What do you think is the biggest gimmick in bike equipment?

[Akadat]

What are these things? They are popular in Africa, and if they are not fork strengtheners then they must be decorations. They are solid iron and some are twisted square bar with chrome plating. The 'springs' in the picture are really decorations.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I don't know how functional the African design is, but those bars and springs are part of the design known as the 'girder fork. This design is not to be confused with the differing 'springer' design.

Schwinn and othe cruiser manufacturers used the girder design thru out the 1940's and 1950's. Their line of 'banana seat' bikes (Orange Crate, Stingray, etc.) also featured the girder front end. Springs layouts can be seen in the horiontal and vertical positions. Coil-inside-coil and taper-wound coil designs were also popular.

 

[cheapie]

Rapha? i had never heard of that brand. just googled it and.....

mebbe i'll pick some up on ebay sometime and turn my nose up at anyone that doesn't recognize the brand.

 

[Rocket^]

This is probably an interesting experiment, but it's irrelevant. Why? The bar ends may damp or change the placement of higher-order vibration modes in your bars, and may, as you put it, shorten the decay of those vibrations...

but.... you're not holding to them! If little bar ends make a difference, think of what your hands do.

What you put between your hands and bars (i.e. gloves) are much more important for any 'buzz' killing. All that said, it is a neat idea.

Be very careful talking about buzzkills, you might get pwned and relegated to noob status like I did.

Look at it this way. If vibration exists in your handlebars while riding, where is that vibration going? In your example, it is going to your gloves and hands. So, are the gloves absobing all the vibration? I think the position as presented by the scientists on the board is there isn't any vibration in the bars as it has already been absorbed by the other items (stem, tape, etc.) If that statement is true, then the buzzkills aren't doing anything for you. If that statement is in fact not true for your particular bike, then I would say that a dampning device such as the buzzkills are in fact doing what they are intended to do. To what extent? I have no idea as I don't claim to be an expert. All I can say is from real world experience, this item made my old bike more comfortable. My hands didn't go numb on the longer rides after installing this product.

I will now return to my cave to try and avoid the next barrage of incoming artillery. I suggest you do the same

 

[deedubya]

I believe that sack on the rack is a vibration dampener.

I like the built-in trainer.

I have a question about the brake lever. Is that Ultegra or Dura-Ace? Tough to tell in the photo if that's carbon, or alloy.

What are these things? They are popular in Africa, and if they are not fork strengtheners then they must be decorations. They are solid iron and some are twisted square bar with chrome plating. The 'springs' in the picture are really decorations.

 

[formernoreasta]

I have one and I am not a clown idiot!!!Your opinion already shows you are much more concern about the "image" then riding!!What a poser

I agree. I have a Trek, have been riding for 22 years, raced as a Junior, Collegiate, Senior, and now Masters. I routinely pass (with grace) people on $6000 'boutique' bicycles. I also worked in composites design for 5 years, and
can tell you Trek knows what they're doing with frame design.

 

[formernoreasta]

Be very careful talking about buzzkills, you might get pwned and relegated to noob status like I did.

Look at it this way. If vibration exists in your handlebars while riding, where is that vibration going? In your example, it is going to your gloves and hands. So, are the gloves absobing all the vibration? I think the position as presented by the scientists on the board is there isn't any vibration in the bars as it has already been absorbed by the other items (stem, tape, etc.) If that statement is true, then the buzzkills aren't doing anything for you. If that statement is in fact not true for your particular bike, then I would say that a dampning device such as the buzzkills are in fact doing what they are intended to do. To what extent? I have no idea as I don't claim to be an expert. All I can say is from real world experience, this item made my old bike more comfortable. My hands didn't go numb on the longer rides after installing this product.

I will now return to my cave to try and avoid the next barrage of incoming artillery. I suggest you do the same

It's a gimmick. I've designed harmonic dampers, and a bar-end plug 'aint no
harmonic damper. It would have to weigh a lot more to be effective. Neat idea though....

Bikes are kind of like high-end stereo equipment, people will buy anything for nearly any price if they think it "improves" them.

 

[Rocket^]

It's a gimmick. I've designed harmonic dampers, and a bar-end plug 'aint no
harmonic damper. It would have to weigh a lot more to be effective. Neat idea though....

Bikes are kind of like high-end stereo equipment, people will buy anything for nearly any price if they think it "improves" them.

Just as I thought, I must have imagined the improvement. Thank God I now own a $6,000 poser bike with carbon everything. I'm currently taking out a second mortgage so I can change all the bolts to lightweight titanium.......no more vibrations to worry about.....now if I can only get my $8 back for those damn buzzkills.

 

[FreeHueco]

I agree. I have a Trek, have been riding for 22 years, raced as a Junior, Collegiate, Senior, and now Masters. I routinely pass (with grace) people on $6000 'boutique' bicycles. I also worked in composites design for 5 years, and
can tell you Trek knows what they're doing with frame design.

That's all fine and dandy; but you'd still be passing people with the $6000 bike... I routinely pass roadies while out on my fixed gear bike. Nothing like upping the cadence to 130, I tell ya!

No racing for me, just a lot of long rides... Maybe I will race on the track next season.

 

[mitosis]

I agree. I have a Trek, have been riding for 22 years, raced as a Junior, Collegiate, Senior, and now Masters. I routinely pass (with grace) people on $6000 'boutique' bicycles. I also worked in composites design for 5 years, and
can tell you Trek knows what they're doing with frame design.

