TBT memories....
February 2001 had ridden the trails in the Royal National Park near Loftus, New South Wales Australia. And was sitting at a sidewalk table at the cafe on Flora St in Sutherland Shire at the same time a pack of roadies finished their ride. And like all things bike...some how a conversation starts when one roadie who was about 68 asked why I still ran thumb shifters. A couple of the younger roadies who had rode with him joked about him crushing them often on his relic of a road bike. And for like an hour a couple Aussie roadies and a BC mountain biker talked old vs new parts.
The old battler had an old Italian Road bike...steel of course. He had mostly old parts but had upgraded his shifter/brake levers to STI style...apparently only recently. Truly showing that new expensive parts don't make up for the lack of training and skills. Or as he put it reluctantly forced to upgrade. And can confirm that the others in that ride said despite outdated frame and parts had no problem hurting them riding on the newest gear. Guess some of that conversation stuck with this dirtbag and old school multisport athlete aka Triathlete.
Fast forward to April 2002 and wanting a road bike again. Bought the one pictured for $135. Road that thing for miles. Won my age group at the 2003 Ontario Duathlon Champs, NOTL Duathlon, and others. All the while passing guys on their $6000 plus Cervelo's.
And then from 2014 till 2019 ride and raced a few mtb races on an old 2007 Chromag Samurai on antiquated retro grouch 26 inch wheels. Against guys in the Clydesdale category on the newest 29 inch wheeled wonder.
And still did well despite the negative of outdated old frames and wheel. Never underestimate riders on what you deem outdated bikes or using any outdated parts.
Sadly the Chromag Samurai is no more as was destroyed by a hit and run driver. But the honest truth would still be riding it without a card about it being old if it hadn't been destroyed.
Would I do it again? Hell yeah.
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