First test ride on USS Giro

Well, I gave it a go today, and unfortunately, the stem is slightly too short and the bars just the
slightest bit too wide an angle for an effective position.

Tiller was noticable, but only significant at very low speeds ... less than 5mph. At higher speeds,
it was very nice, even if I was scooching forward for the bars a tiny bit. Indeed, it did lower the
COG and seemed to make it even more manuverable *and* stable while climbing the extreme grades in my
hood at the same time... weird. And as I noticed on my trike, I can breathe more easily and deeply
with my hands at my sides. I also think I like the Supinated hand position as opposed to the
"hitchhiker" hand position...

It was a bit more tricky to get going uphill on a good line, but I suspect this is a learning curve
issue... and this was on a good (10%) grade. But hey, I didn;t do the predicted Artie Johnson. I
did, however, find that if I slammed on the breaks while unclipping both feet, that i was suddenly
standing on the roadway with a 53T Chainring stabbing me in the inside of my thigh. I am sure it
looked more deliberate than it felt... This would have been a real unhappy landing on a DF bike, so
who am I to complain?

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there with an HPVelotechnic
Street machine who can tell me if their stem is a 1"? If so, how long is it in mm? Maybe I can buy
one off them. I would even be willing to start calling it "een legfiets" if they would give me a
good deal...

I am thinking that if I can find a 180mm or so stem, I can make this a really sweet setup. The other
option is to buy a steel pipe style stem, cut it and splice a bit more tube onto it.

My first impression is that the Giro has the making of a really good USS bike.

Randy Niere.

No chance of a steering linkage?

tcl said:

Well, I gave it a go today, and unfortunately, the stem is slightly too short and the bars just
the slightest bit too wide an angle for an effective position.

Tiller was noticable, but only significant at very low speeds ... less than 5mph. At higher
speeds, it was very nice, even if I was scooching forward for the bars a tiny bit. Indeed, it did
lower the COG and seemed to make it even more manuverable *and* stable while climbing the extreme
grades in my hood at the same time... weird. And as I noticed on my trike, I can breathe more
easily and deeply with my hands at my sides. I also think I like the Supinated hand position as
opposed to the "hitchhiker" hand position...

It was a bit more tricky to get going uphill on a good line, but I suspect this is a learning
curve issue... and this was on a good (10%) grade. But hey, I didn;t do the predicted Artie
Johnson. I did, however, find that if I slammed on the breaks while unclipping both feet, that i
was suddenly standing on the roadway with a 53T Chainring stabbing me in the inside of my thigh. I
am sure it looked more deliberate than it felt... This would have been a real unhappy landing on a
DF bike, so who am I to complain?

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there with an HPVelotechnic
Street machine who can tell me if their stem is a 1"? If so, how long is it in mm? Maybe I can buy
one off them. I would even be willing to start calling it "een legfiets" if they would give me a
good deal...

I am thinking that if I can find a 180mm or so stem, I can make this a really sweet setup. The
other option is to buy a steel pipe style stem, cut it and splice a bit more tube onto it.

My first impression is that the Giro has the making of a really good USS bike.

Randy Niere.

No chance of a steering linkage?

tcl said:

Well, I gave it a go today, and unfortunately, the stem is slightly too short and the bars just
the slightest bit too wide an angle for an effective position.

Tiller was noticable, but only significant at very low speeds ... less than 5mph. At higher
speeds, it was very nice, even if I was scooching forward for the bars a tiny bit. Indeed, it did
lower the COG and seemed to make it even more manuverable *and* stable while climbing the extreme
grades in my hood at the same time... weird. And as I noticed on my trike, I can breathe more
easily and deeply with my hands at my sides. I also think I like the Supinated hand position as
opposed to the "hitchhiker" hand position...

It was a bit more tricky to get going uphill on a good line, but I suspect this is a learning
curve issue... and this was on a good (10%) grade. But hey, I didn;t do the predicted Artie
Johnson. I did, however, find that if I slammed on the breaks while unclipping both feet, that i
was suddenly standing on the roadway with a 53T Chainring stabbing me in the inside of my thigh. I
am sure it looked more deliberate than it felt... This would have been a real unhappy landing on a
DF bike, so who am I to complain?

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there with an HPVelotechnic
Street machine who can tell me if their stem is a 1"? If so, how long is it in mm? Maybe I can buy
one off them. I would even be willing to start calling it "een legfiets" if they would give me a
good deal...

I am thinking that if I can find a 180mm or so stem, I can make this a really sweet setup. The
other option is to buy a steel pipe style stem, cut it and splice a bit more tube onto it.

My first impression is that the Giro has the making of a really good USS bike.

Randy Niere.

"tcl" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there with an HPVelotechnic
Street machine who can tell me if their stem is a 1"? If so, how long is it in mm? Maybe I can buy
one off them. I would even be willing to start calling it "een legfiets" if they would give me a
good deal...

I am thinking that if I can find a 180mm or so stem, I can make this a really sweet setup. The
other option is to buy a steel pipe style stem, cut it and splice a bit more tube onto it.

Often times custom steel frame builders also make stems. Usually around $100.

Quoted message said:

My first impression is that the Giro has the making of a really good USS bike.

Randy Niere.

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there

with an HPVelotechnic Street machine who can

Quoted message said:

tell me if their stem is a 1"?

