alternate theories about why recumbents don't sell

[Dane Buson]

Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>> As you can see, a standard 195-lb Fogel leaning comfortably on the
>> drops produces only about 35 pounds of pressure on the handlebars.
>
> re.bicycles.tech new unit of measurement: the standard Fogel.
>
> "I applied a force to the handlebars of .35 Fogels..."

I thought that the standard measure for that sort of thing was Chalos?
Or is that similar to the Farad and is considered a bit too large of a
unit for everyday use?

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
You know it's going to be a bad day when you want to put on the clothes
you wore home from the party and there aren't any.

 

[Chalo]

On Jan 23, 3:38 pm, Dane Buson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I thought that the standard measure for that sort of thing was Chalos?
> Or is that similar to the Farad and is considered a bit too large of a
> unit for everyday use?

Some of the scientists and engineers I have worked with adopted this
unit. They usually used Chalos to characterize forces rather than
masses, like lbf but in much larger increments.

Some of my friends' children have come to use Chalos as scaling units
to describe the perceived size of big things.

Chalo

 

[Aeek]

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:54:49 -0700, Mark Hickey <[email protected]>
wrote:

>But it's normally the driver who doesn't see you that will do you in.
>And of course, they're much less likely to see you on a 'bent.

but they are less likely to ignore/forget about you, which more than
balances out.
"what the hell is that?"

 

[Marian]

On Jan 22, 5:24 am, Mark Hickey <[email protected]> wrote:
> Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:
> >In article <[email protected]>,
> > DougC <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> and every last one of them seemed to
> >> be resting their full weight upon their saddles
>
> >What do you mean by `seemed'?He must mean they were rolling down the road with their arms and legs
> splayed out, no longer in contact with the bike at all. C'mon, you
> mean to tell us that's not how YOU ride? ;-)
>

Something like this?

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=lt&page_id=30211&v=ga

About three quarters down the page, the picture labelled "Ah Zhi
doesn't want to get his shoes wet" ...

-M

 

[Chalo]

Aeek wrote:
>
> Mark Hickey wrote:
> >
> > But it's normally the driver who doesn't see you that will do you in.
> > And of course, they're much less likely to see you on a 'bent.
>
> but they are less likely to ignore/forget about you, which more than
> balances out.
> "what the hell is that?"

It's some kind of terr'ist prevert lying on his back on a skate,
f***in' a snake! Get 'im!

 

[H M Leary]

How many bike shops are in your area??

There are about 100 bike shops within 50 miles of my home, and only one
sells/displays recumbents. He hangs them on the wall above the Diamond
Frames.

There is a Recumbent LBS about 175 miles away in State College, PA.

I quess if you can't touch em, smell em, or ride em, you wpn't buy em.

HAND
Ride Safe

 

[Michael Press]

In article <[email protected]>,
DougC <[email protected]> wrote:

> Yes but the problem with hornless saddles on upright bicycles is that
> the rider tends to slide forward off the seat, so overall it results in
> more hand pressure. You see this comment made online by many people who
> have tried these seats, not by ME, or by "someone I know". ...So now the
> rider is back to choosing between saddle pain or numb hands again.

I choose not to take your word on what people say. Stay
with what you know.

--
Michael Press

 

[Michael Press]

In article <[email protected]>,
DougC <[email protected]> wrote:

> I measured mine: the seats on both the recumbents I have are only about
> 16 inches wide, about as wide as an adult's torso is anyway. The
> handlebars on a MTB or hybrid bike are usually ~24-26 inches wide,,,,
> and the handlebars on both recumbents I have are just about the same
> width as that. If you got a recumbent that could take T-bars
> (preying-mantis style bars) then they could easily be narrower than the
> seat, and the widest part of the entire bike would be where your
> shoulders stuck out.---The only recumbents that would be significantly
> wider than a "normal" bicycle are trikes and (perhaps) recumbent bikes
> that use under-seat steering.

How wide are drop bars?

That is `praying mantis'.

--
Michael Press

 

[K]

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:12:31 GMT, H M Leary <[email protected]>
wrote:

>How many bike shops are in your area??
>
>There are about 100 bike shops within 50 miles of my home, and only one
>sells/displays recumbents. He hangs them on the wall above the Diamond
>Frames.
>
The Bicycle Man in Alfred? Two thumbs up. People come from a few
states away to that shop.

>There is a Recumbent LBS about 175 miles away in State College, PA.

Great place, too.

>I quess if you can't touch em, smell em, or ride em, you wpn't buy em.

In our stagnant burg there are about 3 shops that carry bents, each
with 1 or 2 outdated display models that just sit around.

