Quote:
Originally Posted by MargaretR
My dad was a keen amateur racing cyclist in the 30s.
It was more popular then than it is now.
He won two silver and one gold medal in races from Burnley to Blackpool.
Those were the days when your bike was a standard heavy frame and you had to cycle from home to the race start.
PS and cycle home afterwards!
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I have been watching the road races for the last 20-odd years. Husband and son are big fans - didn't understand it much at the beginning but have absorbed a lot. They show many of the classic races here too - Bartoli and Coppi from the 30's and 40's figure a lot -National heroes in Italy and of course Pantani who had us on the edge of our seats in the 90's (before his sad demise).
There is a lot of money in cycling now, but seeing the old races when they didn't have all the high tech staff, equipment and training with medical help makes you realise what intrepid people they were back then -literally setting off with a couple of inner-tubes crossed over their bodies (in case of a puncture!) going 200 km a day over mountains etc.there's some incredible footage.
Last time I was on my bike I managed to fall off and wreck my knee - I only go slowly and my max distance is about 15-20km if pushed! It is good exercise too and cheap once you've bought the bike.