FOG

Most of us don't ride hard core mountain bikes, and although we may choose a road bike geometry or touring bike, we don't need 11/23 cogsets and 53/42 chainwheels, or even 48/38 cyclocross sets or wheelsets which groan under 160 pound riders in order to be the lightest set made. Lightweight is good, but durability counts more. What we need is mass market, high quality midrange tripes, with real life rear cogsets. I know we can get this stuff from Sheldon Brown, Peter White and similar folks, but we really could use some good mid range stuff straight from the factories. How about an ergopower nine speed with a 48/38/28 front and 14/30 rear? While we're at it how about some mainstream wheels with 36 spokes and a deep section, not just for aerodynamics but to hold those of us who weigh as much as a lightweight tandem crew? Maybe we could also make some frames with 145 mm spacing so we can buy the ligghtweight tandem wheelsets. A four and ahlf pound frame might be light enough. The idea is to make it light enough to be fun, but STRONG enough to be trouble free.