Optim Baron - sluggish and slow

[howard james]

I picked up an Optim Baron recently (I was looking for just a frame to build up but picked up one already configured) and it seems very slow and sluggish. My young son riding the Vision R40 easily runs away from me. There seems to be considerable drag in the drivetrain and the disk brakes so I am trying to adjust and lubricate things. It has magura julie brakes, shimano 105 rear derailer, remerex wheels and Vredestein tires. I think it will be best to strip it and configure with better components. Any thoughts????

 

[lowracervk2]

Work on the engine. There is no way on earth that the baron is a slow bike. I've done a 4 hour 13 minute solo century on mine.

http://groups.msn.com/BicyclingForumPicPost/trainingsetuppics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5009


I still use the baron for training but have moved on to something just a bit lighter and a tad bit faster. The baron my no stretch of the imagination is a sluggish bike though.

http://groups.msn.com/BicyclingForumPicPost/trainingsetuppics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=7408

http://groups.msn.com/BicyclingForumPicPost/trainingsetuppics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=6996

 

[lowracervk2]

also go to bentrider online for all the tricks and tips on making a baron more efficient.

http://www.bentrideronline.com/

 

[Johnny NoCom]

The Optima Baron is an "old school" style racing recumbent. At one time state of the art. Things have changes. The fastest stock bent in production is the NoCom. You will need a NoCom if you want to ride fast. If you want to do an ordinary 4:13 or slower century ride stick with the old school design Optima Baron or recreational touring setup of a VK2 tail-faired style bike.

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

I picked up an Optim Baron recently (I was looking for just a frame to build up but picked up one already configured) and it seems very slow and sluggish. My young son riding the Vision R40 easily runs away from me. There seems to be considerable drag in the drivetrain and the disk brakes so I am trying to adjust and lubricate things. It has magura julie brakes, shimano 105 rear derailer, remerex wheels and Vredestein tires. I think it will be best to strip it and configure with better components. Any thoughts????

 

[lowracervk2]

The Optima Baron is an "old school" style racing recumbent. At one time state of the art. Things have changes. The fastest stock bent in production is the NoCom. You will need a NoCom if you want to ride fast. If you want to do an ordinary 4:13 or slower century ride stick with the old school design Optima Baron or recreational touring setup of a VK2 tail-faired style bike.

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

Oh sure, a Nocom is just great if you can find a century that has no turns. I rode the Nocom and sure it is super fast in a straight line. Turning sucks though. Right hand turns and the front wheel runs over the chain. left hand turns arent much better. Even regular turns at a 90 deg, you need to take it way wide. The nocom is a track bike............not a century bike.

 

[Johnny NoCom]

The turning radius for the NoCom is two lanes and no different than an M5 lowracer. There are two NoCom owners in the midwest USA that have over 7500 miles of street riding on the NoComs including numerous centuries rides.

Some recumbent riders may not possess the physical ability or coordination skills to accomplish a 2 lane turn with the NoCom. Those individuals are better off staying with the slower old school design recumbents.

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

Oh sure, a Nocom is just great if you can find a century that has no turns. I rode the Nocom and sure it is super fast in a straight line. Turning sucks though. Right hand turns and the front wheel runs over the chain. left hand turns arent much better. Even regular turns at a 90 deg, you need to take it way wide. The nocom is a track bike............not a century bike.

 

[blazingpedals]

Johnny, I will agree that the NoCom is a very cool bike. Calling it the next generation of lowracers is a bit of a stretch though. It's not very refined yet; it seems that every new ONE that Kamil turns out has updates as he learns how to make them. You can call it a stock-class bike, but it's hardly a 'production' model. As such I'd call it the bleeding-edge in racing technology. Perhaps when the dust settles we'll all want one. But for now, I'll follow the story with interest and keep riding what I've got. They're all better than DFs.

On to the original question...
A Baron should be able to coast away from an R-40. Of course the engine could be your culprit, but it it was, you'd already have a clue. So, my first guess is that either the brakes or wheel bearings are dragging. Julies did not get high marks for ease of maintenance or dependability, so if brakes are the problem, maybe replacing them with Avid mechs would be a good move. There's also an outside chance that the chain tube was cinched too tight, which would make the chain bind, or (now I'm really reaching) the bb could be bad. Spinning various parts and listening closely should tell you where the problem is.

 

[Johnny NoCom]

BP,
I can not find the post where I specifically called the NoCom the next generation of lowracers. Thanks for bringing that up. Perfect definition for the NoCom.

As for refined. The NoCompromise is refined to the max. A couple of NoCom owners with limited knowledge of lowracers have had minor setbacks with their assembly process. Other NoCom owners have had zero problems.

As for cutting edge. The razor sharp performance of the NoCom will leave the competition bleeding.

As for production model the NoCom is available to the public and it is stock class legal.

The only dust that will settle is the dust on the riders with old school design bikes that the NoCom riders will always pass on the streets, at time trials, at road races and at the HPV track.


Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

Johnny, I will agree that the NoCom is a very cool bike. Calling it the next generation of lowracers is a bit of a stretch though. It's not very refined yet; it seems that every new ONE that Kamil turns out has updates as he learns how to make them. You can call it a stock-class bike, but it's hardly a 'production' model. As such I'd call it the bleeding-edge in racing technology. Perhaps when the dust settles we'll all want one. But for now, I'll follow the story with interest and keep riding what I've got. They're all better than DFs.

 

[blazingpedals]

BP,
I can not find the post where I specifically called the NoCom the next generation of lowracers.

