At the risk of going against the grain with all the talk of wind tunnels, carbon-porn,steep vs. slack,etc,etc…
I see this guy biking the other day ,as he approaches me I realize he was moving pretty damn good.
When we cross paths I noticed he was on an old Schwinn Paramount type bike, probably from 79-80, Royal Blue w/ yellow lettering, downtube shifters, shades of Dave Scott and The Grip from the 80’s. Whizzing by with that distinctive buzz only a 7 /8 speed bike makes., Suntour gruppo ?
I got to thinking- now how cool would it be to show up at a local sprint tri w/ a bike like that, Scott aerobars and some nuthuggin’ Speedos w/ Molina Oakley’s and a mustache like Chuck Norris .
Has anyone done this recently ? I still remember Mike Pigg’s bike back in the late 80’s, I think it was a Centurion w/ that disc that said Pigg Power. I think seeing that bike on a T V telecast of a Bud Light triathlon race was what first got me interested.
Disclaimer: All my bikes are full carbon, so I would probably have to hit a few garage sales to find such a steed.
mike,
this what I looked like at my first sprint tri two years ago. I rode a Trek 660 ('85 era?) shimano 600/DA mix (since, turned into a fixxie), clip pedals(really fast T2;)), didnt know to shave, and I didnt have bike shorts so I wore a speedo I had from an old swim team. I finished about half in the field. I was born in '78, so I never saw the “old school” in triathlon until after I got hooked. Those must have been the days!!! I am thinking that maybe at my next sprint I might just take you up on this and celebrate two years of progress. (I have since placed very well at these sprints)
…the question is, do I go out “old-school” and truley judge my progress? -or- do I just go for the win, (since Spindogg will be at Timberman, my chances are looking good;))?
-k
There’s a guy that races the TBF series at Rancho Seco with an old school steel fluorescent tri-color frame with the original Scott aerobars. The brakes point directly forward offering some serious skewering potential, plus I think he is running some super light 38 spoke race wheels.
He looks like Tinley’s dad and moves pretty damn fast.
I would love to show up at a race on an old bike with a boombox strapped to a rear rack, pumping out Van Halen. I know headphones are prohibited, but a boombox would be rockin. The kicker would be to be able to win the race.
I think it would be pretty sweet. Even get a whole club into it. We have a local race called the Disco Tri that is a little reminiscent of this. Sounds like a lotta fun.
“I think it was a Centurion w/ that disc that said Pigg Power”
Don’t forget when he went Pink with the J-Disc… I believe both him and Jimmy R were both riding J-Discs back then.
I sometimes miss my old school rides, i remember a team Fuji with 7sp Superb Pro that was probably the most comforatble bike I have ever riden… I don’t miss florescent colors (espceially pink)
I live in an area where there are a LOT of Mennonites. And these good ole boys work their asses off, but on Sunday they all tend to go biking. So I was trucking along one Sunday afternoon in my second year of tris thinking I was the bees knees and all that jazz when this young Mennonite comes cruising up beside me on his old steel rusting 6 speed. He chats me up a bit (all the while talking like he isn’t working hard at all) and then wishes me well and poof, gone. That bike was about as old school as they come. I would love to recruit some of these guys for a cycling team.
“I think it was a Centurion w/ that disc that said Pigg Power”
Don’t forget when he went Pink with the J-Disc… I believe both him and Jimmy R were both riding J-Discs back then.
I sometimes miss my old school rides, i remember a team Fuji with 7sp Superb Pro that was probably the most comforatble bike I have ever riden… I don’t miss florescent colors (espceially pink)
I have an 80’s schwin with down tube shifters that you can borrow. As a bonus it has the handle bars rotated up to ease back pain while riding. Maybe double the 14 lbs you are used to
There was a guy at Harriman this year that had an old schwin frame with a new dura ace group on it. Seemed to work just fine.
I got to thinking- now how cool would it be to show up at a local sprint tri w/ a bike like that, Scott aerobars and some nuthuggin’ Speedos w/ Molina Oakley’s and a mustache like Chuck Norris
you mean like this? Hard to believe that pic of Ray Browning on the old 80 degree QR Superform is 20 years old!
