Bike "fit" in regards to design

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Wildcat said:
I have a low seat and handlebar adjustment for a nice photo, then raise them for an actual ride. I also reversed the fork flanges to get the correct geometry. Also put the padded seat cover on.
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Lately I've been intrigued by the mountain bike dropper posts. What I'm interested in is creating more of a motorcycle type geometry for blasting down big hills at 30+ with a bike that feels more solid then being able to raise the seat back up again for efficient pedaling. Seems to me this would also be super useful for a ratrod with a low seat. If only they didn't cost $200+. That's crazy money for a seatpost.

I also suspect that there is a lot of room for overlap between comfortable/practical designs and stylish rat rods. Recumbents are the most aesthetically challenged, but in a lot of ways they already resemble stretched and lowered rat rods. I think a lot of the motorbike styled rats also have this potential. Working with fat tires, big seats and laid back geometry, a comfortable ride shouldn't be too hard to achieve.
 
The Southern Flyer was definitely build for looks over comfort.:) I do ride it and it's a blast, but I wouldn't even consider commuting to work on it (I have other bikes for that) just like the mountain bike crowd probably don't commute on their 29ers.

If I had set out to build an efficient comfortable riding bike, I wouldn't be using a 60 year old steel frame that weighs as much by itself as my Nishiki road bike.

However, with that beings said, if there are ways to achieve both comfort and style, I'm all for it! Otherwise, I'm content with having different bikes for different functions.
 
It is true that the more 'forward' ya lean the less weight on the seat-bones, so the narrower saddle should work, butt (pun intended) for me, with an old whiplash type neck injury, bad lumbar and rotator cuff issues I cant get down too far or kick my head back. This pretty much means I have to be more upright and thus more weight on my butt. I used to be able to get 'saddle broke' fairly quickly, not so anymore. Ive just plain decided that a wide saddle in an upright position works better for me. As much as I admire the boardtracker look it is only a very short ride with me on it.
Nice thing is that compared to motorcycles bicycle stuff is (can be) reasonable priced enough to find what works for ya (and ain't that what its all about).
 
Back when I used to commute by bike a mountain bike with slicks and aerobars was my preferred bike. I tried a roadbike and a recumbent too, but the mountain bike had the best mix of comfort, toughness and versatility. I would be willing to commute on a ratrod, but it would have to have a full set of gears, (the PNW has hills), and a seat that gave me full leg extension. The weight wouldn't scare me away. Unless you're racing I think weight is overrated.
 
My 'go to' bike is a 27 speed hybrid with suspension fork.
I agree that for a casual rider like myself, weight differences are imperceivable up to a point.
heavy-bicycle-loads-01.jpg
 
I wont buy a bike that I can't ride. I'm getting rid of the several chopper bikes I have. My two grandsons don't need the uncomfortable things either. I love to ride but don't intend to waste seat time on something I can't enjoy.
 
A few years ago, when GT came out with the I-drive, I got one. Took it and my Dyno up to a ski slope in V.A.
Never set the I-drive up for me, I crashed, couldn't get comfortable, broke the rear deralier.
Got out my Dyno enduro which was set up hybred style and dialed to me. I lost nearly a second off my times...
So posistion is everything!
I still miss the I-drive, shouldn't have sold her....
Set up to me, the right stem, bar width, saddle I liked, that thing rode great, out of the box, not so good.
 
Dropper seat post!!!!! Bah hahahahaha, coffee out my nose!!! Did everyone forget how to squeeze the seat with the thighs, release the skewer, and pull the seat up!
For $200 bucks I don't need to clean hydraulic fluid off my bike.
Just my .02¢
 
Bob Gray said:
I'm new here. My arm's still a little weak.
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I was actually referring to LukeTheJoker's comment agreeing that weight is overrated. Luke has a history of building some fairly heavy bikes! Check his builds thread.:D
 
re: comfort in terms of bar height, orientation, saddle height, etc....

I agree with the Pennywise-lookin' fella that unrideable or near-unrideable bikes do not look cool. I guess that's why I'd never change my saddle or bar positioning for a photo-op. What would I gain by making it look less comfortable? But some of us build for function, others build for looks... I've got enough bikes that I'm all over that spectrum, but the fact is, they're mostly pretty ugly and totally rideable-- as in, easy to ride. (My banana seat Worksman is really ugly and pretty hard to ride a long distance, but I can do a 5 mile commute on it, so long as I'm not hurrying.... It's prolly the ugliest and least comfortable, so it's a bit of a lose/lose bike. I still like it.

As for weight: I live in South Jersey, which is pretty danged flat, so I can ride some heavy bikes, so long as I'm not racing. I used to have an Indian-made roadster with 28" steel wheels, rod brakes, full chaincase, dropstand, ringlock, fenders, and a very primitive rear rack. And just one speed. Thing must've weighed at least 75lbs. I could ride it, but I'd have to plan routes that avoided hills. I imagine that hillfolk need to be a little more concerned about weight than I do.... but to obsess about it if you don't race is just goofy.
 
Bob Gray said:
The weight wouldn't scare me away. Unless you're racing I think weight is overrated.
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How much difference could 5, 10 even 20 pounds of bicycle make when coupled with 200+ pounds of rider? Most people have more weight saving potenial in their person than their bicycle. ;)

The one area I find where weight does matter is in the rotating wheel assembly. I can really feel the difference between heavy and light rotating assemblies.

mikeeebikey said:
So posistion is everything!
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+1

I have been building up various combinations to test and determine what suits me. For endurace, power, speed, anything spirited really, I am finding the further forward I sit, the stronger I feel. Unfortuately this is the opposite of current "cruiser" fashion. :(

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Let's talk positioning!

For cruisers, where correct height is nearly impossible for leg extension, I use a layback post.
To determine height it is as easy as going for a ride, relaxed leg extension. Far enough away from the pedals to "pedal run," and not rock on your hips.
If your man stuff goes numb, you seat is angled up to much.
Numb hands are combination of issue's. Bar reach and height plus wrist angle. Generally I like short stems and cutt down the bars unless they are straight bars. Then reach is determined by the stem.
Remember, if it goes numb eventually it's going to fall off!
 

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