BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I've been ineterested in fairings for upright bikes for a while. They have them commercially for recumbants, but I havent' found any for uprights.

I read somewhere (can't find the reference) that someone used a shell around a bike in racing in the earlyu 20th century and trounced their comp[etition, but then fairings were outlawed in racing.

I'm thinking you could have a little, light plexi shield of maybe 12-18 inches diameter on the step/handlebar that could really cut wind resistance. With good engineering, it could probably stabilize steering (and with bad engineering, destabilize it).

You would have to take particular care to deisign it not to be murderous in a cross wind.

You could maybe make some trailing aerodynamic that would provide a waterproof, lockable storage space where the lessened wind resistance would partially make up for additional weight. To make it light would probably be expensive.

Bicycle Joe has a homemade fairing that he has a small stereo in. He reports that the windstream blocks out the sound around a person (even with the stereo off) to the point where it might b e a detriment to safety.

The bike in the pic might have a lot of aerodynamic potentials, I dunno. It looks to me just like a pretend motorcycle. But then, I ride a bike with fenders and high handlebars that looks like a overgrown 11 year-old playing motorcycle cop, so what do I know?

The bike in the pics looks unridable in a crosswind, though.

Mick

Commercial fairing for upright bike from Mueller (the basket really tops it off, methinks)

And some more models from Zzipper

Actually, this is the next bike fad, started right here in pittsburgh!

that is a good way to take the lane. lol

When did you take that photo? I totally saw that guy, too.

I have seen that guy around too. It's ingenious- I doubt people blow by almost scraping his bars. If I was in a car I would probably steer very clear of him thinking he was insane.

You mean he wasn't just carrying the fender from one place to another? Damn.

Insanity is my working hypothesis, too - and I don't even own a car.

Mick

Clearly insane - of the holy fool variety. He's been riding around Friendship and Bloomfield like this for a couple of months

i didn't take the picture, stole it from some other site. he's my new hero.

I need to meet that guy.

sorry to hijack the thread

that motorcycle bike is silly

Current record holder on the Great Divide Route. Just over 15 days for 2500 miles.

Sweet tailbox. Is that plastic, fiberglass, or something derived from alien technology?

Thanks for the fairing tips. I'm impressed.

I might be ready to achieve a whole new level of geezer geekdom.

Mick

PS I wonder how much the front bumper for a Smart Car costs? HAHAHAHA!

PS I wonder how much the front bumper for a Smart Car costs?

Depends on whether you buy it new or pry it out of the front grill of a Hummer...

That Great divide guy's set up is impressive. I'm guessing that is custom stuff?

Ther performance is impressive too, but the hardware? I can emulate that.

Mick

This might be one of the next fads. Seriously sick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

Does anyone with more HTML skillz know why we can't embed videos?

video reminds me of the show unbeatable banzuke.

[youtube] [/youtube]

doesn't work...

I think that fad was big 10 years ago. I still have some friends that ride/race BMX. Most BMX riders (atleast ones I know), don't really consider themselves cyclists like most avid riders with bigger wheels.

That video really shows how much better tricks look on BMX versus fixed gears. There is a clean grace to it.

The gear on that Great Divide rider's bike looks like fiberglass to me. The finish looks a lot like gel coat.

The GDR dudes stuff is custom carbon, I seem to recall the dude is an engineer.

I also remember reading a discussion that the fairings, if not properly designed would actually slow you down. Particularly the rear one.

Does anyone with more HTML skillz know why we can't embed videos?

I presume it's because the board doesn't (and shouldn't) let people use more than a very defined set of tags in messages because arbitrary HTML can allow one to do unfortunate things.

"That video really shows how much better tricks look on BMX versus fixed gears. There is a clean grace to it."

I would call that style urban trials with freestyle bmx influence.

To me fixed gear tricks are in the same category as razor scooter tricks. It might be hard, it might be fun but, most of the time it just looks stupid. I don't know scooter trick might even be cooler. Check this video out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X-MbI_9uSQ

Save the real real trick for the BMXers and dirt jumping MTBers.

I wonder how much the farings that dan posted would help.

Too bad those fairing weren't left raw. The cost to weight of the carbon versus fiberglass would be enough for me to just go with glass.

I saw this guy on penn avenue (point breeze) the other day. So he is still riding with a bumper on his bike.

with an idea that good, why quit?

opps, i was logged in as erok.

AGAIN: i saw that bumper bike locked up to a pole near liberty and the main! amazing!

Seriously the next fad I'm calling right now... KICKSTANDS. So useful. I'm gonna get me one.

You mean anodized pink/purple/orange kickstands.

I saw a guy on a blue bumper-bike yesterday on Friendship, so he's either got a fleet or found some likeminded riders.

i've seen him multiple days in a row in the basketball court behind the east liberty handball court, just cruisin around in circles. if someone did actually want to talk to him you probably could find him there.

RE HTML: there is no tag built into HTML 4 for the inclusion of videos, so you ahve to use flash, which would introduce all kinds of craziness so most boards don't allow it... the tags is a good idea but probably will take some work to implement by nathan.

links aren't really THAT big of a deal.

Just testing

i hope that's the next bike fad

Kickstands are OK, centerstands are where it is at. And steering locks.

has someone been riding a cargo bike?