C
Colin Campbell
Guest
Yes, I'm the one who started this silliness while writing about what I
did when it was too smoky to ride far.
I've gotten a lot better at riding no hands. But I have two bikes that
I ride alternately, and one is much easier to ride no hands than the
other. I'm wondering why?
My older bike is a 2003 Trek 5200. I substituted Campy Record
components for the original Ultegra parts, and swapped my Campy / DT
Swiss / Mavic 32-spoke wheels for the original Bontrager Race Lite
wheels. This bike weighs approx 19 3/4 pounds (or ~9 kg).
The newer bike is a 2006 Trek 5200. When I bought it, the shop made me
a pretty good deal, crediting me for the Ultegra parts and the saddle.
I bought Campy Record from them, supplied my own Flite saddle, and Trek
swapped the Bontrager Race Lite Shimano-compatible wheels for
Campy-compatible wheels at no charge. This bike is a bit over 1 pound
lighter (or ~8.5 kg).
The older bike is very stable when I sit up to ride hands free. Today,
I rode over 1.6 km (1 mile) hands free - more than once. The newer bike
is a lot twitchier. I've ridden it about 600 m hands free, on a
slightly uphill street. I've ridden it on level streets, and downhill
streets, too, but it seems to want to drift to the right, and to change
direction with each pedal stroke.
My hypothesis is that the lighter front wheel makes a difference, but I
haven't yet swapped front wheels to test the hypothesis.
Any other ideas?
did when it was too smoky to ride far.
I've gotten a lot better at riding no hands. But I have two bikes that
I ride alternately, and one is much easier to ride no hands than the
other. I'm wondering why?
My older bike is a 2003 Trek 5200. I substituted Campy Record
components for the original Ultegra parts, and swapped my Campy / DT
Swiss / Mavic 32-spoke wheels for the original Bontrager Race Lite
wheels. This bike weighs approx 19 3/4 pounds (or ~9 kg).
The newer bike is a 2006 Trek 5200. When I bought it, the shop made me
a pretty good deal, crediting me for the Ultegra parts and the saddle.
I bought Campy Record from them, supplied my own Flite saddle, and Trek
swapped the Bontrager Race Lite Shimano-compatible wheels for
Campy-compatible wheels at no charge. This bike is a bit over 1 pound
lighter (or ~8.5 kg).
The older bike is very stable when I sit up to ride hands free. Today,
I rode over 1.6 km (1 mile) hands free - more than once. The newer bike
is a lot twitchier. I've ridden it about 600 m hands free, on a
slightly uphill street. I've ridden it on level streets, and downhill
streets, too, but it seems to want to drift to the right, and to change
direction with each pedal stroke.
My hypothesis is that the lighter front wheel makes a difference, but I
haven't yet swapped front wheels to test the hypothesis.
Any other ideas?