chain stay measurement please

[twhbent]

Can someone with a medium chain stay on their V2.0 please get me a measurement from the bottom side of the top brace(just below the bb) to the top of the bottom brace(just above the wheel). I would like to compare that measurement with my large(6 1/4 in.) chain stay. Just curious as to how much a medium chain stay would actually allow me to push the handle bars away from the rider to allow easier exiting of the bike. As I age(58 now) I hate the thought of not being able to remove myself safely from the bike. I manage ok now although I would prefer it to be easier. Also I know finding a medium chain stay is like finding hens teeth, so I might need to consider purchasing an already set up V with a medium chain stay. I know where one can be found(now) but not sure if I have enough aluminum cans. With my current set up the boom is actually more parallel to the ground(although I'm comfortable with it) than what I see in some of the pictures posted
(most recently Duncan's). Just trying to prepare for the future, and yes I do prefer the YELLOW V, it looks so awesome
I'm having trouble trying to attach more photos, any suggestions on how this is done. I've tried dragging and dropping, also uploading a file and I receive an error message that it is to large. I was lucky being able to load this picture. Thanks.

 

[John Dorlon]

Here you go. Looks like I need to wash my bike! When I first bought mine, it accidentally came with a large chain stay. Should have been a medium. I was actually considering buying a small, but I'm glad I went with a medium. With the large, I couldn't even get the boom parallel to the ground, it was actually sloping down towards me! With the medium, I'm not sure what the angle is - maybe a few degrees below parallel to the ground - it's just right for me. It kinda looks level in the picture, but it looks less level in real life.

 

[MrSteve]

How to dismount?

First, to safely dismount, come to a complete stop.
Place both feet on the ground.
Depending on your shoulder flexibility, handedness or other factors,
squeeze one brake with one hand and put your free hand on the seat behind you.
Push yourself up off the seat and out of the cockpit with the hand you have planted on the seat back behind you.
Sit back down on the seat back.
You should be sitting upright, in a normal posture, out from under the handlebars.

Make sure that your brakes are adjusted and both the pads and the wheel rims are clean.

 

[DuncanWatson]

I do the double brake reverse seat scoot to get out. When I didn't have the seat mounted firmly (during fitting) I used MrSteve's method with the hand on middle of seat.

 

[DuncanWatson]

John, I am very curious about your bike light mount as I wish to copy it. Can you tell me more about it?

 

[John Dorlon]

That's a Cygolite Expellion. They sell them in different brightnesses. I think might be a 600. The name has worn off of it so I can't tell.

http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Expilion-680-USB-Headlight/dp/B00E1NPYQM/

They sell a helmet mount for it - that's how it's attached to the boom.

http://www.amazon.com/CygoLite-Helmet-Mount-for-ExpiliOn/dp/B0055OEZDY

I'm very pleased with both the light and the mount. The light is bright enough for night riding, but I rarely ride at night. Mostly I just put it on "flash" mode so I can be seen.

The only "hack" that I had to do was wrap a little electrical tape around the mount after I mounted it - just to cover up the rough side of the Velcro so it wouldn't grab my cycling pants. It's not a problem with shorts.

 

[John Dorlon]

My dismount technique is to put both feet down and stand up right before I am stopped. I'd guess I'm going about 2 or 3 mph at that point. My momentum stands me up and the bike rolls forward a bit to get the handlebars out of my way. It's fun!

 

[trplay]

And yet another viewpoint on light position. I stay away from the boom for two reasons. One it is a visual distraction from the road. Two I can't change intensity efficiently. If you could mount the light on the bottom bracket and have a button on the handlebar to change the power it would be great. I have been unable to find anything like this that I liked. My alternative is mounting a Serfas light near my brake lever but not on a hand position. The handlebar oem mount allows it to swivel giving you the desired light on the road position. The power settings go from 1-4 with 1 being the brightest. I have found normal riding 4 is fine and saves battery power. This means when I encounter the high speed descent or find the road just changed conditions I can simply reach with my thumb and hit the button once and I have jumped to full power. Changing to high power fast while keeping your hands on the handlebars is an important consideration if you do long brevets, riding in a group, or have the need not to blind oncoming traffic. Shorter commuter rides probably not so important.

 

[John Dorlon]

I can't argue with it being in the field of view of the road, but I wouldn't call it a distraction. And I can easily reach my light to turn it on/off, adjust the setting, or adjust the aim (both right/left and up/down). It's not as easy as a button on my handlebar, and I can't do it while applying full power, but it's easy to do while coasting or pedaling lightly.

 

[ratz]

My dismount technique is to put both feet down and stand up right before I am stopped. I'd guess I'm going about 2 or 3 mph at that point. My momentum stands me up and the bike rolls forward a bit to get the handlebars out of my way. It's fun!

Yeah that's about what I normally do; basically reverse of the glide and slide mount. I clip out at about 5mph; bend my knees 90 degrees and sit up; then apply brakes put feet down and stand up; the bike then just rolls forward and I'm standing over it. I have a far hard time getting out if I'm at a dead stop so I avoid it whenever I can.

Another viewpoint. I very much like it when I have the hand position options of the horn. Hands in the valley between the horn and bar (where you are putting the mirror) is my bail out position when on long rides and I need a change.

My position or dunan's photo? I actually do some straight arming like that but it's easier on the Silvio; the mirrors will rotate 90 degrees and still be usuable for vision but out of the way of the inside position. Takes about 2 atttempts to get use to doing it smoothly.

If you could mount the light on the bottom bracket and have a button on the handlebar to change the power it would be great.

I'm guess this is something we might be able to get DesignShine to build a version of their lights for. Stephen is the wunder engineer and it looks like he's back from hiatus and offering lights again.

 

[MrSteve]

There're many ways to dismount, for sure!

The one I hunt-and-pecked out is what I use in the garage, while adjusting the boom,
the handlebar, the brifters, the brakes, the neck rest, the bottle holders, the everything-connected-to-everything-else.
It's also probably a pretty good technique when the bike's hooked up to the trainer and your eyes are full of sweat.

When the bike is together, roadworthy and you're just pretty much riding it, then it's a bit different!
I too like to hop off with the bike in motion.

But when you're new to the bike and still adjusting things, it helps to know how people pry themselves
out of the cockpit, when the bike itself is not quite ready to go yet.

 

[ratz]

But when you're new to the bike and still adjusting things, it helps to know how people pry themselves
out of the cockpit, when the bike itself is not quite ready to go yet.

Oh man those are some miserable memories you just evoked for me....

 

[DuncanWatson]

I did some loose fitting while the bike was still in my stand and I didn't have chain on or brakes wired. Getting off the seat was interesting. But luckily I have a lowracer with a fixed tiller and knew tricks to use. Otherwise I would still be trapped in my garage calling for my wife.

 

[twhbent]

John, thank you for the measurement. It appears to be approx a 3 1/2 inch difference in the two measurements. That difference would allow for quite a large angle adjustment to move the handle bars(forward) away from the rider(in particular the stomach area). I'm aware that this problem exists for those V owners with the large chain stay. If anyone knows of a medium chain stay for sale I like others am interested in purchasing a medium chain stay. Thanks everyone for your experienced techniques for dismounting from the V.