And I've been riding all types of frames for over 20 years and can tell you that Trek bikes are no better than any others

 

[Tim Lamkin]

And I've been riding all types of frames for over 20 years and can tell you that Trek bikes are no better than any others

So 20 years give you unlimited experience..

 

[kdelong]

I don't have a negative opinion of Trek Bicycles. So they are not a designer bike, big deal! So they are mass produced, still not a problem in my opinion. So you see them everywhere, just shows that they are a good bargain. IMHO Trek is a decent bike at an affordable price. I don't own one but I wouldn't turn one down if it were given to me and was the right size. There is nothing wrong with Treks. The company will probably outlast a lot of the companies that make the designer frames anyway. However, if I had a bad opinion of them, I could borrow from a US cereal commercial and say"Treks are for kids, silly rabbit!".

 

[Akadat]

I don't know how functional the African design is, but those bars and springs are part of the design known as the 'girder fork. This design is not to be confused with the differing 'springer' design.

Schwinn and othe cruiser manufacturers used the girder design thru out the 1940's and 1950's. Their line of 'banana seat' bikes (Orange Crate, Stingray, etc.) also featured the girder front end. Springs layouts can be seen in the horiontal and vertical positions. Coil-inside-coil and taper-wound coil designs were also popular.

If it was a suspension of some sort then there would be a little swinging arm at the axle, but these things are bolted to the axle directly and serve no useful porpose that I can see other than to possibly strengthen the fork slightly.

The springs are just decorative coils, the solid rod continues through the centre of them. Here are more pics:

I rekon it's a big gimmick - we should all adopt it. We only need to find a use for them and make them in carbon fibre!

 

[mitosis]

So 20 years give you unlimited experience..

No, fair point Timmo - its hardly a lifetime is it?

But it may just be enough to have a bit of an idea.

And of course if I don't have a clue, maybe the opinions of other cycle heads that I hang out with might add up to something.

But my experience is far from unlimited.

Sorry.

Oh now hang on, I didn't say I did have unlimited experience. Did I? No I didn't (just reread my post).

In fact, I'd say most people would read my post and decide for themselves whether 20 years gave me any credibility - just like you obviously did.

But they wouldn't think I claimed to have unlimited experience unless I actually said that would they?

They might think I was saying Trek bikes are ****. But I didn't say that either (and just in case you are starting to get more upset I think Trek bikes are ok - just like Giant's are ok - not that you seem to value my opinion)

You can imagine all sorts of things are in my posts Timmy - go for your life - but don't put words in my mouth.

 

[WIGGUM1]

No, fair point Timmo - its hardly a lifetime is it?


any credibility - just like you obviously did.

But they wouldn't think I claimed to have unlimited experience unless I actually said that would they?

They might think I was saying Trek bikes are ****. But I didn't say that either (and just in case you are starting to get more upset I think Trek bikes are ok - just like Giant's are ok - not that you seem to value my opinion)

You can imagine all sorts of things are in my posts Timmy - go for your life - but don't put words in my mouth.

mitosis, i am in ageement with your logic. i do not feel people should be scrutinized simply because they may be in a less experienced position. too often members of this forum are critical, calous and mean. i do not think it is approrpriate nor beneficial to the forums. shame on all the arrogant assholes who think they have something more to contribute to the cycling community than anyone else.

 

[Tim Lamkin]

No, fair point Timmo - its hardly a lifetime is it?

But it may just be enough to have a bit of an idea.

And of course if I don't have a clue, maybe the opinions of other cycle heads that I hang out with might add up to something.

But my experience is far from unlimited.

Sorry.

Oh now hang on, I didn't say I did have unlimited experience. Did I? No I didn't (just reread my post).

In fact, I'd say most people would read my post and decide for themselves whether 20 years gave me any credibility - just like you obviously did.

But they wouldn't think I claimed to have unlimited experience unless I actually said that would they?

They might think I was saying Trek bikes are ****. But I didn't say that either (and just in case you are starting to get more upset I think Trek bikes are ok - just like Giant's are ok - not that you seem to value my opinion)

You can imagine all sorts of things are in my posts Timmy - go for your life - but don't put words in my mouth.

Mitosisy

Exactly where did I do that ? PUT words in your moth....

 

[Tim Lamkin]

mitosis, i am in ageement with your logic. i do not feel people should be scrutinized simply because they may be in a less experienced position. too often members of this forum are critical, calous and mean. i do not think it is approrpriate nor beneficial to the forums. shame on all the arrogant assholes who think they have something more to contribute to the cycling community than anyone else.

SPOT on

 

[kdelong]

mitosis, i am in ageement with your logic. i do not feel people should be scrutinized simply because they may be in a less experienced position. too often members of this forum are critical, calous and mean. i do not think it is approrpriate nor beneficial to the forums. shame on all the arrogant assholes who think they have something more to contribute to the cycling community than anyone else.

OK, everybody off this post. Only my opinion counts so delete your posts and go home! Um, what was the question again?

 

[mitosis]

...Only my opinion counts...

So what is it?

 

[mitosis]

Mitosisy

Exactly where did I do that ? PUT words in your moth....

Do what you like to my moth. It can look after itself.