On Your Bike

You and me both. I’m a heathen I reckon. But there you go, each to their own etc.

My brother, a hifi buff, tried to educate me as to the value of expensive speaker wire. I could hear a difference to a point, but beyond that… lost on me.

I know exactly how you feel. That could easily have been another “Would I appreciate etc?” on my list.

None of my bikes were ever super-expensive.

A client once gave me a bottle of Clos de Lambray, said it would be best if I left it for 5 years!!! Out of interest I did check the cost, in 2012 when I received it, it was £120. I didn’t leave it for 5 years, and maybe thats why it didn’t taste any different from a €10 bottle.

A good wine to me is one I like the taste of.

My touring bike on the other hand which was hand-built and was reasonably costly at about £3000 in 2007 is a very different creature to my £600 commuting bike. More flexible, lighter, smooth gear change etc.I never regretted paying more for this as I have had 19 years of joy from it and its still going strong.

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The groupset is the lowest form of Campag life! A Mirage. But in over twenty years, it has never let me down.

I originally had Shimano Sora groupset because my bike travelled by plane a lot and I’d already had one bike wrecked by the security scanner. I only recently upgraded it, it lasted years, I had changed the cogs a few times, but you always have to do that.
It was a bit clunky but it did the job.

I have an 80’s Willi Moore bike I converted from downtube changer to Sora, with the little lever to change down. A bit like Campag. Never had a problem with it. Sometimes, cheap is good! Depends where it is made. Shimano is bombproof. Japan rocks!

It is. I have XT on my ex-hardtail mtb now tourer. Bang for buck, amongst the best.

Even though I ride a bike this is largely mumbo jumbo to me.
I do know what Shimano is!

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I’m with you. I’m not interested in going fast. I did, in fact buy a fairly unusual bike in Florida in 1984. A Motobecane Mirage similar to this one except in cherry red.

Mostly French components, though I replaced the saddle with Selle Royale. I’m no longer very comfortable on that type of bike.

In the US in the 70s there were a fair number of Peugeots , but very few Motobecanes. I kept it until I moved here. It was in good nick except suffered from being close to the ocean and the chrome was not pretty.

Best way to be! Cycling equipment can make you poor, and a nervous wreck into the bargain!

I have a five speed, triple chainwheel Motobecane from the 1950’s. Heavy as hell! Semi- ballon tyres. I put panniers on it and use it for shopping in the rainy season!

Sora, Dura-ace etc are just the names of the different brake , gearing systems etc fitted to the bike. For road bikes Dura-Ace is the most expensive and Sora the cheapest with 3 others in between.

Champagnole has equivalent systems.