Bicycling magazine April 1978: RAGBRAI, Why Racers Race, Schwinn Superior
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Bicycling magazine April 1978: RAGBRAI, Why Racers Race, Schwinn Superior
Sure, you remember April 1978 as the month when Dallas debuted on CBS, but do you remember that it was also the month when Bicycling had articles about Frank Berto's ultimate city bike, RAGBRAI, the Schwinn Superior, and The Bicycling Ernsts?
naturally there was more stuff in that issue, as you can see from the table of contents. If there are additional article or advertisements that you'd like to see posted, let me know.
A report on RAGBRAI, the ride across Iowa organized by the Des Moines Register. This was just a handful of years after the ride started as two reporters just riding across the state.
Owen Mulholland wrote a series of articles on the classic races, and in this issue, discusses "why racers race".
a road test on the Schwinn Superior....
more in the next post.....
Steve in Peoria
naturally there was more stuff in that issue, as you can see from the table of contents. If there are additional article or advertisements that you'd like to see posted, let me know.
A report on RAGBRAI, the ride across Iowa organized by the Des Moines Register. This was just a handful of years after the ride started as two reporters just riding across the state.
Owen Mulholland wrote a series of articles on the classic races, and in this issue, discusses "why racers race".
a road test on the Schwinn Superior....
more in the next post.....
Steve in Peoria
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and a report on the Bicycling Ernsts. The Ernst family has been involved in racing and running a bike shop since Ted Ernst Sr. emigrated from Germany in the 1920's.
Steve in Peoria
Steve in Peoria
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Unfortunate reference, Ralph Therrio died right about his 68th birthday this year in January.
At first I was not sure as some of the dates were goofed.
Had the opportunity to train with him on PCH after work in the mid 70's.
Strong rider, had the nickname "Crazyhorse"
Smart rider too, at the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix one year, Ron Skarin won in a late solo break, Therrio was a bit back, finishing second.
Ralph scooped up Ron's hairnet helmet that had been flung up and out of his hand in elation of the impending victory, good thing too as the pack sprinting for third was close behind and that helmet would have caused mayhem.
Think if you could reach down within 2" of the road at speed and snatched that up, impressive.
At first I was not sure as some of the dates were goofed.
Had the opportunity to train with him on PCH after work in the mid 70's.
Strong rider, had the nickname "Crazyhorse"
Smart rider too, at the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix one year, Ron Skarin won in a late solo break, Therrio was a bit back, finishing second.
Ralph scooped up Ron's hairnet helmet that had been flung up and out of his hand in elation of the impending victory, good thing too as the pack sprinting for third was close behind and that helmet would have caused mayhem.
Think if you could reach down within 2" of the road at speed and snatched that up, impressive.
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just for fun.. let me post a few of my favorite advertisements. These were the pages that got my attention and created subtle desires and cravings. Some of those marketing folks earned their pay!
SunTour Superbe... maybe the first generation?
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b01113_k_d.jpg
The Exxon Graftek frame. The first (that I recall) frame using carbon fiber. Granted, it was just carbon fiber wrapped around aluminum tubing, so who knows how much difference it made. Still, this was clearly the cutting edge technology for bike frames in that era!
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...87c79d_k_d.jpg
Shimano 600 components.
The three arm crankset seems rather unique now, but there was also a three arm crank by T.A. (seen on Raleigh Competitions) and the Campy Gran Sport (which replaced the T.A. cranks on the Competition when it became the Competition G.S.)
The Uniglide chain certainly hints at the coming technology of indexed shifting, but those downtube levers don't appear to be indexed.
The centerpull brake calipers used a link to avoid the use of a separate transverse cable.
I owned a set of the Shimano 600 hubs, and they were nothing fancy, but certainly nicer than the Normandy and low-end Sunshine hubs of the day.
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dd3b5e_k_d.jpg
a side note regarding the Shimano 600 ad: why do people in advertisements always work on their bikes in the oddest way? Has anyone ever gotten behind the centerpull brakes in order to adjust them? The only answer I can think of is that it allows the viewer to see what is going on.
Steve in Peoria
SunTour Superbe... maybe the first generation?
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b01113_k_d.jpg
The Exxon Graftek frame. The first (that I recall) frame using carbon fiber. Granted, it was just carbon fiber wrapped around aluminum tubing, so who knows how much difference it made. Still, this was clearly the cutting edge technology for bike frames in that era!
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...87c79d_k_d.jpg
Shimano 600 components.
The three arm crankset seems rather unique now, but there was also a three arm crank by T.A. (seen on Raleigh Competitions) and the Campy Gran Sport (which replaced the T.A. cranks on the Competition when it became the Competition G.S.)
The Uniglide chain certainly hints at the coming technology of indexed shifting, but those downtube levers don't appear to be indexed.
The centerpull brake calipers used a link to avoid the use of a separate transverse cable.
I owned a set of the Shimano 600 hubs, and they were nothing fancy, but certainly nicer than the Normandy and low-end Sunshine hubs of the day.
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dd3b5e_k_d.jpg
a side note regarding the Shimano 600 ad: why do people in advertisements always work on their bikes in the oddest way? Has anyone ever gotten behind the centerpull brakes in order to adjust them? The only answer I can think of is that it allows the viewer to see what is going on.
Steve in Peoria
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Oh, those Uniglide chains... I went through several because they seemed to stretch quickly.
Maybe it was those bulged sideplates straightening under the massive cranking power I had back then... (cranking torque, baby!)
then again, maybe not...