You didn't, except by proxy, calling the Baron and others of its ilk "old school." I look forward to seeing more cool CF lowracers on the roads and tracks. Perhaps when we can order them from our LBS like other bents, they and their progeny will become more popular.

 

[lowracervk2]

Nocom.... refined already? Whatever........... Somebodys been breathing too much epoxy here.

I could make a pretty good sized list of what needs to be refined.

hydration storage? where you going to keep your hydration and keep it out of the wind. That one thing right there wrecks the slipstream.

Chainline isn't so good. I know the owners of the nocoms in the US. 2 lane turns are not acceptable for road racing applications.

front wheel drive may have been a better choice for the chain issues.

front derailleur? I hear that kamil now has the front derailleur worked out.

You aren't going to do a course like Hilly Hundred on a single front ring nocom.
Any course with any kind of grade and you don't have the gearing.

A tailfaired aluminium frame lowracer will still be faster than the nocom.
A nocom may be faster than a stock vk or baron or jester or m5.......most likely the cobra also. If you have to make a lot of turns however, you just lost the race.

Where you going to attach your pump on the bike?

tools? patches, tubes?

Any type of distance race you want to do on a NOCOM which stands for no-compromise...................and guess what, you are going to have to compromise something.

If you say you don't need to carry any of this stuff, in a 100 mile race, you just lost if you can't repair a tire quickly or fix the chain or any other possible problems that can arise.

It is difficult enough solving these issues on a vk2. The tailbox solves all the storage problems however.

 

[Johnny NoCom]

Well CK Slowdio,
Storage is inside of the frame. Hydration pack, tools and pump can all be stored in the interior.

*As for turning there is NO problem and never was. There is a 2 lane turning radius for a U-turn. 90º turns on the street are no problem at all and no different than other lowracer designed bikes.

As for FWD, the Cobra is FWD. The NoCom is RWD. Both splitter design are faster than old school racing antiques like the ones with mismatched tail fairings.

Front deraliur. Since when has that been a problem with the NoCom?

How can grades be a problem with a double or triple crankset option and proper gears?

As for changing a flat in a road race or century I suggest you use a CO2 inflator with a spare tube.

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

*Riders with limited coordination skills will have difficulty negotiating a simple turn on a lowracer and are advised to ride non racing bents.

Nocom.... refined already? Whatever........... Somebodys been breathing too much epoxy here.

I could make a pretty good sized list of what needs to be refined.

hydration storage? where you going to keep your hydration and keep it out of the wind. That one thing right there wrecks the slipstream.

Chainline isn't so good. I know the owners of the nocoms in the US. 2 lane turns are not acceptable for road racing applications.

front wheel drive may have been a better choice for the chain issues.

front derailleur? I hear that kamil now has the front derailleur worked out.

You aren't going to do a course like Hilly Hundred on a single front ring nocom.
Any course with any kind of grade and you don't have the gearing.

A tailfaired aluminium frame lowracer will still be faster than the nocom.
A nocom may be faster than a stock vk or baron or jester or m5.......most likely the cobra also. If you have to make a lot of turns however, you just lost the race.

Where you going to attach your pump on the bike?

tools? patches, tubes?

Any type of distance race you want to do on a NOCOM which stands for no-compromise...................and guess what, you are going to have to compromise something.

If you say you don't need to carry any of this stuff, in a 100 mile race, you just lost if you can't repair a tire quickly or fix the chain or any other possible problems that can arise.

It is difficult enough solving these issues on a vk2. The tailbox solves all the storage problems however.

 

[lowracervk2]

Both splitter design are faster than old school racing antiques like the ones with mismatched tail fairings.


hahahhhhha you are really killing me here. You better start your winter training early buddy.

 

[Johnny NoCom]

I promise not to make up imaginary watt tales like the ones you do Slowdio.

BTW, what happened to all those watts on the BB climb?

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

Both splitter design are faster than old school racing antiques like the ones with mismatched tail fairings.


hahahhhhha you are really killing me here. You better start your winter training early buddy.

 

[raffiman]

I promise not to make up imaginary watt tales like the ones you do Slowdio.

BTW, what happened to all those watts on the BB climb?

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom

Johnny,

CK "SLOWDIO" had his ass handed to him as 22 ass hatchet wedgie riders dropped him on a BOAT event!

http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/65721_76374_2004.txt

Raffi

 

[Sputnick]

Oh sure, a Nocom is just great if you can find a century that has no turns. I rode the Nocom and sure it is super fast in a straight line. Turning sucks though. Right hand turns and the front wheel runs over the chain. left hand turns arent much better. Even regular turns at a 90 deg, you need to take it way wide. The nocom is a track bike............not a century bike.

Well I've a few Brevets, Centuries and some Ultra Racing on my No Com
WHAT A BLOODY FAST BIKE, I LOVE IT
Got another 12hr race coming up soon.


BTW I still have a Baron, while not as fast as the No Com the Baron gets my vote for the best all-round Lowracer.


Glenn

 

[blazingpedals]

Well I've a few Brevets, Centuries and some Ultra Racing on my No Com
WHAT A BLOODY FAST BIKE, I LOVE IT
Got another 12hr race coming up soon.


BTW I still have a Baron, while not as fast as the No Com the Baron gets my vote for the best all-round Lowracer.


Glenn

Congrats on your win in the 400Km ride. Were there any other lowracers, and if so, how did they fare?

 

[Sputnick]

Congrats on your win in the 400Km ride. Were there any other lowracers, and if so, how did they fare?

Thanks..
one other Lowracer competed in the race..
He did an impressive 12hr 21 mins

Glenn