KneesUp
Guru
My pit-pony bike, which lives in the dark in the cellar, permanently attached to the trainer, is the lilac Raleigh Strada. Looking at the picture through the lens of 'other people will see this' I notice that the hoods are absolutely bogging. But that's not why I'm posting.
Benind it in this picture is my relatively recently acquired Falcon Strada. The exact model, size and year as the one that was my only form of transport in my late teens, and that I used to commute to my first job. This isn't that actual bike - some toe-rag was away with that in the early 2000s - this is one I recently drove 500 miles to get hold of because I've only seen two for sale in the past decade.
The Falcon has sat in the shed for a month or so since I bought it, while I ponder what to do with it. It needs lower gearing and I can't decide how 'late 80's correct' I want it to be. I took this picture a few weeks ago when I thought I would put the (roughly) period correct 105 derallieurs (short cage rear, triple front) from the Raleigh on it, but I couldn't be bothered. I got as far as removing the (not period correct) Ultegra brakes off the Raleigh because they are dual pivot and therefore miles better, but I couldn't put them on the Faclon because they have recessed fastenings and the frame on the Falcon won't take them, and even if I worked out how to swap the mountings over, the drop isn't big enough. Despite having the Falcon classic 'no braze-ons apart from on the fork' there is loads of clearance at the brake bridge for a guard it seems. Not that I had time for mudguards when I was a teenager in famoulsy dry Manchester. Just a wet arse for me, ta.
Anyway, yesterday I thought that rather than let it sit in the shed, I might as well put the Falcon on the trainer while I decide what to do, because the gearing doesn't matter so much there, and it would give me the chance to adjust the riding position. (The saddle angle is how it was when I bought it - I didn't ride it like that)
And so the reason for the post - the psychology of the known - it's so much better than the Raleigh. In every way. (I should add here that I didn't remeber to calibrate the turbo and the roll down time is about 50% longer on the Falcon, so it was reading a higher power for the same effort, which definitely helped perceptions. The tyre on the Raleigh was a bit soft) The main thing is that despite the frames surely being identical in geometry the Falcon just feels right. It was like putting on a pair of old slippers. It was very odd how much better it seemed to fit me. I didn't adjust a thing other than levelling the saddle, whereas it took me ages to get the saddle on the Raleigh just right. Maybe my 'arris has a memory of this saddle and has been searching for another ever since? On the Raleigh I always feel like my wrists are slightly too bent on the tops - like it's too short, but if I move the saddle back I get pins and needles after about 20 minutes. On the Falcon it's just perfect.
I feel like I'm home.
I don't really know what the point of this post is, but maybe fellow cyclits will recognise something in it? Or can take away that tiny differences can make a big difference. Or that looking at the 'right' colour forks and bars makes a big difference mentally.
Benind it in this picture is my relatively recently acquired Falcon Strada. The exact model, size and year as the one that was my only form of transport in my late teens, and that I used to commute to my first job. This isn't that actual bike - some toe-rag was away with that in the early 2000s - this is one I recently drove 500 miles to get hold of because I've only seen two for sale in the past decade.
The Falcon has sat in the shed for a month or so since I bought it, while I ponder what to do with it. It needs lower gearing and I can't decide how 'late 80's correct' I want it to be. I took this picture a few weeks ago when I thought I would put the (roughly) period correct 105 derallieurs (short cage rear, triple front) from the Raleigh on it, but I couldn't be bothered. I got as far as removing the (not period correct) Ultegra brakes off the Raleigh because they are dual pivot and therefore miles better, but I couldn't put them on the Faclon because they have recessed fastenings and the frame on the Falcon won't take them, and even if I worked out how to swap the mountings over, the drop isn't big enough. Despite having the Falcon classic 'no braze-ons apart from on the fork' there is loads of clearance at the brake bridge for a guard it seems. Not that I had time for mudguards when I was a teenager in famoulsy dry Manchester. Just a wet arse for me, ta.
Anyway, yesterday I thought that rather than let it sit in the shed, I might as well put the Falcon on the trainer while I decide what to do, because the gearing doesn't matter so much there, and it would give me the chance to adjust the riding position. (The saddle angle is how it was when I bought it - I didn't ride it like that)
And so the reason for the post - the psychology of the known - it's so much better than the Raleigh. In every way. (I should add here that I didn't remeber to calibrate the turbo and the roll down time is about 50% longer on the Falcon, so it was reading a higher power for the same effort, which definitely helped perceptions. The tyre on the Raleigh was a bit soft) The main thing is that despite the frames surely being identical in geometry the Falcon just feels right. It was like putting on a pair of old slippers. It was very odd how much better it seemed to fit me. I didn't adjust a thing other than levelling the saddle, whereas it took me ages to get the saddle on the Raleigh just right. Maybe my 'arris has a memory of this saddle and has been searching for another ever since? On the Raleigh I always feel like my wrists are slightly too bent on the tops - like it's too short, but if I move the saddle back I get pins and needles after about 20 minutes. On the Falcon it's just perfect.
I feel like I'm home.
I don't really know what the point of this post is, but maybe fellow cyclits will recognise something in it? Or can take away that tiny differences can make a big difference. Or that looking at the 'right' colour forks and bars makes a big difference mentally.
