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Old 06-28-09, 11:23 AM
  #19  
LeeG
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Mtn bikes and large diameter aluminum bikes (Cannondale 1983 touring bike) exposed folks to solid load carrying bicycles with long chainstays. When the Cannondale touring bike came out in '83 it was a mind blower regarding a solid load carrying touring bike. Noticably stiffer than Specialized Expedition.
Most custom bikes from that era refrained from very long chainstays as competing demands for light weight (for a touring bike?) and stiffness discouraged it. Not that many custom bikes or any production steel bikes back then had larger diameter tubes like the Surly LHT. I had a Lippy touring bike that I road from Utah to Colorado, 40.5" wheelbase, etc. Horrible shimmy at high speed if I didn't have my weight planted on the front end and knees on the top tube. But it had all the requisite eyelets and custom rack attachments. In 1980 I visited the fellow who made Bullseye pulleys and hubs and he showed me his custom aluminum touring bike,,44" wheelbase and big tubes.

Divtag: don't compare used cars to new bicycles. Inflation adjusted bikes are a better value than they were 20 and 30 yrs ago given Chinas production of high end goods. If you had no money your $260 specialized mtn. bike would get you from point A to B in the same time as 2009 custom made frame made of titanium sprinkled with diamond dust once you loaded it down with the same amount of touring gear.
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