For the Engineer - the bike frame is a simple truss - one can calculate the defection. But don’t waste you time over thinking a Rivendell - just ride one and you’ll be sold.
> On Jan 30, 2020, at 5:21 PM, S <sbl...@gmail.com> wrote: > > From an engineering perspective, I worry about excessive flex with super long > chain stays. I don't believe super short stays deliver significantly better > acceleration, but I wonder if super long stays might rob energy from the > drive train, "flubbing out" your pedal strokes. Also, some of the highest > stresses in a frame are in the BB area, specifically in the area where the > right chainstay enters the BB. By lengthening the stay, you are in effect > creating a longer lever and potentially increasing the stress, more so over > rough ground where the rider is bouncing up and down on the bike. > > On Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 4:43:56 PM UTC-8, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! > wrote: > I have wanted to start this thread for weeks. Fearing controversy, not > desiring to start fights, and worried that staff at Riv will read this, I > never mustered up the guts. But the long wheelbase bike topic has come up in > several threads now, and maybe we should just have the discussion. People are > wanting to buy these bikes, and since most don’t live near a dealer, we need > to help each other out regarding bike fit. > > I got a new Clem L (unless you have been living under a ROCK you know this > since it’s all I talk about. Go ahead, I dare you to ask me about the color > of paint that it has. 😂) and it’s nothing like the other Clems I’ve known and > loved. Why? Because it has an even longer wheelbase than than its > long-wheelbase predecessors. > > Recently, Rivendell pointed us to an Ask Me Anything with Grant on Reddit. It > was a wall of text and I read it. Folks asked their most pressing questions > and Grant graciously answered them. Over and over and over again long > wheelbase bikes were brought up, and Grant offered his opinion. Longer bikes > are more stable, Cadillac-like, comfortable, etc. The opposite of twitchy, > short-wheelbase bikes. We know this and most of us will accept it. > > BUT...what I am dying to know is this: how long can you go before it is no > longer an improvement? > > Example: My 52 Clementine was much more comfortable than my 55 Betty Foy. > Like it was tailor-made for me alone. The Betz was totally fine, no knocks > against it, but the Clementine was just more plush. So, I agree with Grant - > longer was better. > > The problem came with my Clem L, the 2019 version that had had its geometry > changed. I didn’t know I was getting a different bike. I was surprised when I > had to buy (several) different stems and a new long wheelbase bar for my > Saris rack. It’s been a lot of adjustment, and I’ve been frustrated. If I > understand correctly, several Rivendell models have been lengthened as of > late. > > The burning question I have: Can anyone tell us if the new longer bikes are > better or worse than the previous (also long) versions? We know the theory, > what of the reality? I’m thinking especially of the Clems, as they were > already SO long. But I think Atlantis people will also have something to > say... > > I wanted to have this discussion because I genuinely want to know how the > newest long bikes are working out for folks. But I also want to let others > know that there are some things to consider if you get one of these new > iterations. Will a 52 Clem fit on public transport? I think no. Will it fit > on your vehicle hitch bike rack? Mine won’t. Will it be difficult for you to > park your long bike in a public rack? Can you back your bike out of your > garage/shed easily at this new length? What if you are right between sizes? > Rivendell would have you go up, I’m not sure I wouldn’t have done better on > the next size down. > > Of course we can have this discussion and keep it kind, can’t we, Friends. It > would be so horrible if Rivendell staff read this and saw a lot of > inflammatory remarks. I think we’re allowed to have a decent and informative > chat, and undoubtedly some people will find it helpful. Plus, maybe Rivendell > will find it useful. If the extra long bikes aren’t meeting expectations, > maybe there will be changes to future bikes. > > I did put 9 miles riding up a mountain with groceries in my front basket on > the new Clem L, so I’m working our relationship! > Leah > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > <mailto:rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com>. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c9ac015b-a172-4dcb-807e-775e44297af9%40googlegroups.com > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c9ac015b-a172-4dcb-807e-775e44297af9%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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