I don't understand - what is this for?

  • Thread starter Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
  • Start date



On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 19:41:08 -0500, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>RonSonic WHO? wrote:
>> On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:34:46 -0500, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> G.T. aka Greg Thomas who? wrote:
>>>> Chalo wrote:
>>>>> JD wrote:
>>>>>> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>>>>>>> JD wrote:
>>>>>>>> C'mon out and ride with me sometime. I'll show you just how
>>>>>>>> inefficient singlespeed bikes are. Your weekday ride sounds like it's
>>>>>>>> loaded with punks and poseurs.
>>>>>>>> JD 225lbs and can still kick your ass
>>>>>>> No one talks smack quite like a SS or fixie freak.....
>>>>>> If you think it's unsubstantiated smack, keep kidding yourself.
>>>>> If you think you wouldn't go a lot faster with some damn gears, you're
>>>>> kidding yourself.
>>>>>
>>>> Having ridden my multi-geared bikes with the freak on his MTB SS and on
>>>> his road fixeds I'd say I doubt that he could go any faster (other than
>>>> downhill on the fixed).
>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)

>>
>> Probably not. I have seen cyclocross races won on a single speed. That was a
>> fairly local event (Fla State Championship Series).
>>
>> I don't know why the emphasis on racing,...

>
>Er, the discussion was about the relative performance of single-speed
>and/or fixed gear MTB's verses geared MTB's. Since the goal of racing is
>to be the fastest, racing results would appear to provide some
>indication of relative performance.
>
>> you don't see recumbents winning any
>> mountain bike races, but some people still think they're somehow fun or useful[.]

>
>Class, can we say RED HERRING?


Well, yeah. That's what I was trying to point out. Mazda Miatas don't win any
indy car races but are a hell of a lot more fun on the street than an indy car
would be. So would you say it was silly to buy one for its performance.

Of course geared bikes are faster, didn't we establish that almost a hundred
years ago. Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's more fun.

The irony of all of this is that we the Bike-God-Dorks of RBT see how silly it
is that so many riders buy gear based on racing needs that have nothing whatever
to do with the riding they actually do, yet when a bike shows up that is clearly
intended for caroming through the woods and having fun one of the first
questions asked is "can you win a race on it." As if this were the measure of a
bike.

Ron
 
On Aug 6, 4:01 am, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> JD wrote:
> > On Aug 5, 4:34 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
> >> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)

>
> > A typical douchebag question because racing doesn't have jack **** to
> > do with anything.

>
> Racing has nothing to do with which bike (within the rules) is fastest?
> Thanks for the information!



No, racing doesn't have jack **** to do with anything. Yes, you are a
douchebag.

JD
 
On Aug 4, 1:16 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<""sunsetss0003\"@invalida .com"> wrote:
> See <http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/2007/mountain/69er.html>.
>
> Is the bigger front wheel to better roll over obstacles, or is it just a
> demented fashion statement? Conversely, does the smaller rear wheel
> provide any real advantage?
>
> What is the deal with single-speed anyway?
>
> Are there prudish Trek dealers out there who will not carry this bike
> because the name, or dealers who would be afraid of offending their
> customers? Is the "69er" name meant to appeal to the BMX crowd who buys
> products such as the "Snafu Rim Job" tires?
>
> Is the Waterloo, Wisconsin water supply contaminated with a parasite
> that causes brain dysfunction?
>
> Who exactly is the target market for this bike?
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
> The weather is here, wish you were beautiful
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com


It's because Travis Brown seems to think that having a smaller wheel
in the back allows much better acceleration, thus disproving the
theory that professional athletes can provide useful input into
product development.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2005/news/08-29
Silly wheel sizes aside, single speed actually makes a lot of sense
for mountain and cross bikes. Geared bikes are only faster until the
rear derailleur gets jammed with mud or bent in a crash. You can only
down shift so far before you're better off running anyway.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Aug 4, 1:16 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <""sunsetss0003\"@invalida .com"> wrote:
>> See <http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/2007/mountain/69er.html>.
>>
>> Is the bigger front wheel to better roll over obstacles, or is it just a
>> demented fashion statement? Conversely, does the smaller rear wheel
>> provide any real advantage?
>>
>> What is the deal with single-speed anyway?
>>
>> Are there prudish Trek dealers out there who will not carry this bike
>> because the name, or dealers who would be afraid of offending their
>> customers? Is the "69er" name meant to appeal to the BMX crowd who buys
>> products such as the "Snafu Rim Job" tires?
>>
>> Is the Waterloo, Wisconsin water supply contaminated with a parasite
>> that causes brain dysfunction?
>>
>> Who exactly is the target market for this bike?
>>

