In a moment of weakness, I ordered some Pari Motos.
I'm probably a lot more excited about them than I should be.
I'll talk about it more later maybe.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sixfiddy Bee
Can't really get over how effin' cool this dealie is. I have an affinity for steel racingish bikes from 80's to 90's, but really don't like skinny tires. Not a fan of the Col de la Vie tires or the front brake cable housing length, but sweet Basso frame with hella clearance and full Superbe Pro? Oh and offset Synergy in the rear is super cool too. This would be such a super bike for Pari-Motos. Anyway, wanted to share that...
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sizemore Bicycles
Sometimes I think about how it would be nice to own a bike that wasn't so flashy. More details here.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Low Trail!
I'll get to the whole subject of the title in a second, but a note about the blog--for better or worst of my judgment, I loaned my camera to my friend who is currently sailing across the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Guatemala, and seeing how that something I'd never do, I figure it'd be cool if he took pictures with it. See the world... Through other people. Anyway, no photos from for a while, so obviously I can't show you directly the cool stuff, but I'll use my words. Hard.
-----
Of the endless topics I prattle on about on the regular, low trail bikes are usually at the top for things I should try to cut back on. If you look at the picture above, 'trail' is neatly labeled right underneath the front wheel. It's measured by figuring out where the centerline of the steering axis is and where the the front axle is in relation to the ground. The overwhelming majority of modern bike today have mid to high trail because its believed to have smoother handling.
As the above picture demonstrates, there are two ways major ways to change around your trail. The first is by having a steeper or more shallow head tube angle. Head tube angle are usually around 69-75 degrees (and that's a pretty wide range), with 73 being a fairly common middle ground. The second way to alter trail is increase or decrease the 'rake' of the fork. Rake is measured by how far the axle of the front wheel is from the steering axis. Generally speaking, a fork that is bent to a greater degree has higher rake. By making the head tube a steeper angle and increasing the rake of the fork, trail is lessened. By making the head tube more slack and the rake smaller, trail is increased.
Another way to visualize trail is by looking at the bottom bracket (where the cranks are connected the bicycle) in relation to the front wheel. Generally speaking, the farther away the front wheel is from the bottom bracket, the lower the trail is. Thinking of it this way, a few benefits of low trail are illuminated. For instance, on smaller frames its a common problem where when the crank is at the 3 o'clock/9 o'clock position, the rider's foot will hit the front wheel when making an exaggerated turn. At high speeds, this make no difference as you'll never turn the front end enough during a turn to make a difference. But at lower speeds, it can cause a minor crash--something you don't really want in city traffic. Low trail geometry deceases the likely hood of this happening.
Another major benefit of low trail is the ability to hold a load on the front of the bicycle without sacrificing the handling of the bike at high speeds. With the wheel farther forward, a load above the wheel is better stabilized by having the wheel constantly guiding the weight instead of it being pushed by it. High trail bicycles also have a fair amount of 'wheel flop'. When the bicycle's front end is turned to the left or the right, the height of the front sinks a bit. This is a good thing, as it acts as a sort of 'power steering' for the bike. With a load on the front however, the 'power steering' effect is exacerbated, causing the bike to want to fall to the left or right. High trail bikes have more wheel flop than low trail bikes. Since low trail has less wheel flop, it can feel more 'twitchy' than high trail bikes, but its ability carry loads is improved, especially at higher speeds.
There are other benefits of low trail such as the bicycle's ability to 'hold the line' on turns. Since wheel flop is decreased, the rider is forced to have more control over the steering of the bike. This benefits the rider, as they are more able to control where the bicycle directs itself during a turn without resisting the 'power steering' as much. This can be particularly helpful for when biking quickly at night and noticing an obstacle in the road when its almost too late--your ability to correct and avoid is increased.
I think the Lovely Bicycle! blog had a good point in that low trail isn't 'life changing' so much as its just 'kinda nice'. It can change how you use your bicycle and make it better at doing that, but it also isn't a game breaker/winner.
----
It looks like I'll be getting a new fork for the big trash pile bike, giving it low trail geometry. Gonna get a handlebar bag and front rack too, so hopefully this will make my 'carry shit' dilemma a little better. As I mentioned in the last post, messenger bags, back packs, and panniers just don't suit going on longer rides in which I only need to carry the essentials. Kinda nervous, as it's going to set me back $300+ and I really should be budgeting more this season, but I'm a sucker for this kind of shit.
Because I'm a mega nerd, I have planned out everything I want to get:
Corey Thompson-made fork
VO Randonneur front rack and decaileur
Handlebar bag that is super tall made by a friend (Not many vegan options out there...)
