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The Death of Quick Release
Any fools still using quick release hubs are hopeless Retrogrouches. That's right. Quick release hubs, which have been standard issue on quality bicycles since the 1930s (thank you, Tullio Campagnolo),...
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Campagnolo C Record Hubs: Beautiful. Possibly Fragile
The most beautiful bicycle hubs ever?In my recent post about Campagnolo Record hubs, which were made for over 25 years, and which many believe were among the best hubs ever made, I mentioned near the...
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Sex Sells -- Then and Now
Women have been used in bicycle ads almost since the beginning ("used" is a pretty good word here). I mean, who can forget that iconic Cycles Gladiator ad from the 1890s? At that time, bicycles...
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Sex Sells II: The Sequel
After putting up some posters and ads that used women and sex appeal to sell bicycles, I found that there were so many examples through the decades, it was difficult to narrow down the selections. But...
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"Innovative" New Bike Saddles: Wedgies, or Holes?
If you're like me, when it comes to bicycle saddles and comfort, you've probably found yourself thinking, "the only thing that could make me more comfortable would be if I had a great big wedge...
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Classic Cycling Shoes
Some time back, I had a post about traditional toe-clip and strap pedals, and recently I was asked by a reader about what shoes I use with those pedals. Unfortunately, none of the shoes I ride in are...
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Priorities: A Cool Old Poster
I've never owned a Klein, but I have this poster hanging on the wall in my classroom:Priorities: from the mid-80s.There was a time when I would probably have really liked having a Klein, even though...
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Greg LeMond: (Still) America's Greatest
Greg LeMond today, at the Rapha Cycle Club in NYC.The Rapha Cycle Club Store in New York's cobblestoned meat-packing district has a special exhibit this month featuring the bikes and assorted...
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At the end of my article on Greg LeMond yesterday, I mentioned LeMond's efforts to get a change in UCI leadership in the face of accusations of bribery and complicity in doping cases involving former...
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Retrogrouch-worthy Tires
Finding tires appropriate for vintage or classic-styled bicycles isn't impossible, but in recent years choices haven't been what they once were. Panaracer Paselas have long been available, and they're...
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Bike Commuting Friday - On a Bike Friday!
This winter has been brutal. Frigid temperatures, plus lots of snow and ice have put a major dent in my bicycle commuting this year. At the end of November, I had a bike-to-work average of 75%. As of...
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Disc Brake Recall
Most people reading a blog called The Retrogrouch probably aren't riding bikes with disc brakes. But in case I'm wrong, or if the readers out there have friends with disc brake-equipped bikes, I want...
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Road Disc Brakes: Another Step Closer
To be filed under "I Can't Wait."In an interesting (and somewhat ironic) follow up to yesterday's post about more disc brake recalls, I found this story today on BikeRadar about how the UCI is moving...
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Classic Derailleurs: Campagnolo Evolution
No derailleurs capture the spirit of the classic era more than the Campagnolo's derailleurs from the 1950s through the 80s. Beginning with the Gran Sport in 1949, through the original Record, then...
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Classic Derailleurs Part II: Competition Copies and Clones
The very influential Campagnolo Gran Sport spawned manycompetitors and clones. (photo courtesy of Carlos Ovalle)In my previous post, I looked at the evolution of Campagnolo's post-war classic-era...
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Campagnolo Derailleurs: Evolutionary Dead Ends
In evolutionary biology, small mutations -- genetic "accidents" if you will -- occur naturally and occasionally. Sometimes these mutations turn out to be beneficial and live on, perhaps to even become...
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Campagnolo Delta Brakes
When it comes to vintage bicycle brakes, die-hard fans tend to have their personal favorites, but in general, most good-quality brakes tend to look and work at least similarly to one another. But there...
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NAHBS 2014
The 2014 North American Handmade Bicycle Show was last weekend in Charlotte, N.C., and photos from the event have been making their way onto the blogs throughout the past week. Here are a few galleries...
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Bikes, Beer and Cigarettes
Through a number of previous posts, I've looked at some vintage bicycle ads that I found interesting, or beautiful, or even just blatantly sexist. But bicycles have been used to sell other products as...
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Bike Friday
In a post about my trip to Alaska last year, I mentioned how I kept finding myself wanting to ride my bike -- but my own bike was all the way back in Ohio. I was able to rent a couple of bikes -- but...
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