I fell into chat at another site with a guy who claims to design bike parts. With my photo He complained that my steering tube was at less of an angle than most other frames. He stated that a bike without enough angle will increase the shear stress on the forks and that rotating the fork as I've done aggravates that angle even more. I have noticed this lesser angle of the Avalon Steering tube in the photo and I must admit that this seems to make sense to me. I'm afraid this guy may be correct. His final claim was that I had to pay much more for a safe frame like maybe 10 times what I paid for the whole bike. I need a hug cause I feel terrible now. Has this guy got a point or what. :cry:
I just got beat up on the internet.
- Thread starter pablo6276
- Start date
Recently, while building my own recumbent, I had to saw the steer-tube off an old fork and I gotta tell ya, I was pretty impressed with the welding and tube thickness at that area. I'm sure the manufacturer has very seriously considered the stress this particular spot encounters. The steer-tube was butted, that is, thicker at the end which is welded to the fork and heavily re-enforced. Could it fail? Anything is possible, I suppose. But in all my years of riding/abusing bicycles I have never personally experienced a fork failure. And I am a heavy guy! Unless you'll be taking your bike down the side of a very steep mountain at break-neck speeds in search of a new speed record, I doubt you can break that fork under normal use. Just my opinion. I say get out there and enjoy your new Cruzbike and to heck with that other guy. Consider yourself hugged 
P.S. That is one sweet looking bike! Nice work!
P.S. That is one sweet looking bike! Nice work!
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
The steering tube angle is unchanged, the bracket puts the axle in the same location it was before you reversed the forks.
If you run a horizontal line from the axle to the fork, it is higher up than the original fork dropouts, so the axle doesn't have additional leverage over the fork, he imagines.
If he wants to spend 10 times that on some other bike, great. I'll be keeping my extra dollars thanks.
If you run a horizontal line from the axle to the fork, it is higher up than the original fork dropouts, so the axle doesn't have additional leverage over the fork, he imagines.
If he wants to spend 10 times that on some other bike, great. I'll be keeping my extra dollars thanks.
Doug Burton
Zen MBB Master
You can always find an expert.
The tough part is finding someone who knows what they're talking about.
The tough part is finding someone who knows what they're talking about.
rando-couche
New Member
At the risk of sounding snarky, yeah, he has a point, but he combs his hair so it doesn't show.
SP
Bend, OR
What a great bunch we have here. Thank you all for your quick responses. Any of you lurking out there, aught to just go on a sign up here.
Def Jack you are exactly right. I am long over due on a driving report. Not being an authentic or true road biker my report will be quite drab. I have not completed any high speed down hill runs. My max speed for now has been around 20 mph (how dull is that). 3 to 8 miles each excursion and limited to just my neighborhood or the lake at Shelby Farms. With the 2 inch (45lb) stock tires that come on the bike it likes to travel at 10 to 15 mph, mostly 10 to 12 (or is that just this age 65, 250 lb body of mine). My cadence averages around 48 to 52. You be the judge if this bike could perform more with a younger rider, I'm sure of it. Non the less there it is. That's what I've been doing for the last couple of 3 weeks. Jack, yes the front and back suspensions are pushed to the max in my opinion. I probably have less than an inch of play left with me on it. I read on the piston on the back that is has a supposed limit of 300 lb. I do wish there was more info to be had on the suspension. Really that goes for all knowledge of suspension. I would really like to be more than just some subjective observations about suspension.
For those interested performance should change considerably in that I have a Golden Eagle Bike Engine kit in my living room as we speak (Robin 33CC-4 cycle). I know the purists around here going to ruff me up a little for this so go ahead I'm getting use to being ruffed up on the internet. None the less this will definitely put my frame and forks to the test and will require a report for those interested. The kit results in 14 more lbs to the bike. Bring the total of 42 plus the 14 equals 56 lbs. I can hear the purists shuddering now.