1" Threadless. First threadless bike I'm going to own besides a MTB I crashed a long time ago.
VO 45mm fenders because I love metal fenders but can't afford non-outsourced bike parts...
30mm Challenge Paris-Roubaix tires, or 32mm Grand Bois Cypress (700c!)
VO Grand Cru standard reach dual pivots (damn you globalization.)
I also really want to get Grand Bois Maes Parallel bars, but I have no money for anything above listed, much less $90 handlebars. I have these old school Campy Nuovo Record non-aero levers that I think I'll use. If I don't like those, then I might splurge for those sweet TRP aero levers. Some other cool free-bee parts I got are a Nuovo Record rear derailer and a Shimano 600 corn cob 6 speed freewheel. I found these shit 700c wheels that I revived, but it'd be cool to get something more legit in the future, primarily a generator hub.
The sad part of this is that I'm going to part out the Lotus to complete this project, taking away the cranks, bottom bracket, front derailer, shifters, saddle and maybe handle bars... I think I'll make it a fixed gear as I kinda miss having one around and I still love the frame, but one project at a time. FUCK MONEY. Does anyone want to pay me to be a nerd AND let me stay in Olympia? Because I'm willing.
-----
Another way to visualize trail is by looking at the bottom bracket (where the cranks are connected the bicycle) in relation to the front wheel. Generally speaking, the farther away the front wheel is from the bottom bracket, the lower the trail is. Thinking of it this way, a few benefits of low trail are illuminated. For instance, on smaller frames its a common problem where when the crank is at the 3 o'clock/9 o'clock position, the rider's foot will hit the front wheel when making an exaggerated turn. At high speeds, this make no difference as you'll never turn the front end enough during a turn to make a difference. But at lower speeds, it can cause a minor crash--something you don't really want in city traffic. Low trail geometry deceases the likely hood of this happening.
Another major benefit of low trail is the ability to hold a load on the front of the bicycle without sacrificing the handling of the bike at high speeds. With the wheel farther forward, a load above the wheel is better stabilized by having the wheel constantly guiding the weight instead of it being pushed by it. High trail bicycles also have a fair amount of 'wheel flop'. When the bicycle's front end is turned to the left or the right, the height of the front sinks a bit. This is a good thing, as it acts as a sort of 'power steering' for the bike. With a load on the front however, the 'power steering' effect is exacerbated, causing the bike to want to fall to the left or right. High trail bikes have more wheel flop than low trail bikes. Since low trail has less wheel flop, it can feel more 'twitchy' than high trail bikes, but its ability carry loads is improved, especially at higher speeds.
There are other benefits of low trail such as the bicycle's ability to 'hold the line' on turns. Since wheel flop is decreased, the rider is forced to have more control over the steering of the bike. This benefits the rider, as they are more able to control where the bicycle directs itself during a turn without resisting the 'power steering' as much. This can be particularly helpful for when biking quickly at night and noticing an obstacle in the road when its almost too late--your ability to correct and avoid is increased.
I think the Lovely Bicycle! blog had a good point in that low trail isn't 'life changing' so much as its just 'kinda nice'. It can change how you use your bicycle and make it better at doing that, but it also isn't a game breaker/winner.
----
It looks like I'll be getting a new fork for the big trash pile bike, giving it low trail geometry. Gonna get a handlebar bag and front rack too, so hopefully this will make my 'carry shit' dilemma a little better. As I mentioned in the last post, messenger bags, back packs, and panniers just don't suit going on longer rides in which I only need to carry the essentials. Kinda nervous, as it's going to set me back $300+ and I really should be budgeting more this season, but I'm a sucker for this kind of shit.
Because I'm a mega nerd, I have planned out everything I want to get:
Corey Thompson-made fork
VO Randonneur front rack and decaileur
Handlebar bag that is super tall made by a friend (Not many vegan options out there...)
1" Threadless. First threadless bike I'm going to own besides a MTB I crashed a long time ago.
VO 45mm fenders because I love metal fenders but can't afford non-outsourced bike parts...
30mm Challenge Paris-Roubaix tires, or 32mm Grand Bois Cypress (700c!)
VO Grand Cru standard reach dual pivots (damn you globalization.)
I also really want to get Grand Bois Maes Parallel bars, but I have no money for anything above listed, much less $90 handlebars. I have these old school Campy Nuovo Record non-aero levers that I think I'll use. If I don't like those, then I might splurge for those sweet TRP aero levers. Some other cool free-bee parts I got are a Nuovo Record rear derailer and a Shimano 600 corn cob 6 speed freewheel. I found these shit 700c wheels that I revived, but it'd be cool to get something more legit in the future, primarily a generator hub.
