Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Are the trusted methods the best?

Just a random thought which is running through my mind...thought by sharing it, I might receive some feedback to its practical application.
A bicycle drivetrain runs simply. A chain runs over two chain rings, through different sizes in the chain rings, the number of pedal revolutions determine the number of times the wheel spins. The closer the size of the two opposing chain rings, a lower level of power output is needed to turn the rear wheel. Unfortunatley, the wheel turns much slower if the gears are at a 1x1 ratio opposed to a 2x1 system, yet it requires less power. Although a lower gear ratio requires less power, more pedal revolutions are required to achieve the same distance (or number of wheel revolutions) of a higher ratio.
Now, with that in mind, I'm going to bring rock climbing into the equation. When climbing big walls, multiple days are spent on a rock face and all the required supplies must be hauled up the wall one rope length at a time. The method used to make the chore of pulling 100 or more pounds up a sheer face by a rope is accomplished with a pulley system. Essentially it is the same way different gear sizes are used to vary the power needed to turn the rear wheel on a bike, yet the difference is, when hauling on a big wall, if you pull 1 foot of rope through the system, the haul bag moves one foot closer to you. A bicycles low gear ratio will create a lower output of power needed to turn the wheel but will not mimic the efficiency of the pulley systems distance which is achieved.
Bikes have been standarized to use the drivetrain system they use now, a chain running over two rings or pulleys. As we've seen, the stadardized wheel size has changed to a more efficient system...so why not wonder? Is it feasible to think that incorporating a pulley system in the crankset along with various gear ratios into a bicycle which may in turn create a more efficient system of pedaling? What if the chain ran through four chain rings instead of two, could a drastic decrease of power output needed to push an identical gear ratio w/ only two chainrings result? In a C-130 engine, the gearbox, which utilizes power output from the jet engine attached to it, uses a planetary gear system (many smaller gears turning one larger gear) to achieve insane amounts of torque raising the gear ratio yet using the same power output.. Could this somehow be applied to a bicycle to create an even more efficient pedaling system than what we've been told is the best?
I don't know all the physics behind this idea (for instance i the friction from multiple chain rings is more substatial than the benefit) and maybe someone will say something to make me say..."oops, yeah, there is no sense in that", but to me right now I see logic in it. There is always a better way, if that weren't true we would still be riding fixed gears or wooden wheels, or maybe solid iron framesets. Innovation drives everything, although I'm sure my concept can be shut down quickly, there is a lot that can be improved, as long as the desire to create something better is there... it will happen.
As i said before...just a thought, give me your feedback, you cant offend me.


PS...I had to pull a tick from my leg yesterday!! I hope I dont get lyme disease.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Sean Meets Parked Car...


...on a bike. The bike is ok, but I gotta wear this for 2 weeks. Nothin broke, just a damaged tendon. I'd write more but its kinda hard w/ this thing on.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Quick solution

I took my geared bike out, kept dropping the chain in the front and screwed up my ride. So to fix the problem I made a chain keep out of a front derailleur. By bending off excess parts and puting in a longer limit screw to extend the cage to the middle ring, I made something pretty small that keeps the chain on tight from both the side and the top in two spots to hold it down when the chain loses tension... I think it will work better than a 3rd eye. Anyways, here it is. Now all i need is the bash guard.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Pictures...at Erics request

First a few pics from the hike we did...








Then gotta throw in the beast...(Horse Flats)


Then my new used frame I got for free...Cannondale CAAD 4 frame...

Now the Fetish Fixation up and running...mostly...
and the best bike is saved for last...
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Here it comes.....
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the coolest bike in the garage.....
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aint it pretty?
(Moms new bike if u didn't know)
...but theres more...
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almost there...
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keep goin...
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just a lil message from Kelsey and I....
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our way of saying hello....
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the best way we can....
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its coming, be patient...
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a lil more patience.....
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AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!




Wednesday, September 26, 2007

To whom it may concern...



I guess just a lil update on life for me now. I know Amy and I have done a lil phone tag and Kelsey and I haven't talked in awhile so I thought I would let ya know whats going on here.


I'm working at Performance Bike in Pasadena, just starting my4th week (I think). Its a mellow atmosphere, I love it. I get to talk about bikes all day w/ customers and actually learn a lot from people...problem is that I have to play it off as knowing what a customer is talking about even if I have no clue...I guess this helps me pick up and learn things quickly. Anyways its fun sometimes acting as the expert bike salesman who (in the customers mind) knows everything.


Its a fun job, on top of that I've been cruisin the single speed all over these hills...try it, you'll love it. I'll be going to PCC in January to finish out my associates, and I guess on top of that I've been teaching Logan his place as the youngest son.

Monday, September 10, 2007

It's been awhile since I posted

This is directed to the spandexers in the fam...primarily Eric.


The challenge is for you to wear your get up and hit up a trail w/ some knobbies w/ anyone in this pic. We'll see how much of an advantage giving up your dignity really creates.

Keep it pure, don't accessorize.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

SpRaY pAiNt CaN bE sO mUcH fUn!

So I'm outta the Air Force now. I'm indifferent on how I feel about that, but it is what it is. Since I've been home, in my spare time I've been redesigning the Cannondale. It's got a cracked frame so if my experiments had turned out poorly, it wouldn't matter too much. Here is the finished product, just minus the chain and derailleurs (?) Plus a pic of what it once was when first bought. Notice the Crimson Ghost replacing the Cannondale logo. Eric, you're probably the only one who knows what it is, but that doesn't matter.
The Old Bike Above...Then The New below