European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily the by Barnaby j. Feder new York times he Pace of bicycle evolution has increased in recent years thanks largely to the Well publicized and startlingly successful Effort to design cycles that would give the . V olympic team in 1984 an advantage Over riders from other countries. When i started in 1981, people were More worried about what color to paint cycles than How to improve them said Edmund Burke the director of sports science and technology for the . Cycling federation. We took a very dormant Industry and Shook it  to be sure the Bax style bicycles that look like motorcycles used in dirt track racing have proved popular in the children s Market and a variety of Broad tired tougher bicycles have been developed for Urban commuters and off the Road enthusiasts. But bicycle designers concede that these represent relatively straightforward evolution of the designs that have dominated cycling throughout the Century. Radical changes such As attempts to create enclosed three wheeled or four wheeled vehicles peddled from a seated position that would be More comfortable and efficient than traditional bicycles have repeatedly failed to live up to the High Hopes of their inventors. The technological conservatism of the cycling world is partly a reflection of its economic Structure. Cyclists who Are most inclined to pay for innovation tend to be racers and Tri athletes those who participate in a race involving swimming biking and running. Their interest in improvements is limited by what the authorities will accept As Standard for purposes of Competition. Bicycles might not look much different at first glance but new materials Are replacing steel and Chrome molybdenum alloys in frames at the upper end of the Market. New Assembly techniques Are being used along with the new materials. And with the help of computers designers for major companies in the Industry Are tinkering with everything from wheels to safety helmets. User friendliness has been adopted from the computer Industry As one goal for bicycle innovators. Thus a number of companies Are searching for ways to replace the Standard gear shift with some form of automatic transmission. Meanwhile leading manufacturers of derailleurs the gearing mechanism on Many bicycle such As Shimano of Japan have already reached the Market with new designs that make shifting simpler. New framing materials just beginning to filter into the specially shops that sell High performance bicycles Are aluminium and fiber composites. Manufacturers say that aluminium was used in some bicycles at the turn of the Century but soon gave Way to steel. Riders in the United states Are now willing to pay a Premium for lower weight tubing advances in the fabrication of High strength aluminium and new adhesives that make it possible to bind aluminium to other metals or composite materials. This has created a new generation of aluminium framed cycles descended from those Ridden to Gold medals by the american team. The biggest vote of Confidence yet in aluminium came in december. It was then that the Raleigh bicycle division of Huffy corp., the world s largest bicycle manufacturer introduced its new the conium line. The the conium uses aluminium tubing for the front Triangle of the Frame and Chrome molybdenum for the rear. The new line cuts the lowest Price for aluminium framing to under $300. Smaller rivals such As Cannondale based in Georgetown conn., offer All aluminium framed cycles from $400 to More than $1,200 at stateside stores. The recumbent bicycle was a fad for free wheelers. New York times photo new York times photo Pegasus a four wheel four person machine with fibreglass Shell was designed by engineering students. Interest is also growing in Carbon fiber composites and super strength synthetic fibres such As do font s Kevlar although such materials Are far More expensive and no one is mass producing such a bicycle yet. The the conium was derived from Huffy s work on the olympic project but much of the technology on which the olympic Effort was based had been acquired in Europe Long the technology Leader for the Industry. Europeans Are leading the Way in the development of Carbon fiber and synthetic fiber based racing cycles but they in turn Are drawing on materials developments in which the United states has led the Way. Although Europe s passion for bicycle races has been a major Factor in its drive to improve the traditional Model the american Market is another. We Are the country pushing both Europe and Japan toward technological advances said David Karneboge product manager for lightweight bicycles at the Chicago based Schwinn bicycle co. Their Domestic markets Are More oriented toward cheap traditional  in the United states by contrast Well Over half of the More than 11 million bicycles sold last year were in the lightweight end of the Market where customers Are willing to pay More for improved performance. Sales at cafes Europe reflect the trend toward lightweight bicycles. The Exchange service carries a variety of aluminium and Alloy including four Cannondale models available at Exchange sports stores the St-500 touring Bike at $325, the firm s 21 Inch Mountain Bike at $575 and a pair of racing models that sell for $325 and $475 respectively. The stores also Stock Carfolite Frame bikes made by Peugeot including 10 and 12-Speed racing and touring models plus a 15-Speed Mountain Bike. Prices Range from $129 to $235. The Exchange service carries 35 models but not All Are available at every outlet. However customers can get bicycles not available at their local Exchange through the cafes special order program a spokesman said Friday april 18, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 13