I think they use a 1 1/8th from what I know. Salsa Cycles will make a stem for you with whatever
angles or length you need (even 180mm) Here is their link: salsacycles.comindex1.htmOpen ↗ I
use a U-bar USS setup myself, love the direct feel and great view it gives. John H N TX

"tcl" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there with an HPVelotechnic
Street machine who can tell me if their stem is a 1"? If so, how long is it in mm? Maybe I can buy
one off them. I would even be willing to start calling it "een legfiets" if they would give me a
good deal...

I am thinking that if I can find a 180mm or so stem, I can make this a really sweet setup. The
other option is to buy a steel pipe style stem, cut it and splice a bit more tube onto it.

Often times custom steel frame builders also make stems. Usually around $100.

Quoted message said:

My first impression is that the Giro has the making of a really good USS bike.

Randy Niere.

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there

with an HPVelotechnic Street machine who can

Quoted message said:

tell me if their stem is a 1"?

I think they use a 1 1/8th from what I know. Salsa Cycles will make a stem for you with whatever
angles or length you need (even 180mm) Here is their link: salsacycles.comindex1.htmOpen ↗ I
use a U-bar USS setup myself, love the direct feel and great view it gives. John H N TX

Paul Bruneau said:

No chance of a steering linkage?

That is Chris Crawford's project, and I am interested in how it works for him. I figured that I
would try the "direct approach" and we could compare notes.

However, if you have been following the threads so far, you will note that the teardrop shape of the
tube question was handled by using the George Reynolds seat post design... It should work just fine.

Randy

[email hidden] (BentHeadSWB) wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there

with an HPVelotechnic Street machine who can

Quoted message said:

tell me if their stem is a 1"?

I think they use a 1 1/8th from what I know. Salsa Cycles will make a stem for you with whatever
angles or length you need (even 180mm) Here is their link: salsacycles.comindex1.htmOpen ↗ I
use a U-bar USS setup myself, love the direct feel and great view it

Going by your pictures, and my own USS experience, I think that you are going to have mucho tiller
because the Giro has the seat further from the fork than say the StreetMachine or Optima Dragon. In
this case, linkage is the way to go, IMHO. If your hands end up near the steering axis, the tiller
would be reduced to nil, as on the aforementioned bikes. Unless you have arms like an orangutan, I
don't see that happening on the Giro...

rorschandt

Paul Bruneau said:

No chance of a steering linkage?

That is Chris Crawford's project, and I am interested in how it works for him. I figured that I
would try the "direct approach" and we could compare notes.

However, if you have been following the threads so far, you will note that the teardrop shape of the
tube question was handled by using the George Reynolds seat post design... It should work just fine.

Randy

[email hidden] (BentHeadSWB) wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Back to the drawing board. I need a longer stem. It there anyone out there

with an HPVelotechnic Street machine who can

Quoted message said:

tell me if their stem is a 1"?

I think they use a 1 1/8th from what I know. Salsa Cycles will make a stem for you with whatever
angles or length you need (even 180mm) Here is their link: salsacycles.comindex1.htmOpen ↗ I
use a U-bar USS setup myself, love the direct feel and great view it

Going by your pictures, and my own USS experience, I think that you are going to have mucho tiller
because the Giro has the seat further from the fork than say the StreetMachine or Optima Dragon. In
this case, linkage is the way to go, IMHO. If your hands end up near the steering axis, the tiller
would be reduced to nil, as on the aforementioned bikes. Unless you have arms like an orangutan, I
don't see that happening on the Giro...

rorschandt

direct vs. linkage? I actually prefer the direct steer, if set up properly i.e. Streetmachine
or Turner.

direct vs. linkage? I actually prefer the direct steer, if set up properly i.e. Streetmachine
or Turner.

bentbiker said:

direct vs. linkage? I actually prefer the direct steer, if set up properly i.e. Streetmachine
or Turner.

I am glad, I thought I was weird... It gives you an even more "in touch" feel of the road than even
the OSS setup, IMO.

Randy N.

stick with it Randy, a very experience rider usually adapts well to tiller etc. better tiller
than twitchy.

bentbiker said:

direct vs. linkage? I actually prefer the direct steer, if set up properly i.e. Streetmachine
or Turner.

I am glad, I thought I was weird... It gives you an even more "in touch" feel of the road than even
the OSS setup, IMO.

Randy N.

stick with it Randy, a very experience rider usually adapts well to tiller etc. better tiller
than twitchy.

Randy, If you need a custom stem built, try a local builder first. I had a custom stem made by Salsa
once. They did not get it right and said it was my fault. My local bike shop had helped me spec it
but Salsa talked a different language and built a stem completely different from the stock stem we
told them was the reference that we were trying to slightly modify the angle on. There was no
comparison between the two stems. They were completely arrogant and impossible to deal with. Even
ignoring the wrong dimensions, the stem was heavy and ugly beyond belief. To this day, I will not
buy any Salsa product.

Randy, If you need a custom stem built, try a local builder first. I had a custom stem made by Salsa
once. They did not get it right and said it was my fault. My local bike shop had helped me spec it
but Salsa talked a different language and built a stem completely different from the stock stem we
told them was the reference that we were trying to slightly modify the angle on. There was no
comparison between the two stems. They were completely arrogant and impossible to deal with. Even
ignoring the wrong dimensions, the stem was heavy and ugly beyond belief. To this day, I will not
buy any Salsa product.