speed machine vs. giro or strada or corsa

[Dave Larrington]

Cletus Lee wrote:

> I do not know what this translates to in what we on this side of the pond call 'gear-inches'

If I've done my sums right - assuming a 25-559 rear tyre like a Stelvio or GP like wot they fit as
standard to a Speedmachine - it comes out around 17". This is the same as I have on my Speedmachine,
but I have not yet had the opportunity to use it in anger. In about three months time...

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Andrew Heckman]

>>With two racks and a seat bag, I have never seen the benefit of towing a
trailer<<

True. But I'm car-free, and I have yet to see a set of panniers that will hold a Rug Doctor Steamer
Carpet Cleaner!

Andrew.

"Cletus Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> > Bill,
> >
> > One other thing to consider may be functionality. The Speed Machine will still accept a big tail
> > box (possibly boosting speed potential as well
as
> > utility) and you can get a rear rack that can carry a bunch of stuff.
I'm
> > not sure if the Bacchetta bikes (beautiful as they are) will even accept
a
> > rack (I tried to check out the "Accessories" section of their site, but
it
> > was "under construction" at that moment).
>
> The Bacchetta seat (Not the M-5) is equipped with 4 tabs to accomodate a
MidShip
> underseat rack. I have fenders (No less important in the Gulf Coast where
annual rain
> fall matches that of the Pacific NW) , rear rack (RANS HT) and MidShip
rack on my
> Bacchetta Giro.I would not have purchased the Giro unless it were capable
of managing
> these necessities(?).
>
> > I've found that utility is something often overlooked. It was a
wonderful
> > surprise that my P-38 Lightning was a fast bike, but would also accept fenders (important in the
> > Pacific Northwest), a standard rack AND a
Burley
> > trailer. So it could be a fast club bike or a utilitarian mule, and it became the only bike I
> > ever needed, which helped to kinda justify the price).
>
> My Lightning is equipped similarly to my Giro. There is not much
difference in the
> speed of either bike. I have never figured out how to put a Midship rack
on the
> Lightning. With two racks and a seat bag, I have never seen the benefit
of towing a
> trailer.
>
> > Of course, if the main objective is speed, all that functionality stuff
goes
> > right out the window!
>
> Maybe not. Last summer I participated in a century. It was with great
relish that I
> passed pacelines with my fender/rack and kickstand equipped Lightning. I
also carried
> 7L of water (~15lb.) I averaged over 21 mph for the first 50 miles and
finished with
> 17.5 mph average. I probably would have made a better finish except for
the flat at
> 85 miles.
>
> --
>
> Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager http://www.clee.org
> - Bellaire, TX USA -

 

[Helmuth Schutze]

Hi Cletus,

You (Cletus Lee) wrote:
> I don not know what this translates to in what we on this side of the pond call 'gear- inches'
>
My smallest gear (1) takes me 1.37 m with a full pedal rotation, the biggest (14) takes me 7,19 m.
With a pedalling of 80 rpm this would mean 6.57 and 34.53 km/h. Well, for me as an engine 80 rpm are
very hard to reach at 15%. 10% to 12% should be ok if the distance isn't too long. And no, I do not
want to quit smoking! ;-)

BTW, my upright (Shimano STX) does have nearly the same (1.40 and 7.00 m, with 60 rpm
5.05 and 25.19 km/h).

> I do know that I watched a V-Rex with a Rohloff climb a 5 mile Category 1 climb
>
I've never driven a V-Rex, but I could imagine that lower speeds are easier on it than on a
SpeedMachine, which likes to be steered by body shifting rather than by moving the handle bar.

Regards, Helmuth

--
Home page: http://www.schutzeich.de/index.htm Virtual Access 5.51 build 315, Windows 2000 build 2600
Edited: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 22:16 +0100 CET Replies in NG only please.

 

[Tom Sherman]

geoff adams wrote:
>
> Daniel T. W. Lum, M.D. wrote:
> > Geoff
> >
> > I just took a pipe cutter and cut off 2-3 inches off the end of the handlebars and now my arms
> > are in fairly tight.
> >
> > Dan
>
> I don't know ..... just the thought of a pipe cutter coming anywhere near that machine scares me a
> bit. But I will think about that. It seems like this mod would put the brake levers right at the
> curve no?

Do they teach the use of pipe cutters in medical school?

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) Various HPV's

 

[Tom Sherman]

Cletus Lee wrote:
> ... With the right gearing and engine, all of these bikes will climb anything you can put in front
> of it....

How about this < http://www.k2-racunari.co.yu/Slike/k2.jpg >?

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) Various HPV's

 

[Helmuth Schutze]

Hi Chris,

You (Chris Walker) wrote:
> Which bits of my body am I supposed to be shifting?
>
Maybe my English isn't good enough to make clear what I mean.

When I want to do a right curve, I lean to the right (similar to riding an upright hands-free) and
use my hands at the handle bars only to prevent oversteering. Trying to steer with the handle bars
normally causes the bike to overreact. This is exactly what happens when riding uphill below 6 km/h
- I then *must* use the handle bars and tend to loose my balance.

Regards, Helmuth

--
Home page: http://www.schutzeich.de/index.htm Virtual Access 5.51 build 315, Windows 2000 build 2600
Edited: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 15:20 +0100 CET Replies in NG only please.

 

[Chris Walker]

Helmuth Schutzeich <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I've never driven a V-Rex, but I could imagine that lower speeds are easier on it than on a
> SpeedMachine, which likes to be steered by body shifting rather than by moving the handle bar.

This is news to me as a SpeedMachine rider. I would say that the low angle of the seat limits body
shifting to the sort of thing a beetle on its back does.

Which bits of my body am I supposed to be shifting?

Chris

 

[Cletus Lee]

In article <VA.00001e23.1a528200@schutzei ch.de>, [email protected] says...
> When I want to do a right curve, I lean to the right (similar to riding an upright hands-free) and
> use my hands at the handle bars only to prevent oversteering. Trying to steer with the handle bars
> normally causes the bike to overreact. This is exactly what happens when riding uphill below 6
> km/h - I then *must* use the handle bars and tend to loose my balance.

What you have described is the technique for riding any bicycle. It only works at speed when the
wheel rotation is sufficient to balance the bike. At low speeds (6km/hr), turning the front wheel is
required to steer the bike. Balance at this speed is managed not by the wheel rotation but by the
dexterity of the rider. It is easier to balance a DF (higher center of gravity) than a recumbent
(lower c.g.) at low speeds.

--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

 

[Dave Larrington]

I think I'm with Chris on this one. Seems to me that the lower and more restricted the riding
position, the more heaving on the bars is necessary to make the thing go where I want it. In this
respect, at racing speeds the Baron seems to require muscling into corners with considerable force.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Chris Walker]

Don't worry about your English, Helmuth. To judge from the brief sample I've seen it's perfectly
clear, and, as such, about a million times better than my German.

I really just wanted to say that I've never knowingly used my upper body much when on the
SpeedMachine. Perhaps I have less problem using the steering for balance at low speeds because I
have aero bars rather than tiller steering.

Regards, Chris

Helmuth Schutzeich <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi Chris,
>
> You (Chris Walker) wrote:
> > Which bits of my body am I supposed to be shifting?
> >
> Maybe my English isn't good enough to make clear what I mean.
>
> When I want to do a right curve, I lean to the right (similar to riding an upright hands-free) and
> use my hands at the handle bars only to prevent oversteering. Trying to steer with the handle bars
> normally causes the bike to overreact. This is exactly what happens when riding uphill below 6
> km/h - I then *must* use the handle bars and tend to loose my balance.
>
> Regards, Helmuth