Re: IRD Freewheels : Worth 3x the cost ??

Tom Sherman

Chalo Colina wrote:
> Tom Sherman wrote:
>> Chalo Colina wrote:
>>> I believe you, but that makes me wonder about the relative scarcity of
>>> single-speed 'bents and the relative awfulness of the few I've ever
>>> seen (toy and rental three-wheelers).
>> Are not upright bicyclesin the same relative price range (1/5 to 1/10
>> of a LBS quality bicycle) also generally awful?
>
> Most cheap _bikes_, yes. But most cheap coaster-brake cruisers are
> fine. I expect you could get noticeable refinements in a one-speed
> cruiser up to about $1000, but you can get 90% of that much bike for
> 10% as much money (if you can ride one-size geometry). There just
> isn't that much there to get wrong.
>
Well, the primary advantages of a recumbent are comfort over longer
distances and lower frontal area, neither of which matter much in a
beach cruiser.

The better format for the beach cruiser might well be the crank forward
(CF) upright, as the low speed handling will be more like the
traditional beach cruiser, but with a more comfortable seat and the
ability to put both feet down while seated.

>> Also, most recumbent riders are middle aged and relatively affluent
>> persons who found upright road bicycles too uncomfortable. A beach
>> cruiser is not a replacement for a road bike, whether upright or recumbent.
>
> I see what you are saying, but the next logical step from a laid-back,
> upright, cushy-seated cruiser bike is something similar but with a
> chair.
>
See above about the CF upright.

>>> I think a chicken would be better suited to a unicycle.
>> The chicken can always use her wings to help balance.
>
> Wings are better for balancing than for holding handlebars. I see
> chickens "balance the unicycle" when I hold them in my hand.
>
Would a chicken benefit from a foot retention system?

>>>> [1] The upright roadies seem to be the ones who have trouble with
>>>> varying cadences, to judge by the popularity of 11-21 and 12-23 10-speed
>>>> cassettes these days.
>>> They're just the cycling equivalent of young people who adopt a vegan
>>> diet for fashion reasons. That is, they might derive tangible
>>> benefits from it-- they probably won't-- and that's immaterial to the
>>> reason they do it.
>> Yep, being seen with a wide range cassette (and/or a triple crank) at
>> the coffee shop would be social death. Almost as bad as riding a
>> recumbent to the Fabrizio Mazzoleni crowd.
>
> I managed to miss a recumbent event today (to which all local custom
> builders were invited) because my birthday and related activity took
> precedence. I was looking forward to rubbing elbows with the bearded
> tribe and airing out some foolish contraptions. Unfortunately my Big
> Wheel has been down for repairs after a drunken lout in New Orleans
> wiped out the Charles Eames shell chair with a well-placed body slam.
> The replacement (a long-sought eBay find) ships this way tomorrow,
> just a bit too late for the show.
>
That was unfortunate.

> Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
> perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
> dismissive contempt for the fallen.
>
Maybe Flabby Fabby is busy riding a recumbent?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

Ryan Cousineau

In article
<4d43b41c-a822-4b05-ae09-2068a22f02ef@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
Chalo <chalo.colina@gmail.com> wrote:

> Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
> perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
> dismissive contempt for the fallen.
>
> Chalo

He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
only aspire to.

Strange but true.

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Chalo

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>
> Chalo wrote:
> >
> > Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
> > perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
> > dismissive contempt for the fallen.
>
> He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
> haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
> only aspire to.
>
> Strange but true.

Dumbass,

I'll have to check it out.

Best Regards,

Chalo