Some ideas refuse to die

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].

[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
production never starts.
[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

I agree that it's a silly idea. But not exactly for the reasons Jobst
gives.

Even on a circular crank, there are inertial problems with converting
the multiple linear and angular motions of a leg and foot into
circular motion. It takes education and practice to eliminate the
"dead spot" at all, and it's probably impossible to eliminate all
variation in force and angular momentum, and not feasible when
attempting to apply maximum power by applying maximum
force at all points in the cycle. That is, to make it
constant around the circle you have to apply less force than
you're capable of at some points.

But on this thing, the inertial imbalances are even more
pronounced. Note the bouncing of the front wheel when the
two feet are moved up and down in unison. Its only slightly
less than when they're opposite in phase. The "normal"
circular motion also has some bounce, but it's much less.

And it's ridiculously noisy.

Might as well be a pogo stick.

--Blair

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Looks like an Alenax in name only. Looks to me like a power-cranks
knock off. [Maybe I have the name wrong; the cranks that allow pedaling
with either foot independent of the other]. Alenax had *levers*.

Next time I see a classic Alenax at the thrift store (typically for $30)
I might have to buy it just for the novelty (surely not for the
"efficient ride".)

Mark J.

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].

[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
production never starts.
[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

My reading of the thrid citation leads me to draw the opposite
conclusion; I doubt that Jobst will have anything but scorn for it.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Mark said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Looks like an Alenax in name only. Looks to me like a power-cranks
knock off. [Maybe I have the name wrong; the cranks that allow pedaling
with either foot independent of the other]. Alenax had *levers*.

Next time I see a classic Alenax at the thrift store (typically for $30)
I might have to buy it just for the novelty (surely not for the
"efficient ride".)

I have ridden an Alenax, and would conditionally recommend purchasing
one. For the right price (<$50 US for a decent condition bike) it would
be fun to have an Alenax as a conversation piece and as a "party bike"
for people to ride around the block when cyclists congregate. I would
not buy one as a substitute for a regular bicycle, however.

--
Tom Sherman - Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Impact is not a synonym of affect or effect

Werehatrack said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].

[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
production never starts.
[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

My reading of the thrid citation leads me to draw the opposite
conclusion; I doubt that Jobst will have anything but scorn for it.

I am certain Jobst Brandt will be riding an Alenax as soon as he
finishes tying and soldering all his spoked wheels.

--
Tom Sherman - Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Impact is not a synonym of affect or effect

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

Werehatrack said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].

[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
production never starts.
[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

My reading of the thrid citation leads me to draw the opposite
conclusion; I doubt that Jobst will have anything but scorn for it.

I am certain Jobst Brandt will be riding an Alenax as soon as he
finishes tying and soldering all his spoked wheels.

Would those be 24-spoke wheels?

No, wait, I have it; they would be 16-paired-spoke wheels with the
pairs laced to cross so that they could be tied and soldered.

Oh, and they would be sew-ups on wood rims specially drilled for the
one-opposing-side-cross 16-spoke arrangement.

Did I forget anything?

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

Mark said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Looks like an Alenax in name only. Looks to me like a power-cranks
knock off. [Maybe I have the name wrong; the cranks that allow pedaling
with either foot independent of the other]. Alenax had *levers*.

Next time I see a classic Alenax at the thrift store (typically for $30)
I might have to buy it just for the novelty (surely not for the
"efficient ride".)

I have ridden an Alenax, and would conditionally recommend purchasing
one. For the right price (<$50 US for a decent condition bike) it would
be fun to have an Alenax as a conversation piece and as a "party bike"
for people to ride around the block when cyclists congregate. I would
not buy one as a substitute for a regular bicycle, however.

I guess Alenax never penetrated the market down here, or else the
owners are still hanging on to them. Although I've seen some fairly
peculiar bikes in local thrift stores, an Alenax has never been among
them.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Werehatrack said:

Did I forget anything?

Your helmet?

E.P.

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 03:05:52 GMT, Werehatrack <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

Werehatrack said:

On 7 Aug 2006 21:47:43 -0700, "Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

>According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]
>
>Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].
>
>[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
>[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
>production never starts.
>[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

My reading of the thrid citation leads me to draw the opposite
conclusion; I doubt that Jobst will have anything but scorn for it.

I am certain Jobst Brandt will be riding an Alenax as soon as he
finishes tying and soldering all his spoked wheels.

Would those be 24-spoke wheels?

No, wait, I have it; they would be 16-paired-spoke wheels with the
pairs laced to cross so that they could be tied and soldered.

Oh, and they would be sew-ups on wood rims specially drilled for the
one-opposing-side-cross 16-spoke arrangement.

Did I forget anything?

Did you hard anodize the wooden rims and weld and machine the sidewalls?

Ron

RonSonic said:

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 03:05:52 GMT, Werehatrack <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman said:

Werehatrack wrote:

>On 7 Aug 2006 21:47:43 -0700, "Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman"
><[email hidden]> wrote:
>
>
>>According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]
>>
>>Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].
>>
>>[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
>>[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
>>production never starts.
>>[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.
>
>My reading of the thrid citation leads me to draw the opposite
>conclusion; I doubt that Jobst will have anything but scorn for it.

I am certain Jobst Brandt will be riding an Alenax as soon as he
finishes tying and soldering all his spoked wheels.

Would those be 24-spoke wheels?

No, wait, I have it; they would be 16-paired-spoke wheels with the
pairs laced to cross so that they could be tied and soldered.

Oh, and they would be sew-ups on wood rims specially drilled for the
one-opposing-side-cross 16-spoke arrangement.

Did I forget anything?

Did you hard anodize the wooden rims and weld and machine the sidewalls?

Musta done some "machining" in there somewhere, wood is hard to extrude.
Now all ya gotta do is figure out how to set this all up on a
recumbent with a brooks leather saddle.

Mark

Tom Sherman said:

According to this website [1], the Alenax bicycle is back. [2]

Quoted message said:

Jobst Brandt is expected to endorse the new Alenax [3].

Quoted message said:

[1] <http://www.alenax.com/>.
[2] Assuming the revival is not undercapitalized to the point that
production never starts.
[3] <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html>.

Note that they still have all the problems of the unit described in
[3] except that they went back to an earlier feature, the one that you
can pedal with both feet in unison which makes it impossible to stand
up off the saddle because both feet go down to the bottom (six
o'clock).

I am amazed that these people persist. They obviously don't ride bike
or they would see the folly of their pursuit.

Jobst Brandt