[RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
There seems to be a notion that a bike frame can be “sprightly” or “lively”. On the other hand, a frame can supposedly be “sluggish.” I assume this means that the tubing is more or less flexible. Does flexible tubing make a bike more sprightly? Couldn’t you just as well call it “floppy” or “saggy?” Can a bike even be sprightly, after all it just sits there unless someone gets on it and pedals. Does flexible tubing even make a bicycle faster, or more efficient to pedal? If it does then why do the sprinters use bikes that are as stiff as possible? There are words used to describe bicycles that are starting to lose their meaning. “Comfy” gets used a lot, to describe handlebars, tires, handlebar tape, saddles; even whole bikes probably. I think it has come to mean upholstered or padded in some way, but that isn’t always the most comfortable. For example I find a single wrap of cloth tape with a single coat of shellac to be the easiest on my hands…but that wouldn’t be “comfy” would it? It brings to mind the dreaded “comfort bike” which is maybe comfortable to sit on inside the bike shop, but not to ride from point A to point B if point A and point B are more than about half a mile apart. “Relaxed Geometry”: This has some basis in reality, but can a geometry really be relaxed? If you push it too far, it isn’t relaxing. ( I actually like how it gets expanded as “slack” geometry, “forgiving”…or is that “forgiving” steel tubing? It bet it’s not too forgiving if someone get whacked on the forehead with it. Would you be forgiven for that?) You could turn it around and call it “acute angle” or “sharp angle” geometry, but that doesn’t sound very relaxing. Plus for someone riding a time trial bike, they may be more relaxed with a more “open” geometry ( i.e. a steeper seat tube angle. ) I guess the ultimate “relaxed” geometry is the recumbent bike, which indeed is a relaxed position, until the first time you try to ride up a hill and you immediately want to go back to your more uptight upright bike. “Quick” geometry, which tends to be another way of saying a short chainstay. This makes the bike turn quicker, but it tends to get muddled with thinking that the bike will go quicker or faster, which of course makes no sense at all. ( Just think of boats and drag racing cars, the fastest ones are long and narrow, so instead of “quick” geometry you could call it “slow” or “meandering” geometry…once again, how can geometry be “quick?” ) Oh, I almost forgot about "quick" steering...why do I always want my steering to be as slow as possible? If you read the reviews of some bicycles they are almost as bereft of meaning as one of those fine wine descriptions..."eager", "aggressive", " responsive", "nuanced", what's next, "insouciant?" “Supple” tires….no comment. There are lots more of these, does anyone know what I am talking about? It’s a holiday… -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
Well, I may know or think I know, what you are talking about, but most importantly do you? You left out the PLUSH handling off the Bosco! -JmD My theory is that great bikes are pretty much magic. Start throwing terms like that around and the real trouble will start. On Feb 20, 2012, at 10:43 AM, David T. wrote: > There are lots more of these, does anyone know what I am talking > about? It’s a holiday… -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
On Mon, 2012-02-20 at 13:55 -0800, jimD wrote: > Well, I may know or think I know, what you are talking about, but most > importantly do you? > > You left out the PLUSH handling off the Bosco! Now there's a name that brings back memories! Oh, I love Bosco! That's the drink for me! Chocolate flavored Bosco Is mighty good for me. Mommy puts it in my milk For extra energy. Bosco gives me iron And sunshine vitamin D. Oh, I love Bosco! That's the drink for me! But that's not the way /we/ sang it, oh no! Our version went like this: + I hate Bosco It's not the drink for me My mommy put it in my milk To try to poison me One day I fooled Mommy I put some in her tea And now I have no mommy To try to poison me! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:43 PM, David T. wrote: > There seems to be a notion that a bike frame can be “sprightly” or > “lively”. On the other hand, a frame can supposedly be “sluggish.” I > assume this means that the tubing is more or less flexible. Does > flexible tubing make a bike more sprightly? Couldn’t you just as well > call it “floppy” or “saggy?” Can a bike even be sprightly, after all > it just sits there unless someone gets on it and pedals. One person's "springy" is another person's "noodle." > Does flexible tubing even make a bicycle faster, or more efficient to pedal? > If it does then why do the sprinters use bikes that are as stiff as possible? Sean Kelly won almost all of his classic victories and Tour jerseys on Vitus 979s, widely considered to be one of the noodliest bikes you could find under pros at the time. Obviously didn't hamper him. Others want the stiffest frame they can find. It's a matter of personal preference. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
