[RBW] Re: You live on a 15% hill, you don't need a singlespeed......
On Jul 17, 10:55 am, William tapebu...@gmail.com wrote: I am not sure how people know the grade of a hill either, other than just by eyeballing it. Some nice compasses have built-in clinometers (ex: Suunto MC-2). I don't typically cycle with mine but when I get curious it tags along! -Mike -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
[RBW] Re: panniers
Could be tough to beat the connection quality of multiple zip ties-- rock solid. I get the urge to remove the basket sometimes but I never do because I too don't like the idea of wasting zip ties (and I know I want the basket on there most of the time). I wonder how well three properly sized and placed voile straps would hold a wald onto a rack. I'm thinking two placed in parallel along the narrow dimension of the rack and one along the long dimension. The straps are slightly elastic (not as elastic as a bungee) and you can really crank them down tight. As a bonus the orange color will certainly add some speed to the bike (skiers too are concerned with speed hence the color selection). I have two straps that I use for backcountry skiing but I don't currently have the urge to snip my zip ties so the experiment will have to wait for another day. I figure people on this list will find myriad uses for these wonderful straps so I'm posting this message regardless that I've not run the experiment. They make great stocking-stuffers too. http://www.voile-usa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PRODProduct_Code=800Category_Code=VSSProduct_Count=0 (Disclaimer: I have NO personal or business relationship with Voile- USA.) -Mike On Dec 9, 5:58 pm, Seth Vidal skvi...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 8:35 PM, Brian Hanson stone...@gmail.com wrote: BTW - for the post about the re-openable zip tie - just cut the old ones off and use new ties when you want to put it back on. They're super cheap - get a big bag at a hardware store and you'll be set for years... Brian I can't do that - it's much too wasteful. I don't like the idea of throwing something away like that. -sv -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
[RBW] Re: Sam for brevet riding?
My experience with randonneuring is limited to riding the Pt. Reyes Populaire last weekend. And my experience with putting high front loads on a bike is limited to my 52 cm Sam. So I can't give much direct insight into brevet-riding details or compare to other bikes but I do have a lot of experience riding the Hillborne front-loaded. I have a Nitto mini front rack and a medium wald basket zip-tied to the rack. Almost every time I'm on the bike something's in that basket. Regularly I ride with loads up to perhaps 10 lbs in there. And when grocery-shopping I suspect closer to 20 lbs is sometimes in there. Though I'm always lightly climbing away from the grocery store when loaded (as opposed to high-speed descending-- this comment will make sense later). In my experience once you adapt to the feel of the loaded bike (which happens quickly) it's like nothing's there. In my several months with the bike I've only observed one instance of a slight handling issue for which I don't actually blame the bike. I don't blame the bike as the loading was done haphazardly, quickly and strangely AND my headset needed tightening at the time. I had probably about 10 lbs in the basket and probably more like 25-30 lbs lashed haphazardly (almost certainly off-balance) and high to the rear rack. When descending at high speed one-handed while wiping wind- tears out of my eyes there was some front-end shudder/oscillation. Riding with two soft hands rather than one grippy hand dampened the shudder out. No need to slow down or anything extreme like that thanks to the soft hands. No need to use the thigh-on-top-tube trick. -Mike On Oct 4, 7:34 pm, ToddBS tobars...@gmail.com wrote: From photos and geometry charts, it looks like the Sam Hillborne has a good bit of fork rake. I was curious if anyone had experience using the Sam for front-loaded light touring, specifically in a randonneuring capacity, but anyone riding it with a rando style handlebar bag. I know the Sam is supposed to be the replacement for the Bleriot, which a lot of folks used for that type of activity. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: expanded frame geo sparse sizing
On Sep 23, 6:56 am, newenglandbike matthiasbe...@gmail.com wrote: However, it seems to me that the upsloping top-tube should not actually add any versatility in terms of fit, because the numbers that matter in sizing a bike are not actually affected by it. I ride a 52 cm Sammy and my case might be somewhat illustrative. I don't know my PBH-- in one ear and out the other. I got measured in Walnut Creek and Grant picked the size. Later on I went back and checked the numbers. As I remember I was at the upper-end, but within the bounds of the 48 and I was at the exact bottom of the bounds of the 52 (i.e. I am one of the smallest people who can still fit on a 52). The 52 with the top-tube as-is fits great. But if we visualize the seat-tube growing along the seat post (and the seat stays and top-tube maintaining connection at the top edge of the seat-tube) until the top-tube was level the 52 would no longer fit me for my purposes. Note that all the contact points remain at exactly the same positions in this gedankenexperiment-- the change in fit is a result of the change of standover height. I did a test and at that standover height the top-tube definitely bites. The bike would be rideable, but it would be a PITA to ride the bike on dirt as a mountain bike (which I do quite a bit). Dismounting on a slope you'd always be jumping. Touring, stopped at the side of the road looking at a map, decide it might be a good idea to step up onto the curb-- again-- too close. So with the modified Sammy I'd be on a 48. Right now I can choose between the 48 and 52. So the sloping tube is making the 52 fit a larger range of riders than it otherwise would. Repeat the same experiment with a 48 and my sister. She MIGHT fit onto a 48 right now (with the sloping top tube). Kill off that stand- over height and she wouldn't though. So again, with the 48, go from sloping to flat in the manner described above and you lose another class of riders there too. It's worse though because there's no 46 for her to fall back onto-- so you've lost potential customers. As far as aesthetics go I was born in the very late 70s certainly close enough to 1980 to count. Back then even around Boston (where salt and rust kills bikes) everyone's dad had a sweet 1970s-era 10- speed with a quill stem, leather saddle and down-tube shifters. So if you're the sort of person who appreciates aesthetics getting exposed to aesthetics like that during the formative years of youth can set your standards for life. Out here in Cal. these old bikes still live on. Even now-- walk around downtown Berkeley and you'll see dozens of classic, old, beat, beautiful bikes. No salt on the roads and kinder weather patterns keep those bikes alive. So kids born today in Cal. are still exposed to this very aesthetic even still. It will live on. -Mike --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: Busted Zipper
If you're in the bay area check out Narain's Outdoor Sewing and Fabric in Berkeley. They do good solid work and I've even had them turn down a job they didn't think they could do right. (Which is a good thing.) They can seem a little expensive. But it's good to support the American workers and the existence of a business like this. http://www.campingrepair.com/ -Mike On Aug 27, 12:26 pm, Robert Kirkpatrick spiralc...@gmail.com wrote: So the zipper on my Hobo Bag broke whilst on tour last month. This seems like something one could replace (preferably with a metal one) but I'm not really sure how to go about it. I don't think I can do it myself, I assume one needs a sewing machine. So any suggestions? -Robert --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
