PaulB2 wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 8:21 pm

Well, well, well!

Just for others who like me were confused by PaulB2's post.

Jumping the shark is an idiom used to describe a moment when something that was once popular but has grown less so makes an attempt at publicity which only serves to highlight its irrelevance.

That usage isn’t a perfect fit for my meaning but the bike did make me roll my eyes

sean_iow wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:30 pm Taken me all week to get round to getting it out of the shed



Photo location just for In Reverse Path needs weeding, shed needs painting, bike needs washing, still has the winter commutting mudguards on 3/10

Wheelbarrow's absolutely sparkling though so give yourself an extra point for that mate.

This thread needs more pretty bikes : )



Via Isambards Cycles
https://www.isambards.co.uk/blog/1953-No.-2-Ephgrave

jameso wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 8:18 am This thread needs more pretty bikes : )

I hope that's not aimed at my bike

Nice bike though ^. Post lock-down I might dig out my 1980s BSA Tour De France (Raleigh) and give it some attention. It was just a cheap bike at the time, made by Raleigh and badged as a BSA so nothing special, but because of that I don't suppose many survived.

sean_iow wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 8:37 am I hope that's not aimed at my bike

Nice bike though ^. Post lock-down I might dig out my 1980s BSA Tour De France (Raleigh) and give it some attention. It was just a cheap bike at the time, made by Raleigh and badged as a BSA so nothing special, but because of that I don't suppose many survived.

No, though I'd not class it as a pin-up sorry, have to be honest Neither is my own gravel bike though. It works, it's sorted but it's not made with looks as a priority. Then again I own a Jones so aesthetics aren't vital in my bikes. My Colnago balances out that side of things.
That BSA sounds like a worthwhile project. Centre-pull brakes? Gravel(lite) potential if so..

Well... Er... It isn't exactly pretty...




I may have just been sick in my mouth...

The latter in particular looks like the unwanted lovechild of a bike and a lawn strimmer.

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 3:53 pm The latter in particular looks like the unwanted lovechild of a bike and a lawn strimmer.

Puts me in mind of old Klein Mantras (IIRC).

Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that

Well... Er... It isn't exactly pretty...

No, but the non-powered 650B version is top of my "gimme a go" list with our bike buyer and his access to demo bikes. The Slate was a lot of fun, this could be even better.

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 3:53 pm The latter in particular looks like the unwanted lovechild of a bike and a lawn strimmer.

now I see it...

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 3:53 pm The latter in particular looks like the unwanted lovechild of a bike and a lawn strimmer.

Yup, or this...



EDIT - don't think the pic works, but more like a flymo garden vac, same awful plastic shape. I quite like the new lefty fork though...

K1100T wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 3:21 pm Well... Er... It isn't exactly pretty...




I may have just been sick in my mouth...

I like it (the non motorized one).

stevenshand wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 8:19 pm I like it (the non motorized one).

I do as well. Any idea why there is a thinning of the top tube as it heads towards the seat stay?

quite like the new lefty fork though...

I can stand just about anything in bike design - even the wrong sized wheels - but half a fork... NNOOOOO-O-O-O-O......... never liked 'em.

Ooh I love a bit of polarisation of an evening .

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 8:48 pm

stevenshand wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 8:19 pm I like it (the non motorized one).

I do as well. Any idea why there is a thinning of the top tube as it heads towards the seat stay?

Sophisticated bit of leaf spring mate

cannondale wrote: A thru-axle pivot in the seat tube allows the entire back of the frame – the rear stays, seat tube, even the rear of the top tube – to flex like a series of connected leaf-springs, absorbing bumps and road vibration without the weight and complexity of a shock and linkages.

https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bikes/ ... descending

FLV wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 9:08 pm the rear stays, seat tube, even the rear of the top tube – to flex like a series of connected leaf-springs, absorbing bumps and road vibration without the weight and complexity of a shock and linkages.

https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bikes/ ... descending
[/quote]

Hee hee. Reflex anybody? Or the various other frames that 'flexed' in order to provide some pivot free bounce. Or just buy a steel frame with big tyres.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/this-1 ... n-the-90s/

Or a scott endorphin
I think mine snapped, or cracked at least

Interesting that article as the journos raved about them at the time. Also typical XC race stupidity - everyone was on disks by '99 but the racers still used appalling v brakes because it save a bit of weight.....

Maor boingy stuff for use #gravelwankers...

Are we simply not heading in the direction of turning a gravel bike into an early 90's mountainbike? It's almost like 'gravel' is becoming the cycling genre for all the roadies in self-denial. The ones who deep down know they're off-road excursions would be best served with a mountainbike but just can't admit it?

I think it's well passed becoming... To be fair though, the old MTB I had was no fun on the road, slow, cumbersome and you were in far too much of an upright position (it's windy round here). For the riding I like to do, a gravel bike is the right tool, I don't want to throw it down mountains, nor take it to trail centres. Would I like slightly less battering of the wrists, over potholed tarmac, or hose hoof cut up bridleway? Absolutely. Do I want one of those forks? No.

I think the range of gravel bikes is just widening. Some will overlap more with road bikes, and will be horrific on anything remotely gnar. While others will overlap with mountain bikes and be slow and ponderous on the road. You pays your money and takes your choice. Like that famous druggie said, it's not about the bike...

Road / CX / Gravel bikes with MTB forks just look wrong though.

Are we simply not heading in the direction of turning a gravel bike into an early 90's mountainbike?

Are you suggesting the industry has nothing new to offer and just [ clear throat] recycles ideas

See also 100 mm travel bikes which were big travel or XC machines which are popular in the 29 er variety for mile mumching . Blur XC for example

That said i did a descent on my cx bike yesterday that took me 30 minutes and i had to stop twice as i was getting beat up[strava KOM is sub 10 mins]. I am not a fan of rigid off road so may well just be soft. I can sort of see the appeal of the above "FS " gravel bike - nearly. Probably just makes more sense to put my 44 mm tyres on my Spearfish - I now need to talk myself out this idea as I am geniunely curious how it would perform up hill and downhill

I think the range of gravel bikes is just widening. Some will overlap more with road bikes, and will be horrific on anything remotely gnar. While others will overlap with mountain bikes and be slow and ponderous on the road. You pays your money and takes your choice. Like that famous druggie said, it's not about the bike...

Aye, I suppose that's true and gravel will quickly sub-divide just like mountainbikes did - albeit at a seemingly faster pace.