Best and Worst Inventions for Bikes
#76
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Elevation 666m Edmonton Canada
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Bikes: 2013 Custom SA5w / Rohloff Tourster
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Actually, there is a guy near me who rides a Highwheeler farthing quite a bit. He doesn't poke along either and rides crowded places too. Too fast for me to get a pic so far. LOL. Haven't seen him stop yet.
He looks the part too with a handlebar moustache and tweed outfit.
He looks the part too with a handlebar moustache and tweed outfit.
#77
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
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Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
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This list is for innovations that were game changers as of 40 years ago. Those items make a radical difference to this day. (The roller chain, paved roads, spoked wheels, Those changes weren't small. The freewheel that allowed coasting. Caliper brakes. (And yes, discs are caliper brakes.) I'll add foot retention, (Yes I know that is controversial here but it was yet another revolution in racing and is used to this day.) I think foot retention is bigger than the quick release though I know mechanics will disagree. I've been using wrenches for fix gear rear wheels for 40 years. Just not a big deal.
Those were huge changes that we still benefit from (and that haven't changed a whole lot).
Ben
Those were huge changes that we still benefit from (and that haven't changed a whole lot).
Ben
#78
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Location: Portland, OR
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Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
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Ben
#79
Banned
Nope they, loose lower gear cogs, even dug into steel driver splines , but, yes, to make hubs lighter Al & Ti drivers are very incompatible..
#80
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Electronic shifting is on the wrong amended list. Requiring a battery to shift your bike puts it squarely on the "worst" list. Doubly so for a hackable wireless version.
Re. cassettes, the riveted cassettes I've removed and installed are all so loosely assembled, I don't see how they're any less likely to dig into the freehub body than totally "loose" ones. Esp. since the lock ring tightens all the cogs down, whether riveted or not. I thought the riveting was just to simplify / cheapify initial assembly.
Re. cassettes, the riveted cassettes I've removed and installed are all so loosely assembled, I don't see how they're any less likely to dig into the freehub body than totally "loose" ones. Esp. since the lock ring tightens all the cogs down, whether riveted or not. I thought the riveting was just to simplify / cheapify initial assembly.
Last edited by madpogue; 08-10-20 at 12:05 PM.