.... I think it'd be awesome to have a sub-contest for BO9, where competitiors could race their bikes to see who'd built the fastest rat....
If only the buildoff had a centralized meeting place...
- Thread starter Bicycle808
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Considering some of these builds, I don't think they are built for speed.
Plus, mine would win, so that's not even fair.
Plus, mine would win, so that's not even fair.
I think that some of these builds look impressive, but will be very difficult to ride at all, let alone at a fast rate of speed. I think slow races are fun; 3 legged races and crab-walk relays were a blast when I was a kid. This build off has some entries that blur the line between being a bicycle and being sculpture, and despite the rule that all bikes must be rideable, many look like they'd be torture in the saddle..... I respect and understand the spirit of the buildoff; ppl are trying to build cool-looking bikes which will be judged via photographs rather than test-rides, but it'd be cool if practicality/functionality were rewarded as well.
PS- your bike does seem fast; it still has a derailer, right?
PS- your bike does seem fast; it still has a derailer, right?
Love the idea
but a "race" is a vague term, If you're talking about a drag race then all you need are some gears (but I think Drag King would still win). If its a twisty road course, race geometry and slick tires (like mine
) should get you the win. Either way the MOST important thing in racing is weight, and all the awesome doodads whatchamacallits and doohickeys on the bonine bikes don't help at all We would need different weight and gearing categories... Which would be awesome!!
but a "race" is a vague term, If you're talking about a drag race then all you need are some gears (but I think Drag King would still win). If its a twisty road course, race geometry and slick tires (like mine) should get you the win. Either way the MOST important thing in racing is weight, and all the awesome doodads whatchamacallits and doohickeys on the bonine bikes don't help at all We would need different weight and gearing categories... Which would be awesome!!
Bicycle808.......you are my hero!
Love the idea
I love brainstorming on "what if..." scenarios.
I think weight is a huge factor, but I wouldn't want to put different weight/gearing classes into effect. I think that considerations re: weight, gearing, handling, and performance in general would be their own reward, if there were a race component to the BO. As it stands now, the only ppl who care about these performance parameters are the ppl who actually intend to ride their bikes, for real, after the buildoff. Having car tires on a bike looks awesome, and it is awesome, until you try to ride that bike to work or on a pub crawl. Yeah, it'll work if you live 2 blocks from the tavern, and you're only going to that one spot, but your friends will ditch you if they're going on a multi-mile multi-bar pub crawl and you're pushing monster truck tires. If there were a BO race, ppl would still build bikes like that, but they'd know that they wouldn't be a contender in that whole race sub-contest.
Funny that we're mentioning weight, though... Bilenky Cycle Works in Phila has a Junkyard Cyclocross race where weight is a factor; every pound over a certain baseline that the bike AND the rider weighs translates to some time knocked off of their final result. Guys add ballast to their bikes and "kit" to take advantage of that.
Like I said, I think slow races are awesome, and I'm fascinated with things like the Atomic Cycles Coaster Brake Challenge that RRB member Rev106 puts on a couple times each year. http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/coaster-brake-challenge-12.83998/ Obviously, a race on the same course with multispeed carbon fibre XC race bikes would be more exciting in terms of speed and cutting-edge racing, but the CB race has more character going for it. Similarly, I guess hypothetically someone could "rat out" a Trek Madone 7 just so they could win the BO race, but they'd be missing the point of the race itself--- and of the buildoff in general.
(But, the challenge has been thrown down.... someone needs to build a rat Madone next year.)
I think the coolest way to do it would be with a stage race, across a few disciplines. A Time Trial, a little fake 'Cross course, a dirt track for some BMX-stuff, pub-crawl/scavenger hunt, etc. Obviously, no one is building a "fast" bike here, but it'd be cool to show off some capabilities...
If only we could... Kingfish's BO world map project is awesome, but it proves that we can't have any races.... http://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=984254
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I won't win any races with my build off bikes, but I have ridden every one in the 10 mile Savannah Bicycle Campaign Midnight Garden Ride with about 200+ people. BEER RUN was tough because it was a single speed. Flexy is a great riding bike with the 7 speed hub. Firewing (3 speed) was tough to ride with the upside down ramshorns, (I did do a full ride video around town), but I changed out the handlebars and it was a great rider. I am planning on starsNbars being my new main rider and it hasn't disappointed me yet. The 3 speed and the Girvin make it very practical as a rider. Are you going to see any ride videos with me in spandex joining the Savannah Wheelmen in the weekly Century ride? Good Lord, I hope not!!!!
Fugsley was a different beast entirely. I rode it a lot, but I would not consider it a rider with other bikes. I attempted to keep up with others on a different Savannah Bike Campaign ride and gave up. It was just geared WAYYYYYY to low, but what do you expect from a 80 pound single speed bike! It was strictly for fun.
Fugsley was a different beast entirely. I rode it a lot, but I would not consider it a rider with other bikes. I attempted to keep up with others on a different Savannah Bike Campaign ride and gave up. It was just geared WAYYYYYY to low, but what do you expect from a 80 pound single speed bike! It was strictly for fun.
