IRD Freewheels : Worth 3x the cost ??

Tom Sherman wrote:

Chalo Colina wrote:

I believe you, but that makes me wonder about the relative scarcity of
single-speed 'bents and the relative awfulness of the few I've ever
seen (toy and rental three-wheelers).

Are not upright bicyclesin the same relative price range (1/5 to 1/10
of a LBS quality bicycle) also generally awful?

Most cheap _bikes_, yes. But most cheap coaster-brake cruisers are
fine. I expect you could get noticeable refinements in a one-speed
cruiser up to about $1000, but you can get 90% of that much bike for
10% as much money (if you can ride one-size geometry). There just
isn't that much there to get wrong.

Also, most recumbent riders are middle aged and relatively affluent
persons who found upright road bicycles too uncomfortable. A beach
cruiser is not a replacement for a road bike, whether upright or recumbent.

I see what you are saying, but the next logical step from a laid-back,
upright, cushy-seated cruiser bike is something similar but with a
chair.

I think a chicken would be better suited to a unicycle.

The chicken can always use her wings to help balance.

Wings are better for balancing than for holding handlebars. I see
chickens "balance the unicycle" when I hold them in my hand.

[1] The upright roadies seem to be the ones who have trouble with
varying cadences, to judge by the popularity of 11-21 and 12-23 10-speed
cassettes these days.

They're just the cycling equivalent of young people who adopt a vegan
diet for fashion reasons. That is, they might derive tangible
benefits from it-- they probably won't-- and that's immaterial to the
reason they do it.

Yep, being seen with a wide range cassette (and/or a triple crank) at
the coffee shop would be social death. Almost as bad as riding a
recumbent to the Fabrizio Mazzoleni crowd.

I managed to miss a recumbent event today (to which all local custom
builders were invited) because my birthday and related activity took
precedence. I was looking forward to rubbing elbows with the bearded
tribe and airing out some foolish contraptions. Unfortunately my Big
Wheel has been down for repairs after a drunken lout in New Orleans
wiped out the Charles Eames shell chair with a well-placed body slam.
The replacement (a long-sought eBay find) ships this way tomorrow,
just a bit too late for the show.

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

Chalo

Chalo Colina wrote:
Tom Sherman wrote:
Chalo Colina wrote:
I believe you, but that makes me wonder about the relative scarcity of
single-speed 'bents and the relative awfulness of the few I've ever
seen (toy and rental three-wheelers).
Are not upright bicyclesin the same relative price range (1/5 to 1/10
of a LBS quality bicycle) also generally awful?

Most cheap _bikes_, yes. But most cheap coaster-brake cruisers are
fine. I expect you could get noticeable refinements in a one-speed
cruiser up to about $1000, but you can get 90% of that much bike for
10% as much money (if you can ride one-size geometry). There just
isn't that much there to get wrong.

Well, the primary advantages of a recumbent are comfort over longer
distances and lower frontal area, neither of which matter much in a
beach cruiser.

The better format for the beach cruiser might well be the crank forward
(CF) upright, as the low speed handling will be more like the
traditional beach cruiser, but with a more comfortable seat and the
ability to put both feet down while seated.

Also, most recumbent riders are middle aged and relatively affluent
persons who found upright road bicycles too uncomfortable. A beach
cruiser is not a replacement for a road bike, whether upright or recumbent.

I see what you are saying, but the next logical step from a laid-back,
upright, cushy-seated cruiser bike is something similar but with a
chair.

See above about the CF upright.

I think a chicken would be better suited to a unicycle.
The chicken can always use her wings to help balance.

Wings are better for balancing than for holding handlebars. I see
chickens "balance the unicycle" when I hold them in my hand.

Would a chicken benefit from a foot retention system?

[1] The upright roadies seem to be the ones who have trouble with
varying cadences, to judge by the popularity of 11-21 and 12-23 10-speed
cassettes these days.
They're just the cycling equivalent of young people who adopt a vegan
diet for fashion reasons. That is, they might derive tangible
benefits from it-- they probably won't-- and that's immaterial to the
reason they do it.
Yep, being seen with a wide range cassette (and/or a triple crank) at
the coffee shop would be social death. Almost as bad as riding a
recumbent to the Fabrizio Mazzoleni crowd.

I managed to miss a recumbent event today (to which all local custom
builders were invited) because my birthday and related activity took
precedence. I was looking forward to rubbing elbows with the bearded
tribe and airing out some foolish contraptions. Unfortunately my Big
Wheel has been down for repairs after a drunken lout in New Orleans
wiped out the Charles Eames shell chair with a well-placed body slam.
The replacement (a long-sought eBay find) ships this way tomorrow,
just a bit too late for the show.

That was unfortunate.

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

Maybe Flabby Fabby is busy riding a recumbent?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

In article
,
Chalo wrote:

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

Chalo

He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
only aspire to.

Strange but true.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Chalo wrote:

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
only aspire to.

Strange but true.

Dumbass,

I'll have to check it out.

Best Regards,

Chalo

In article
,
Chalo wrote:

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Chalo wrote:

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
only aspire to.

Strange but true.

Dumbass,

I'll have to check it out.

Best Regards,

Chalo

Yeah, we still do that, though.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote in message
]...
In article
,
Chalo wrote:

Where _is_ Fab these days? Working his way towards becoming Flabbio,
perhaps. I've missed his style guidance for the faithful and
dismissive contempt for the fallen.

Chalo

He's having something of a recent Renaissance in rbr, which, if you
haven't checked recently, is achieving heights of civility rbt could
only aspire to.

Strange but true.

It may be that RBR needs the ministrations of Ed Dolan the Great. RBR should
by rights be the most uncivil cycling newsgroup of all since it is composed
of riders who have their brains residing in their gonads. But Hells Bells, I
hate racing cyclists. My contempt for them is boundless. I doubt if could
remain civil to them for more than a few seconds.

But Fab is a jerk. If RBR hasn't figured that out, then they are even dumber
than I thought.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota