probally one of the best articles i have read, U -GOAT'ers become a BOOT'er

[Freakshow]

Goat vs Boot ?

I hate these discussions and all that back in my day crap,  who gives a shit what you saw or did they are your memories not mine, and as i read this article i find myself going down that same path again , but with a smile, you just cant compare  era or rider there are just to many veriables and oppertunities, and to do so is niave and stupid. 

Some times the Best of stories are best kept for the camp fire or klub kevlar  ,

but the best statment i have read in a while comes from this article and quote " Greatest Of All Time does our sport a disservice.   But Best Of Our Time, we can debate over beers around the campfire.

I found this article a very fresh breathe on that whole debate, the best part is, this seems to be questioned by every generation  http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=571&page_number=3

[Nathan S]

I agree.

To look at just one aspect of the discussion, motorsport history is littered with stories of top-line competitors who struggle to adapt to (sometimes minor) technical alterations to their chosen category - look at how Hayden went from World Champ to also-ran when the 800s turned up for a recent example...

I often wonder how the top riders of each era, at their prime, would go if you made them swap bikes. Would Reed/Stewart/Carmichael on (say) an RH72 seriously challenge deCoster, Robert, Hallman etc?  What about the other way 'round?

So while it's good backyard barby/round the campfire/forum talk, anybody who thinks they can arrive at a technically indisputable conclusion about the GOAT, is dreamin'.

(None of this is meant to take away from RC's record that earned him the title of GOAT).