COZY BEEHIVE

• Nanotechnology Application In Bicycles : How Good?

  
  Readers may know that last year, I addressed how carbon nanotechnology technology had been seeping into the bicycling scene. While by themselves, the properties are very remarkable, the issue we all want to sort out is, how much is the end product we care [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:49pm EST
  

• 8 Things On Lance Armstrong From The "Other Side Of The Grass"

  Before you start :
  
  a. You may use any browser other than Firefox to optimally hear the audio clips below.
  b. Should you wish to share this with friends via email or with any others in a debate over the internet, use this shortened link that directs to [...]
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  Posted: November 29, 2009, 3:07am EST
  

• Fishy Marketing : The Slippery Speedplay Mannequin

  "I'm at the Speedplay Booth. Their leg mannequin has the biggest ass I've ever seen." - someone at Interbike this year.
  While I appreciate bike technology in all forms, I can't stand the inglorious ways by which people try to sell it to you. Readers may know that I' [...]
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  Posted: November 27, 2009, 1:26am EST
  

• Dirty Jobs To Feature Contador's Summer Work At Astana

  Yazoo! News : Mike Rowe, the charismatic face of Discovery's Dirty Jobs TV show, had been soliciting viewers for their own videos of dirty jobs performed by them in order to get new ideas for next year. And now it seems he has a finalist.
  
  Pro winningest' [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 2:33pm EST
  

• 60% Of Cycling Hour Records Due To Engineering

  I came across an unsurprising insight into the role that engineering plays in the cycling world hour record. Here's a quote from a recent Science News mag piece titled "Breaking The Speed Limit", which explores studies done to extract the role of better engineering in these records, and to' [...]
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  Posted: November 22, 2009, 3:31pm EST
  

• 10 Fantastic World Records With Bicycles

  So many different feats have been achieved by humans with bicycles over the years. Some of them (a handful actually), recognized by the Guinness Book Of World Records, have been collected by me today and posted here for your viewing.
  
  Can you blast away loosely held limits and [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 4:01am EST
  

• Design Case Study : Pedal Powered Canyon Transporter

  
  I appreciate projects that are simple, can actually be made using novel technologies and which really work well for the task at hand. Among them are those that try and see if pedal power can be applied in any fashion to solving practical problems, however [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 4:50pm EST
  

• The Optics Of Bicycle Reflectors

  The humble bicycle reflector works on the principle of corner cube retro-reflection. Incident light bounces off the orthogonally placed, reflective plastic surfaces and emerges in the opposite direction, parallel to the incident ray. Its totally and internally reflected. I have shown this for you in the following image. Additionally, you [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 12:13am EST
  

• DIY Electronic Shifting Bicycle Part II

  Hi folks. Here's little more background behind what was shown in Part I.
  Norbert Ladenburger hails from Schwäbisch Gmünd, a little town near Stuttgart at the northern foot of the Swabian Jura Mountains. By trade, he's a goldsmith and owns a small factory there. While one of [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 8:29pm EST
  

• Homemade Electronic Shifting Bicycle From Germany

  
  Here's a toast to cheap.
  
  Rumor has it that this German person named 'Norbert' made this rig under 50 euros (ha!). Not only did he make all the servomotor associated shifting mechanism himself, he also built the aero bike from bottom up including the' [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 10:32pm EST
  

• Some Probability And Statistics On The Individual Time Trial

  The Tour de France (TDF) is the marquee cycling event on the calender for any top international pro cyclist as well as their squads. Everyone wants to do well here because its arguably the biggest and most glamorous stage for displaying athletic talent. The competition is tough, the fans [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 2:01am EST
  

• 2009 Weblog Awards - Nominate & Vote For The Bee!

  Hey everyone. So a little about me again. I'm a mechanical engineer currently dabbling in electro-optics full-time after quitting my previous job in the petroleum industry. On the side, I survive through a rabid fascination for cycling and its many aspects, from tech and history to culture.
  
