Cyclocomputers.

Bill Baka [email hidden] wrote in news:rguSf.61086$dW3.26640
@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com:

Quoted message said:

Little Meow said:

Bill Baka [email hidden] wrote in news:sNnSf.44122$2O6.37213
@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com:

Quoted message said:

New subject really this time. I went out for a ride yesterday and had an
average into the headwind of 12.2 since I was trying NOT to sweat up 5
layers of sweat shirts and create a whole load of laundry for my wife.
When I stopped to look at something I took off my speedometer and
noticed that the longer I was off the bike my average speed kept
dropping about 0.1 MPH every minute. The damn thing won't shut off for
about ten minutes after a ride. I know it is a cheapie Schwinn but
digital should know better. It is an accurate clock, speedometer,
odometer, etc., but this one thing is just insane. I keep it in my
pocket when not on the bike mount as a pocket watch so I wonder if every
time I check the time my average speed goes down. Now I reset it before
every ride. I did hit a new maximum speed of 39.2 going down a 12% (?)
hill but ran out of cadence at 35 so it was nose to the bar coasting,
but fun. Nice road, very few cars.
Anybody else got any steep hills to play on or max speeds to report?
How about weird speedometers?
Bill Baka

54.2 mph, wind assisted.

I had an inexpensive Trek branded speedometer that stopped
calculating average speed and ride time within seconds of
stopping.

Unfortunately for me the wind was headed up the hill. I still want to
break 50 but that seems destined for the summer and the big uphill rides.
54.2, sigh.
Bill

Out of a couple hundred attempts, I broke 50 4 times. Wind conditions
that favorable are rare on that little stretch of road. I had a strong
gust hit me as I was running out of cadence. It's good for about 40
when there's no wind.

Quoted message said:

Bill Baka said:

Anybody else got any steep hills to play on or max speeds to report?
How about weird speedometers?

The difficulty with high speed descending is that sufficiently steep
roads are not straight and straight roads are not sufficiently steep.
Tioga Pass in the Sierra is often mentioned as a fast descent but
reports of actually reaching high speeds are rare. The reason is that
this road, like other high altitude passes, is not steep although it
is straight enough for high speed. Over 60mph is possible only with
wind assist in addition to taking a flier off a camper going at least
50mph.

True high speed, no-wind descents exist, but the only ones I know
aren't around here. The east side of the Fedaia Pass in the dolomites
into Malga Ciapela at 13% grade. The straight section of this old
road is not wide but it will get 100kph+.

http://tinyurl.com/g4sfp

Another such road is the first descent of the Timmelsjoch (Pso Rombo)
into the Obergurgl and the Ötztal into Austria. This one is pretty
safe because the 13% straight stretch has an uphill runout that you
get to pedal over. The rest of the descent is fairly tame although,
as most of these roads, amazingly scenic with hanging glaciers.

http://tinyurl.com/okbyw

It is my experience that it takes at least a 13% grade to reach 60mph
without assistance and well crouched with a hands-on-the-stem aero
position. Descending jackets won't do, flapping in the breeze.

Jobst Brandt

Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without a
motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of wind
resistance but I don't have that around here.
39 was prety good for now.
Bill Baka

Rich said:

RonSonic said:

More strange phenomena in Bakaland.

Bakaland. That explains it. He buys a cyclocomputer and, surprise
surprise, it shows him data that is lower than what's in his mind. So
he makes up some reason for it. That makes perfect sense.

And now he's going to flame me.....

Rich

You again.
I reset the speedometer before I left and while it is a cheap Schwinn it
is also digital and does not make errors, unlike you.
Bill

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill Baka said:

Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without a
motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of wind
resistance but I don't have that around here.
39 was prety good for now.

You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
road bike than on a mountain bike.

To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
too much like hurtling.

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

If you've got a quick-release seatpost on your MTB, you could try
lowering your saddle before attempting a speedy descent, and then
experimentally see how that affects your speed.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Tom Keats said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill Baka said:

Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without a
motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of wind
resistance but I don't have that around here.
39 was prety good for now.

You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
road bike than on a mountain bike.

It was when I rode a road bike up there but the road needs to be paved
and I don' want any 50 MPH pinch flats.

Quoted message said:

To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
too much like hurtling.

