To me, cadence is an aluminum word - a word that didn't exist in cycling before the requirement for redundant structure and excess rigidity in aluminum frames. Without cadence, finding the natural frequency that planes you bike on a grade is, well, natural.
On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 5:33:01 PM UTC-6 steve...@gmail.com wrote: > Jason, I find your hypothesis to be the most plausible one yet. I think > most of us will concede that the perception of a bike being fast is a > subjective thing. It comes down to a bit of magic occurring between the > rider and the bike and I'd say you have put your finger on what that magic > is. > > Steve in Asheville > > > > > On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 3:14:10 PM UTC-5 Jason Fuller wrote: > >> My two hypotheses are 1) the frame stiffness is perfectly matched to your >> power output at optimal cadence, so you do get that energy return known as >> planing and/or 2) the fit is perfectly matched to your biomechanics, which >> I believe can be sensitive enough that even a bike with similar numbers >> might be ever-so-slightly off and it actually has a pretty adverse effect >> on your output. But these are just hypotheses, in reality I have no idea! >> It does seem that there is a certain 'magic' that cannot be explained by >> bike weight or aerodynamics. >> >> On Saturday 6 January 2024 at 11:11:13 UTC-8 philip....@gmail.com wrote: >> >>> The bikes you like the most ride the fastest. >>> >>> That’s just science! >>> >>> P. W. >>> ~ >>> (917) 514-2207 >>> ~ >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Dec 28, 2023, at 2:35 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> This is hardly a new question for me or for others, but it is a question >>> that strikes me anew when I ride the 1999 Joe Starck and find, once again >>> as always in getting on for 25 years of ownership that *it's just >>> easier to maintain speed and cadence in given conditions in given gears,* >>> this >>> both on the flats and on hills. I remember being struck by this, again at >>> the start of each ride on it, in the first years of ownership. >>> >>> Tires make a difference, tho' it felt this way with 571 X 23 mm Conti >>> Grands Prix and Michelin Pro Races and with 559 X 23 mm Specialized Turbos; >>> with the slightly wider (27.19 mm rear at 60 psi and 27.49 mm front at 55 >>> psi on my 19 mm OW rims) and even lighter and more supple Elk Passes it >>> feels even faster and *smoother.* >>> >>> BTW, I wholly discountenance the opinion that harshness or vibration >>> makes riders think they're going fast. At least, perhaps some people do >>> that, but I've always associated harshness with slowness and smoothness >>> with speed. But again, the '99 has always felt *smooth* and *fast.* >>> >>> What provoked this perennial question was my very pleasant mid-afternoon >>> ride today. My route included about 1 mile of steep hill starting at >>> Broadway and, feeling tired and sluggish and being old I considered >>> swapping the Phil 17/19Dingle wheel (76" and 68") with the SA TF wheel (76" >>> and 57" underdrive), but didn't want the bother and decided I'd just walk >>> if necessary. >>> >>> I did plan to move the chain to the 19 t/68" gear once I got downtown, >>> but didn't do this, either. Winds variable up to about 7-8 mph. >>> >>> I took it easy but found myself following some youngster on a thin-tire >>> 700C derailleur hybrid for about 8 miles; I finally caught up to him at the >>> first light on Coal and followed him up the climb. I think he was a UNM >>> student and at least 45 years younger than I, and he put a few yards on me >>> up the hill spinning in a low gear but I was surprised once again (this is >>> the point, don't mind my meandering) at *how well and easily* the bike >>> climbs. >>> >>> ??? >>> >>> Planing? The frame is not as over-beefy as the 2003 Goodrich custom but >>> it's not as light and certainly has fatter tubes than the wonderful >>> thinwall 531 normal gauge 2020 Matthews replacement of the 2003. >>> >>> Weight? With the Phil it's right at 18 lb without bottle or bag versus >>> ~28 for the Matthews road with F+R racks, fenders, lights, and SA 3 speed >>> hub, and versus the 30-31 lb of the Matthews road-bike-for-dirt with 2X10 >>> derailleur drivetrain, 50 mm tires, 2X gauge fenders, dynamo lighting, and >>> rear rack. But it feels fast on the flats at steady-state cruising. I >>> daresay that the weight makes a difference on hills, but I *don't* think >>> that weight is the only reason. >>> >>> I know that some bikes just fit and feel "perfect," and this is one of >>> them (tho' the 2 Matthewses fit just about the same since I built them up >>> to do so). That old Herse was a tank that 2 earlier owners sold for cheap >>> but for me it rode "fast" if not as fast as the 1999 Joe Starck. >>> >>> To end this meandering: since so much of my riding is either errands >>> requiring bags or dirt requiring fat tires the 1999 gets ridden less than >>> it otherwise would, but if I had to get ride of all bikes but one, I'd >>> happily keep this and build 1 or 2 alternative wheelsets (geared/skinny, >>> geared/fattish) and buy a bit selection of strap-on saddlebags from repair >>> kit only to Sackville Medium. >>> >>> I've owned 5 Rivendells including 3 customs and this one is the last >>> (tho' the 2020 Matthews is a copy of the 2003). >>> >>> Sorry, can't resist posting again: >>> >>> <image.png> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Patrick Moore >>> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >>> services >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >>> >>> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >>> >>> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >>> >>> -- >>> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgviETZYYJi7rVhTuzU576Wp-U%3DnG1shrd0048b36Xt6Fg%40mail.gmail.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgviETZYYJi7rVhTuzU576Wp-U%3DnG1shrd0048b36Xt6Fg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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