Fastest Bike in the Shop

[Glenn Druery]

Found this on a U.S. bike site.

Glenn .

Fastest Bike in the Shop

If it's a typical US bike shop, the answer to this question will not be a low racer recumbent.
Despite the market for ultra-fast, expensive bikes in the US, low racers are nowhere to be found.
They are essentially non existent in the vast majority of bike shops.

I'll bet you race cars to rubles that 90%+ of the fast, expensive upright bikes being sold in the US
will never be ridden in a race that would ban a low racer. We also know that low racers are quite
comfortable to ride for long distances, and that they generate a great deal of interest (from the

This whole "Grudge Match Race" idea was simply an exercise: Why are low racers overlooked
completely, when they are superior machines? I have to believe that there is a large, untapped
potential market for low racers in the US. Even if 10% of the shops in the US bought exactly 1
carbon lowracer and hung it on the wall, that would break all sales records by a long stretch. Then,
when a customer asks a salesperson "which bike is the fastest," the answer would be obvious. They
would point to the carbon lowracer on the wall, which just screams "exotic race-only."

Exotic carbon + radical design + expensive + "fastest bike" mystique = sold

Doesn't "be the first guy in your club to own one of these babies" work for low racers?

-Barry

 

[Blind Freddy]

"Glenn Druery" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| Found this on a U.S. bike site.
|
| Glenn .
|
|
| Fastest Bike in the Shop
|
| If it's a typical US bike shop, the answer to this question will not be a low racer recumbent.
| Despite the market for ultra-fast, expensive bikes
in
| the US, low racers are nowhere to be found. They are essentially non existent in the vast majority
| of bike shops.
|
| I'll bet you race cars to rubles that 90%+ of the fast, expensive upright bikes being sold in the
| US will never be ridden in a race that would ban a low racer. We also know that low racers are
| quite comfortable to ride for long distances, and that they generate a great deal of interest
| (from the

|
| This whole "Grudge Match Race" idea was simply an exercise: Why are low racers overlooked
| completely, when they are superior machines? I have to believe that there is a large,
| untapped potential market for low racers in the US. Even if 10% of the shops in the US bought
| exactly 1 carbon
lowracer
| and hung it on the wall, that would break all sales records by a long stretch. Then, when a
| customer asks a salesperson "which bike is the fastest," the answer would be obvious. They would
| point to the carbon lowracer on the wall, which just screams "exotic race-only."
|
| Exotic carbon + radical design + expensive + "fastest bike" mystique =
sold
|
| Doesn't "be the first guy in your club to own one of these babies" work
for
| low racers?
|
| -Barry

When you say fastest bike, does that include hill climbs as well or just flat roads. From what I've
seen these "low racers" don't race up hills too well.

Marty

 

[John L]

I'm selling a bike at the moment, had a bloke (tyrekicker) come & look at it. He asked me how fast
does it go, I told him, really fast over a cliff"

It's all relative, but I'm glad he wasn't one of mine

John L.

On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 20:57:30 +0800, "Blind Freddy" <[email protected](spam)> wrote:
>
>When you say fastest bike, does that include hill climbs as well or just flat roads. From what I've
>seen these "low racers" don't race up hills too well.
>
>Marty

 

[Ritch]

John L <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm selling a bike at the moment, had a bloke (tyrekicker) come & look at it. He asked me how fast
> does it go, I told him, really fast over a cliff"
>
> It's all relative, but I'm glad he wasn't one of mine
>
> John L.

Be sure to tell potential buyers that the motor is not included...

Ritch.

 

[Keith]

"Blind Freddy" ... wrote in message news:

> |
> | Fastest Bike in the Shop
> |
> | If it's a typical US bike shop, the answer to this question will not be a low racer recumbent.
> | Despite the market for ultra-fast, expensive bikes
> in
> | the US, low racers are nowhere to be found. They are essentially non existent in the vast
> | majority of bike shops.

>
> When you say fastest bike, does that include hill climbs as well or just flat roads. From what
> I've seen these "low racers" don't race up hills too well.
>
> Marty

Possibly not quite as fast up the steeper hills, but what goes up, must come down! In the hands of a
moderately experienced rider, they could cover an average commute or tour at the same speed (but
with a little more comfort and less energy cost) than the average. But now we are starting to split
hairs; once you start allowing that, we can all chip in with our special spin and win the argument
by shifting the goalposts to suit ourselves.

The point was that low racers (bike or trike) were said to be faster than diamond frames.

Here is a link to the results of the 2001 HPV challenge in the UK.

http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/whpvc2001/Worlds01.html

There you will see
* the 1 km time trial completed at 51.4 kmh
* the 27.75 km criterium completed at 47.8 kmh
* the 200m sprint completed at 73.5 kmh
* the 2 hour road race at 55.9 kmh

And here's a link to a great report of the 1999, 1,200 km Paris-Brest-Paris completed in 47 hours
(supported) and in 69 hours (not supported) on low racers:

http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/community/ozhpv/audax_club_parisien.htm

How do these compare with diamond frames?

