OF LITESPEED AND LADIES
by Steve Strain, Club President 1996-1999
March 1999
The Giro d'Italia. Le Tour de France. The Spring Classics. For roadies these are the
Holy Grail of cycling. And once again Litespeed was kind enough to bring Bob Roll, who has
ridden these events, to Chattanooga for beer and pizza and stories. Bob told of the 1988
Giro when his teammate, Andy Hampsten, won by winning the climb over the Gavia in a
blizzard. Andy is the only American to have won the Giro and his ride over the Gavia won
the hearts of Italian cycling fans. For more on the history talk to Bill Chambers who can
tell you a lot more than I about the Seven Eleven Team and first serious American foray
into the European peleton.
Litespeed also handed out catalogs and bumper stickers. The Trooper needed more cycling
stuff so on went the Litespeed sticker. The bride was there when the sticker was going on.
It has the Litespeed logo mounted on a clear plastic. Miss Karen decided the plastic
didn't look good and that it would look better if the plastic were cut off so that only
the logo itself showed. So she got a knife and commenced to cutting the excess. In doing
so she cut herself. So there the bride is, holding her knife, bleeding and admiring the
logo of some bike company. "And no, you can't have one" she added. It did look a
lot better and I reminded myself, once more, that I am married to a fabulous woman.
I rode the following weekend and someone asked me why I had a Litespeed sticker in that
I ride a Waterford. I put the sticker on because in talking to the Litespeed boys it is
apparent that they love the sport. As a prosecutor I can be pretty cynical about human
nature. And I will admit that bringing Bob Roll to town is good public relations. But I
think it goes beyond that. I think it's giving something back to the cycling community.
And Bob should also be commended for hanging out with a bunch of cyclists who no doubt ask
him the same questions he's heard a thousand times. And they like the Waterford. I have
never heard anything but positive things about my Waterford from the competitors at
Litespeed. No one from Litespeed has said you really should ride titanium. They just like
bikes and I can support folks like that. And maybe if I whine for another five or six
years the bride will let me buy one. They don't cost much dear.
It has been a good month for our cycling community. Team Peggy has begun and the ladies
had some thirty five women show up for the inaugural meeting. I was told that men can come
and ride if they are invited otherwise we can't play. But hopefully this will encourage
women to ride and also ride with guys. And, ladies, when you do ride with the boys, don't
drop us for a little while. At least let us think we can keep the pace. So hats off to Kym
and the Suck Creek folks for starting Team Peggy.
I think I get about every bike catalog known to modern man. And I go through them and
drool over the toys. But it's awfully hard to get the folks in Ohio, or Colorado, or North
Carolina to adjust the Waterford on a Friday afternoon so she'll be ready to go climb and
chase all over north Georgia. So remember the local shops. They are the people supporting
cycling in our community. They are the ones helping with rides and teams and being there
when something goes bump on the bike. So work an event, get out and ride. Give to the
cycling community. It gives a lot back in return.
Ride ladies, ride.
| 