>
> It's because Travis Brown seems to think that having a smaller wheel
> in the back allows much better acceleration, thus disproving the
> theory that professional athletes can provide useful input into
> product development.


Touché.

Greg
--
Ticketmaster and Ticketweb suck, but everyone knows that:
http://ticketmastersucks.org
"Ya gotta stop riding the brakes,
ya gotta stop robbing the cradle" - Chris D
 
RonSonic WHO? wrote:
> On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 19:41:08 -0500, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> RonSonic WHO? wrote:
>>> On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:34:46 -0500, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> G.T. aka Greg Thomas who? wrote:
>>>>> Chalo wrote:
>>>>>> JD wrote:
>>>>>>> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>>>>>>>> JD wrote:
>>>>>>>>> C'mon out and ride with me sometime. I'll show you just how
>>>>>>>>> inefficient singlespeed bikes are. Your weekday ride sounds like it's
>>>>>>>>> loaded with punks and poseurs.
>>>>>>>>> JD 225lbs and can still kick your ass
>>>>>>>> No one talks smack quite like a SS or fixie freak.....
>>>>>>> If you think it's unsubstantiated smack, keep kidding yourself.
>>>>>> If you think you wouldn't go a lot faster with some damn gears, you're
>>>>>> kidding yourself.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Having ridden my multi-geared bikes with the freak on his MTB SS and on
>>>>> his road fixeds I'd say I doubt that he could go any faster (other than
>>>>> downhill on the fixed).
>>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
>>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)
>>> Probably not. I have seen cyclocross races won on a single speed. That was a
>>> fairly local event (Fla State Championship Series).
>>>
>>> I don't know why the emphasis on racing,...

>> Er, the discussion was about the relative performance of single-speed
>> and/or fixed gear MTB's verses geared MTB's. Since the goal of racing is
>> to be the fastest, racing results would appear to provide some
>> indication of relative performance.
>>
>>> you don't see recumbents winning any
>>> mountain bike races, but some people still think they're somehow fun or useful[.]

>> Class, can we say RED HERRING?

>
> Well, yeah. That's what I was trying to point out. Mazda Miatas don't win any
> indy car races but are a hell of a lot more fun on the street than an indy car
> would be. So would you say it was silly to buy one for its performance.
>
> Of course geared bikes are faster, didn't we establish that almost a hundred
> years ago. Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's more fun.
>
> The irony of all of this is that we the Bike-God-Dorks of RBT see how silly it
> is that so many riders buy gear based on racing needs that have nothing whatever
> to do with the riding they actually do, yet when a bike shows up that is clearly
> intended for caroming through the woods and having fun one of the first
> questions asked is "can you win a race on it." As if this were the measure of a
> bike.


Well, Greg Thomas contended that JD ("the freak" in Greg's words) would
be no faster on a geared bike than on a fixie (except possibly downhill).

Greg's contention is the reason I asked about the racing results of
fixed versus geared MTB's, as the relative overall success of each type
would provide some indication of relative performance.

Got that?

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
JD WHO? wrote:
> On Aug 6, 4:01 am, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> JD wrote:
>>> On Aug 5, 4:34 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
>>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)
>>> A typical douchebag question because racing doesn't have jack **** to
>>> do with anything.

>> Racing has nothing to do with which bike (within the rules) is fastest?
>> Thanks for the information!

>
>
> No, racing doesn't have jack **** to do with anything. Yes, you are a
> douchebag.


You have to try harder JD. I have been flamed much better many times on
Usenet. ;)

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
Corvus Corvax wrote:
> On Aug 4, 1:16 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <""sunsetss0003\"@invalida .com"> wrote:
>> What is the deal with single-speed anyway?

