chipseal and stuff
Lowracer, the pics are great. Is the rear fairing a standard available option? How is the ride on chipseal type surfaces or other rough roads? Would you recommend an Optima Cobra with suspension, i.e., do you lose a lot of performance? Thanks[/QUOTE]
yes, the tailfairings or tailbox's as we like to call them are a standard option. They do give you good gains when riding over 20mph........ quite substantial on downhills.
The ride on chipseal on a lowracer is better than that of a regular upright bike due to the long wheelbase......53" The frame is stiff, but smooth. The long wheelbase tends to suck up everything that would be felt in the back area.
I use a pantour suspension hub on my hed wheel that gives 1/2" of travel. It has a 1/4" of sag. ON a lowracer, the pedals and feet are what normally soak up the road vibration of chipseal. With the pantour on the front wheel, chipseal roads feel like riding on glass. I don't lose hardly any speed on chipseal surfaces anymore. The cobra is very nice.......... but much heavier than the baron.......... everybody recomends the pantour hub on front. On a lowracer you don't need any on the rear. As far as performance loss with the cobra, it would be a bit more weight to carry up the hills. The pantour hub weighs less than a shimano ultegra hub and has 1/2" travel, so you can decide which is the better setup.