Comments on: Gary Fisher Press Camp: The Racers Speak

By: professed

professed — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:27:35 +0000

GT – a minor correction:
” JHK was also the first to race a 29?er at the World Championships in Australia this year.” is not exactly correct.

I saw Todd Wells race his Specialized 29er and to an 8th place – ahead of JHK and little Ken Onodera from Japan was also there on his superfly as he was last year at the world cup event. Sadly, he flatted this year and was out of the race.

The World Championship track in Australia is very technical and tight in its main climb so along with proving that smaller people can successfully race 29ers the Elite girls (and Ken) also proved that a tight and technical track can be nailed with a 29er putting another old argument to bed.

By: Kosmo

Kosmo — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:40:57 +0000

Weatherman,

We’re of similar size (6’2″ with short legs and long torso). You need an XL. I’ve measured them out in the flesh (carbon?), and surprisingly, the Fly 100 is a bit shorter in the top tube dimension than my personal XL Sultan trailbike.

Not sure why they did this on a pure race machine, but they did!

By: Alan 2dogwalk

Alan 2dogwalk — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:46:07 +0000

I would be very excited to read your results of two bathroom scales measuring your fit , ride, and terrain experiences versus wheel weight distribution, as I was with your front end geometry series. (Do not forget to enhance accuracy by comparing the different scales’ readings with a known weight approximately equal to half your body and bike combined weight.)

Oops, I forgot to confirm my guess (or tread back through all of your blog entries to get your TT perference convert to mm and go to Fisher’s geometry chart) that you went with the 19″ Fishers.

Perhaps, the data could be expanded as a tribal ritual around the campfire at the “Big Wheeled Ballyhoo.”

Many years/decades ago motorized race teams did not perform such measurements as a part of their race setup. I suspect the first crew chiefs/engineers that were asked answered with: “That is overkill!”

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:47:33 +0000

@Alan 2dogwalk: Well, with the exception of moto-cross, the riders/drivers and motors are not dynamic forces. Plus, the weight of a rider on a bicycle far outstrips the rolling chassis weight (bicycle) which is also unheard of in motor sports.

I am not saying that a weight distribution analysis is wrong for cyclists, but I am saying it is a very different set of parameters that must be dealt with in terms of cycling.

I do not know if the technique of weight distribution analysis is applied to cycling, but if it is, probably only at the very highest levels. I do agree something could be gained from looking at this more closely.

By: Alan 2dogwalk

Alan 2dogwalk — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:27:57 +0000

GT thanks for more of your body info. Our frame choice differences make perfect sense, I turn out to be more torso, less leg, and long arms.

Every motorized 2 and 4 wheel race team in the world use scales under each tire to scientifically balance weight based on experience with the course they intend to race.

Can you comment on whether bicycle race teams are also using this technique and any guidlines they have developed based on the topology of the course they are tuning their setup. Body weight scales turn out to be pretty common household tools.

I am pretty sure all people on all bikes can benefit from better handling associated with an optimized setup. However, I will concede more time pedaling and less time with setup is the right ratio of a person’s free time.