Stealth Rider

The other day I was riding down a rough fairly steep section of trail at a moderate pace and got
passed by a rider who was bombing it. He had to be going twice as fast as me. The guy passed real
close without a shout and startled the living S out of me. The thing that I can't figure out is how
his bike didn't make a sound at that speed on that kind or terrain. A woman was coming up after him
going just as fast and I could hear her from the top of the hill. She said "to your left" and I said
"ok" and went to the right to give her more room. Her riding partner was going a little slower than
me making a huge amount of noise behind me. One minute I'm riding along, then whoosh, he (the rider
who originally passed me) is right alongside of me. I didn't hear him until until he was next to me
and when he passed there was only wind noise like when you are going really fast. When he was
pulling away,same thing, no noise. That is a section of trail that is noisy as hell at even a
moderate pace let alone taking it sans brakes. Not having any idea that he was coming up on me I
could have gone to the left and we would have both been in a world of hurt. It can't imagine how
someone could ride at that speed on that terrain without a freakin sound. It just baffles me.

Fredzep

 

Meant to have new signature, just seeing if I got it to work.
--
"Gravity is a harsh misstress" The Tick

 

"Fredzep" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The other day I was riding down a rough fairly steep section of trail at a moderate pace and got
> passed by a rider who was bombing it. He had to be going twice as fast as me. The guy passed real
> close without a shout and startled the living S out of me. The thing that I can't figure out is
> how his bike didn't make a sound at that speed on that kind or terrain. A
woman
> was coming up after him going just as fast and I could hear her from the
top
> of the hill. She said "to your left" and I said "ok" and went to the right to give her more room.
> Her riding partner was going a little slower than
me
> making a huge amount of noise behind me. One minute I'm riding along, then whoosh, he (the rider
> who originally passed me) is right alongside of me.
I
> didn't hear him until until he was next to me and when he passed there was only wind noise like
> when you are going really fast. When he was pulling away,same thing, no noise. That is a section
> of trail that is noisy as
hell
> at even a moderate pace let alone taking it sans brakes. Not having any
idea
> that he was coming up on me I could have gone to the left and we would
have
> both been in a world of hurt. It can't imagine how someone could ride at that speed on that
> terrain without a freakin sound. It just baffles me.
>
> Fredzep

My DH racer friend rides like that - I don't know how he's so amazingly smooth on everything. Don't
know how he does it, but it sure is pretty. Although he's smart enough to warn people he's coming.

Jon Bond

 

"Fredzep" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:[email protected]...
> both been in a world of hurt. It can't imagine how someone could ride at that speed on that
> terrain without a freakin sound. It just baffles me.

What was he riding? Some hubs are quieter than others (The guy was definetly not riding Chris Kings
or Hügis) and the fork on my bike is pretty quiet. A tight chain will prevent the rdlr. from
bouncing around and making lots of springy noise. I will have to "take a listen" the next time I
ride. Just how noisy is it? But bikes still make noise when they whack things.

Did you see a ghost rider?

-Dave

 

> What was he riding? Some hubs are quieter than others (The guy was definetly not riding Chris
> Kings or Hügis) and the fork on my bike is
pretty
> quiet. A tight chain will prevent the rdlr. from bouncing around and
making
> lots of springy noise. I will have to "take a listen" the next time I ride. Just how noisy is it?
> But bikes still make noise when they whack things.
>
> Did you see a ghost rider?
>
> -Dave

I have no idea about what he was riding except that he was sitting so a dual susp I presume.

Ghost rider was going to be the original title. At the time I wasn't thinking how quiet his bike
was,I was too ticked off.

Fredzep

 

"Jon Bond" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Fredzep" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > The other day I was riding down a rough fairly steep section of trail at
a
> > moderate pace and got passed by a rider who was bombing it. He had to be going twice as fast as
> > me. The guy passed real close without a shout
and
> > startled the living S out of me. The thing that I can't figure out is
how
> > his bike didn't make a sound at that speed on that kind or terrain. A
> woman
> > was coming up after him going just as fast and I could hear her from the
> top
> > of the hill. She said "to your left" and I said "ok" and went to the
right
> > to give her more room. Her riding partner was going a little slower than
> me
> > making a huge amount of noise behind me. One minute I'm riding along,
then
> > whoosh, he (the rider who originally passed me) is right alongside of
me.
> I
> > didn't hear him until until he was next to me and when he passed there
was
> > only wind noise like when you are going really fast. When he was pulling away,same thing, no
> > noise. That is a section of trail that is noisy as
> hell
> > at even a moderate pace let alone taking it sans brakes. Not having any
> idea
> > that he was coming up on me I could have gone to the left and we would
> have
> > both been in a world of hurt. It can't imagine how someone could ride at that speed on that
> > terrain without a freakin sound. It just baffles me.
> >
> > Fredzep
>
> My DH racer friend rides like that - I don't know how he's so amazingly smooth on everything.
> Don't know how he does it, but it sure is pretty. Although he's smart enough to warn people
> he's coming.
>
> Jon Bond
>

I find more often than not people don't give warning but usually you can hear them since it is rocky
or gravel strewn for most of the area. This guy really cut it close. Maybe he was messing with me,
but that seems kind of dangerous to him as well.Thought about yelling after him but I didn' want to
give him any satisfaction.

