Getting Up To Speed On Bike Performance

Sun., June 15, 1997

Q. I would like find out the difference in performance between the new Campagnolo Record Titanium 9-speed group and the new Shimano Dura Ace 9-speed road groups. I’ve read the bike magazines, but as usual, they’re ambiguous with praise for both.

Chris Cameron

Gear Guy: A tough question. The rationale for more speeds, of course, is to reduce the “gap” between gears and enable you to maintain a smooth pedaling cadence over any terrain changes. Particularly if you use a fairly wide cog (say, 13/26) that makes it much easier to find the right gear.

Certainly, the jumps from 6 speed to 7 speed, then from 7 speed to 8 speed, had real benefits for bicyclists. But we’re getting into an area of diminishing returns. Going from 8 to 9 speed, in my view, doesn’t add that much functionality.

What it does add is a boat load of complexity. So much so, in fact, that none of the 9-speed stuff from Shimano or Campy is backwards-compatible with 8 speed. You have to buy the while enchilada: shifter/levers, hubs, cassettes, rear derailleur the whole drive train. Ouch. I suspect that maintenance and parts replacement will also be more complicated and costly due to the narrower chains, narrower cogs and finer tolerances required with 9 speed.

On the upside, the Dura-Ace and Record groups make wide use of titanium for lighter weight. And they are said to work extremely well. I think racers and very serious recreational riders will benefit from 9 speed provided they already plan to buy a new bike or group. Otherwise I’m not sure the cost justifies it.

I put myself in that “serious recreational rider” group. Still, when I had to grapple with this question myself while recently outfitting a new road frame I decided to go with Campy Chorus 8-speed. The Chorus 9-speed group doesn’t cost much more, but I decided to stay with a system to which I’m accustomed. Perhaps in a year, when any bugs get worked out, I’ll take a look at 9 speeds.

Q. I’ve been thinking about camping out again (with a car) after an absence of some 25 years. I’m in my early 50s, a bit creaky from assorted disabilities and the accumulated effects of a sedentary life. I’m not as strong as I used to be, and my back has grown a little unpredictable.

I thought about getting a minivan and equipping it with a mattress, but esthetically that doesn’t match up to a softsided tent with the forest breeze soughing through the windows. What kind of two-three person tent would you recommend to fair-weather campers? And what about sleeping bags and mats? Any other suggestions?

This question is a lot tamer than your usual fare, but maybe you have some other closet readers like me. Whaddya say, gear guy?

Karl Thunemann

Gear Guy: Hey, I car-camp myself. I recall an evening last September at Oregon’s spectacular Cape Blanco State Park. Mrs. Gear and I had a big campfire going, a batch of fresh oysters percolating on a compact Weber grill, and a bottle of nicely chilled Chardonnay. I felt like the guy in “Field of Dreams” who looks around the baseball diamond and asks: “Is this heaven?” It sure seemed like it.

So make the most of what can be a decadent experience. I recommend highly an umbrella-style tent such as Eurekas Equinox 4 ($270) or the Quest Headland 4 (also $270). For a sleeping bag, a rectangular-style bag is roomier and more comfortable. Walruss semi-rectangular Dreamtime ($215) is a terrific bag; Slumberjacks Escape ($130) is a bit more affordable. Downy Airbeds ($30) are comfy full-size mattresses. Or, use a cot to get yourself off the ground. L.L. Bean’s folding cot ($85) is a high-quality alternative. And before turning in, be sure you have a Byer Maine Lounger ($35) for a comfortable camp chair.

Add a few camp lanterns, a crackling fire and a splash of rum in your hot chocolate. What could be better?

xxxx

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.