The sad part of this is that I'm going to part out the Lotus to complete this project, taking away the cranks, bottom bracket, front derailer, shifters, saddle and maybe handle bars... I think I'll make it a fixed gear as I kinda miss having one around and I still love the frame, but one project at a time. FUCK MONEY. Does anyone want to pay me to be a nerd AND let me stay in Olympia? Because I'm willing.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Looking Back and Forward: The Bike Situation
Keep reading bike related New Year's retrospectives and plans, so in an attempt to stay awake, I figured I'd give it a shot. Here were some of my major learning points this past year:
1. Sizing is everything.
Seriously, durachi headsets and thomson seat post are cool and everything but if a bike doesn't fit, it will only be a matter of time before you end up selling it. This year alone, I got rid of a 62cm B-stone touring deal, 63cm Centurion sports tourer, 62cm Schwinn touring deal, and a 24" Schwinn oldie-but-goodie MTB. All had top tubes under 60cm. I have one 65cm racingish thing and a fixer-upper 68cm sports touring deals, both with top tubes over 60cm. And both frames ride way more comfortable than the previous four.
2. Figure out how you plan on carrying your stuff while biking.
I've done messenger bags and backpacks, and have done a-okay with them, but the longer and harder you ride, the less sense they make. Back packs often droop the weight of your belongings to your lower back, pulling you away from the bars. Messenger bags bring the weight towards your center of gravity, but place it square on your back. As a result, you get a nice big sweaty patch when you arrive at your destination. This isn't too bad in winter, but in the middle of summer it can be frustrating. Panniers are cool, but they're too much carrying capacity for virtually all my rides, and its a pain in the butt to try and balance the load between two half full and half utilized bags. Saddle bags are great, handlebar bags with matching geometry is even better.
3. Sometimes you don't need to prepare for the end of the world. (Sorry to pick on you, Dave...)
When I first got really into working on bikes, my ideal ride would have an 11-36 cassette paired with a wide range triple, front and rear super-heavy-duty racks, flat-proof schwalbe marathon tires and brake levers everywhere my hands rested. Not that I would hate to have a bike like that now, but I've definitely grown to appreciate bikes that try to minimize all the unnecessary tidbits. Cranks with 46/48t biggest ring and 32t smallest ring with 11-28 cassette get me up any hill that gravity permits, and I never really used that 52t big ring anyway... Plus on the rides I have the most fun on, I only packed some extra food and additional layers to prep for the weather. This kept my bike light and responsive.
Oh, and can I just say how effin' cool fancy-smanshy tires are? Not the mondo glass-crushing Schwalbe's, but rather the light and supple Grand Bois and Challenge tires. I feel more and more encouraged to push my self making going fast a fun pursuit instead of a drudging chore. Going down descents on nasty roads and not having to worry about denting my rims due to my thin, high pressure tires is a really good feeling. All of this kind of bleeds into my next point...
4. Weight does matter. (Shock.)
So blah blah blah the industry puts way too much investment into racing as a focus for cycling culture and puts forward all of these horrible assumptions such as 'the lighter the better', 'skinnier the faster', 'campy delta brakes are good' etc. (Okay that last one might just be curmudgeonly retro grouches.) Having said that, it is undeniable that bikes become more of a headache to live with as their weight increases. Especially for you tallies out there, ignoring weight out of some bitter grudge against racing hegemony can be counter productive. Not that it should be a priority, but trying to cut back where you can isn't a bad idea even if its only by the grams.
5. Geometry: What's important and what isn't.
When I didn't really know what geometry for bikes was, I was often told how certain bikes had either a more 'touring' geometry or a 'racing' geometry. This was usually followed by highlighting seat tube and head tube angles and how long the wheel base was. More slacked angles lend themselves to more easy-going riding while steep angles lend themselves to an aggressive stance. Same deal with wheel base, longer chain stays equal stability, but at the cost of 'zippiness' and control. However it seems to me that front end geometry is far more important of a consideration when setting up what a bike will be used for than angles or wheel base. The above bike I had the problem of having too steep of a seat tube angle for a traditional up-right bicycle. But the thing that this affected the most was the front end; with the additional weight pushed towards the front of the bike, the higher trail became much more finicky and less 'self-correcting'. The excessive wheel flop paired with the more frontal center of gravity aggravated the twitchy steering. I'm kinda just thinking out loud right now. I really don't understand geometry, but definitely have made strides this year to changing that.
