Very true. It’s quite satidfying when you build a bike from an old frame. Or even just add/change/enhance a few components on an existing bike. One of the joys of cycling!
I think that’s me this week. Having originally built up my Surly with trekking bars, I swapped them out over the weekend for a drop bar setup. It feels defintiely faster, and my cyclometer tells me it is faster. Don’t know if it’s the excitement of what still feels like a brand new bike to me now or the different riding position making me go faster, but either way…
Aerodynamics – that’s what makes a great difference. It is actually one of the most significant areas in which you can influence the speed/energy ouput ratio on your bike. So… congratulations! )
I’m sure that aerodynamics is playing a big part, though I don’t feel I was all that upright with my trekking bars. I think there’s a little extra mojo in the tank this week thanks to the new stuff, including brake levers and silky smooth bar end shifters.
The other thing that makes you go faster are sharrows. It’s like Mario Kart… you ride right over a sharrow and you get a temporary speed boost!
And the true joy is finding something at the dump, or in a condition that makes you wonder why it isn’t at the dump, and bringing it back to a shiny, almost-new condition.
The excitement of the new ride gives you adrenalin to boost performace too!
I feel this way when I build and repair bikes for people too, nothing like taking a bike out and seeing what it will do
done properly, the same can be said about a good rebuild or new tires and bar tapea
Very true. It’s quite satidfying when you build a bike from an old frame. Or even just add/change/enhance a few components on an existing bike. One of the joys of cycling!
I think that’s me this week. Having originally built up my Surly with trekking bars, I swapped them out over the weekend for a drop bar setup. It feels defintiely faster, and my cyclometer tells me it is faster. Don’t know if it’s the excitement of what still feels like a brand new bike to me now or the different riding position making me go faster, but either way…
Aerodynamics – that’s what makes a great difference. It is actually one of the most significant areas in which you can influence the speed/energy ouput ratio on your bike. So… congratulations!
)
I’m sure that aerodynamics is playing a big part, though I don’t feel I was all that upright with my trekking bars. I think there’s a little extra mojo in the tank this week thanks to the new stuff, including brake levers and silky smooth bar end shifters.
The other thing that makes you go faster are sharrows. It’s like Mario Kart… you ride right over a sharrow and you get a temporary speed boost!
And the true joy is finding something at the dump, or in a condition that makes you wonder why it isn’t at the dump, and bringing it back to a shiny, almost-new condition.
A tan, svelt, sexy rider ahead of me always adds 3 mph to my ride…
Or slows you down to keep behind
Like the guys on the drop bars in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WmhMKWt8DI ?
Then there’s this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=pX6MtWRGW3M&NR=1
Sorry folks, I followed the link at the side of the one above and enjoyed the comedy by ‘Crocodile Dundee’…
Same song, but Mike’s link I like MUCH more!
On the subject of go-faster:
http://www.etatrust.org.uk/2012/01/the-electric-bicycle-faster-than-a-porsche-911-gt3-rs/
- although it is electric….
When you need a bag of holding but don’t want to take the bicycle, take a Tardis bag instead.
https://twitter.com/wilw/status/236840760622862336/photo/1
When you need a bag of holding but don’t want to take the bicycle, take a Tardis bag instead.
https://twitter.com/wilw/status/236840760622862336/photo/1