See, Kingfish, I think you might win some races on your BO bikes.... if the races were against other BO bikes exclusively. Most all of your builds seem like fully functional riders, albeit they're casual/slow bikes. That's how most of my bikes are: good for a 10 mile ride, so long as you're not hurrying. But, your anecdote about Firewing kinda underscores a point I'm trying to make: some BO choices are made exclusively for aesthetic reasons. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but I think it's worth noting, especially b/c a lot of neophyte cruiser ppl see a cool looking set-up, try to replicate it, and then they swear off cruisers entirely, if the agony doesn't kill them first.
Fugsley as a danged cool little bike, and it's awesome in a million ways. I bet it's plenty of fun to ride, but you confirmed my suspicion: it ain't the same as riding a regular bike; it doesn't keep up on a regular ride. Bet it's incredible for a snowy solo ride, though... Does it snow in Savannah?
But, forget the concept of winning any hypothetical BO race; to me, racing is fun to do, regardless of the results. I 'm not likely to win any races b/c I'm fat and lazy and I'm not overly competitive so, even if I have a snowball's chance of winning, I'm not likely to give it a real strenuous effort. But I still think it's fun. Imagine last year's buildoff-- same bikes, but toss a race in there, too. Even if you didn't win, it'd be nice to see whether or not you could hang with the faster rats. And if you couldn't even hang b/c of something like flipped ramshorn bars, well... I think there's a lesson to be learned somewhere around there...
Fugsley as a danged cool little bike, and it's awesome in a million ways. I bet it's plenty of fun to ride, but you confirmed my suspicion: it ain't the same as riding a regular bike; it doesn't keep up on a regular ride. Bet it's incredible for a snowy solo ride, though... Does it snow in Savannah?
But, forget the concept of winning any hypothetical BO race; to me, racing is fun to do, regardless of the results. I 'm not likely to win any races b/c I'm fat and lazy and I'm not overly competitive so, even if I have a snowball's chance of winning, I'm not likely to give it a real strenuous effort. But I still think it's fun. Imagine last year's buildoff-- same bikes, but toss a race in there, too. Even if you didn't win, it'd be nice to see whether or not you could hang with the faster rats. And if you couldn't even hang b/c of something like flipped ramshorn bars, well... I think there's a lesson to be learned somewhere around there...
PS- I totally want to show up for a fast roadie ride wearing lycra and piloting some weird home-built contraption..... just for the freak/gross-out factor. But, I'm not actually committed enough to buy lycra or spandex. I'd have guessed that they didn't make lycra riding kit in my size, but every weekend, I see dudes who're heavier than me, puffin' and pantin' in full kit, astride some featherweight carbon fiber roadbike. It absolutely blows my mind, even more so when I pass guys like that on my cruiser...
B808, you should get a kick out of these.
Awesome videos, KF. I especially liked the 2nd one, partly b/c you picked good tunes for it, and partly b/c you totally dropped the surrey-bus right at the beginning.
Ps- obviously, both bikes are totally rideable. Even with inverted ramshorns, Firewing seemed to be operating at normal cruiser-speeds, which seems ideal, if you were reasonably comfortable. How's Fugsley do on the beach?
Awesome videos, KF. I especially liked the 2nd one, partly b/c you picked good tunes for it, and partly b/c you totally dropped the surrey-bus right at the beginning.
Ps- obviously, both bikes are totally rideable. Even with inverted ramshorns, Firewing seemed to be operating at normal cruiser-speeds, which seems ideal, if you were reasonably comfortable. How's Fugsley do on the beach?
Guess I proved that Firewing would win a race with the pedal powered Savannah Slow Ride with 14 people pedaling.
I never took Fugsley to the beach. I am pretty sure it would have been horrible because of it's weight. I always planned on building up a second set of wheels that had normal OCC tires, but I never did. I actually traded Fugsley last year for a Felt, a Phat, and some parts.
I ride in sugar sand a lot; weight isn't as much of a factor as I thought it would be; whether your bike weighs 20lbs or 50lbs, it's gonna sink til the sand is compressed either way. I found that traction is key.... but not to the point where it digs and rooster-tails..... Ya gotta find the right balance.
Cool that Fugs went to a good home....
And, the feat of trouncing a vehicle with 14x the ppl-power is awesome... even if it prolly weighs 30x as much, and is called "Slow Ride...."
Cool that Fugs went to a good home....
And, the feat of trouncing a vehicle with 14x the ppl-power is awesome... even if it prolly weighs 30x as much, and is called "Slow Ride...."
Mine could win the race just sittin' still. http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/angled-truss-model-no-112.84781/
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Not sure why there is this notion that some of the builds are suspect to being able to be ridden. I haven't had a chance to see every single build (made it to page three so far); however, I did not see one bike that could not be ridden.
Being "able" to ride a bike is one thing; I'm probably "able" to ride a kid's BigWheel, in some fashion. They have monthly downhill rides in Van Nuys, Ca on 16"-wheeled kids bikes. Any bike with moving parts is technically rideable. Some are just more comfortable/practical than others. Obviously, the RRBBO isn't about comfort and practicality, but you'll want to find some balance. If a build is too distorted to allow the rider to take a quick ride to the corner store, what's the point?
I think there should be a requirement that we gotta post pics of someone riding the bike. A lot of bikes look cool leaning on the curb or up against a wall, but the coolness factor takes a big hit when you see the uncool contortions that the rider has to go thru to actually pedal the thing....
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Still, ride ten feet or 10 miles; it's about the build!
Yeah, I guess.... but if you don't wanna ride it more 10ft, what'd ya build, really?
