Cycling

Whether a participant or, dare I say it, a spectator - enjoy.
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Fox3WheresMyBanana
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Re: Cycling

#61 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:11 pm

Very nice bike Reddo; looks top notch.
I went down Whistler Mountain once, as one of the girls in the school party wanted to try it, the hire place insisted on adult (19+) accompaniment, and I was the duty idiot. I remember the bikes were absolute top quality. I also remember meeting people on the way down who had 'ordinary' mountain bikes. They were walking and crying. We didn't break any speed records but it was a delight having something that absorbed all the bumps without batting an eye and went exactly where you pointed it. The most dangerous thing was the bears.

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Re: Cycling

#62 Post by reddo » Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:20 am

Oh wow Whistler. Definitely need the right bike there. My S-120 could cope ok-ish, the G-150 would be better. Skills training works even better :D

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Re: Cycling

#63 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:26 am

Skills training works even better
Wasted on me. ;)))
The spirit of attack, bags of energy, and no apparent fear of death is the way to go. My tombstone will doubtless read "It seemed like a good idea at the time..."
Right, I'm off to wave a chainsaw about.

What would be the difference, in engineering terms, between those two bikes?

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Re: Cycling

#64 Post by OFSO » Sat Jul 27, 2019 3:22 pm

Cannot believe how exciting the final (but one) stage of the Tour turned out to be. On the edge of our seats cheering Nibali on. As for Bernal, what can one say. 22 years old. Amazing. A pleasure to watch.

Meanwhile over on F1, Ferrari have shot themselves in the foot. Both feet.

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Re: Cycling

#65 Post by reddo » Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:39 pm

Fox3.
The G-150 is an all aluminium frame. 27.5" wheels. It's not a "boost" frame - so the fork and rear chain stays are narrower. The wider "boost" set up is supposed to offer more rigidity. It's pretty low, long and slack, but the newer incantations are even lower etc. This adds to stability when pointing it down the hill. The steering is relatively slack angled (unlike road bikes) to stop it from being twitchy. The extra travel allows it to soak up bigger landings off drops etc. 150mm travel.

The S-120 is brand new. 29" wheels. Very long, low and slack. Some interesting tweaks with the front forks. The angle allows for stability but the offset enables some more liveliness. A carbon frame for lightness but an alu rear triangle for cost savings. The main frame is actually derived from Whyte's T-130 trail bike. It's not a cross country lightweight weapon, it's more of a single track, explore anything all day fun machine. It is very fast. 120mm travel.

Both bikes have SRAM Eagle GX 1x12. Brilliant gear range. 50 tooth rear platter. You winch yourself up hills. Hyraulic brakes and a dropper post. :)

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Re: Cycling

#66 Post by reddo » Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:47 pm

OFSO,

Oh heck yes. What a day/last week? Blimey. Team Ineos with a 1-2 finish in the GC. Incredible.

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Re: Cycling

#67 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Sun Jul 28, 2019 10:25 pm

Thanks Reddo,
I am interested in how the development of mountain bikes is following the development of motorcycles. Many moons ago, I used to live in a Yorkshire dale that had two trials riding international champions, who did a lot of their own frame mods. I had a motocross bike myself. Pretty much everyone in the dale rode because, with only a single track road up the dale, the quickest way to anywhere was straight over the tops into neighbouring dales.
I remember them saying that stiffness and balance were the most important things, which seems to reflect what you are saying. I had a 125cc bike, and most had bikes which would generally be considered underpowered, because they had a lower centre of gravity and were lighter, so it was easier to oik them about. You had to rev the nuts off them to get anywhere, but you could actually get anywhere because of the lightness and low CG.

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Re: Cycling

#68 Post by reddo » Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:33 am

The modern MTB doesn't look any thing like the bikes from the 80's or even 90's. Gone is the road style frame and geometry. The front shock/fork angles are much more relaxed, the bottom bracket is a lot lower, the seat angle is increasing a smidge - to help climbing, the rear/chain seat stays are still evolving in length. Handlebars! I forgot the handlebars The stem is very short while the bars are now very wide. Well, as wide as the gap between the trees. The top tube is a lot longer to allow more body movement. Mondraker are a real pioneer in this.

The eMTB definitely reflect the low mass centralisation concept. Whyte Bikes have even rotated the motor to allow the battery to be positioned in front of it.

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Re: Cycling

#69 Post by reddo » Mon Aug 31, 2020 6:32 pm

I wasn't sure if there was an Aussie team in the TdF. Good to see there's at least 1 Aussie rider.
https://www.letour.fr/en/news/2020/stag ... ss/1284699

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Re: Cycling

#70 Post by llondel » Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:12 pm

Not sure if this should be under cycling or an aviation incident.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/54441571
Italy's Luca Wackermann was taken to hospital after a helicopter "flying too low" caused a crash near the end of stage four of the Giro d'Italia.

Vini Zabu-KTM's Wackermann and Etienne van Empel both fell in the incident.

Dutch rider Van Empel was able to get back up but his team-mate was less fortunate.

"Wackermann was sent to the hospital, he was barely conscious," team boss Andrea Citracca told Italian TV station RAI2.

"The helicopter was flying too low, the movement of the air blew up the barriers. It is not clear if he has broken his pelvis. The barriers were not tied properly."

Vini Zabu-KTM later confirmed
that Wackermann had abandoned the race with a broken nose and has a suspected broken back, along with multiple cuts and bruises.
The finish seemed to have been somewhat fluid too
He beat Bora-Hangrohe's Peter Sagan and Davide Ballerini of Deceuninck-Quick Step by millimetres on the line after organisers poured over a photo finish.
I contacted them about that one so it might get fixed.