>
>HAND
>Ride Safe

 

[bob prohaska's usenet account]

[email protected] wrote:
>
> Here's a woman bike rider with her "handlebars positioned by the
> rider's pelvis":
>
> http://www.glumbert.com/media/bikerobatics
>
Since nobody else bothered to mention it, I'll say
this struck me as rather impressive riding. The one
wheel stunts seemed not much different from what a
unicyclist does (not to say that's unimpressive!)
but the smoothness and certainty of the no-hands
riding was quite beautiful. Was there any hint of
the rider's identity?

Wish I had that sense of balance!

bob prohaska

 

[[email protected]]

On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:05:17 GMT, bob prohaska's usenet account
<[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] wrote:
>>
>> Here's a woman bike rider with her "handlebars positioned by the
>> rider's pelvis":
>>
>> http://www.glumbert.com/media/bikerobatics
>>
>Since nobody else bothered to mention it, I'll say
>this struck me as rather impressive riding. The one
>wheel stunts seemed not much different from what a
>unicyclist does (not to say that's unimpressive!)
>but the smoothness and certainty of the no-hands
>riding was quite beautiful. Was there any hint of
>the rider's identity?
>
>Wish I had that sense of balance!
>
>bob prohaska

Dear Bob,

She's just another European enthusiast of what's indoor or artistic
cycling:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Artistic+cycling

These hateful creatures spend their idle time making people like me
feel inferior, sometimes in teams.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

 

[Mark Hickey]

[email protected] wrote:


>She's just another European enthusiast of what's indoor or artistic
>cycling:
>
>http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Artistic+cycling
>
>These hateful creatures spend their idle time making people like me
>feel inferior, sometimes in teams.

It got worse when I lived in China. I went to a small acrobatics
performance. A guy on a 6' unicycle was putting bowls on one foot
while keeping the unicycle upright using the other one. Then he'd
flip the bowl with his free foot in a graceful arc, up onto onto his
head. INTO the other bowls he'd previously sent up there in such an
unlikely fashion. Over and over and over, without missing.

I've felt like an absolute klutz ever since. ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[G.T.]

Mark Hickey wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>> She's just another European enthusiast of what's indoor or artistic
>> cycling:
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Artistic+cycling
>>
>> These hateful creatures spend their idle time making people like me
>> feel inferior, sometimes in teams.
>
> It got worse when I lived in China. I went to a small acrobatics
> performance. A guy on a 6' unicycle was putting bowls on one foot
> while keeping the unicycle upright using the other one. Then he'd
> flip the bowl with his free foot in a graceful arc, up onto onto his
> head. INTO the other bowls he'd previously sent up there in such an
> unlikely fashion. Over and over and over, without missing.
>

Yeah, I have some pics of 6 chicks at the acrobatic show doing the same
thing. It was pretty amazing:

http://homepage.mac.com/getosx/China/0270_acrobat.jpg

Greg
--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

 

[Mark Hickey]

"G.T." <[email protected]> wrote:

>Mark Hickey wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> She's just another European enthusiast of what's indoor or artistic
>>> cycling:
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Artistic+cycling
>>>
>>> These hateful creatures spend their idle time making people like me
>>> feel inferior, sometimes in teams.
>>
>> It got worse when I lived in China. I went to a small acrobatics
>> performance. A guy on a 6' unicycle was putting bowls on one foot
>> while keeping the unicycle upright using the other one. Then he'd
>> flip the bowl with his free foot in a graceful arc, up onto onto his
>> head. INTO the other bowls he'd previously sent up there in such an
>> unlikely fashion. Over and over and over, without missing.
>>
>
>Yeah, I have some pics of 6 chicks at the acrobatic show doing the same
>thing. It was pretty amazing:
>
>http://homepage.mac.com/getosx/China/0270_acrobat.jpg

Your photo reminded me of the fact that the guy did it with mulitple
bowls at the same time. Hard to imagine, but I feel even more klutzy
than before... thanks, Greg. ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[Dan Burkhart]

[email protected] wrote:


>She's just another European enthusiast of what's indoor or artistic
>cycling:
>
>http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Artistic+cycling
>
>These hateful creatures spend their idle time making people like me
>feel inferior, sometimes in teams.

It got worse when I lived in China. I went to a small acrobatics
performance. A guy on a 6' unicycle was putting bowls on one foot
while keeping the unicycle upright using the other one. Then he'd
flip the bowl with his free foot in a graceful arc, up onto onto his
head. INTO the other bowls he'd previously sent up there in such an
unlikely fashion. Over and over and over, without missing.