  For the' [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 7:00pm EST
  

• Battling The Tour de Off-Season

  Cattaraugus, NY
  
  For many here in the northeast of the U.S, crusty golden leaves have begun to fall, signaling the time of the year when we must take give our a nuts a break off the bicycle saddle and gather other edible nuts for winter.
  [...]
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  Posted: October 31, 2009, 1:35am EDT
  

• A Word On Bicycles And Radios

  Think back to a great speech, an interesting musical composition or an experience of going through a historical event live and chances are, you probably heard a good portion of them on the radio.
  
  Riding a bicycle and going places also instills deep memories. In developing nations, kids ride [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 1:27pm EDT
  

• Velo Taboo : Underwear Inside Shorts

  
  Attention Cycling Noob,
  
  Just where do you think you're going?? Are you wearing underwear, knickers, lingerie and ofter hardware under your cycling shorts?? If yes, just imagine someone plugged out a huge 8ft stop sign from the ground with utmost urgency and stuck it' [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 11:08am EDT
  

• Saturday Stupidity VII

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  FOR PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS OF STUPIDITY, SEE :
  
  Saturday Stupidity I
  Saturday Stupidity II
  [...]
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  Posted: October 24, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• E-Hub Marketing : A Important Lesson In Statistics

  
  Like the past 100 years, even today cycling products come and go. And with them, so do their marketing sound bytes...
  
  Any intelligent cyclist must carefully inspect marketing data handed to him, and question what is missing and why its missing. Weak data can [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 11:48am EDT
  

• Edge Composite 68 Carbon Wheel Failure

  Our protagonist, the author of a blog called "Manley Man", had recently participated in Levi Leipheimer's GrandFondo ride in California. Among the highlights of this ride are really steep descents, some of which feature blind corners.
  
  One of these, called Meyer's Grade Road, was an 18% [...]
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  Posted: October 19, 2009, 9:18am EDT
  

• Analysis Of The Bicycle Endo

  
  The endo, short for end-over or end-over-end, is a type of pitch over crash where the cyclist goes over the handlebars, the weight offset of which causes an inertial moment to act about the front wheel resulting in rear portion of the bicycle to flip [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2009, 1:02am EDT
  

• Pedal Force Simulator : Capturing The Outdoor Experience

  Components of Pedal Force Simulator
  
  Tom Compton, the personality behind AnalyticCycling.com, believes trainers do a shabby job of simulating outdoor riding conditions. There's that something missing in them.
  
  Well, nothing new there, as most of us have felt the same since time immemorial.' [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• The AssBLEND® Bicycle Saddle

  Apologetic Design Technologies
  Gentle Avenue, Koala Bear 73232
  
  Dear Customer,
  
  Congratulations. You've made the right decision in purchasing our newly designed bike saddle, the AssBLEND®.
  
  We at Apologetic have heard your needs and bring you a product that meshes perfectly with your ass like a fine fitting' [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2009, 12:49am EDT
  

• The G-G Diagram Applied To Bicycle Racing

  In the midst of our world of possibilities for data analysis in cycling performance, I was wondering if we could consider extending our scope a bit to other things.
  
  As we speak, more models of GPS systems, power meters and heart rate monitors are being designed and released with [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Cold Forging Technology At Shimano

  If you read descriptions of Shimano's products, you'll often come across the words "cold forged aluminum", mentioned with great pride.
  
  Forging is a metal shaping process in which a malleable metal part, known as a blank, billet or workpiece, is worked to a predetermined shape by one or more [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2009, 1:25am EDT
  

• Psychology Of Dog-Cyclist Encounters

  
  
  The human instinct to fear when something on four legs chases you down on a pathway is natural. The speed, ferocity and the sound of animal paws smacking the ground as it tries to catch up behind us sends us scrambling for escape responses. Getting caught up in [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2009, 1:34am EDT
  

• Saturday Stupidity VI

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Laugh the weekend away for me, will ya?....
  
