on 3/1/09 7:54 AM, Todd Olsen at todd_ol...@comcast.net wrote: > What does "how a bike handles" mean? It seems to me that if one > approximates the geometry such that the length from the saddle to the > pedals, head tube angle, the difference between the saddle height and > handlebar height, and the distance from the handlebars to the saddle > are similar, and if the tires are similar size and have similar > pressure, and the trail is similar, frame material the same, weight > similar, etc. then two bicycles, even if made by people in different > parts of the world would feel similar.
Certainly, there are companies for whom "R&D" means "Replication & Duplication". Their "Research Department" consists of a tape measure and angle finder. Everything about design in general and bicycle design in particular involves tradeoff. It's one of the reasons I find conversations about fork trail as a distinct and separate subject to be unhelpful. For me, "how a bike handles" is a description meant to view it as a whole, without focusing solely on trail, wheelbase, etc. One of the things that I think other bike companies or builders miss is how the rider should be positioned relative to the ground (BB drop/height) and where they are positioned front-to-back on on the bike (combination of head tube height and seat tube angle, in addition to several points you mentioned - ht angle, st length, etc.). This creates a rider position pretty much unique to Rivendell. It's only recently (5 years or so) that other builders have begun to incorparate more clearance, more practicality into their designs. But, I would argue most of them don't end up with the Riv ride. Back to the subject at hand, the first time I slapped knobby tires on the Quickbeam and raced it, part of the course was dropping about 20' down a fairly steep chute. Folks were endo-ing right and left, but I remember simply sitting back and letting the Quickbeam do its thing, and it just handled it. I'm also reminded of that when I flip to a coastable mode on the bike and really let it go on twisty downhill descents. It is simply the most assured descending bike I've ridden (well, that and the Hilsen). - Jim -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes Send In Your Photos! - Here's how: http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines "That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome; the anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace." William Gibson - "All Tomorrow's Parties" --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
