rockdemon wrote,...
Hello Rich,
Up until the early 1980s, most cycling shoes were made from leather, laminated soles with either a steel or titanium insert within for increased stiffness. Laces were always used to close the shoes. Cleats were either nailed on or were prefixed and unjustable with screws. Clipless pedals arrived on the road scene in 1985 when Frenchman Bernard Hinault began using them. Hinault is regarded as being the second greatest cyclist of all time, with the undisputed number one being the Belgian Eddy Merckx. Shoe material changed as clipless pedals required uppers to be much more substantial, so synthetic leather such as Lorica as used by Sidi became popular and carbon soles became common place in high end models.
Jerseys were largely made from wool as were the knicks up until the early 1980s, then lycra and synthetics started to appear. Today quality knicks or bibs (those with intergrated braces) are largely constructed from nylon and its derivatives with anti bacterial synthetic inserts where once a chamois was common place.
Frame material has changed from steel being the dominant material to aluminium alloys and now to carbon. Titanium alloys for frame construction are still used, but are not particularly common, being heavier than both aluminium and carbon.
Ron.
Hello Rich,
Up until the early 1980s, most cycling shoes were made from leather, laminated soles with either a steel or titanium insert within for increased stiffness. Laces were always used to close the shoes. Cleats were either nailed on or were prefixed and unjustable with screws. Clipless pedals arrived on the road scene in 1985 when Frenchman Bernard Hinault began using them. Hinault is regarded as being the second greatest cyclist of all time, with the undisputed number one being the Belgian Eddy Merckx. Shoe material changed as clipless pedals required uppers to be much more substantial, so synthetic leather such as Lorica as used by Sidi became popular and carbon soles became common place in high end models.
Jerseys were largely made from wool as were the knicks up until the early 1980s, then lycra and synthetics started to appear. Today quality knicks or bibs (those with intergrated braces) are largely constructed from nylon and its derivatives with anti bacterial synthetic inserts where once a chamois was common place.
Frame material has changed from steel being the dominant material to aluminium alloys and now to carbon. Titanium alloys for frame construction are still used, but are not particularly common, being heavier than both aluminium and carbon.
Ron.
It had never occured to me before now!