  By the way, Cozy Beehive has officially chosen the following [...]
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  Posted: September 26, 2009, 1:57am EDT
  

• The Highlander Cycle Tour

  Distance : 105 miles (170km)
  Total Vertical Climbing : 10,000 feet+ (3050 m)
  Weather : 56 Deg F, Foggy With Rain (13 deg C)
  Ride Time : 8.5 Hours
  
  
  In between these days thinking about bicycle dynamics and other personal affairs, I managed [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Dynamic Stability Of Bicycle Design : Part 4

  "Trail can be found by supporting the bike on a flat surface in an upright position for measuring purposes. A centerline is run down through the head tube until it hits the flat surface. A vertical line is then dropped from the front axle until it hits the ground. The" [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2009, 2:05am EDT
  

• Dynamic Stability Of Bicycle Design : Part 3

  Enclosure: [download]

  Continued from Part 2.
  
  Hello bike nerds! Before you engage yourself in another installment in my series on bicycle stability, have a look at this clip from The Daily Planet shown on Discovery Channel Canada. The individual interviewed is Arend Schwab, a mechanical engineer with [...]
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  Posted: September 18, 2009, 12:14am EDT
  

• Dynamic Stability Of Bicycle Design : Part 2

  Enclosure: [download]

  Continued from Part 1.
  
  Here, we'll study some fundamental concepts associated with bicycle motion, before we step into play mode. This is necessary for understanding what is to follow in later parts.
  
  A bicycle is a single track vehicle and its dynamics can be studied with or' [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Dynamic Stability Of Bicycle Design : Part 1

  
  Bicycle motion is more complex than you think, perhaps more than that of an automobile. When someone, such as a frame builder Mr. X, Y or Z, tells you that one or two design parameters alone influence the ride of your bike, all they're providing' [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 11:40am EDT
  

• Discuss : Contemporary Body Culture In Cycling

  
  Anthropology of sport is an emerging research area for Dr. Brian Joseph Gilley of the University of Vermont. His research narrows in on the ways body culture in professional road cycling articulates with transnational sporting tradition and business. In particular, he is concentrating on [...]
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  Posted: September 07, 2009, 3:39am EDT
  

• That Strange Bicyclist, Alan Turing

  
  One of the reasons we have computers and can make it do wonderful things for us is largely because of one man. Alan Turing.
  
  Turing is the founder of the ideas behind the modern computer and artificial intelligence. The idea of controlling the computer's' [...]
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  Posted: September 02, 2009, 12:12am EDT
  

• The Fun & Modern Day Magic Of Bike Advertising

  That bicycle companies will go to odd lengths to market their products is clear when you pick up their catalogs and flip through their pages. If you manage not to drool all over yourself and drown in your own puddle, you may come across some odd nevertheless interesting finds.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: August 31, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• The "Dominant Left Theory" In Bicycling Crashes

  This blog brings you new perspectives and interesting ideas in cycling, without any charge. You may pay me back through your continued interest.
  
  Some months back while visiting a good friend of mine, I happened to grab a vintage cycling book off his shelf and flip across its pages. [...]
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  Posted: August 28, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Dynamic Ride Comfort & Measuring Vibration In Bicycles

  The concept of ride comfort varies from person to person. If one were to ask 10 different people about a particular bike's ride characteristics, its likely they'll say 10 different things. There's probably a good reason for this. Physiologically, we can sense pain better than comfort because our bodies have' [...]
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  Posted: August 25, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Safety Moment : Colliding With A Taxi At An Intersection

  Jody Leonard after a car-bicycle collision
  
  Good afternoon. Recently, a reader of my blog sent me this moving account of how he came to see the realities of a bicycle collision with an automobile.
  
  Less than a month back, Jody Leonard who works for [...]
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  Posted: August 21, 2009, 11:04am EDT
  

• The Machined Death Of A Water Bottle

  Sometimes, peculiar things happen to us. And we like to report it. Today's peculiar story to you is a minor tragedy to me. And there's an interesting causality to it, like all events in the world around us. Let me briefly show you causality.
  