Yeah, but it sure makes you pay attention.

Quoted message said:

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

I was mas aero as possible for a MTB. My nose was on the speedometer.
I only checked it after I got more vertical.

Quoted message said:

If you've got a quick-release seatpost on your MTB, you could try
lowering your saddle before attempting a speedy descent, and then
experimentally see how that affects your speed.

I do, and it is worth a try but a bigger and steeper hill would be fun
too. I don't know if I can get my road bike that far up that crummy road.
Bill

Quoted message said:

cheers,
Tom

Tom Keats [email hidden] wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill Baka said:

Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without a
motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of wind
resistance but I don't have that around here.
39 was prety good for now.

You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
road bike than on a mountain bike.

To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
too much like hurtling.

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

When I tried that, going around a curve at over 40 pressed me down
onto the saddle, and a few road bumps left me with days of soreness
at the bottom of my sternum.

Little Meow said:

Tom Keats [email hidden] wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill Baka said:

Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without a
motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of wind
resistance but I don't have that around here.
39 was prety good for now.

You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
road bike than on a mountain bike.

To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
too much like hurtling.

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

When I tried that, going around a curve at over 40 pressed me down
onto the saddle, and a few road bumps left me with days of soreness
at the bottom of my sternum.

That is why I try to find well paved roads with few high speed curves.
There is one where I could achieve over 60 MPH but the end is a
reservoir, California's version of a lake, and I would hate to find a
boat on the ramp at the end. That hill is so steep I have to walk the
1/4 to 1/2 mile back up. One hill I will never try! I don't even know
how the cars or trucks, probably 4 wheel drive tow the boats back up.
Bill

Bill Baka [email hidden] wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Little Meow said:

Tom Keats [email hidden] wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
Bill Baka <[email hidden]> writes:

>Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without
>a motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of
>wind resistance but I don't have that around here.
>39 was prety good for now.

You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
road bike than on a mountain bike.

To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
too much like hurtling.

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

When I tried that, going around a curve at over 40 pressed me down
onto the saddle, and a few road bumps left me with days of soreness
at the bottom of my sternum.

That is why I try to find well paved roads with few high speed curves.

I like winding curves. My work commute is up and around the side of a
mountain.

Quoted message said:

There is one where I could achieve over 60 MPH but the end is a
reservoir, California's version of a lake, and I would hate to find a
boat on the ramp at the end. That hill is so steep I have to walk the
1/4 to 1/2 mile back up. One hill I will never try! I don't even know
how the cars or trucks, probably 4 wheel drive tow the boats back up.
Bill

The steepest road I know has an 4 way stop near the bottom. The only
time I tried it, I ended up feathering my brakes all the way, due to
a tingling feeling of impending doom. It's a bad place to suddenly
find out my brakes no longer work.

Little Meow said:

Bill Baka [email hidden] wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Little Meow said:

Tom Keats [email hidden] wrote in news:[email hidden]:

>In article <[email hidden]>,
> Bill Baka <[email hidden]> writes:
>
>
>
>>Only 50 is good for me. Any more goes past my desire on a bike without
>>a motor. A high altitude (12,000'😉 descent might be good from lack of
>>wind resistance but I don't have that around here.
>>39 was prety good for now.
>
>You may find the sensation of speed to be more comfortable on a
>road bike than on a mountain bike.
>
>To me, going very quickly downhill on a typically setup MTB feels
>too much like hurtling.
>
>But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
>(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
>One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
>saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
>the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
>for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
>weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
>the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
>at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
>centre of gravity.
>

When I tried that, going around a curve at over 40 pressed me down
onto the saddle, and a few road bumps left me with days of soreness
at the bottom of my sternum.

That is why I try to find well paved roads with few high speed curves.

I like winding curves. My work commute is up and around the side of a
mountain.

Quoted message said:

There is one where I could achieve over 60 MPH but the end is a
reservoir, California's version of a lake, and I would hate to find a
boat on the ramp at the end. That hill is so steep I have to walk the
1/4 to 1/2 mile back up. One hill I will never try! I don't even know
how the cars or trucks, probably 4 wheel drive tow the boats back up.
Bill

The steepest road I know has an 4 way stop near the bottom. The only
time I tried it, I ended up feathering my brakes all the way, due to
a tingling feeling of impending doom. It's a bad place to suddenly
find out my brakes no longer work.