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Re: Cycling

#71 Post by llondel » Wed Oct 07, 2020 5:15 pm

Now they're casting doubt on whether it was a helicopter to blame.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/54449937
Organisers have cast doubt over the cause of Tuesday's Giro d'Italia crash in which Luca Wackermann was injured.

The Italian's team, Vini Zabu-KTM, posted a picture of the rider in hospital, where he was kept overnight after suffering multiple injuries.

Team boss Andrea Citracca claimed a helicopter "flying too low" caused the roadside barriers riders crashed into near the end of stage four to move.

But a source told BBC Sport an "external factor" may have moved them.

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Re: Cycling

#72 Post by reddo » Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:19 am

Ooh that looked nasty.

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Re: Cycling

#73 Post by reddo » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:19 am

Not sport but out on the MT bike. It was a bit of a grey drizzly sort of day yesterday and I had agreed to head out with a pal. Best way to keep a riding appointment is to make one with a friend who's not a woos.
Yes, we got rained on but only for a couple of minutes. Waterproofs are my friend.
Any way, a great 90 minutes spent avoiding most of the worst mud. Had a funny conversation with a horse rider. Her horse was quite a character and wanted in on the conversation.
Good few hours out.

Naturally today is a lot sunnier.

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Re: Cycling

#74 Post by reddo » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:04 pm

And another ride out with a different friend. She talked me into coming out to the woods at Woburn. Weather today is pretty grim. Good thing about the woods is that you're spared the worst of the wind and rain. When we headed across an exposed patch, oooh, we could feel the wind. We timed it right and got back home before the rain really came down.

We did notice a lot of people not following the 1+1 meet up rules. :/

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Re: Cycling

#75 Post by reddo » Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:35 am

I promised myself that I would ride at least once a week during Winter. So far so good. :) Managing at least 2 rides outside when I am home. Yes it's chilly, but wearing the right gear certainly helps. Also, heading out with a socially distanced friend from the same Tier helps the motivation too. :) Hardest part is minimising the mud...

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Re: Cycling

#76 Post by reddo » Wed Jan 27, 2021 8:16 pm

I missed last week's ride, work and uni got in the way.
On Monday I headed out to the woods with a mate for a ride in the snow. Yay! Weather was perfect. Oh yes, it was quite chilly but the sun was out and there was no wind. Normally we head into the woods to avoid the weather etc but these trails would be muddy, not snowy.
We headed out for an hour and we had so much fun. Snow was grippy and spot on. Loved it.

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Re: Cycling

#77 Post by reddo » Thu Nov 25, 2021 7:50 pm

Oof today was a chilly ride. Enjoyed it as it was sunny. Good for the soul. (and ticker) :D

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Re: Cycling

#78 Post by G-CPTN » Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:56 pm

WRT licencing cycles, is there anywhere that requires number plates?

I know that some countries offer 'risk insurance'.

Bicycle licensing for dummies.

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Re: Cycling

#79 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:07 am

WRT licencing cycles, is there anywhere that requires number plates?
BEFORE A LICENCE IS GRANTED, CYCLISTS WOULD NEED TO SIT A TEST
Think I've mentioned before ? circa 1950. in England, aged 16, my then girl friend's father lent me a 25cc 2-stroke engine built into a wheel, ( Cyclemaster ? ) which I swapped for the back wheel of my then well worn Rudge school bike. ( He had bought it for his wife, but she didn't want to know ) and I kept it for a couple of years until I moved up to a 125 cc BSA Bantam. But .... I had to register it as a motor bike, attach front number plate ( but not rear ), and sit a full motor bike driving licence test. ( didn't have to wear a helmet tho, still not compulsory at that time ) The test consisted of the examiner standing outside the test office, asking me to read a number plate 25 yards ( or feet ? ) away, and then watching me complete a set path that he had dictated, to include a Halt sign, a set of traffic lights, and a Belisha Beacon identified pedestrian crossing. On return he stepped off the kerb hand outstretched and shouted Halt ! The original bike brakes were not up to the task at that speed and assisted energy, but I managed not to ride into him and he gave me the licence. I could then have gone around the corner and legally bought a Vincent Black Shadow , or similar, of that era. Madness.

I have never sat another motor bike test in any country that I have ridden motor bikes, and still do up to the present day, just used my constantly renewed UK driving licence which has always been accepted for the issue of the "Local" one. ( just renewed bureacratically and medically for another 2 years )

The fact that the present range of vastly more powerful E-bikes than my old school bike can be ridden unlicensed, unqualified, on sidewalks, across pedestrian crossings, in the wrong direction, against red lights etc. etc. in New Zealand and California ( my only current experience ) is beyond me. City of Santa Monica near Los Angeles doesn't even require helmets for those over the age of 16, either, tho' of course "motor bike" riders do. Traditional Motor Bike manufacturers are producing Electric Motor Bikes, which will - presumably - be subject to the usual restrictions and rules, so aren't E-bikes motor bikes too ?

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Re: Cycling

#80 Post by PHXPhlyer » Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:36 am

I had to take a driving test to get a license to ride a rented moped in The Cook Islands. In reality, just a way to relieve tourist of more of their money.
My present state requires an endorsement for motorcycles on a drivers license. I brought a knackered Yamaha 250 when I moved and after I got it running again I immediately got a ticket on my one and only test drive on a public street.
Patrolman stopped me for not having the required eye protection and then got to write me up for no mc registration or insurance for the bike, I think I got off on the endorsement as I think I still had my license from a state that had no requirement for a MC endorsement.
Fortunately, I got motorcycles out of my system shortly after, but I still wouldn't mind a trail bike.

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