I was just over checking out Joe Bike, a Portland distributor of inexpensive utility bikes. In addition to Yuba Mundo and Batavus bikes, Joe imports Flying Pigeon bikes from China and upgrades them with decent brakes and cranks. A Flying Pigeon that stops? What a radical idea!
Anyway on his information page for the Flying Pigeon, he had this great video I’ve posted below that I missed during the Olympics. An NBC reported wheeled one of these 50 pound monsters into the Olympic velodrome and asked American track racers Mike Friedman to try it out. His response? He loved it, and told the reporter he could keep his $12,000 track bike because the Flying Pigeon was way more useful and stylish.
Hmmm, you mean not only does the average Joe not need a performance bike, but track racers don’t care that much for their fixed gear steeds outside of the velodrome?
on Jan 8th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I forwarded that to my family, which is slowly getting used to this idea of “bikes as transportation.” Fun.
on Jan 28th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Too funny. But look at it this way. Training on a 50 pound bike for a cyclist is like a marathon runner doing his/her preparation with army boots. I know that riding my Opafiets is not only “stylish” and “cool”. It is also darned good exercise!