General Cycling Discussion - What IS this?

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik/77492147.html

It's a road bike for $400.

THAT is a road bike??????


Hey--if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you

That is a SoftRide beam attached to a frame that was designed for it. I'm not sure if SoftRide built all the frames or not. Basically, that beam is a big laminate section that is cantilevered onto the frame, and it flexes up and down to absorb road shock. I think it's more popular with triathletes.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik/77492147.html

Looks like what was once called a Softride, a bike frame from around the early to mid-90s.

A guy who has no idea how to spell selling a bike with a Softride beam.

Softride is still in business. They're still making bikes. Early on, they used to make MTBs as well. The MTB version was nicknamed "the catapult" by many riders because under many circumstances, they would get bucked off the thing. The roadbike is actually a much more reasonable application for the beam seatpost. Also, there are a few tandems that use the Softride beam seatpost in the stoker position with the design under license from Softride. Here's one of my riding buddies with a mid-1990s Softride 700.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/kitsap_penn-20030824/PICT0012.jpg

Here are newer Softride roadbike models (they make several different kinds).

http://www.softride.com/images/product/large/14-N0002.jpg
http://www.softride.com/images/product/large/19-N0004.jpg
http://www.softride.com/images/product/large/16-N0001.jpg

those are some silly looking bikes

Ahhhh I see

....

(said the blind man to his deaf wife as he took out his hammer and saw)

Holy crap khuon. That lighthouse is 4.5 miles from my house that I'm renting to a friend of mine. The weather looks like a typical day there!

those are some silly looking bikes

They might look silly but on the flats, these things are fast. The hills present a bit of a challenge though and if you don't have a smooth cadence, you'll find yourself bouncing all over the place. The beams are made in different models with some of them being stiffer than others due to the different modulus of carbon fibre being used.

Softride is a local company to the Seattle area and we see a lot of them around here.

Holy crap khuon. That lighthouse is 4.5 miles from my house that I'm renting to a friend of mine. The weather looks like a typical day there!

Cool. I'm envious. I love riding around the Kitsap Penninsula (http://journals.neebu.net/khuon/archives/2003_08.html). More photos can be found in my gallery (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/gallery/kitsap_penn-20030824).

Yeah that's true... that was why the triathletes liked them, they are more aero without a seat tube (kinda like a Kestrel KM40) as well as supposedly being more comfortable for the longer tri distances.

Have owned/ridden/raced Softride single bike. Have ridden Softride equipped tandems.
True, on the single Softride had some trouble climbing with it. However, discovered that spinning at a higher cadence up the hill, could do a pedal stroke with each beam up/down cycle. Voila! Easier climbing.
Don't knock the performance/looks of the bike, unless you've actually ridden it!

Cool. I'm envious. I love riding around the Kitsap Penninsula (http://journals.neebu.net/khuon/archives/2003_08.html). More photos can be found in my gallery (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/gallery/kitsap_penn-20030824).

Yeah, I feel kinda stupid for being out of the riding scene while I was there. I was away on the submarine way too much, and then bought a sailboat. But, I bought a new bike out here in Japan, and think I'll be riding a lot more when I come back in 1-1/2 years.

Those are some great pics you've taken! Was that at the Main Street Ale House at the end?

Those are some great pics you've taken! Was that at the Main Street Ale House at the end?

I can't remember the name but yes it was on Main in Kingston just up the street from the ferry dock.

Well, if you go back there have the fish tacos for me (if you like salmon, anyway).

Well, if you go back there have the fish tacos for me (if you like salmon, anyway).

If I didn't like salmon, I'd have to shoot myself. ;) Thanks for the tip. I haven't been back there since the Kitsap Color Classic last fall so I'm due for another visit.

I know what you're saying. I'm trying to be a vegetarian, but I'm not really giving up fish. My wife did that ride too, I was gone unfortunately.

It's been fun talking, I'm trying to stay up (it's almost 4 am here) to get into the midnight shift routine for this week and you've been helpful. See you around.

LBS is big on them. To me they look like sex toys attached to a bike frame. And there's a polished aluminum model that would embarrass a pimp.