saab2000
09-07-2005, 08:24 PM
So the thing about the Cannondale got me thinking. A few years ago there was a test in, I believe, Bicycle Guide which had a bunch of bikes of different materials which were all the same size and painted identically and set up identically.
This was in the age when most bikes were steel I think.
Anyway, the point remains that IIRC, the tester could barely tell the difference between what turned out to be the most expensive bike and the cheapest bike. In fact, on of his favorites turned out to be a totally average level steel tubing.
It would be cool if someone could do a similar test today. It would be tougher now because most bikes are in some way distintive in the shape of the tube/lug/something which identifies the bike.
I think that the test rider in the test in question did not know what he rode until after the test.
Anyone remember it?
There have been two bikes that I have ridden in my life that made me go, "Wow". One was a Look KG96 and the other was a Seven Odonata. I have not ridden many other ultra high-end bikes, like an Ottrott. I did, about 6 months ago, ride an IF Exel or whatever their Ti/Carbon is. It was cool, to be sure, but did not WOW me like the Look or Seven. The Seven was easily the smoothest bike I have ever ridden. And no, it was not due to low tire pressure.
Anyway, back to the point. I would love to see a modern Blind Taste Test of high-end bikes. It would take some of the mysticism out of it all I think because some very average names would likely test high and some high names would likely get dragged down.
This was in the age when most bikes were steel I think.
Anyway, the point remains that IIRC, the tester could barely tell the difference between what turned out to be the most expensive bike and the cheapest bike. In fact, on of his favorites turned out to be a totally average level steel tubing.
It would be cool if someone could do a similar test today. It would be tougher now because most bikes are in some way distintive in the shape of the tube/lug/something which identifies the bike.
I think that the test rider in the test in question did not know what he rode until after the test.
Anyone remember it?
There have been two bikes that I have ridden in my life that made me go, "Wow". One was a Look KG96 and the other was a Seven Odonata. I have not ridden many other ultra high-end bikes, like an Ottrott. I did, about 6 months ago, ride an IF Exel or whatever their Ti/Carbon is. It was cool, to be sure, but did not WOW me like the Look or Seven. The Seven was easily the smoothest bike I have ever ridden. And no, it was not due to low tire pressure.
Anyway, back to the point. I would love to see a modern Blind Taste Test of high-end bikes. It would take some of the mysticism out of it all I think because some very average names would likely test high and some high names would likely get dragged down.