tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post505452186099372016..comments2024-03-29T08:27:42.764-05:00Comments on Guitar Ted Productions: Friday News And ViewsGuitar Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-73488026190865229212016-11-29T00:01:58.886-05:002016-11-29T00:01:58.886-05:00@Dashton - agreed. I think it's hilarious that...@Dashton - agreed. I think it's hilarious that following a year in which we've seen huge growth in the amount of B+ options, even in comparison to just the year before it, we know have so-called experts pronouncing that B+ is suddenly "dead." I'm trying to figure out what planet these people live on, but I'm equally glad that it's apparently a different planet than mine. Racing sucks. ;-)Smithhammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771440476655478031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-15168303709470336412016-11-26T20:34:11.606-05:002016-11-26T20:34:11.606-05:00Seems like most of the anti B+ rhetoric is from a ...Seems like most of the anti B+ rhetoric is from a racing perspective. Average Joe's seem to be eating B+ up. I love my Cube stereo 150 B+. A dmfun all day machine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-77497030638086711152016-11-25T15:21:43.517-05:002016-11-25T15:21:43.517-05:00I have a five mile partial commute that I can call...I have a five mile partial commute that I can call off in the evening, but not the morning (car in an intermediate location). My limits are -20 F windchill, or snow predicted to affect the morning commute. Beyond that, I try to ride-- but I am more willing to call off a ride for cold rain than just plain cold.Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530294800054997855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-4380228152065165672016-11-25T13:56:22.943-05:002016-11-25T13:56:22.943-05:00I use a 27.5x3 on the rear and a 26x4 on the front...I use a 27.5x3 on the rear and a 26x4 on the front of my mountain bike. The b+ on the rear levels the bike up, being essentially the same rolling diameter as the front tire.<br /><br /> It's a trail/bikepacking bike, not a racer, so ultimate performance is not my goal. Due to that, I've been satisfied with the tire. I just hope the size doesn't totally disappear. Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15989502925369231042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-12271826459531275032016-11-25T10:58:02.619-05:002016-11-25T10:58:02.619-05:00It's no secret that drums have an image proble...It's no secret that drums have an image problem, being closely associated with british roadsters and tweed. What got me to thinking about it is that I'm building a Guv'nor style path racer. It's just for fun and I have most of the parts lying about already. It's never gonna be more than a coffee shop bike. Still the idea of showing up for a gravel ride with cream colored Delta Cruisers and all really appeals to my perverse sense of humor. I'm going to build a wheelset for it just so I can play around with the drums. I'll probably use A23 rims just in case Schwalbe comes out with tubeless Delta Cruisers,haha. Thanks for your input.Phillip Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553979458131339924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-33300401089043930972016-11-25T10:49:10.781-05:002016-11-25T10:49:10.781-05:00@GravelDoc- I believe the industry has taken into ...@GravelDoc- I believe the industry has taken into account the dynamics of fatter, higher volume tires, but even if that were dialed in across the board, it still doesn't account for the tires themselves. <br /><br />The dynamics of tire deformation is what needs to be addressed here, and as I alluded to in my post, by doing that, tire manufacturers would have no choice but to add weight. The stiffening of the side walls of plus sized tires would require more layers, more material, and that equals more weight. No way around that, and riders wouldn't appreciate the negative effects that would have on ride quality. <br /><br />It's a situation that may have a solution, but it might be beyond reasonable costs and efforts to get there. Especially in a down time in the cycling industry when no one out there is really doing well financially. If anything, I foresee a short time of little innovation due to the way the market is performing now. So, the best way to address that at this time is to pull back from plus sized wheels/tires if riders are not digging the performance aspects of B+ in hard cornering and for aggressive riding. That's my take on this. Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-13954888252344981952016-11-25T10:25:44.186-05:002016-11-25T10:25:44.186-05:00@phillip Cowan- Drum brakes are a bit behind in th...@phillip Cowan- Drum brakes are a bit behind in the R&D and technical advancement categories where disc brakes are getting all the attention. So, let's assume someone would make a "high end" drum brake. Such a thing does not really exist currently. <br /><br />Drum brakes are mechanical in nature, so it would be imperative to keep weather and grit out of the system. I think that could be done better than what we have now. Also, I do not think that leverage ratios for cable pull, maximum effect on the drum, or drum brake lining/drum surfaces has been changed or optimized in quite some time. <br /><br />If these issues, along with weight of the system were to be addressed, then yes, it would be a viable competing system for gravel/mudders/fat bikes/tourists. A way to manage a through axle system along with that would be awesome. <br /><br />That said, due to the very nature of drum brakes, I don't see how that a drum brake could be anywhere as light as disc brakes or cantilevers. I also do not see any huge braking performance advantages, besides the obvious weather-environment proofing that drum brakes could provide. So, in the grand scheme of things, given a high end drum brake effort, I still do not see riders going with that vs disc or cantilever brakes. Not to a degree that would warrant such a system. <br /><br />But that's just my opinion. I very well could be way off. Personally, a super cool, aluminum, finned drum brake system sounds really rad. I'd love to see it properly done, but I do not feel it would be a competitive brake in the marketplace. Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-3923777891314138072016-11-25T10:18:08.388-05:002016-11-25T10:18:08.388-05:00I recall a past GTP post that discussed applying s...I recall a past GTP post that discussed applying suspension to fat bikes to help control issues such as bounce. Do you think that would be applicable to 27.5+ as well? Though I've never ridden one, I would think a full squish B+ would make a pretty keen trail bike. GravelDochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07066742071278722366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-7295763274855692402016-11-25T08:30:12.062-05:002016-11-25T08:30:12.062-05:00Speaking of riding in bad weather I've been me...Speaking of riding in bad weather I've been meaning to ask your opinion on something. Drum brakes. Let me preface this by saying I know zippity doo da about drums. I've never owned or worked on any and don't know anyone who has. Internet opinions range from flaming aweful to not too bad if set up right. Actually I'm reading that the new Sturmey-Archers (Sunrace) are pretty good. It seems that in flat country a brake that basically impervious to water and grit would be beneficial. And since riding on gravel can be like riding on ball bearings super braking power isn't really required. Any thoughts?Phillip Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553979458131339924noreply@blogger.com