There was a time in the middle to late 70's when almost every highschool kid had a "ten speed" bike. At that age, none of my classmates and friends cared what brand it was, where it was built, if it weighed 40+ pounds, have turkey leg brake handles and no waterbottle cage, it was fast enough for us kids back then and that was all that mattered. You have to put it into perspective in what time frame it was and what was really available to most kids in most of the country. Not everyone back then was a weight weenie or cared about CrMo tubing or Italian bikes. A ten speed was a ten speed. Now with all the information available to everyone to the far corners of the world, everyone is detail oriented and is only interested in what's the latest or the best and if it's not affordable, they just go to some other hobby or sport that they can afford.....that's why biking, Road biking in particular seems to be less popular these days. Heck, you go into most biking forums these days and if you dont have a stitch of CF on your bike you are just mostly ignored and told to go over to some C&V forum to talk to older steel bike fans instead.........and remember to take that boat anchor 19+ pound steel bike with you on your way out! >:^P..... ;^)

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV