connoiseur's delight :-). I do not know why people heap abuse on this poor bike. Yes, it is a little heavy, the ride causes one's tender parts to ache really bad, and the derailleur looks like it was someone's high school science project. But so what? It moves.
After a couple months with what is arguably one of the Western World's finest examples of craftsmanship, I went to my local bicycle shop and ordered a Raleigh C200. After two days on the bike, I love it. Various steep roads which were previously out of bounds to Mr. Roadmaster are now very accessible. It is very close in form to the BSA SLR that I once had, with flawless shifting. I still plan to use my Roadmaster, especially if I have to park it unattended, or put it on a boat en route to Martha's Vineyard, or just learn bicycle repair.
In addition to riding a bicycle, I love to read and discuss bicycles as machines. There is something very simple about a bicycle that any individual can grasp, yet it is complex enough that maintaining and repairing one requires a fair amount of skill.