>
> To think I missed this flamewar!
>
> http://www.dirtragmag.com/web/article.php?ID=437&category=web_only
>
> Ride what you want. Life is good.


Ride what you want. Flame everyone that rides something different on
Usenet. ;)

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
[email protected] wrote:
> ...
> Silly wheel sizes aside, single speed actually makes a lot of sense
> for mountain and cross bikes. Geared bikes are only faster until the
> rear derailleur gets jammed with mud or bent in a crash.


Unless you can afford a Rohloff hub.

> You can only
> down shift so far before you're better off running anyway.


I find there is a considerable range between my lowest practical gear
and what my "average" riding gear is.

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
On Aug 6, 3:59 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> JD WHO? wrote:
> > On Aug 6, 4:01 am, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> JD wrote:
> >>> On Aug 5, 4:34 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> >>> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
> >>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)
> >>> A typical douchebag question because racing doesn't have jack **** to
> >>> do with anything.
> >> Racing has nothing to do with which bike (within the rules) is fastest?
> >> Thanks for the information!

>
> > No, racing doesn't have jack **** to do with anything. Yes, you are a
> > douchebag.

>
> You have to try harder JD. I have been flamed much better many times on
> Usenet. ;)



With asinine comments and speculations like yours, it's no big
surprise.

Why don't you go race, count some calories, download your HRM data and
then jerk off to it all now.

JD
 
JD wrote:
> On Aug 6, 3:59 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> JD WHO? wrote:
>>> On Aug 6, 4:01 am, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> JD wrote:
>>>>> On Aug 5, 4:34 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
>>>>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)
>>>>> A typical douchebag question because racing doesn't have jack **** to
>>>>> do with anything.
>>>> Racing has nothing to do with which bike (within the rules) is fastest?
>>>> Thanks for the information!
>>> No, racing doesn't have jack **** to do with anything. Yes, you are a
>>> douchebag.

>> You have to try harder JD. I have been flamed much better many times on
>> Usenet. ;)

>
>
> With asinine comments and speculations like yours, it's no big
> surprise.
>
> Why don't you go race, count some calories, download your HRM data and
> then jerk off to it all now.


Lack of interest in those activities, perhaps? I would rather ride my
bikes and argue on Usenet. ;)

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman wrote:
> Fred Clydesdale who? wrote:


<snip-de-dip>

> The force applied to the pedals does need to be kept down to a point
> where the rider is still using anaerobic power if the climb is of any
> length.
>


Dude, if the climb is that long and painful, get the feck off the bike
and walk it. The flowers smell nicer that way. ;-)
 
G.T. wrote:
> Steve Baker wrote:
>> Michael Press wrote:
>>> In article <rSnti.348$mw4.286@trndny09>,
>>> Steve Baker <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Why don't you ask a Trek dealer if it is selling? They'll be able
>>>> to tell much better than this raggedy bunch can.
>>>
>>> From a plea for sanity and tolerance to mud-slinging in a single bound.
>>>

>>
>> I was referring to the rec.bike.* crowd - I know AM-B are FAR less
>> well-dressed than "raggedy" could possibly imply. ;-)

>
> Hahaha, I guess I was wrong.
>
> Greg
>


You weren't wrong, Greg, he just couldn't see it from his perspective.
Steve "inverse snobbery" Baker
 
Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman wrote (in part):

I would rather ride my
> bikes and argue on Usenet. ;)
>


Prove it - PLEASE!
Like for, say, a month or so.....
 
Steve Baker wrote:
> Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman wrote (in part):
>
> I would rather ride my
>> bikes and argue on Usenet. ;)
>>

>
> Prove it - PLEASE!
> Like for, say, a month or so.....


I have proved over and over that I like to argue on Usenet. ;)

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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
Steve Baker wrote:
> Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman wrote:
>> Fred Clydesdale who? wrote:

>
> <snip-de-dip>
>
>> The force applied to the pedals does need to be kept down to a point
>> where the rider is still using anaerobic power if the climb is of any
>> length.
>>

>
> Dude, if the climb is that long and painful, get the feck off the bike
> and walk it. The flowers smell nicer that way. ;-)


I usually walk uphill when I either break traction or can not keep the
front wheel on the ground (this happens on slopes that somewhat skilled
riders can climb), or when things start to get out of hand downhill
(long before decent riders dismount).


