The Racers
The racers are the elite of bicycling, the riders who do everything the way it should be done. Bicycles have been raced almost as long as they have been ridden, but for various reasons the sport has enjoyed limited popularity in recent years in the United States. In Europe, bicycle racing ranks among the most prestigious of sports.
There are two major forms of bicycle racing: track and road. Track events are held on steeply-banked oval tracks, either indooors or outdoors. Because the nearest track is in Flushing, New York, this form of racing has been limited in the Boston area. The Metropolitan District Commission has expressed some interest in building a track, but the investment necessary may run as high as $100,000, so the prospect of having a track in the area is still some years off.
Road racing as the name implies is held on ordinary roads. Boston and Cambridge have a strong contingent of road racers including Harvard B School student and three time Olympian John Allis. Road races vary in length and course from Criteriums held on circuits often less than a mile in length (with the riders doing 50 or more laps) to stage races that cover hundreds of miles and take several days to complete.
Amateur races are sanctioned by the Amateur Bicycle League of American, and in the Cambridge area most racers are riding with the Northeast Bicycle Club. James Kunkmeuller (of Dover, and the man to talk to about racing) describes the program as very strong, although he would like to see a stronger contingent of women from the area.
Unfortunately for the competitor, bicycle racing is an expensive sport. The initial investment for a bicycle runs into the hundreds of dollars. Unless a racer is very good, and able to find sponsors or support himself from prizes, he will have continuing expenses for tires and other repairs. Because the popularity of bicycling has blossomed in the past few years, it is possible that sponsors will be easier to find. At present the finances of racing are still tight.
Ten Speeds
Why is it that one bicycle sells for under $100, while another looking very much the same will cost $600? Why would anyone want to pay $600 for a bicycle anyway?
The differences in bicycles are differences in cost, weight and performance. A $100 bicycle will weigh over 30 pounds, flex in the wrong places when you try to pedal hard, and get you around the city just fine. For a little more money the manufacturers use lighter rims, more reliable components, and take more care in building the frame. If you are willing to pay $160 or more you can get a bicycle with some of the steel replaced with lighter aluminum, and the weight will begin to come down. A cycle like this will carry you in style anywhere you might want to go.
Above $200 you enter the relm of racing bikes. These machines come close to the ultimate in light weight and performance. The frames are handmade of special alloy tubing, the tires are known as sew-ups, (very light with the tubes sewn inside). Having the tubes sewn inside makes them a real pain to patch, but there is no other way of making a tire as light (often less than 200 grams per tire) or as strong (racers ride with tire pressures well over 100 pounds per square inch), or as easy to change. While a bicycle like this is designed for racing, the truly dedicated tourist may also insist on one. In the past few years, with the vast increase in the number of tourists (and in particular, rich tourists insisting that they need the very best), the demand for these bicycles has soared. A bicycle that sold for $170 only a few years ago, is now often priced at almost $300.
What do you need in a bicycle? To get around Cambridge, a real turkey will do, and a three speed is luxury. If you plan to commute on a bicycle, particularly if you will have to cover much distance, a ten speed may prove valuable, (think of the money that you will save on gasoline.) If you are racing or training seriously, a good ten speed is absolutely necessary. How good is good? Well, that depends on how much money you want to spend