From: someone@anywheret.net   
      
   "JimD"  wrote in message news:2017051723265234090-email@nowherecom...   
      
   > that's fine.  they probably don't even care :-)   
      
   If they want to be fixated on death, they can have it - but as the Bridge in   
   "Stranded" goes, "...I'm still into life, I've not resigned it..".   
      
   > The modern copies are probably, at least to an extent, cnc replicas of a   
   > few original guitars Fender has.  Except the necks. Squire necks aren't   
   > like the old ones at all. In many ways they are better.  The new necks are   
   > consistent dimensionally, and the frets are far better dressed.   
      
   Reminds me of WWI replica planes, they look and sound like the orignal ones   
   of over 100 years ago, but the fabric that they're covered with is at least   
   ripstop nylon or polyester, and lots of carbon fiber in the spars and other   
   critical members, and the engines have much closer tolerances and are far   
   more reliable, and overall the  planes are a lot safer too.   
      
   > the band has some gigs that go that far out, but that's not the norm.   
   > reason being, bands aren't the " thing " anymore.  DJ's are.   
      
   A better way of putting it, Music isn't the  thing anymore, CRAP is!   
      
   > I wanted to ride today, but didn't.  Won't tomorrow either, as band   
   > rehearsal will suck up the day.   But soon ......   
      
   I might force myself to ride tomorrow ;)   
      
   > On a true " fixie " the rear wheel has one toothed gear that is rigidly   
   > connected to the hub.  Solid.  It doesn't free spin in either direction.   
      
   Yes, I know, and you can't Really coast unless you get your feet off the   
   pedals because the turning rear wheel will keep the crank turning too.   
      
   > On normal rear hubs, the gear will free spin in one direction, yet lock up   
   > and turn the wheel in the other.  On a " normal " bike, if you stop   
   > pedaling while the bike is moving, the pedals just coast, they are   
   > attached by the chain to the rear hub, and it's freewheeling. You can   
   > pedal backwards even, nothing happens, the rear hub just rachets .....   
      
   Yep, it's a good idea because that way, the  rider's feet can stay on the   
   pedals without interfering with the bike's motion.   
      
   > Not so on a fixie.  The rear hub is solidly connected to the rear gear. If   
   > the wheel turns, the pedals do too, in either direction.   
      
   That means that if you ever had the inclination, you could pedal the bike   
   backwards ;)   
      
   I do recall once seeing a bike with a 'locked' together rear (wheel) and   
   front (crank) sprocket, but the crank itself was freewheeling so that the   
   rider could safely shift gears while coasting because the chain and gears   
   all kept moving so long as the bike was moving, seemed pretty cool but I've   
   never tried one.   
      
   > Oh, I see what you're suggesting, that you use your leg muscles to   
   > gradually stop the rear wheel.  Well, ok, try that.  At very low speeds   
   > you might be able to do it. At any real speed, you'll quickly learn that   
   > the momentum of the pedals is FAR more than you weigh.  The bike will   
   > simply throw you off if you apply much force at all to pedals in an   
   > attempt to stop the wheel.   
      
   I was thinking more in terms of loading up the opposition to the rear wheel   
   turning by making it keep lifting your weight as you transferred it side to   
   side on the pedals while  standing on them - it should slow you down and   
   stop you just as you started and sped up using the same, SLOW system ;)   
      
   > Really. I own one of these.  It'll kill you.   
      
   Particularly if you HAVE to stop, as in quickly ;)   
      
   > You might as well reach down into an old GM V8 and try to stop the engine   
   > by grabbing onto the front balancing wheel.   The momentum will just tear   
   > your hands off.   
      
   I'm not referring to that, only using the same muscles that got you  going   
   on the same pedals resisting their movement by applying energy in opposition   
   to the bike's motion, ideally by standing on the  pedals...which will be as   
   slow a process as it was getting going in the first place ;)   
      
   > And a fixie will throw you over the handlebars, or break your legs if you   
   > aren't EXTREMELY careful.   
      
   Anyone who's going to ride a bike without brakes and no freewheeling has GOT   
   to be careful ;)   
      
   > ah, the memories :-)   
      
   I've still got that old Superia, rotting in the  garage. Maybe I might try   
   to restore it, it was such a great bike, I'd like it to be great again!   
      
   > yes, riding these types of bikes on normal roads is stupid. and dangerous.   
      
   I don't even think I'd feel very safe riding one on a nice indoor track.   
      
   > They are fun. But, they have flaws in the basic design, or more like, very   
   > odd design compromises.  If you could bend and mold the tubing around just   
   > right, they can work. The catch tho, is that unlike a normal bike where   
   > you stand over it, and can adjust the seat up or down a bit, on recumbents   
   > the whole bike sorta needs to " fit " the rider.   
      
   A commercially manufactured 'bent is fully adjustable, and the most   
   important adjustment is the so-called "X-Seam", the distance from your back,   
   hips, and butt to the bottom of your foot when your leg is fully extended to   
   the bottom of the pedal's (Power) stroke. Adjusting it is a simple matter of   
   sliding the seat forward or backward and then securing the locking handle   
   mechanism. That way, absolutely maximum power is delivered to the crank,   
   something that's neither practical nor safe with an upright conventional as   
   adjusting your seat high enough to get full leg extension on the crank will   
   also make it quite unsafe for the necessary constant mounting and   
   dismounting encountered whenever stopping is required, like out in traffic.   
   Not only that, but even with full extension power, your legs' downward force   
   will waste some energy in the form of causing you to rise somewhat off of   
   your seat since Only gravity is holding you there whereas with a 'bent,   
   you're thoroughly Braced so that ALL of your energy goes into t he crank and   
   does that ever make a difference! I was amazed when I tried my first 'bent   
   test ride...even deliberately started off in a high gear and in only a few   
   turns of the crank, even though it was a calm day, the relative wind really   
   blew my hair back...that bike got Movin'...Very quickly! Something I'd Never   
   experienced on a conventional upright bike!   
      
   > Mine is built to fit me, 5'9", and my brother, 6'3" can't even sit on it.   
   > He simply won't fit.   
      
   If the seating was adjustable, you'd both be able to ride it.   
      
   > His legs are too long, can't bend them to pedal and clear the steering   
   > column.  It's a bike built for me. From the pedal position on the frame to   
   > the seat angle, to how long the steering column is, all custom.  Fits me   
   > great. None of my friends can ride it. Ha, that's a plus.   
      
      
   Jim   
      
   Next time you decide to build one, be sure to make the seat moveable forward   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)