I've felt like an absolute klutz ever since. ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

I saw that exact same stunt performed just last week at Disney World. A young oriental girl stacked 5 or 6 bowls on her head in the fashion you describe, following that by flipping a cup into the bowls, and then a spoon into the cup.
I have a regular size unicycle in my shop which I have never succeeded in balancing, so I am already impressed that someone can stay up on a 6' one.
dan

 

[Joe Riel]

Dan Burkhart <[email protected]> writes:

> I saw that exact same stunt performed just last week at Disney World.
> A young oriental girl stacked 5 or 6 bowls on her head in the fashion
> you describe, following that by flipping a cup into the bowls, and then
> a spoon into the cup.
> I have a regular size unicycle in my shop which I have never succeeded
> in balancing, so I am already impressed that someone can stay up on a 6'
> one.

Because you have more time to correct, giraffe unicycles are easier to
ride than regular unicycles---of course, you also have a greater
incentive to avoid falling. A few years ago I purchased a giraffe
unicycle at a local swapmeet ($25, what a steal), and before giving it
to my sister as a Christmas present, was able to easily ride it up and
down the street a couple times. I can ride a regular unicycle, but
poorly.

--
Joe Riel

 

[Dan Burkhart]

Dan Burkhart <[email protected]> writes:

> I saw that exact same stunt performed just last week at Disney World.
> A young oriental girl stacked 5 or 6 bowls on her head in the fashion
> you describe, following that by flipping a cup into the bowls, and then
> a spoon into the cup.
> I have a regular size unicycle in my shop which I have never succeeded
> in balancing, so I am already impressed that someone can stay up on a 6'
> one.

Because you have more time to correct, giraffe unicycles are easier to
ride than regular unicycles---of course, you also have a greater
incentive to avoid falling. A few years ago I purchased a giraffe
unicycle at a local swapmeet ($25, what a steal), and before giving it
to my sister as a Christmas present, was able to easily ride it up and
down the street a couple times. I can ride a regular unicycle, but
poorly.

--
Joe Riel

I suppose that makes sense, but I am not about to test the theory.
Dan

 

[dvt]

Mark Hickey wrote:
> "G.T." <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Mark Hickey wrote:

>>> It got worse when I lived in China. I went to a small acrobatics
>>> performance. A guy on a 6' unicycle was putting bowls on one foot
>>> while keeping the unicycle upright using the other one. Then he'd
>>> flip the bowl with his free foot in a graceful arc, up onto onto his
>>> head. INTO the other bowls he'd previously sent up there in such an
>>> unlikely fashion. Over and over and over, without missing.

>> Yeah, I have some pics of 6 chicks at the acrobatic show doing the same
>> thing. It was pretty amazing:
>>
>> http://homepage.mac.com/getosx/China/0270_acrobat.jpg

> Your photo reminded me of the fact that the guy did it with mulitple
> bowls at the same time. Hard to imagine, but I feel even more klutzy
> than before... thanks, Greg. ;-)

A photo of that can be found here:

<http://centredailypennstate.buzznet.com/cat/?id=125744&p=2>

Mighty impressive photo. I'd like to see it performed in person.

PS. I suspect that link has a limited lifetime.

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

 

[[email protected]]

On Jan 21, 10:20 am, RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:

(snip)

> >> And not all riders choose to support part of their weight on the
> >> handlebars. "Sit up and beg" posture is normal for many cyclists. For
> >> example, look at the girl in this photo: http://tinyurl.com/yqccja
>
> >Charmingly enough--this photo also blows a big hole in the "levitating
> >bicyclist" silliness, at least among one casual rider. The rider is not
> >leaning forward at all, so she cannot be supporting her weight partly
> >with her arm(s).Because she is riding a very upright fat-saddle bike.
>
>You'll notice also that she seemd very comfortable.

And we'll also notice TWO U-locks on the handlebar, for the locking
safety of what appears to be a basic coaster-brake bike. Ah, the joys
of having a vigourous cycling culture, and consequent bike theft
'culture'.

And darn it, shes not wearing a helmet! Let's all talk in circles
about that too, shall we?

Mark (who owns 2 recumbents, and 7 upright bikes)

 

[[email protected]]

On Jan 25, 8:27 am, Joe Riel <[email protected]> wrote:

> Because you have more time to correct, giraffe unicycles are easier to
> ride than regular unicycles---of course, you also have a greater
> incentive to avoid falling. A few years ago I purchased a giraffe
> unicycle at a local swapmeet ($25, what a steal), and before giving it
> to my sister as a Christmas present, was able to easily ride it up and
> down the street a couple times. I can ride a regular unicycle, but
> poorly.

I believe this is the same principle as a longer pendulum
having a larger period. Another way of looking at it is
trying to balance a yardstick vs a 12" ruler on your finger.
It is much easier to balance the yardstick. (I have never
ridden a giraffe unicycle, so I'm speaking hypothetically.)

Ben