Fredzep
--
"Gravity is a harsh misstress" The Tick

 

Fredzep wrote:

"Gravity is a harsh misstress"

"Gravity.... not just a good idea, it's the law!"

 

Fredzep wrote:
> The other day I was riding down a rough fairly steep section of trail at a moderate pace and got
> passed by a rider who was bombing it. He had to be going twice as fast as me. The guy passed real
> close without a shout and startled the living S out of me. The thing that I can't figure out is
> how his bike didn't make a sound at that speed on that kind or terrain. A woman was coming up
> after him going just as fast and I could hear her from the top of the hill. She said "to your
> left" and I said "ok" and went to the right to give her more room. Her riding partner was going a
> little slower than me making a huge amount of noise behind me. One minute I'm riding along, then
> whoosh, he (the rider who originally passed me) is right alongside of me. I didn't hear him until
> until he was next to me and when he passed there was only wind noise like when you are going
> really fast. When he was pulling away,same thing, no noise. That is a section of trail that is
> noisy as hell at even a moderate pace let alone taking it sans brakes. Not having any idea that he
> was coming up on me I could have gone to the left and we would have both been in a world of hurt.
> It can't imagine how someone could ride at that speed on that terrain without a freakin sound. It
> just baffles me.

Two options spring to mind. The first is that a lot of sounds from DH / FS bikes come from
monocoque, box section and / or large tubing, combined with a shock not working perfectly. My
brother's currently racing a new Edge Blade DH and it's supposed to be absolutely silent.

The other thing is the chain. If it was tight and / or singlespeed, the chain wouldn't bounce around
and you'd get less noise.

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

 

FredZep says:

>"Gravity is a harsh misstress" The Tick

My favourite is still from the first episode of The Tick:

"can't......... do.......... plaid!" The Chameleon.

Steve that's the first _cartoon_ episode, not the wimpy "real people" version that came
along later....

 

He must have "flown" past you from the top of the hill.

--
- Zilla Cary, NC (Remove XSPAM)

"Fredzep" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The other day I was riding down a rough fairly steep section of trail at a moderate pace and got
> passed by a rider who was bombing it. He had to be going twice as fast as me. The guy passed real
> close without a shout and startled the living S out of me. The thing that I can't figure out is
> how his bike didn't make a sound at that speed on that kind or terrain. A
woman
> was coming up after him going just as fast and I could hear her from the
top
> of the hill. She said "to your left" and I said "ok" and went to the right to give her more room.
> Her riding partner was going a little slower than
me
> making a huge amount of noise behind me. One minute I'm riding along, then whoosh, he (the rider
> who originally passed me) is right alongside of me.
I
> didn't hear him until until he was next to me and when he passed there was only wind noise like
> when you are going really fast. When he was pulling away,same thing, no noise. That is a section
> of trail that is noisy as
hell
> at even a moderate pace let alone taking it sans brakes. Not having any
idea
> that he was coming up on me I could have gone to the left and we would
have
> both been in a world of hurt. It can't imagine how someone could ride at that speed on that
> terrain without a freakin sound. It just baffles me.
>
> Fredzep

 

"ClydesdaleMTB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected].net...
>
>
> Fredzep wrote:
>
> "Gravity is a harsh misstress"
>
> "Gravity.... not just a good idea, it's the law!"

"Gravity - the earth sucks"

 

> Technician [email protected] wrote: >I tried to find the letter
from the Pentagon i got several years ago,
>but could not. suffice as to say, it basically stated i am medically disqualifies from all
>branches of the military, indefinitely. i keep checking back with the Air Force recruiter, but
>still no luck.

Go talk to the Marines or the Army and don't mention the letter. Just tell them you want to learn a
trade and get in shape. If you test well you can probably even pick out a preferred job category.
You can get that a&p apprenticeship out of the way. Just make sure you don't end up being a grunt or
a cook! Air Force - bleccch! Who would want to be in a branch of the servide that doesn't drill when
it's raining. Other than fighter pilots, is there really anyone in the Air Force you could look up
to and say "that's how I want to be"? Even the navy might be preferable.

tim