The hill I was talking about seems to be over 25% and nobody can ride
it. Other people walked along side of me for a while and dropped back
and they weren't even lugging a 48 pound bike. I tried to ride it in
granny gear and just wheelied over without any forward progress at all
since I was already going backward by the time I pedaled, so rather than
continue to look like a fool I just walked.
Bill

In article <[email hidden]>,

Little Meow said:

Quoted message said:

But then, most of my bikes have had the old-fashioned binder-bolt
(non-Q/R) seatposts, so I'm generally loathe to lower the saddle.
One trick for that is to scootch one's bum back behind the MTB
saddle and "hover" over the rear wheel (not exactly standing on
the pedals, but more like squatting,) but that's not comfortable
for very long, it's more difficult to micro-adjust fore/aft
weight distribution & balance, and if you've got a milk crate in
the way it won't work very well. But if you can do it, you can
at least get an approximation of an aero position plus a lower
centre of gravity.

When I tried that, going around a curve at over 40 pressed me down
onto the saddle, and a few road bumps left me with days of soreness
at the bottom of my sternum.

That's one reason why I think for quick descents on longer stretches
on paved roads, road bikes are really the right tool for the job.

It also helps to have a flatter saddle, without so much cantle.
Some cantle is good for hillclimbing, though. The compromise thing.

My ideal saddle has a taste of cantle at the rear, some flatness &
not too much width across the rear, and a longish, narrow nose
without an upsweeping, bulging schnabel. I don't need any stoopid
holes in it. I don't really care how hard or soft it is. I just
need it to stay out of my way when I need it to stay out of my way,
and to be there when I need it to be there.

Either a plushie/jelly saddle, or a wrought-iron one would serve me
well, as long as it's the right shape.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Bill Baka said:

The hill I was talking about seems to be over 25%

Sounds like a hill that exists only in Bakaland. But you can easily
prove me wrong. Provide the longitude/latitude, or go to here:

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/

find the place, and post the link.

Rich said:

Bill Baka said:

The hill I was talking about seems to be over 25%

Sounds like a hill that exists only in Bakaland. But you can easily
prove me wrong. Provide the longitude/latitude, or go to here:

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/

find the place, and post the link.

It is the boat ramp and the access road to Englebright reservoir off of
highway 20 about 5 miles from Penn Valley housing development in
Northern California. If I can find GPS for it I will, but I am not going
to waste a lot of time. If you don't believe me then ride it and tell us
all what a superman you are. I started out trying to ride and geared
down and just wheelied over and I will be damned if I am stupid enough
to try to gear up and attack a hill that big and steep.

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=15&Z=10&X=102&Y=678&W=1

Somewhere in there but I couldn't find the launch ramp road. If you ever
do get there and try it have someone with a video camera so we can all
see you make a complete fool out of yourself trying to prove how good
you are against me.
We all need a good ROTFLMAO.
Bill

Bill Baka said:

It is the boat ramp and the access road to Englebright reservoir off of
highway 20 about 5 miles from Penn Valley housing development in
Northern California.

Quoted message said:

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=15&Z=10&X=102&Y=678&W=1

Somewhere in there but I couldn't find the launch ramp road.

So are maps to difficult for you to use, or is bakaland not mapped?

Rich

Bill Baka said:

The ramp wasn't shown inside the state park area. It is new.

The boat ramp is 1/4 t 1/2 mile long? That's how long you said the
"road" was, although you also said the ramp was at the end of the road.

It must be hard to get around in bakaland given things seem to change
alot there...

Rich

Rich said:

Bill Baka said:

The ramp wasn't shown inside the state park area. It is new.

The boat ramp is 1/4 t 1/2 mile long? That's how long you said the
"road" was, although you also said the ramp was at the end of the road.

It must be hard to get around in bakaland given things seem to change
alot there...

Rich

I gave you the location, so you can figure it out. YOU, are not my main
priority. That was a [censored] map you pointed me to anyway and I am not
going to go off and look for a pretty one for your benefit. I did smoke
my brake pads on the way down just keeping it to about 30 so guess what
I would have been doing with no brakes. I had to use the fronts because
the back would lock up going down.
Later, much later I hope.
Bill