Classic & Vintage - What the heck is this?

http://gasandrubber.tumblr.com/post/1463418841

177095

I'm guessing this was for a speed record attempt and the odd rear end on the Porsche was designed to reduce drag for the following cyclist. Note the nearly wheel-sized front sprocket shield.

Wonder if he's got a flip flop hub for hills:lol:

http://gasandrubber.tumblr.com/post/1463418841

177095

I'm guessing this was for a speed record attempt and the odd rear end on the Porsche was designed to reduce drag for the following cyclist. Note the nearly wheel-sized front sprocket shield.


I dont think that is the shield, that is the sprocket its self

Uhmmmmm.... THE FORK IS BENT!!!:eek::D

Chombi

Its a bicycle designed for motor pacing. The initial starting speed is assisted by a motorcycle or automobile. The world record setting for that kind of bicycle began in 1932 and used TA cranks.

^^ I was going to say that the handling must be insanely skittish with the small front wheel and reversed fork.

I don't think the fork is bent. It looks like he flipped it around so he could suck in closer to the car. I'd sure hate to get my pants stuck in that sprocket.

http://gasandrubber.tumblr.com/post/1463418841

177095

I'm guessing this was for a speed record attempt and the odd rear end on the Porsche was designed to reduce drag for the following cyclist. Note the nearly wheel-sized front sprocket shield.
Google "motor pacing."

Things are easy to find when you know the right keywords.

This is from Jean Claude Rude's speed record attempt in 1979. That is the chainring, not the guard. The Porsche was driven by former F1 driver Henri Pescarolo. The bike's rear tire exploded at at 105mph. Rude was unhurt, but he wasn't able to break the world record.

As for the fork, it was assembled that way at the department store. ;)

Uhmmmmm.... THE FORK IS BENT!!!

Of course the fork is bent. Look at the bumper on the car it ran into:-)

I don't think the fork is bent. It looks like he flipped it around so he could suck in closer to the car.

I think they did it like that because the bike handled better when the front wheel touched the bumper. Lots of those motorpace bikes had them that way.

Look up stayer bicycles of more examples of that sort of fork.

-Kurt

The act of bicycle pacing behind a motor vehicle is traditionally called "staying". The bicyles are refered to as "stayers" and have steep head angles, smaller front wheels and reverse rake forks to allow the cyclist to be closer to the motor vehicle for a better draft. The negative rake actually restores trail lost due to the smaller wheel and steeper head tube.

Alternately, steher (http://www.google.com/images?q=steher&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=YRnWTOK3LoT7lweBvNT9CA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=7&ved=0CEoQsAQwBg&biw=1135&bih=949).

What the heck is this?
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=177095&d=1289065045&thumb=1

It's what little boys do when real men are doing this: http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2010/results.htm

It's what little boys do when old men are doing this
Fixed it for you.

The bike's rear tire exploded at at 105mph. Rude was unhurt, but he wasn't able to break the world record.

That explains the Porsche.

In england t was Dave Legrys, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmpxJWAJbFM

also on rollers, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q77GMkXzOVE

Things are easy to find when you know the right keywords.

This is from Jean Claude Rude's speed record attempt in 1979. That is the chainring, not the guard. The Porsche was driven by former F1 driver Henri Pescarolo. The bike's rear tire exploded at at 105mph. Rude was unhurt, but he wasn't able to break the world record.

As for the fork, it was assembled that way at the department store. ;)

Later motorpaced records were set by John Howard (152mph):
http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike01.htm
and Fred Rompelberg (167mph):
http://www.fredrompelberg.com/en/html/algemeen/fredrompelberg/record.asp

The "reversed" fork adds trail to the frame geometry, which adds stability at speed.

... but I do like the "department store" reason.

This is from Jean Claude Rude's speed record attempt in 1979. That is the chainring, not the guard. The Porsche was driven by former F1 driver Henri Pescarolo. The bike's rear tire exploded at at 105mph. Rude was unhurt, but he wasn't able to break the world record.


I believe that's Pescarolo on the right. He never won a Formula 1 race, but did win Le Mans 4 times.

Jalopnik recently covered this photo:
http://jalopnik.com/5682223/a-porsche-a-bicycling-record-and-one-giant-sprocket