What needs changing on bikes?

[Dogtrousers]

The shallower descents, yes. The important thing on steeper descents is to slow down enough rather than to speed up. I have hit 90 km/hr freewheeling without a fairing. That is about as fast as I dare go!

On a lot of my hillier rides the descents are often not much quicker than the ascents, as steep wiggly Kent lanes with high hedges and dodgy surfaces need a great deal of respect.

 

[hobo]

13? That's unlucky. I'll wait for 14 speed.

When they hit 1 x 14 for road bikes I think it'll be time to consider a Rolhloff hub instead.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A force-field and front and rear machine gun turrets.

Actually you just need a localised EMP generator. Someone close passes you, burn out all their electronics and bring them to a permanent halt.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A fairing wouldn't help much on climbs like this...

View attachment 730174

Well you wouldn’t be getting off halfway on the pretext of a photo 😂

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have hit 90 km/hr freewheeling without a fairing.

You could hit that on the flat with a full fairing, admittedly not for long, and you’d mostly be cruising between 50-60 km/h.

 

[Gillstay]

Just having ridden three different bikes , one thing that needs changing is that the priority for gearing should be to get easily up hills rather than going fast. It would help many people get started on cycling, and may account for the many purchases of e bikes.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Just having ridden three different bikes , one thing that needs changing is that the priority for gearing should be to get easily up hills rather than going fast. It would help many people get started on cycling, and may account for the many purchases of e bikes.

Good call!

 

[Punkawallah]

I want a sun block that is also an insect repellent, an energy gel, and chain lube. Oh - and a butt cream too. I don't need it to be a hair gel anymore. Would it be too much for it to be a good toothpaste too?

I believe you have just described lard. Although toothpaste is a step too far, even for lard.

 

[Punkawallah]

Just having ridden three different bikes , one thing that needs changing is that the priority for gearing should be to get easily up hills rather than going fast. It would help many people get started on cycling, and may account for the many purchases of e bikes.

1984, Suntour introduces its 13-32 six speed freewheel. With a 36/48 ring it will get you up most hills.

 

[ColinJ]

Well you wouldn’t be getting off halfway on the pretext of a photo 😂

That climb has a lot of 15% before the ramp in the photo which is about 100 metres at 25%. That means my legs are already tired by the time I get to the really steep bit. I only manage to ride all the way up that about 50% of the time so I was worried that I wouldn't make it.

If you look carefully you can see that I was still using Look pedals then. I had done an emergency dismount on that ramp on an earlier ride and my Look cleat slipped on the road surface so I almost faceplanted!

I was struggling on the day I took the photo and worried about the faceplanting risk so I gave up sooner than I needed to so I had more control when doing so. I thought I might as well take a photo before the walk of shame...

These days I use mountain bike type SPD pedals on all of my bikes so I no longer have slippery exposed cleats to worry about and can climb to the point of exhaustion. I came close to failure on today's ride when tackling a steep climb that was new to me. THIS ONE up from Rishworth. I went round a RH bend and was faced with a short, steep cobbled ramp. I only just made it!

 

[rydabent]

Another post said the rider. He is correct, because IMO there are too many luddite cyclist wed to the 1890 DF so called safety bike. They wont admit there are other types of frames and number of wheels that better serve many cyclist. Time does march on.

 

[EltonFrog]

Another post said the rider. He is correct, because IMO there are too many luddite cyclist wed to the 1890 DF so called safety bike. They wont admit there are other types of frames and number of wheels that better serve many cyclist. Time does march on.

And not hint of irony.

 

[Tom B]

Just had another think.

Chipless / scrape proof easy wash paint.


Having just sat and watched a chap secure his bike packing assemble in Blackpool Town-centre. Some sort of locking device that would lock the wheels (not through the spokes) and lock the cranks up / slip the freehub into freewheel and was operated by a single key that didn't get gummed up with gritty crump.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

You're wasting your time mate. Most on here are luddites who won't change to a Hollowtech chain set and would still rather have the old square taper

Can I be an honoury luddite please?

Steel, ✅
Shimano 600 square taper chainset, pre Ultegra, ✅
32 spokes, ✅
Downtube front shifter✅
Tan sidewall tyres✅

Electronic shifting is amazing because... um... hold on, I know this one.

And just one small lapse ❌



Bye

Ian

 

[rogerzilla]

So! You’re a bike component company designer with thousands to spend on R&D , looking for something to change on components to make existing components obsolete, what do you turn your attention to?
For me it would be the pedal to crank fixing, unchanged for donkey’s years, yet basically a bad design just good enough with steel cranks but which has led to thousands of broken Al. alloy cranks and grazed knees over the years.

That was one of the late Jobst Brandt's personal hobby horses. I believe he even wrote to Shimano and suggested a tapered interface*. The big problem is overcoming the embedded market of pedals using a flat interface. Shops would hate doubling up on it and buyers wouldn't want to buy new cranks, so it would be a "new bike" thing - and new bikes don't come with good pedals, because everyone changes them.

*also removes the need for the LH thread on the LH side