Reflections, The Complete Book of Bicycling

[witcombusa]

So around 1970, Eugene Sloane wrote a book, The Complete Book of Bicycling I remember getting my hands on it from the local library maybe around '72-'73. This was game changing. Suddenly all this wonderful information, pictures and diagrams. What was 'out there', how it worked and generally a 101 for real road cycling. This was a time when only pro level shops in the 'big city' had the real goods and info to back it up. For me, that would be some years off, first @ Kensington Cycles (CT) then at The Spoke in Denver followed by The Bicycle Exchange, Cambridge MA.

But this book started it all for me. Anyone else remember flipping through this in their early cycling years? (there were at least two updates, 1974 and again in 1980). Jacket pictures below;

[fiamme red]

I have the original edition and the 1980 update. This is definitely the book on cycling that most influenced me, and that introduced me to a whole world beyond the Schwinn Sportabout and Varsity that I had ridden.

[merckx]

The 1974 version occupies a slot on my bookshelf. I too poured over it, particularly the gear chart to determine chainring and freewheel selection for junior gear restriction. I learned about tubs, Reynolds 531, shoes with cleats, hairnets, CAMPAGNOLO! that was all contained within the clever book cover.

[fuzzalow]

I bought a copy of the first edition while still in around maybe 4th or 5th grade. Book department in Alexander's department store. I only had a stingray bike and didn't get a real 10-speed bike until many years later in high school.

The success of Mr Sloan's book kicked off a bunch of imitators. I remember this one

The book was advertised in Rolling Stone as I guess it had a certain hip, irreverent everyman about it. Mr. Sloan's book was more formal in tone, almost respectful of the bikes of which he was writing. This was all before another revival American bike boom in the 1970s which for many of us on the East Coast, thrust the white Peugeot bicycle into the collective consciousness.

[fiamme red]

An excellent essay on Sloane's book: https://keithwatkinshistorian.files....y-the-book.pdf.

"Despite the influence of other writers and half a lifetime of personal experience, Sloane’s counsel, I realize, still dominates my approach to bicycling. What is more interesting is my realization that his philosophy, if that is not too grand a term, has seeped into other aspects of life that are only incidentally related to bicycling."

[wgp]

Sloane's book was my bible of biking too when I was a teen growing up in the 70s. I still have my copy and took it down to leaf through after this posting. A trip down memory lane!!

[merckx]

I was also a customer of kensington Cycles. Gosh, those were the halcyon days!

[witcombusa]

in the later 70's I spotted some Richard Sachs frames hanging in Kensington Cycle's shop. These were 'batch' frames he did early on to help get his then fledgling shop on it's feet. More than 25 years later I bought one of those very frames ('78) for myself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/222196...57629918415915

[merckx]

Originally Posted by witcombusa

in the later 70's I spotted some Richard Sachs frames hanging in Kensington Cycle's shop. These were 'batch' frames he did early on to help get his then fledgling shop on it's feet. More than 25 years later I bought one of those very frames ('78) for myself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/222196...57629918415915

Was Sam the guy behind the counter?

[Peter P.]

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.

I was just a teenager in the '70's and would ride my bike the 10 miles from home to the shop all the time.

True story: I was 15 or 16 and had purchased a Viscount Aerospace Sport from a bicycle shop in Middletown, CT. Being new to cycling, I didn't own many tools so when the crank arm loosened I rode to the bike shop to get it tightened. I rode to Middletown once or twice but decided to ride to Suburban one day instead, when it needed tightening.

Well, the mechanic tightened the bolt and sheared the bolt head off! That wouldn't be so big a deal but apparently the Viscount didn't use standard thread crank bolts so Suburban didn't have a replacement. Neither did the Middletown shop. It took weeks to get a replacement.

A year or so later I stripped the derailleur hanger threads (I don't think they had helicoil kits then) and replaced the frame with a Fuji S10-S frame I bought from Suburban.

I also ordered my Richard Sachs from Surburban in 1979. I remember those RS batch built frames hanging in the shop; the pewter colored ones. They were pretty popular with the staff and customers so I got to oogle a lot of them back then!

And yes; as a teen I used to read ALL the available bicycle books at the library including Sloane's and Cuthbertson's, unless they were stolen :-(

[2metalhips]

I had that Sloane book, also bought a Schwinn Volare Reynolds 531 (aka Japanese Paramount) from Suburban Cycles in Kensington in the mid 70's.

[merckx]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.

I was just a teenager in the '70's and would ride my bike the 10 miles from home to the shop all the time.

True story: I was 15 or 16 and had purchased a Viscount Aerospace Sport from a bicycle shop in Middletown, CT. Being new to cycling, I didn't own many tools so when the crank arm loosened I rode to the bike shop to get it tightened. I rode to Middletown once or twice but decided to ride to Suburban one day instead, when it needed tightening.

Well, the mechanic tightened the bolt and sheared the bolt head off! That wouldn't be so big a deal but apparently the Viscount didn't use standard thread crank bolts so Suburban didn't have a replacement. Neither did the Middletown shop. It took weeks to get a replacement.

A year or so later I stripped the derailleur hanger threads (I don't think they had helicoil kits then) and replaced the frame with a Fuji S10-S frame I bought from Suburban.

I also ordered my Richard Sachs from Surburban in 1979. I remember those RS batch built frames hanging in the shop; the pewter colored ones. They were pretty popular with the staff and customers so I got to oogle a lot of them back then!

And yes; as a teen I used to read ALL the available bicycle books at the library including Sloane's and Cuthbertson's, unless they were stolen :-(

Peter, you are correct, Sam was at Suburban Cycles. What town was it located? I grew up in Middletown. Pedal Power was likely the shop that you purchased your Viscount. I had a friend on my HS rowing team who also purchased one of those Viscounts. Boy, oh boy was that thing light. I cut my teeth doing the New Britain criteriums, and of course, the Andre Raymond crit in Middletown.

[witcombusa]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.

Peter you are absolutely right. I grew up a fair distance from the shop and always thought 'Kensington' when talking of it so I would remember how to find it! Great shop back then

[mcteague]

Here's an old one from 1974.

[e-RICHIE]

Originally Posted by merckx

Peter, you are correct, Sam was at Suburban Cycles. What town was it located?

22 Chamberlain Highway
Kensington, CT

Who was Sam?
It was Bill and Keith who owned the place (then).