Keith

 

[Garry Allen]

[email protected] (Keith) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Blind Freddy" ... wrote in message news:
>
> > |
> > | Fastest Bike in the Shop
> > |
> > | If it's a typical US bike shop, the answer to this question will not be a low racer recumbent.
> > | Despite the market for ultra-fast, expensive bikes
> in
> > | the US, low racers are nowhere to be found. They are essentially non existent in the vast
> > | majority of bike shops.
>
> >
> > When you say fastest bike, does that include hill climbs as well or just flat roads. From what
> > I've seen these "low racers" don't race up hills too well.
> >
> > Marty
>
> Possibly not quite as fast up the steeper hills, but what goes up, must come down! In the hands of
> a moderately experienced rider, they could cover an average commute or tour at the same speed (but
> with a little more comfort and less energy cost) than the average. But now we are starting to
> split hairs; once you start allowing that, we can all chip in with our special spin and win the
> argument by shifting the goalposts to suit ourselves.
>
> The point was that low racers (bike or trike) were said to be faster than diamond frames.
>
> Here is a link to the results of the 2001 HPV challenge in the UK.
>
> http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/whpvc2001/Worlds01.html
>
> There you will see
> * the 1 km time trial completed at 51.4 kmh
> * the 27.75 km criterium completed at 47.8 kmh
> * the 200m sprint completed at 73.5 kmh
> * the 2 hour road race at 55.9 kmh
>
> And here's a link to a great report of the 1999, 1,200 km Paris-Brest-Paris completed in 47 hours
> (supported) and in 69 hours (not supported) on low racers:
>
> http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/community/ozhpv/audax_club_parisien.htm
>
> How do these compare with diamond frames?
>
> Keith

200m flying start - absolute record held by Curtis Harnett 9.865 s ( ~73km/h) 1km time trial 58.875
s (`61.15km/h) (standing start) Arnaud Tournant road race and criterium - what do you compare it to?
There have been 4 hour stages of the TdF where the average speed has been well over 50km/h (but also
run predominantly downhill or with a strong tailwind) And Jan Ullrich amongst others has done
predominantly flat 60km + time trials at an average speed of well over 50km/h Garry Allen

 

[Blind Freddy]

"Garry Allen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| [email protected] (Keith) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
| > "Blind Freddy" ... wrote in message news:
| >
| > > |
| > > | Fastest Bike in the Shop
| > > |
| > > | If it's a typical US bike shop, the answer to this question will not
be a
| > > | low racer recumbent. Despite the market for ultra-fast, expensive
bikes
| > in
| > > | the US, low racers are nowhere to be found. They are essentially
non
| > > | existent in the vast majority of bike shops.
| >
| > >
| > > When you say fastest bike, does that include hill climbs as well or
just
| > > flat roads. From what I've seen these "low racers" don't race up hills too well.
| > >
| > > Marty
| >
| > Possibly not quite as fast up the steeper hills, but what goes up, must come down! In the hands
| > of a moderately experienced rider, they could cover an average commute or tour at the same speed
| > (but with a little more comfort and less energy cost) than the average. But now we are starting
| > to split hairs; once you start allowing that, we can all chip in with our special spin and win
| > the argument by shifting the goalposts to suit ourselves.
| >
| > The point was that low racers (bike or trike) were said to be faster than diamond frames.
| >
| > Here is a link to the results of the 2001 HPV challenge in the UK.
| >
| > http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/whpvc2001/Worlds01.html
| >
| > There you will see
| > * the 1 km time trial completed at 51.4 kmh
| > * the 27.75 km criterium completed at 47.8 kmh
| > * the 200m sprint completed at 73.5 kmh
| > * the 2 hour road race at 55.9 kmh
| >
| > And here's a link to a great report of the 1999, 1,200 km Paris-Brest-Paris completed in 47
| > hours (supported) and in 69 hours (not supported) on low racers:
| >
| > http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/community/ozhpv/audax_club_parisien.htm
| >
| > How do these compare with diamond frames?
| >
| > Keith
|
| 200m flying start - absolute record held by Curtis Harnett 9.865 s ( ~73km/h) 1km time trial
| 58.875 s (`61.15km/h) (standing start) Arnaud Tournant road race and criterium - what do you
| compare it to? There have been 4 hour stages of the TdF where the average speed has been well over
| 50km/h (but also run predominantly downhill or with a strong tailwind) And Jan Ullrich amongst
| others has done predominantly flat 60km + time trials at an average speed of well over 50km/h
| Garry Allen

So why doesn't everyone have one if they're so good?

Marty

 

[Garry Allen]

"Blind Freddy" <[email protected](spam)> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Garry Allen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> | 200m flying start - absolute record held by Curtis Harnett 9.865 s ( ~73km/h) 1km time trial
> | 58.875 s (`61.15km/h) (standing start) Arnaud Tournant road race and criterium - what do you
> | compare it to? There have been 4 hour stages of the TdF where the average speed has been well
> | over 50km/h (but also run predominantly downhill or with a strong tailwind) And Jan Ullrich
> | amongst others has done predominantly flat 60km + time trials at an average speed of well over
> | 50km/h Garry Allen
>
> So why doesn't everyone have one if they're so good?
>
> Marty
Most people who ride bicycles ride something that bears some sort of resemblance to the bikes these
records were achieved on. Diamond framed track bikes with sprinters drop bars. Diamond framed
pursuit track bikes with aero bars and disk wheels. Diamond framed road bikes with drop bars and
index gearing (or even old diamond framed racing bikes with flip flop hubs riden by Fausto
Coppi....and Hubert Oppermann) Diamond framed time trial bikes. All diamond framed. And they are all
vaguely like the bikes you can buy in the bike shop down the road. Garry Allen Note that the times
quoted above are from that well known enemy of all things good in the HPV world http://www.uci.ch