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

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:21:48 -0700, RonSonic <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's more fun.
>
> Ron



Put that bong down!
--
Slack
 
On Aug 6, 5:59 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> JD WHO? wrote:
> > On Aug 6, 4:01 am, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> JD wrote:
> >>> On Aug 5, 4:34 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> >>> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>> Have any professional level MTB races been won on fixed or single-speed
> >>>> bikes? (Actual, not rhetorical, question)
> >>> A typical douchebag question because racing doesn't have jack **** to
> >>> do with anything.
> >> Racing has nothing to do with which bike (within the rules) is fastest?
> >> Thanks for the information!

>
> > No, racing doesn't have jack **** to do with anything. Yes, you are a
> > douchebag.

>
> You have to try harder JD. I have been flamed much better many times on
> Usenet. ;)
>


Yeah, but not by a 9-year-old!
 
In article <op.twnx4ftgf3vmig@slacker>,
?Slack <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:21:48 -0700, RonSonic <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's more fun.

>
> Put that bong down!


Have you ever had even a little bit of sex? :-D
 
On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:33:47 -0700, Tim McNamara <[email protected]>
wrote:

> In article <op.twnx4ftgf3vmig@slacker>,
> ?Slack <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:21:48 -0700, RonSonic <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Just because something is faster doesn't mean it's more fun.

>>
>> Put that bong down!

>
> Have you ever had even a little bit of sex? :-D



Thanks for offer, but I don't swing that way.
--
Slack
 
On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:53:04 -0700, JD <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Aug 4, 6:02 pm, Ozark Bicycle
><[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Aug 4, 7:45 pm, JD <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > On Aug 4, 3:33 pm, Fred Clydesdale <[email protected]> wrote:

>>
>> > > personally, i've never gotten the whole single/fixie thing, and
>> > > a singlespeed mtb seems beyond useless.

>>
>> > We can't all be closed-minded dumbasses.

>>
>> > > i pass at least 5 fixies
>> > > a week on the various hills of my weekday ride, never had things
>> > > happen the other way around. and i'm a CLYDESDALE, for heaven's
>> > > sake. i'm carrying 3 pounds more bike and 20 pounds more of me
>> > > up those hills.

>>
>> > C'mon out and ride with me sometime. I'll show you just how
>> > inefficient singlespeed bikes are. Your weekday ride sounds like it's
>> > loaded with punks and poseurs.

>>
>> > JD 225lbs and can still kick your ass

>>
>> No one talks smack quite like a SS or fixie freak.....

>
>If you think it's unsubstantiated smack, keep kidding yourself.
>
>JD


Dear JD,

Are the single-speed riders in these pictures punks or poseurs? Their
successors were much, much faster with derailleurs.

They include Lapize, Albini, Thys, Cristophe, Scieur, Buysse, and
others, early giants of bicycling who couldn't even ride their
single-speeds all the way up the Tour de France passes, much less keep
up with contemporary riders who climbed the same passes with
derailleurs.

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist011/1910L-Lapize-sui-Pirenei.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf%20history/imageshist011/1910L-Lapize-passa-1%b0-sul-T.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf%20history/imageshist011/1910L-Lapize-e-Albini-sull'.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist011/1912-si-cambiano-i-rapporti.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist011/1912-leaders-on-the-Aubisqu.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist011/1913--Desgrange-fuma-e-guar.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf%20history/imageshist011/1913-6%b0-tappa-Lambot-in-vet.jpg

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist011/1913-Thys-Cristophe-Buysse-.jpg

You can enjoy the details in context here:

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/tdfhistory1910.html

***

"Before derailleurs, even the great ones would have to walk their
bikes. Here Scieur walks his bike up the Galibier in stage 11."

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist02/1921-11th-tappa-Scieur-sale.jpg

***

"Buysse in Hell. Here he pushes his bike up the Tourmalet."

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf history/imageshist02/1926-Buysse-sul-Tourmalet.jpg

After the Tour de France allowed derailleurs, single-speeds vanished,
and so did pictures of the peloton pushing on foot up the passes.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel
 

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