Touring - Cape as parachute....?

I think I've got a habit for ideas like this.

Why not rig up a cape/poncho as a small parachute, maybe fastened to one's back, to act as resistance for long descents? Would be a bit noisier, but you'd be REEEALLY visible (descents always HAVE to be winding, don't they?) and there'd be less stress on the brakes/rims/arms.


Besides the absolute silliness of it all, of course.


Just brainstorming....

I've seen kids puting up sails on their bikes in Bolivia... so a parachute? why not...

Of course, if the wind is at your back, the whole idea becomes pointless... :D
And 50% of the time, the wind is.

Now, how about an emergency chute, for brake failures?
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/protectall/ph72.jpg

Slow down? Huh??
Why would you want to brake away all that energy you used climbing Mount Everest?
If I even rig up a parasail it will be for zooming over the Grand Canyon a la "Thelma and Louise".

And, no, descents are not always winding. Maybe in Switzerland - maybe in West Virginia - but not in Nevada. In Nevada you can have a cookie break at the top of a pass, look 25 miles into the distance, see the road make a straight lin all the way to the horizon, than jump back on the bike and wail down.

Of course, if the wind is at your back, the whole idea becomes pointless... :D
And 50% of the time, the wind is.

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i dunno, when i'm riding around locally it seems that i've got a headwind about 90% of the time...

I haven't toured out West (yet), so not sure there. I just remember there being quite a few spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway where I was thinking "oh hey, I've been trying too keep under 25mph for at least a half hour now...."


I'm not saying its a great idea, just something.

I was reading a similar thread on the AC site, and they seemed to be suggesting body drag as a good technique. I was thinking maybe they should use a small parachute. Appart form the fact it might catch on something and probably wouldn't get much use, it has a certain apeal. In the cases where it would be used, you would need quite a tail wind to catch up to the bike. Passing trucks would get a pretty big laugh. I'm thinking the Avid drum or a dual disc canti set-up would be more practical.

Here is the site for avid experimenters:

http://members.aol.com/ricnakk/paracon.html#Design

"Now, how about an emergency chute, for brake failures?"

Definite sales potential if you can find a way of fitting it into a Camelback

Oh, to be clear, I wasn't thinking of anything you'd use for acceleration/speed.


Though it'd be funny to do. = )

"Now, how about an emergency chute, for brake failures?"

Definite sales potential if you can find a way of fitting it into a Camelback
I can see it now! A Wile E. Coyote moment where you pull the ripcord, crash the bike and the chute pops out of your camelback right in time to be a good shroud!

i dunno, when i'm riding around locally it seems that i've got a headwind about 90% of the time...

me too, i don't know how it works, but I fight a headwind, then make a 90 degree turn and fight more headwind.

I would be a little concerned about a strong side wind pulling me off the road by my parachute. They work for planes and cars, but the weigh a great deal more!

I don't know that I would try it, but I am glad people like you are in the world.

Rider deploys drogue chute from seatpack, bike separates from rider, rider ejects over handlebars . . . .

Rider deploys drogue chute from backpack, bike separates from rider, rider ejects rearward and descends to pavement . . . .

I would buy one if it was banana-yellow and had a picture of "Rocky the Flying Squirrell" on the back of it.

http://www.tandem-talk.com/Tandem-Talk/Tandem_Parachute_files/17.jpg

Wow, and it's banana yellow too. Check it out here. (http://www.tandem-talk.com/Tandem-Talk/Tandem_Parachute.htm)

Edited to add that I don't think using a parachute is a very good idea. If a gust of wind hits you at the wrong moment, like when a semi or RV is passing you, well, that wouldn't be good. Maybe some sort of anchor would work to slow you down, but I would want something that I could have a little more control over than a parachute. Someone mentioned that they are used successfully with airplanes and cars, but those are all used on "closed courses" of some sort (race track, airport landing strip, etc.).

[QUOTE=jcwitte]http://www.tandem-talk.com/Tandem-Talk/Tandem_Parachute_files/17.jpg

QUOTE]

And I was always concerned that my stoker wouldn't be pedaling!

Why not use an umbrella...it would look awesome flipped out dragging behind some crazy guy on a bike cruising down a hill.

I think its time for the weather to get better... look at the kind of stuff we are writing about!!!

Lol

"Someone mentioned that they are used successfully with airplanes and cars, but those are all used on "closed courses"

Not always true with planes!

"I think its time for the weather to get better... look at the kind of stuff we are writing about!!!"

I was with you till I saw that picture!

Anyway, sometimes you just need this stuff to snap some necks in the cages.

You guys are killing me here. Putting a parachute on to "slow down" would be the last thing I would want to do and it would take all the fun out of those screaming fast descents that I enjoy so much. More speed baby!!

Rider deploys drogue chute from seatpack, bike separates from rider, rider ejects over handlebars . . . .

Rider deploys drogue chute from backpack, bike separates from rider, rider ejects rearward and descends to pavement . . . .

Nah, you'd have a small pilot chute first, and that would slow you down enough so that the "blow" won't be too powerful when the main chute opens.

Makes me think of those Guiness ads.

"A parachute for bicycles..."

"BRILLIANT!" :beer: