Stir the Pot

[Barry]

I just read the following ad in the Corpus Christi Craig's list and I'm torn between a retaliation reply or just not stir the pot hoping he goes away. Whaddaya think?

motor cycle engine on a bycicle? - $1 (cc)


I HAVE RIDDEN MOTORCYCLES AS A YOUNG MAN AND NOW RIDE A HYBRID BIKE. I CANT IMAGINE RIDDING A BIKE WITH A MOTOR ON IT WITH BICYCLE BREAKS. CAN YOU SAY SUICIDE?BICYCLES ARE MEANT TO RIDE AND ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF LITTLE SOUND. AT LEAST THATS HOW I ENJOY MINE ITS JUST SILLY SEEING A PERSON GO BY AT 35-40 MPH ON A LIGHT WEIGHT CONTRAPTION. BEWARE!!!!!!!!!

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Well.....I'm not too clear on who's saying what. But I take it that the part of your post in caps is the craigslist post and that you're quoting this guy there? That would seem to make sense.

In that case, this guy is pretty much a troll. He's just wanting to start an argument or he's declaring his 'sophisticated' views and will have nothing but scorn for differing views.

And, of course, feeding trolls is a losing game. Still, I'll sometimes argue with them if only because I can't always stand by while someone spouts idiocy.

 

[butterbean]

His wording is a bit strong in certain ways, but I can't disagree with him on the subject of brakes. Though I've never had an accident due to rim brakes (what I'm assuming he means by "bicycle brakes"), they are definitely not the best choice for a motorized bicycle. I always had problems with the pads. Soft ones stop good but wear too fast. Hard ones last longer, but scratch the rim, make the rim hot which can blow out a tire, and suck in the rain. I switched to a front drum over a year and a half ago, and I can definitely say that anything is better than rim brakes. Now the part about lightweight contraptions is debatable. Some people swear by steel frames, others think aluminum is just fine. I will only build on steel frames, but that's my personal preference and I also weigh in excess of 250 lbs. But I think if you get in a serious accident, it won't matter what kind of frame you're on, cause you're effed either way.

 

[Fabian]

Rim brakes are a suicidal concept on a motorized bicycle.
Sticking your finger in a power point with the switch in an unknown position is a safer health option than riding a motorized bicycle fitted with rim brakes.

 

[grinningremlin]

Rim brakes are a suicidal concept on a motorized bicycle.
Sticking your finger in a power point with the switch in an unknown position is a safer health option than riding a motorized bicycle fitted with rim brakes.

Though disc may be better, you are dead wrong in your assertion that rim brakes aren't enough, and the above example is SLIGHTLY overstating things. Not trolling, just saying; prove it to yourself, do a mass poll on the forums you belong, and find the ratio of disc to everything else, then the ratio of accidents/near-misses/deaths that can be put to not using disc, you'll probably find a small minority have (or ever will) use disc, and they have been (and will be) just fine.
To the OP, screw the turdo, I half think he's one of those crap "hybike" salesmen, and if he ain't, he doesn't need to know of the benefits of MAB, we have an oasis that many thirsty fools pass up,... good riddance.

 

[Fabian]

Though disc may be better, you are dead wrong in your assertion that rim brakes aren't enough, and the above example is SLIGHTLY overstating things.

i can't remember the last time i "slightly" overstated a subject, because i don't do anything in a "slightly" manner. Now if you said i "greatly" overstated things, you would be much closer to the truth.

 

[grinningremlin]

Until they come up with the "sarcastica" font, my version of font tonality is one or two words in caps.Think about it, unless someone is bombing lonnnng hills, or doing a heavy haul like you (again down hills) there's no need for disc, any good brake set-up will lock them up.As a kid we bombed long hills with BMX & Bendix and crap 10 speeds with crap calipers, in the drops, going 50+ with/in traffic, used the brakes sparingly and lived to tell the tales: no helmets, no disc, no injuries.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

35-40MPH ??
COOOL I never knew about this but now I've read a craigslist ad' I want to buy a motorized bike too!!

That's called a backfire.


Have to say though I've been clocked (by a following car) at over 45MPH on my human/gravity powered 24" wheeled BMX that I call my downhill street bike. It has Odyssey Evolver brakes, which are a high quality U-brake (rim brake). I don't repeatedly heat the Cool Stop Salmon pads and the wheel rim though: Downhill streets here last maybe 1 min., and I prefer to brake as little as possible anyway, that's the whole idea lol. Oh and I wouldn't neccesarily refer to it as "safe riding" lol. :helmet:

BUT the effectiveness of ANY brake is limited by the traction of the tyre on the road surface anyway!

 

[butre]

Forget crap calipers, I grew up in the "ram your chucks between the tire and the fork" period when everyone was riding bikes with the front brake removed so we could 360 the handlebars and the rear coaster converted to a poor man's freewheel. I remember outrunning traffic on good downhills and never died doing that.

Rim brakes are working just fine on my bike, I'm able to lock the wheels and there isn't any unusual wear.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Forget crap calipers, I grew up in the "ram your chucks between the tire and the fork" period when everyone was riding bikes with the front brake removed so we could 360 the handlebars and the rear coaster converted to a poor man's freewheel. I remember outrunning traffic on good downhills and never died doing that.

Rim brakes are working just fine on my bike, I'm able to lock the wheels and there isn't any unusual wear.

Modern caliper brakes are far better than they used to be, even ones made for road bikes (I still prefer V's if the bike will take them). A hole in the head solves barspin/tailwhip issue.. Either use a dedicated hole in the head bolt or drill the headset tensioning bolt, or just remove the tensioning bolt after tightening up the stem pinch bolts. Can be used with disc or rim brakes. I used to have a hydraulic disc brake routed that way just to avoid creasing the hose when I crashed, but since just routed normally to avoid bleeding the brake every time I swap out the fork, and the frustration/cost of hoses not coming off cleanly (ruining the lining) when disconnected. IMO it's not a bad idea to learn toe jam braking anyway just in case of emergency.