  I had a desire to [...]
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  Posted: August 18, 2009, 12:26pm EDT
  

• Using Computer Aided Manufacturing To Make Titanium Frames

  Ever since the start of this month, Lynskey Performance Bicycles based in Chattanooga, TN has been quietly uploading videos of their manufacturing processes to the internet. As you know, Lynskey is the founder of the brand "Litespeed" which goes back a long ways. If I'm not wrong, it is' [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2009, 3:12pm EDT
  

• How To Form Excuses On Horrible Climbing Shows

  So your riding buddies trash talked you into riding some monstrous hills out somewhere in the exterior of civilization. But you've felt better on other occasions and boy oh boy, today is just not your day. If only bicycles were made like computers, we could all have an escape' [...]
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  Posted: August 13, 2009, 11:49am EDT
  

• Kinematics of Bicycle Hub Internal Transmissions

  
  An internal bicycle hub is an intricate planetary gear mechanism and is made of dozens of small parts. See, long before the derailleur became a staple in racing bikes in the 20th century, internal hub gears ruled the roost. In those days, these beautiful devices [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• The Rate Of Climbing Uphill Explained

  I've noticed that some cyclists who have been introduced to the concept of the rate of climbing uphill falsely think that Michele Ferrari pulled this out of his own pocket, as in, he invented it or something of that nature. Negative. He only went ahead and popularized the idea,' [...]
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  Posted: August 01, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• The Church Of Lance Armstrong

  
  Over the past couple of years, I have been sort of a silent surveyor of the emotions people have for Lance Armstrong. You need not go to Austin, Texas for this privilege. Its right here on the internet.
  
  While Mr. Armstrong's Twitter account is' [...]
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  Posted: July 28, 2009, 6:08pm EDT
  

• The Alberto Contador You May Not Know

  
  Here are some few items of interest you may not have known about our era's champion of pro cycling, that kid from Pinto named Alberto Contador. I gleaned them from my range of readings. I'm very sorry that most of you won't find this' [...]
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  Posted: July 26, 2009, 1:16am EDT
  

• 'Decommisioned' Bicycles & Their Waste Stream

  Keeping in with our theme of spills, crashes, injuries and utter turmoil, it has always struck me as to what people do with their destroyed carbon fiber bikes after a crash. Do they trash it in the dumpster? Do they try their best and send it somewhere for a [...]
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  Posted: July 22, 2009, 12:24pm EDT
  

• Was It Jens Voigt's Steerer Tube? [NOPE]

  Photo Courtesy : Graham Watson
  
  Rumors are flying out left and right that the certain "something in the road" that caused Jens Voigt to crash on the final descent in today's stage was infact not on the road but on his bike. His' [...]
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  Posted: July 21, 2009, 2:48pm EDT
  

• Tour Of The Highlands

  100 Miles
  5000 Ft Climbing
  7.5-8 hours saddle time
  
  I'd like to report to you that I recently relocated myself, three bikes and little bit of money I have to Rochester, NY. Personal reasons. Now I was overcome emotionally with the move. Having found a climber's [...]
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  Posted: July 20, 2009, 2:04pm EDT
  

• Winner Of AllModern 'Who..What...Why' Contest

  Good morning. I checked in with the jury from AllModern.com who helped me run the competition and looks like we have a winner. They put the total number of comments in a random number generator and apparently, comment#28 has the prize!
  
  The comment belonged to Michael from Seattle. [...]
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  Posted: July 20, 2009, 9:25am EDT
  

• Saturday Stupidity V

  Good morning.
  
  Our acrobat, a certain Olympics gold medal winner from Switzerland, is seemingly in a breakaway in the Tour de France. Of course, not many took notice as all this happened way behind. A video essay of the day's hard work....behind the peloton :
  
  
  
  In' [...]
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  Posted: July 18, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Micro Machining The World's Smallest Bicycle

  While I was away for a week, I saw that a bunch of you replied in comments to the "Who, What, Where" contest. Thank you so much for your thoughts. It gives me better insight into what some of my readers actually do in life. Now I will keep [...]
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  Posted: July 16, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• AllModern 'Who..What...Why' Competition

  
  Cozy Beehive is a unique cycling blog with its own niche. Although it is not as popular as some of the other ones on the web, I get readers from far and wide, all the way from Anchorage in Alaska to Porirua in New Zealand. [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 11:25am EDT
  

• The Crash General Classification

  Participants in this year's Tour will heavily contest the Crash General Classification or CGC for short. The coveted prize has more to it than the crappy yellow and green jerseys. Winners of the CGC will receive an emblematic white top with gory blood stains all over it. To go along,' [...]
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  Posted: July 07, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• How Its Made : Bicycles

  1. Mass Produced Metal Alloy Bikes : Episode 3 from Season 1 of Science Channel's How Its Made series explores the making of bicycles. The narrator was the show's first ever anchor, Mark Tewksbury. Now some of you might be bothered that this is not the "enthusiast" level [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Tour Wins, Probability & Sporting Misconceptions

  We have more or less 3 days to go for this year's Tour de France. It is that time again when various websites, blogs, forums and paper publications devote many many words and pages in prediction of who will win the yellow jersey in Paris. The focus is often on [...]
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  Posted: July 01, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Bike Shop Dreams

  "As long as you're going to think anyway, think big." - Donald Trump
  

  Be cautious. Have you ever found yourself, that day, fooling around in the bike shop, looking at mediocre bikes with modicum price tags when a clever little salesman decides to reel in your interest by quoting Donnie' [...]

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  Posted: June 29, 2009, 11:02am EDT
  

• Deceleration And Force Of A Helmeted Head Impact

  For a final post this week, I'd like to make you wonder what it is like to slam your head bolt on in an accident while cycling. The agenda is objectively put some numbers out there and give a feel for things, using myself as an example. I'll show you [...]
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  Posted: June 25, 2009, 1:48am EDT
  

• How Its Made : Nishi-Kasai Underground Bike Parking

  Readers will remember that I blogged last year about the brilliant underground bike parking system made by the Japanese at Nishi-Kasai Station in Edogawa, Tokyo. I just happened to discover a cool video from Japanese news broadcaster Newsline which details how one of these these automated [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2009, 4:37am EDT
  

• Efficiency In Inefficiency

  
  Cycling is said to be an efficient mode of transport, when compared to running or driving a motor vehicle. Agreed. Mile for mile, far lesser calories and energy is spent, far lesser pollution emitted. But might that idea topple upside down when the road heads [...]
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  Posted: June 23, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Alma 100

  On Father's Day I decided to go out to put some long miles in rural country. This adventure included one of my favorite spots to climb. Known as Alma Hill Road, in Alma NY, it happens to be the highest point in Western New York at 760m above sea' [...]
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  Posted: June 22, 2009, 2:50pm EDT
  

• Campagnolo 11 Speed Chain Failure

  Now if you don't use the Campy recommended, "200 dollar" chain tool to hook up your 11 speed chain, it will break. If not now, at some point. Because of the smaller tolerances and a special peening procedure involved, your conventional tool will not be able to seat the' [...]

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  Posted: June 19, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• How Your Pump's Pressure Gauge Works

  Recently, my 5 year old Park Tool floor pump started bleeding from its ears. The gauge hose ruptured and there was a major air leak, rendering the pump useless unless I replaced that hose (this is one of the most common failures that could happen to any pump, so if [...]
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  Posted: June 18, 2009, 2:46pm EDT
  

• Renewing Research Interest In Bicycles

  "The early bicycle manufacturing industry laid the groundwork for interchangeable parts and the assembly line was used to bring down the costs of automobiles. Even Henry Ford's first automobile was driven on four bicycle wheels. The Wright Brothers utilized much from their knowledge of bicycle stability and component design to'" [...]
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  Posted: June 11, 2009, 11:20am EDT
  

• Budbrake Modulator : Proportional Brake Control For Safer Bike Stops

  Enclosure: [download]

  Front wheel lockup upon brake lever activation is something that often sends riders (beginners and experienced alike) to pitch-over the handlebars and get injured often seriously. We are all told to feather the front brakes, and apply more braking to the rear wheel especially in a [...]
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  Posted: June 08, 2009, 7:17am EDT
  

• My Other Ride

  I'm traveling today so I don't have a special topic to write on. But as my friends told me, I thought I should take this opportunity to perhaps show you one of the bikes I ride these days. This one's a bit new, and I have shown you my primary' [...]
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  Posted: June 04, 2009, 5:04am EDT
  

• AFLD Team Up With Supercuts For A Drug-Bust Hair Salon

  If anyone has taken a close look at Lance Armstrong lately, it can be observed that he has put on a copious amount of both age and.... hair. As always, the wonder man is yet again displaying miracles. For a long time, it has been known that hair actually decreases [...]
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  Posted: June 02, 2009, 2:05am EDT
  

• Pop Quiz III

  Here's my quiz to you for this week. Leave your answers in the comments, leaving your name, blog or website. The winner who gives all correct answers first will be credited by a free link here to their site (and consequently, Google search results). Comments close on Friday, June 5.' [...]
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  Posted: June 01, 2009, 7:50pm EDT
  

• Design Case Study : Pedal Powered Hot Dog Launcher

  Enclosure: [download]

  So you're given a bunch of hot dogs. Then you're asked to come up with a team, and build a home made contraption measuring 6x6x6 ft so as to launch the dogs to the greatest possible distance in just 3 tries. As if that's not enough cause your head to' [...]
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  Posted: May 28, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• WBMD : Water Bottle Of Mass Destruction

  
  Every cyclist can be a chemist. And a dangerously accidental one at that. Even if you flunked high school chemistry.
  
  Did you ever have that time when you threw a water bottle into the kitchen sink, without emptying that tad bit of fancy powdered [...]
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  Posted: May 26, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Pop Quiz II

  Here's my quiz to you for this week. Leave your answers in the comments, leaving your name, blog or website. Winners will be credited by a free link here to their site. Comments close on Friday, May 29. Good luck now!
  
  1. Only two riders who won the Giro' [...]
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  Posted: May 25, 2009, 9:10am EDT
  

• Helmet Wearing For Drivers And Bicyclists

  I think I have made it clear many times on this blog why asking the question 'Shouldn't automobile drivers also wear helmets?" should not be an excuse for not wearing a helmet while cycling. It is naive and a little silly. Its like saying ..."I'm not doing this because my' [...]
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  Posted: May 22, 2009, 3:42pm EDT
  

• Ventilation Design In Velomobiles

  
  I've not ridden a velomobile myself as yet. But if my observation about their design is not too ignorant, I don't see how a fully enclosed recumbent will be comfortable riding in hotter temperatures. For one thing, the recumbent now acts like a greenhouse, [...]
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  Posted: May 20, 2009, 5:05pm EDT
  

• Pop Quiz I

  Here's the first pop quiz for this week. There is no prize money, gift cards, free bikes, used socks or fancy crap like that. This is just a fun learning exercise. Individuals (and their blogs) with all correct answers will be credited with a mention on this website. (Hint :' [...]
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  Posted: May 18, 2009, 2:53pm EDT
  

• Safety Moment : Crashing 60m Into A Ravine

  
  
  During today's stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia, a Spanish racing cyclist by the name of Pedro Horrilo lost control of his bike on the descent of the Culmine di San Pietro (Summit of St. Peter). The poor [...]
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  Posted: May 16, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
  

• Conversations With David Gordon Wilson : Part V

  Here is the final installment in my phone conversation with Prof. David Gordon Wilson, author of Bicycling Science. Here, he narrows down his views on a handful of important topics : art and bicycle design, the helmet debate, bicycles in formal education, environmental issues, and a few ideas on [...]
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  Posted: May 14, 2009, 9:22pm EDT
  

• Conversations With David Gordon Wilson : Part IV

  I've been away from the computer for the past one week, so here's the much awaited part IV of my phone conversation with Prof. David Gordon Wilson, author of Bicycling Science. In this installment, he shares some experiences in pedal powered flying and views on safety, bicycle manufacturers and [...]
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  Posted: May 11, 2009, 9:55pm EDT
  

• Conversations With David Gordon Wilson : Part III

  
  On The Passion For Bikes & Pedal Power
  
  
  ...Continued from Part II. On our second day with the phone conversation, David Wilson, author of the bestseller Bicycling Science, told me about his love for human powered vehicles, the bikes he rides, his belief in [...]
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  Posted: April 30, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Conversations With David Gordon Wilson : Part II

  
  Bicycling Science & Its Beginnings
  
  
  Continued From Part I (Intro). A gentle spoken bicycle guru, now pushing his 80's, talked to me about his famous book....
  
  
  Q. David. Let's talk about Bicycling Science, and the first edition ever. I'm curious what really got' [...]
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  Posted: April 28, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Conversations With David Gordon Wilson : Part I

  Last week, I had the honor to chat over the phone with Prof. David Gordon Wilson of MIT. It was an initiative I took as something told me I had to find out how he's doing and what he's upto these days, at the same time capturing some of [...]
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  Posted: April 26, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Broken Thomson Seatposts & The Overtightening Syndrome

  I wrote earlier about two recent incidents of Thomson Elite seatposts breaking during use, without any prior warning to the users (see here and here). I persisted in trying to extract as much information from Thomson about these happenings. Two phonecalls and an email to them never went [...]
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  Posted: April 23, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• A Tribute To Spandex

  
  
  I gave my groin to Spandex
  A fruit of Dupont's 'projects'.
  I need not dread,
  wearing a rubber tread,
  for now I have my Spandex!
  
  I gave my groin to Spandex
  A fruit of Dupont's 'projects'.
  Miles in peace,
  minus the woolly crease.
  [...]
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  Posted: April 21, 2009, 1:40am EDT
  

• Famous Cycling Personalities as Babies

  PHIL LIGGETT & PAUL SHERWIN
  
  Charles Liggett and Paul Sherwin were both attracted to television from infancy. On one of these occasions watching the idiot box, Charlie gave a piece of his mind to Paul for distracting him from the commentary ahead. It is now believed that Charlie [...]
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  Posted: April 17, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Thomson Elite Setback Post Failure

  
  Readers will note that I wrote about a Thomson seatpost bolting ear failure a few weeks back. 4 days ago, another Thomson Elite setback post was involved in an incident out on the field. The product owner reported that he had a close [...]
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  Posted: April 16, 2009, 1:15am EDT
  

• What Is Your Pedaling Style And Technique?

  Readers, let's talk pedaling in this post. It would be great to have all your input as comments.
  
  Basically, what I'm wondering is what each of your pedaling techniques are like. What do you think of when you pedal? Is there a rhythm you follow? Do you count in [...]
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  Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Components Design Process : A Look At 3 Companies

  Enclosure: [download]

  It takes a defined need, complex projects, considerable teamwork from different individuals, and effective communication to release auxiliary systems for biking to market. By auxiliary systems, I mean supporting components such as the wheels, transmission chains, shifters, handlebars, stems, sprockets etc without which control and mobility in a bicycle cannot [...]
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  Posted: April 11, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  

• Project One : Customizing Mrs.Obama For Cycling

  
  
  She left the White House for the G20 Summit donning a white custom ivory tulle tweed coat with grossgrain piping (whatever on earth that is). From there, it was all downhill. She changed to a yellow silk dress with a [...]
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  Posted: April 08, 2009, 1:01am EDT
  

• Design Case Study : The Cherry Bomb MTB

  Enclosure: [download]

  
  Some of you may have heard that Naked Bicycles, owned by the Canadian speed demon Sam Whittingham, won the 2009 People's Choice Award at the North American Hand Made Bicycle Show early this year. This is the second year in a row' [...]
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  Posted: April 04, 2009, 3:50pm EDT
  

• Bike Rage And Toilet Row On The ISS

  Reuters - The International Space Station was once a place where astronauts were sharing a toilet and a bike. Now in 2009, it is said to be embroiled in a Cold War-like stand-off. Or is it?
  
  It was 4 and a half years ago when [...]
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  Posted: April 01, 2009, 1:26am EDT
  

• Latest Research : Bicycle Second To Automobiles In Child Injuries

  Comment#30 or so from my last post really bothered me. I thought I'd address this and make some things really clear here, just to show everyone the severity of what we're looking at.
  
