"Greg LeMond's 1980s successes at the Tour de France cemented America's love of Spandex and the road bike, with its handlebars curled low like a ram's horns. Americans learned to stretch their aching backs and to repair the bent rims and flat tires of their fragile, high-strung mounts."

By the time Greg LeMond was winning Tours, the road bike was quickly fading in popularity as people began to buy Mtn bikes in droves. The 70's and maybe early 80's was when road bikes were popular here. I got my 87 Peugeot for a huge discount because folks just weren't buying road bikes anymore.

It's also good to know that more cycling retailers have figured out that they can fleece people for things like wicker baskets and plastic flowers with handlebar mounts. In the end I suppose that's no better or worse than fleecing folks for anything made of carbon-fiber.

I got to give her credit for admitting she couldn't get up that hill and hinting that the bike she was riding may not always be the best choice. I'm sure the fact that she doesn't normally get around by bike played a role too.