For my bicycle I demand 'stiff but compliant'! Now if that isn't horse manure I don't know horses. -JimD On Feb 20, 2012, at 3:03 PM, Tim McNamara wrote: > > On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:43 PM, David T. wrote: > >> There seems to be a notion that a bike frame can be “sprightly” or >> “lively”. On the other hand, a frame can supposedly be “sluggish.” I >> assume this means that the tubing is more or less flexible. Does >> flexible tubing make a bike more sprightly? Couldn’t you just as well >> call it “floppy” or “saggy?” Can a bike even be sprightly, after all >> it just sits there unless someone gets on it and pedals. > > One person's "springy" is another person's "noodle." > >> Does flexible tubing even make a bicycle faster, or more efficient to pedal? >> If it does then why do the sprinters use bikes that are as stiff as possible? > > Sean Kelly won almost all of his classic victories and Tour jerseys on Vitus > 979s, widely considered to be one of the noodliest bikes you could find under > pros at the time. Obviously didn't hamper him. Others want the stiffest > frame they can find. > > It's a matter of personal preference. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
Well Doug, Let me tell ya, if you're after ecstatic gliding with nary a ripple you must try the 2011 Rosco Bubbe. It presses gently on the behind and delivers a PLUSH ride with a lingering aftertaste of a well aged Schwinn Newsboy. It will only get better with age (both the bike's and the rider's)! The Rosco Bubbe clearly expresses that distinctive Rivendell terrior and all of the distinctive twists and turns to be found there upon. One can detects the distinctive influence of Walnut Creek and Mt Diablo in the bicycle's provenance. -JimD On Feb 20, 2012, at 8:11 PM, dougP wrote: > Some the writers for bike mags went to the school where wine > descriptions are taught, and have applied the same weird ideas to > describing the characteristics of bicycles. Hey, if you're paying the > big bucks, shouldn't you get some ecstatic experience? > > Loving the plush ride of my Atlantis, as it glides over every ripple > with nary a bobble... > > dougP > > On Feb 20, 10:43 am, "David T." wrote: >> There seems to be a notion that a bike frame can be “sprightly” or >> “lively”. On the other hand, a frame can supposedly be “sluggish.” I >> assume this means that the tubing is more or less flexible. Does >> flexible tubing make a bike more sprightly? Couldn’t you just as well >> call it “floppy” or “saggy?” Can a bike even be sprightly, after all >> it just sits there unless someone gets on it and pedals. Does flexible >> tubing even make a bicycle faster, or more efficient to pedal? If it >> does then why do the sprinters use bikes that are as stiff as >> possible? >> >> There are words used to describe bicycles that are starting to lose >> their meaning. >> >> “Comfy” gets used a lot, to describe handlebars, tires, handlebar >> tape, saddles; even whole bikes probably. I think it has come to mean >> upholstered or padded in some way, but that isn’t always the most >> comfortable. For example I find a single wrap of cloth tape with a >> single coat of shellac to be the easiest on my hands…but that wouldn’t >> be “comfy” would it? It brings to mind the dreaded “comfort bike” >> which is maybe comfortable to sit on inside the bike shop, but not to >> ride from point A to point B if point A and point B are more than >> about half a mile apart. >> >> “Relaxed Geometry”: This has some basis in reality, but can a geometry >> really be relaxed? If you push it too far, it isn’t relaxing. ( I >> actually like how it gets expanded as “slack” geometry, “forgiving”…or >> is that “forgiving” steel tubing? It bet it’s not too forgiving if >> someone get whacked on the forehead with it. Would you be forgiven for >> that?) You could turn it around and call it “acute angle” or “sharp >> angle” geometry, but that doesn’t sound very relaxing. Plus for >> someone riding a time trial bike, they may be more relaxed with a more >> “open” geometry ( i.e. a steeper seat tube angle. ) I guess the >> ultimate “relaxed” geometry is the recumbent bike, which indeed is a >> relaxed position, until the first time you try to ride up a hill and >> you immediately want to go back to your more uptight upright bike. >> >> “Quick” geometry, which tends to be another way of saying a short >> chainstay. This makes the bike turn quicker, but it tends to get >> muddled with thinking that the bike will go quicker or faster, which >> of course makes no sense at all. ( Just think of boats and drag racing >> cars, the fastest ones are long and narrow, so instead of “quick” >> geometry you could call it “slow” or “meandering” geometry…once again, >> how can geometry be “quick?” ) Oh, I almost forgot about "quick" >> steering...why do I always want my steering to be as slow as >> possible? >> >> If you read the reviews of some bicycles they are almost as bereft of >> meaning as one of those fine wine descriptions..."eager", >> "aggressive", " responsive", "nuanced", what's next, "insouciant?" >> >> “Supple” tires….no comment. >> >> There are lots more of these, does anyone know what I am talking >> about? It’s a holiday… > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
Re: [RBW] Terminological Inexactitude
Extra points for sneaking in "terrior"... ;^) -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Three T-shirts Now Available - Now with FREE Shipping: "I've Got Downtube Shifters..." S/S T-shirt Cyclocross - "More Cowbell" L/S T-shirt "One Cog - Zero Excuses" L/S T-shirt http://www.cyclofiend.com/stuff -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