  Here's that comment, delivered by an anonymous poster :
  
  "As someone who has been'" [...]
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  Posted: March 31, 2009, 1:34am EDT
  

• Statisculation, Sporting Prejudice In Anti-Helmet Propaganda

  
  This post is In Memory Of Andrew Callighan, who died 21 April (Saturday), two days after he was struck by a pickup truck while riding his bicycle in Michigan. Andrew, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown several feet from his bike by [...]
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  Posted: March 27, 2009, 3:26am EDT
  

• Design Case Study : Thomson Elite Seatpost

  Readers will remember that a couple of days back, I ran a controversial story of a Thomson Elite seatpost that broke off at one of the bolting ears due to a "fall". I placed known marketing information about the product alongside the given failure situation. Why some readers were [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 3:04am EDT
  

• EE-yikes : 5 Pivot Brakes, Modulation, Cost

  
  "The real question is, 'Does the design work really work?'. The short answer, “OH YA!” The wide stance and vise like look of the eebrake translates directly into outstanding braking performance. Optimized leverage and modulation is realized through our multiple lever system. Our efficient structure" [...]
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  Posted: March 24, 2009, 1:08am EDT
  

• Thomson Elite Seatpost Failure

  BOLTING EAR FAILURE ON IMPACT
  
  Despite all the reputation that Thomson has in making reliable cycling components and giving the best cushions against catastrophic failures on impact, this person's Elite seatpost (in particular, one of the bolting ears that stick out sideways ) broke off like chalk piece' [...]
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  Posted: March 19, 2009, 12:01am EDT
  

• Tour of Calfee Design's La Selva Beach Facility

  Steve Chang, Calfee's general manager, led a tour of Calfee's facility in La Selva Beach for SF bicycle transportation examiner Ben Marks.
  
  Writes Ben :
  Calfee Design fills a warehouse at the edge of the Monterey Bay Academy's 379-acre property, about 15 miles south of Santa Cruz.' [...]
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  Posted: March 17, 2009, 11:41am EDT
  

• Safety Moment : Downhill Cycling Accident Causes Death

  Brace yourselves. Only this blog will be completely transparent to you and show you how an accident, human error or faulty design in cycling can hamper your health and put you in serious danger, sometimes even resulting in death.
  
  This one culminated in a loss of life. [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2009, 11:26am EDT
  

• Factor 001 : Formula 1 Instrumented Racing Bike

  
  We're increasingly seeing companies specializing in motor vehicle systems enter the cycling industry. One of the obvious perks of this trend is that some fresh ideas are being dragged along into the cycling scene! Only a few weeks back, I had posted in depth about' [...]
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  Posted: March 11, 2009, 12:22am EDT
  

• Enemy Within : Uncivilized Bike Riders In NYC

  On the front page of The New York Times online today was this :
  
  
  I'm a regular on nytimes.com, and I don't feel I'm exaggerating when I say that this article was nothing short of embarrassing for me as a cyclist. The writer' [...]
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  Posted: March 08, 2009, 4:00pm EDT
  

• Steel Fork Blade Failure

  The following graphic shows an old steel fork of a bicycle which, during some repair work at a bike shop, lost its right blade due to a failure at the crown of the fork. The pictures are from Rivendell Bicycle's 2009 web reader, in an article titled "Time &'" [...]
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  Posted: March 07, 2009, 2:12pm EST
  

• Can A Titanium Frame Be Reused After Fire Abuse?

  Here's the most interesting aftermath of a Seven Cycle's customer whose house caught on fire on New Year's night (worst thing that could happen to anyone on New Year's). The fire did not spare his Seven Aerios bike. Below are pictures that show the damage the fire did. Seeing [...]
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  Posted: March 04, 2009, 11:44am EST
  

• Effect Of BVID On Carbon Fiber Bike Frames

  Barely Visible Impact Damage (BVID) is something we all fear in our nice looking carbon fiber bikes. It looks good on the outside but the material within is not structurally sound. This can happen after an impact such as that caused in an accident and depends upon the extent and [...]
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  Posted: March 02, 2009, 12:42pm EST
  

• Saturday Stupidity IV

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [...]
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  Posted: February 28, 2009, 12:47am EST
  

• Bikes and The Economy Part III : How To Survive The Credit Crisis

  While we talked about the effects of the economy on the bike business in two other posts (click here and here), mainly in the form of bad news, here's one that's much more positive. The article appeared in the Ames Tribune (Ames is in Iowa), making top [...]
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  Posted: February 26, 2009, 3:00am EST