Re: Top swing derailleurs do not belong on hybrid/city bikes (Yarr!)



S

Sheldon Brown

Guest
Quoth landotter:

> Hey manufacturers, if you're reading this--one shouldn't have to do
> any "mods" to mount fenders, racks, or kickstand on your supposed
> "utility" models! That's bad design on your part.


Yep. It's this silly fad for short chainstays.

It's a widely held superstition that short chainstays will make a bike
somehow faster and/or more maneuverable.

Sheldon "Long Wheelbase" Brown
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| I am come-in a very moralizing strain, to observe that our
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| pleasures in this world are always to be paid for, and that we
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| often purchase them at a great disadvantage, giving ready-monied
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| actual happiness for a draft on the future, that may not be honored.
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| -- Jane Austen
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Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
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On Dec 10, 8:21 pm, Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
> Quoth landotter:
>
> > Hey manufacturers, if you're reading this--one shouldn't have to do
> > any "mods" to mount fenders, racks, or kickstand on your supposed
> > "utility" models! That's bad design on your part.

>
> Yep. It's this silly fad for short chainstays.
>
> It's a widely held superstition that short chainstays will make a bike
> somehow faster and/or more maneuverable.
>
> Sheldon "Long Wheelbase" Brown


My esteemed Sheldon,

I agree with you about the chainstay absurdity, but my particular
problem was actually caused by clearance problems due to the top swing
front mech, The clearances are otherwise not obnoxious on a Kona Dew.
 
>> Quoth landotter:
>>> Hey manufacturers, if you're reading this--one shouldn't have to do
>>> any "mods" to mount fenders, racks, or kickstand on your supposed
>>> "utility" models! That's bad design on your part.


>Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Yep. It's this silly fad for short chainstays.
>> It's a widely held superstition that short chainstays will make a bike
>> somehow faster and/or more maneuverable.
>> Sheldon "Long Wheelbase" Brown


landotter wrote:
> My esteemed Sheldon,
> I agree with you about the chainstay absurdity, but my particular
> problem was actually caused by clearance problems due to the top swing
> front mech, The clearances are otherwise not obnoxious on a Kona Dew.


Greenfield has a nice rear-mount model for bikes with crowded behind-BB
space. They not only obviate that and similar problems, they are more
stable and great for heavily-laden bikes and tandems.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
On Dec 11, 1:13 am, A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Quoth landotter:
> >>> Hey manufacturers, if you're reading this--one shouldn't have to do
> >>> any "mods" to mount fenders, racks, or kickstand on your supposed
> >>> "utility" models! That's bad design on your part.

> >Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Yep. It's this silly fad for short chainstays.
> >> It's a widely held superstition that short chainstays will make a bike
> >> somehow faster and/or more maneuverable.
> >> Sheldon "Long Wheelbase" Brown

> landotter wrote:
> > My esteemed Sheldon,
> > I agree with you about the chainstay absurdity, but my particular
> > problem was actually caused by clearance problems due to the top swing
> > front mech, The clearances are otherwise not obnoxious on a Kona Dew.

>
> Greenfield has a nice rear-mount model for bikes with crowded behind-BB
> space. They not only obviate that and similar problems, they are more
> stable and great for heavily-laden bikes and tandems.


Thirty years of muscle memory prohibits their use--plus, they're
flippin UGLY. Maybe what you need for a cop bike, tandem, etc--but my
beef is with manufacturers that put out self-labeled utility bikes
where mounting standard bits is a PITA.