.
Maybe it was those bulged sideplates straightening under the massive cranking power I had back then... (cranking torque, baby!)
then again, maybe not...
.
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Love the RAGBRAI article. I rode it in 1978 for the first of several times. Such fun! When I rode it most recently in 2012 after a 27-year break, it was little like those simple and carefree early versions.
Thanks for posting!
Thanks for posting!
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Yep... very different from the last one I rode, circa 2010.
Steve in Peoria (but grew up in Iowa)
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Pretty cool to read the road test review of the Schwinn Superior written by none other than Gary Fisher! "The Superior is strong, stiff and designed for bigger riders, such as those over 150 pounds." Holy cow! I think I might be officially in the "bigger rider" category. Is there a dieting or weight loss thread somewhere on BF?
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Not pleased, but I mentioned I had close to 750 miles on them, but that was enough. I was not asked to do any follow up destructive testing.
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The Q-1 Graphite frame, what's the story behind that? And was it like carbon fiber or different?
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high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4804/4...4e47b1_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4875/4...b7015c_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4832/3...35ff3a_k_d.jpg
Steve in Peoria
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In 1975, I was given a chain and freewheel to test for a month. I took they off after three weeks. Started skipping, when the Shimano engineers came back to pick the parts up I advised them.
Not pleased, but I mentioned I had close to 750 miles on them, but that was enough. I was not asked to do any follow up destructive testing.
Not pleased, but I mentioned I had close to 750 miles on them, but that was enough. I was not asked to do any follow up destructive testing.
Last edited by Cougrrcj; 05-04-21 at 07:58 PM.
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Thank you so much! It's interesting to read how the main short coming was the geometry. And what happens when you move factory's and how the local skill source can drastically effect the reliability of the product. You can see where companies like Look were maybe able to see how to take a technology and where it failed and improve on it.
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Thank you so much! It's interesting to read how the main short coming was the geometry. And what happens when you move factory's and how the local skill source can drastically effect the reliability of the product. You can see where companies like Look were maybe able to see how to take a technology and where it failed and improve on it.
Steve in Peoria
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by chance, I've got a great article from Bicycle Guide magazine that delved into the history and lore of the frame....
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4804/4...4e47b1_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4875/4...b7015c_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4832/3...35ff3a_k_d.jpg
Steve in Peoria
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4804/4...4e47b1_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4875/4...b7015c_k_d.jpg
high resolution: https://live.staticflickr.com/4832/3...35ff3a_k_d.jpg
Steve in Peoria
out of San Diego, Graphite USA, the speedplay museum has the images, oversized tubing, welded up aluminum lugs.
Undercapitalized. Poof.
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Pretty cool to read the road test review of the Schwinn Superior written by none other than Gary Fisher! "The Superior is strong, stiff and designed for bigger riders, such as those over 150 pounds." Holy cow! I think I might be officially in the "bigger rider" category. Is there a dieting or weight loss thread somewhere on BF?
I now have a green Superior that I rebuilt with first generation XTR. I rode it for a few miles today- it's stiff and responsive. Stiff is a good thing considering I'm 60 pounds heavier than I was 40 years ago.
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Can you check the reader letters on page 4 and see if there's a letter from Richard Sachs, and if so post a photo of that? If not, it may be in the March 1978 issue, if you have that .... Thanks!
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high resolution version: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a11087_k_d.jpg
Interesting to see a letter from Mr. Sachs only 5 years into a successful career.
Steve in Peoria
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The throwaway comment in the first sentence of the Graftek article (about innovation during the 1890s bike boom) included a mention of the first clipless pedal design. I had to look that up. Here it is, from this page:
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The throwaway comment in the first sentence of the Graftek article (about innovation during the 1890s bike boom) included a mention of the first clipless pedal design. I had to look that up. Here it is, from this page:
The bike business at the time was very busy with innovation! It seems that no idea was too unusual to try.
The Graftek article mentioned "composite" frames of that era too, which reminded me of Jim Langley's short write-up of the hickory framed Chilion...
Steve in Peoria
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thanks for sharing the article, was only 4 when it was written but very cool to read about the early Rides.
Grew up in iowa, as a kid - I did a couple days of RAGBRAI as an unauthorized rider around Des Moines in the early 90's, I had to ride to it and back home from it which was practically twice the distance. Had no plans on what I would do if I broke down, no extra tube, no real money, just a 15 YO kid wanting to be part of it, with a tent strapped to my Schwinn World - good times, I have thought about trying to do the whole ride one of these years but PTO tends to get prioritized to other areas.
Grew up in iowa, as a kid - I did a couple days of RAGBRAI as an unauthorized rider around Des Moines in the early 90's, I had to ride to it and back home from it which was practically twice the distance. Had no plans on what I would do if I broke down, no extra tube, no real money, just a 15 YO kid wanting to be part of it, with a tent strapped to my Schwinn World - good times, I have thought about trying to do the whole ride one of these years but PTO tends to get prioritized to other areas.
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The throwaway comment in the first sentence of the Graftek article (about innovation during the 1890s bike boom) included a mention of the first clipless pedal design. I had to look that up. Here it is, from this page:
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I was living in Iowa City when the first? or second? RAGBRAI rolled through. We thought it was just a big freak show and we went to City Park to look at all the crazy bike riders camping out. It was better than anything else we had for entertainment.
Rode it myself in 1988 - one of my most enjoyable life memories.
Rode it myself in 1988 - one of my most enjoyable life memories.
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