Note: This is the second reply to the original reply:
On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 08:36:35 -0700, Dan Daniel
<
[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 18:28:02 +0800, Michael J. Klein
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
<my comments snipped>
>How are the brake handles and shifters set up? If they are rotated so
>that they are facing forward, you have to twist your wrist back and
>down for operation, and this can cause problems. Pretend the levers
>aren't there and see where your hands, arms, and shoulders are
>comfortable. Then rotate the levers to match this. Not the other way
>around, rotating wrists to match levers.
I took another look at how they were positioned. I'm a manufacturing
engineer by trade and have setup quite a number of factory assembly
lines and ergonomic workstations. I did end up adjusting the
brake/shifter positions slightly different from where they were
originally. The compromise is for the thumb. When the brakes are
dead centered for pull, the thumbs have to be moved way up.
Positioning the brake levers up somewhat puts the thumb shifting lever
down and then its not such a wrist move to reach them.
<other stuff snipped out>
>Look at the seat position, also. This seriously affects how weight is
>distributed between the seat and handlebars.
>
>http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
After reading this article again (I had read it some time ago, but now
I had something to actually adjust), I made some minor adjustments one
at a time. I went for a ride and checked out the adjustments. For
me, this was a pretty long ride.
Before I left, I put the seat back about 2.5 cm (~1"). I rode it to
the bottom of the big hill and around some before I stopped to take a
drink. At that point I pushed it back further, about another cm.
After I went back up to the top of the hill, I adusted the seat
incline nose up and rode it home. I like the final adjustment and my
arms feel a lot better now. Typically I felt like I had been bench
pressing the whole time. Now I feel more balanced. I anticipate that
as I lose this gut I'll have to push the seat forward as I'll have
less "ballast" to offset. lol
I know you guys like to get technical, so I made a map of the course I
rode today, which you can see here:
http://www.asiancastings.com/images/ride.jpg The overall distance
indicated by the green line is approximately 2.47 KM one-way. Just on
the other side of the highway, (the blue line) is where I actually
went. The blue line is an irrigation channel which feeds the rice
paddies, and has a narrow paved path next to it. I rode south on the
narrow path until I couldn't go any further due to obstacles (fallen
debris). I turned around and rode north for several kilometers along
the irrigation channel and then back under the highway through some
small neighborhoods and temples. You have to see it to appreciate how
cool it is to ride through the Taiwan countryside. Next time I go out
I will get some pictures - but imagine Buddhist temples next to rice
paddies with a thin paved bike path, and the Central Mountain Range in
the background and you pretty much have it.
The part of the road with the large "S" curve (on the website image)
is an impressive hill with goes down as it approaches the highway. My
GPS indicates that the point where the curve begins to the point where
the road crosses the highway is 400 meters, straight line. Yet,
within this linear distance the change in elevation is well over 100
meters! Needless to say, I rode the brakes pretty much all the way
down. While I was concerned about being able to get back uphill, I
was determined to not let the size of the hill and the grade
intimidate me and stop me from enjoying my ride on the flatlands
beyond. I could hear the motor strain on the scooters passing me
going uphill, lol.
On the uphill climb, I put it in granny and spun my way up. I stopped
3 times to rest. Each time I got back on I felt stronger. I had
people driving by in cars and on scooters who had incredulous looks on
their faces. One guy looked at me and gave me a very hearty "thumbs
up." Once I got to the top I took a rest on the steps of a temple
(this is where I made the seat angle adjustment). The guy in the van
had returned and drove by me again, with another thumbs up. Just
after that, a 20-something (or less) young man went down the hill. He
came back a few mins later, walking his bike! lol He didn't go more
than 50 meters and decided it was too much for him. At 48 y/o, that
made me feel pretty good. About that time I felt like starting back
home and I ended up passing that guy without actually intending to.
This leads me to think that I'm not quite as out of shape as I
thought.
Number of meters walking the bike back uphill: 0
Number of meters riding off-seat back uphill: 0
Total distance ridden, including large hill: 7km (estimate)
I understand that for you bike jocks this is nothing. For me, its a
beginning. I feel really great and I believe that is the Zen goal
(remember, the meaning of the word "zen" is truth). I will get some
pictures of the area next time because of its scenic beauty.
For those of you who care (and don't know), I have written 2 bike
articles related to manufacturing. See
http://www.asiancastings.com/photo_galleries.htm for the master list
of articles. At some point I will do one regarding my fledgling bike
activites. lol
Michael J. Klein
[email protected]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
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