Regards
JohnTolhurst; You are one of the purists that will still see the method to my madness here with the engine is what I mean. This is my attempt at the "Judicious dispensation of power" we talked about. Just as I recognized your talent I like to think I see a talent in this Dennis guy at Golden Eagle Bike Engines.
Regards
PS Jack; I don't consider this report finished by any stretch.
Def Jack you are exactly right. I am long over due on a driving report. Not being an authentic or true road biker my report will be quite drab. I have not completed any high speed down hill runs. My max speed for now has been around 20 mph (how dull is that). 3 to 8 miles each excursion and limited to just my neighborhood or the lake at Shelby Farms. With the 2 inch (45lb) stock tires that come on the bike it likes to travel at 10 to 15 mph, mostly 10 to 12 (or is that just this age 65, 250 lb body of mine). My cadence averages around 48 to 52. You be the judge if this bike could perform more with a younger rider, I'm sure of it. Non the less there it is. That's what I've been doing for the last couple of 3 weeks. Jack, yes the front and back suspensions are pushed to the max in my opinion. I probably have less than an inch of play left with me on it. I read on the piston on the back that is has a supposed limit of 300 lb. I do wish there was more info to be had on the suspension. Really that goes for all knowledge of suspension. I would really like to be more than just some subjective observations about suspension.
For those interested performance should change considerably in that I have a Golden Eagle Bike Engine kit in my living room as we speak (Robin 33CC-4 cycle). I know the purists around here going to ruff me up a little for this so go ahead I'm getting use to being ruffed up on the internet. None the less this will definitely put my frame and forks to the test and will require a report for those interested. The kit results in 14 more lbs to the bike. Bring the total of 42 plus the 14 equals 56 lbs. I can hear the purists shuddering now.
Regards
JohnTolhurst; You are one of the purists that will still see the method to my madness here with the engine is what I mean. This is my attempt at the "Judicious dispensation of power" we talked about. Just as I recognized your talent I like to think I see a talent in this Dennis guy at Golden Eagle Bike Engines.
Regards
PS Jack; I don't consider this report finished by any stretch.
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
I reckon your next step is some 100 psi tires. 26 x 1.5" we put on the sofrider, they just do a great all round job. That will give you such a nice roll out you'll be encouraged to stretch your distances step by step.
Mark, I hope this is enough info as per high pressure tire requirements. These are "Next" bikes that are distributed by the old bike company in New York called Kent bike company. The wheels are advertised as alloy rims and stainless steel spokes. I measured the spokes as 14 ga and there are 36 of them. Is that enough info?
I see these "Next" bicycles for sale in quite a few places besides Wally World even though that is a strike against them.
Regards
Biscuit
Member
rando-couche wrote: At the risk of sounding snarky, yeah, he has a point, but he combs his hair so it doesn't show.
SP
Bend, OR
This is hilarious.
byagain,
When I build my cruzbike I was 296#. After three weeks of eating right and riding a lot I am now at 278#. If this bike was going to come apart it would have. I am riding about 10 plus miles a day with some days of 16 to 23 miles. This includes hard hits on curbs and rough sections of road. All the parts came off of my delsol and I have had to replace all of the bearings from BB to wheels. I think if there were any flaws due to the bike we used to build with they would have shown up by now. As for my humble opinion there ain't nuting wrong with your (our) bike(s).
Rod
Doug Burton
Zen MBB Master
The issue with rims and high pressure tires is that frequently single-wall rims can spread open under tire pressures of 100 psi or more and release the tire bead. The tube then escapes and encounters the frame or brake and BLAMMO! This is why these bikes are usually delivered with tires with max pressures of 40-65 psi (that and the cost of the tires!)
With a single-wall rim, the ends of the spoke nipples are just under the rim strip, standing proud of the rim inner surface (something feels vaguely wrong with that sentence...) With a double-wall rim, the spoke nipples are down in holes under the rim strip.
Good luck.
I wouldn't go much over 80 psi on a single-wall low-cost rim...