Things I want to try in 2012:
1. Alter an old frame I have to make it more purposeful for what I use it for: brazed on brake pivots, low-trail front end, better rear triangle on big frame, additonal clearance for wide tires.
2. Get legit saddle and/or handlebar bag that is vegan. Fixtures to make bags appropriate.
3. Go on super crazy randoish rides this summer.
4. Rough stuff ride???
Seriously, durachi headsets and thomson seat post are cool and everything but if a bike doesn't fit, it will only be a matter of time before you end up selling it. This year alone, I got rid of a 62cm B-stone touring deal, 63cm Centurion sports tourer, 62cm Schwinn touring deal, and a 24" Schwinn oldie-but-goodie MTB. All had top tubes under 60cm. I have one 65cm racingish thing and a fixer-upper 68cm sports touring deals, both with top tubes over 60cm. And both frames ride way more comfortable than the previous four.
2. Figure out how you plan on carrying your stuff while biking.
I've done messenger bags and backpacks, and have done a-okay with them, but the longer and harder you ride, the less sense they make. Back packs often droop the weight of your belongings to your lower back, pulling you away from the bars. Messenger bags bring the weight towards your center of gravity, but place it square on your back. As a result, you get a nice big sweaty patch when you arrive at your destination. This isn't too bad in winter, but in the middle of summer it can be frustrating. Panniers are cool, but they're too much carrying capacity for virtually all my rides, and its a pain in the butt to try and balance the load between two half full and half utilized bags. Saddle bags are great, handlebar bags with matching geometry is even better.
3. Sometimes you don't need to prepare for the end of the world. (Sorry to pick on you, Dave...)
When I first got really into working on bikes, my ideal ride would have an 11-36 cassette paired with a wide range triple, front and rear super-heavy-duty racks, flat-proof schwalbe marathon tires and brake levers everywhere my hands rested. Not that I would hate to have a bike like that now, but I've definitely grown to appreciate bikes that try to minimize all the unnecessary tidbits. Cranks with 46/48t biggest ring and 32t smallest ring with 11-28 cassette get me up any hill that gravity permits, and I never really used that 52t big ring anyway... Plus on the rides I have the most fun on, I only packed some extra food and additional layers to prep for the weather. This kept my bike light and responsive.
Oh, and can I just say how effin' cool fancy-smanshy tires are? Not the mondo glass-crushing Schwalbe's, but rather the light and supple Grand Bois and Challenge tires. I feel more and more encouraged to push my self making going fast a fun pursuit instead of a drudging chore. Going down descents on nasty roads and not having to worry about denting my rims due to my thin, high pressure tires is a really good feeling. All of this kind of bleeds into my next point...
4. Weight does matter. (Shock.)
So blah blah blah the industry puts way too much investment into racing as a focus for cycling culture and puts forward all of these horrible assumptions such as 'the lighter the better', 'skinnier the faster', 'campy delta brakes are good' etc. (Okay that last one might just be curmudgeonly retro grouches.) Having said that, it is undeniable that bikes become more of a headache to live with as their weight increases. Especially for you tallies out there, ignoring weight out of some bitter grudge against racing hegemony can be counter productive. Not that it should be a priority, but trying to cut back where you can isn't a bad idea even if its only by the grams.
5. Geometry: What's important and what isn't.
When I didn't really know what geometry for bikes was, I was often told how certain bikes had either a more 'touring' geometry or a 'racing' geometry. This was usually followed by highlighting seat tube and head tube angles and how long the wheel base was. More slacked angles lend themselves to more easy-going riding while steep angles lend themselves to an aggressive stance. Same deal with wheel base, longer chain stays equal stability, but at the cost of 'zippiness' and control. However it seems to me that front end geometry is far more important of a consideration when setting up what a bike will be used for than angles or wheel base. The above bike I had the problem of having too steep of a seat tube angle for a traditional up-right bicycle. But the thing that this affected the most was the front end; with the additional weight pushed towards the front of the bike, the higher trail became much more finicky and less 'self-correcting'. The excessive wheel flop paired with the more frontal center of gravity aggravated the twitchy steering. I'm kinda just thinking out loud right now. I really don't understand geometry, but definitely have made strides this year to changing that.
Things I want to try in 2012:
1. Alter an old frame I have to make it more purposeful for what I use it for: brazed on brake pivots, low-trail front end, better rear triangle on big frame, additonal clearance for wide tires.
2. Get legit saddle and/or handlebar bag that is vegan. Fixtures to make bags appropriate.
3. Go on super crazy randoish rides this summer.
4. Rough stuff ride???
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)