>>1431196These bikes had durable steel frames made to last centuries. Truth be told, they were quite heavy, and there is no reason we should swap back to inferior steel rims and insanely heavy crank arms. These being the major areas of weight saving we can do today. However, the large 40-635 tires are MUCH bigger than the 32-622 tires of modern bikes, even though both are called 28'', providing a very comfortable ride, without needing suspension forks. Also, their hubs were made of exceptionally good quality. These kickback coaster brakes made 100 years ago still work fine today. They might not have had gears, but they didn't really need them. By finetuning the ratio between the front cog, crank arm length and rear cog to the demand of the user, one readily discovers gears are redundant except for the racer. Select an appropiate RPM for your legs and a modern calculator can determine the right amount of teeth front and back, one needs. I personally have set it so so that at 80 RPM my bike goes about 20 km/h, roughly the most efficient speed for a bicycle.
It is true that this upright posture is not very aerodynamic. But it is comfortable and very safe. As shown in the latest scientific studies, downtubers sacrifice 200% comfort for 30% aero gains, which is simply not worth it.
Also, remember, one is not always cycling against the wind. This upright posture is actually beneficial with a tailwind, with your body acting as a sail. I've passed downtubers without pedalling this way.
