Sofrider/Willier Memorial Day Ride.

[MrSteve]

My bike is a Cruzbike Sofrider V1 that I've modified with a 52-42-30 triple;
Power Straps (in lieu of clip-in pedals) and a rear wheel fairing.

My brother in law's bike is a very tricked-out Willier carbon monocoque race bike.
He's a very experienced rider: he bought his first car late in life, even supporting
himself through Grad. school by building custom steel bike frames.

I took My brother in law,Steve, on a tour of my local back roads...and he took me the opposite way
I usually take.
Different downhills feel faster; different uphills feel more uphilly.
We were pretty evenly matched.

He climbs better than I do...but I'm capable of sprinting uphill enough to catch him
(when he lets me).
On the flats, I'm marginally faster, except where there's a tailwind when I'm much faster.
My transmission's gears are taller than his and I'm more aero, so I can spin away from him at will.
Downhill, we coast at the same rate, when Steve is in a full race-tuck in the drops.
Anything less and I'm faster.
In a head wind, I'm faster: I led him home in the headwind.
Pedaling downhill I leave him in the dust: he topped out at 37.
I topped out at 39.

So, we were a good match overall.
Although, I was pretty pooped after our 23 mile jaunt: I'd already sprinted a ten-mile
ride just before Steve's family rolled up!

Cruzebikes ROCK!

-Steve

 

[Peder Torgersen]

Hi Steve

Well done it seems that you are well trained and did well on this ride. You also wrote that you had a rear wheel fairing. Is that something you made? Is it possible to post a picture of your Sofrider? Maybe some of us can get some ideas for speed increase? :?: :idea:

Peder

 

[Hotdog]

Unfortunately Steve doesn't do photos...

 

[Mark B]

Hotdog wrote: Unfortunately Steve doesn't do photos...

Yeah and I've really begun to worry about his avatar, too.

Mark

 

[MrSteve]

Maybe, just maybe, with the proceeds from my next violin sale, I'll splurge on a camera.
-And maybe not.
I was going to get a camera this week, but decided to get two Ibex finger planes instead.
Tools.
Gotta have tools.
:roll:

I find that the faired rear wheel gave me about a mile-per hour speed gain.
Which is fine, but in itself, not worth the effort.
What makes it worthwhile is how much steadier and smoother it makes the bike.
Especially so in a crosswind.


From a sailing standpoint, the fairing on the rear wheel acts like the mizzen sail on a yawl,
moving the center of effort aft.
:shock:

-From an aircraft point of view, the wheel fairing acts like a the tail fin that the rudder is
mounted on, providing directional stability.
:shock:

My seat-of-the-pants feeling is of greater stability, quieter (those spoke nipples no longer
whip through the air at up to 78MPH) and much more confidence at speed in
heavy crosswinds.


It obviously acts like a splitter, under (and behind) the seat and smooths/controls the turbulence.

The wheel fairing is an ugly cardboard prototype, whipped onto the wheel with seine twine.
Next winter, I'll make a male mold and build proper composite wheel covers.


I've no plans to build wheel covers for the front wheel.
A faired front wheel would increase speed, but add side area (windage) up front, where it is really
undesirable.
However, wheels like this:
http://www.aerospoke.com/
-look like they were made for fast recumbents, and I'm considering using one of 'em
for the front drive wheel.


Me like balaclava-clad icon.
Me like signature line that go with icon:
"Read My Lips:'I Am Not a Stalker'"
:lol: