Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - The Last Ride of 2007: Video and Pics

Well, here it is, the last ride for me of 2007. The weather is supposed to go sour tomorrow, with freezing rain and snow, so I took the opportunity to do a couple of things. First was to try out the aerobars and video camera. :D

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=h1hUzR576As

About aerobars......

They make the bike real twitchy, but significantly reduce the aerodynamic drag. If you power pedal, there's an unfortunate tendency to start doing s curves in the lane, so watch for it. Just cruising along though, they are really comfortable!

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/Aerobars001.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/Aerobars006.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/Aerobars017.jpg
Photography by my wife


All in all, I like them. One thing, I think I will be adding at least one brake interrupter lever to the aerobars though, since the brakes aren't easily accessible from the aero position.
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By the way, it was a bloody cold ride! It was 33℉ and windy. I FROZE! My muscles never did warm up. The ride was a short 7 miler, because it was just too cold for me today. :(

nice video tom!

I wish the image was a bit more stable. I'm going to be trying various ways of using the camera. Out on the end of the aerobars, it gets a lot of road vibration.

Nice ride, Tom.
I shoulda done the same. 6" of snow/sleet expected here tomorrow, I'll still ride the commute, but it's for work, not fun.
Happy New Year!

haha, beantown always gets nailed! (the cape isn't much better some times) Just be glad you didn't get nailed like NH did! I am going to the LBS tomorrow to get my wheels (yes the bad ones) re-laced with new spokes! (different local bike store than where I bought it from) and my shoes and pedals arrive on wednesday which isn't supposed to be bad down here so hopefully most of the roads are clear...guess we are supposed to get rain then snow or something like that!

Tom-What about mounting the camera on the bottom of the actual bars, not the aero-ones but the "normal" ones?

Does the mount swivel at all? If so, could you mount it back more on the aero-bars? Closer to you?

Nice ride, Tom.
I shoulda done the same. 6" of snow/sleet expected here tomorrow, I'll still ride the commute, but it's for work, not fun.
Happy New Year!

I rode 31 miles on the local trail network to get over 3000 for the year, and I had the 'pleasure' of riding in sleet for the last 12 miles. It wasn't so much the wet trail surface or the cold that bothered me, but the sound of sleet hitting my helmet.

the sound of sleet hitting my helmet.

I think that, would drive me crazy!

I think that would drive me crazy!

It nearly did! :-)

Yep, the mount swivels 360º, but any other position gets the same vibration. Next will be a helmet mounting., or some type of damping mount.


haha, beantown always gets nailed! (the cape isn't much better some times) Just be glad you didn't get nailed like NH did! I am going to the LBS tomorrow to get my wheels (yes the bad ones) re-laced with new spokes! (different local bike store than where I bought it from) and my shoes and pedals arrive on wednesday which isn't supposed to be bad down here so hopefully most of the roads are clear...guess we are supposed to get rain then snow or something like that!

Tom-What about mounting the camera on the bottom of the actual bars, not the aero-ones but the "normal" ones?

Does the mount swivel at all? If so, could you mount it back more on the aero-bars? Closer to you?

I will be able to get out tomorrow and do one last ride :) .

I suspect it will be raining, though!

East Hill

helmet cam sounds like a good idea!

I rode 31 miles on the local trail network to get over 3000 for the year, and I had the 'pleasure' of riding in sleet for the last 12 miles. It wasn't so much the wet trail surface or the cold that bothered me, but the sound of sleet hitting my helmet.

It's not real sleet, until it FREEZES to the bike and your helmet (along with the road :eek:), so that even the 3kg $15,000 wonderbike weighs 30kg by the time your done:rolleyes: If I were not still on the DL I might have gone for a ride today, was nice enough out, that a few folks were riding. One fellow on a bike with bashed up fenders (made me think of an old VW for some strange reason, maybe the teal colour), another on a nice road bike with jacket and tights.....

I got 10 miles in today. I took my dog out this morning and there was NO WIND. temps in the mid 20s but I had a good ride. I try to ride all winter when the wind chill factor isn't too bad.

Well it raining down here today, but I think it will break for a little while and I will get out tonight and will try to get one in tomorrow before the sun falls, but will see.

some have mounted the camera under the saddle which creates some great vids in my opinion

some have mounted the camera under the saddle which creates some great vids in my opinion

Aren't there also helmet-mounted video recorders?

Yep, the mount swivels 360º, but any other position gets the same vibration. Next will be a helmet mounting., or some type of damping mount.

Do you have an old inner tube laying around? I bet it you cut one into bar diameter strips, maybe go two layers then clamped the camera over over the rubber you could cut out a decent amount of vibration. Just a thought.

Happy New Year,

Bau

Aren't there also helmet-mounted video recorders?

Neil, my camera can be helmet, or arm strap, or handlebar, or any other location I can think of. ;) It's got several mounting systems that came with it. I'm just figuring out which one works the best for my purposes.:D

Tom -- you know you'd be more aero without the beard, right?

Perhaps a hi-tech fairing?

I slay me. Happy new year. How are you feeling, by the way?

A lot better.....I didn't think I was even going to be able to get back on the bike this year....:eek: Fortunately, that's not the case!