Not long ago, a brief foray into "safety uber alles" commuting somehow overwhelmed all sense of good taste and personal dignity. For about six weeks my bike looked like this:
...and it will forever haunt me.
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera