Speedmachine - continuously under repair

DIscuss anything relating to non-standard cycles and their equipment.
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squeaker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 11:43pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by squeaker »

belgiangoth wrote:Won't that affect the handling?
The Rapto was so 'engaging' to ride that I never really explored the effects of water (mass) damping :lol: The bottle cage was still there when I sold it in 2013, so the effect can't have been that noticeable...
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"42"
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by [XAP]Bob »

I never quite got to the point where I could ride the rapto no handed, but even just a finger on the tiller was generally enough. I wouldn't expect the mass of water to make a significant difference, even with some lateral "sloshing" (technical term that one).

They are, as was alluded to above, an engaging ride - I would happily ride one handed for long periods, but then I had a pair of thumb lever brakes, so could do either/both brakes with one thumb if I needed to.

One slight regret I have is not having had the opportunity to go round Silverstone on it (had to take the trike instead)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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squeaker
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Location: Sussex

Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by squeaker »

Off at a tangent, but I didn't mean to diss the Rapto. Ultimately it was the wheel slip up steep wet hills that was the deciding factor to sell but, given a bigger garage, it would still be there now ;)
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belgiangoth
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Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by belgiangoth »

Another high end fix today - the headrest is too far back and not adjustabe. I think an ICE headrest is just the thing, but at ~25% of the price I spent on the bike highly unlikely.
So in a flash of inspiration I rolled up a pair of socks to increase the depth of padding. Apparently "two rolled up socks" is exactly the requisite change.

...

Don't judge me, they were clean.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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squeaker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 11:43pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Speedmachine - continuously under development

Post by squeaker »

belgiangoth wrote:Another high end fix today - the headrest is too far back and not adjustabe. I think an ICE headrest is just the thing, but at ~25% of the price I spent on the bike highly unlikely.
So in a flash of inspiration I rolled up a pair of socks to increase the depth of padding. Apparently "two rolled up socks" is exactly the requisite change.

Clearly you have past a milestone :D

Time to change the thread title to '.....continuously under development' :lol:
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belgiangoth
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Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by belgiangoth »

I can change the topic when I have a working rear brake!
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by belgiangoth »

Now featuring a working rear brake!

I changed handlebars when the stem broke - allowed me to turn to a more neutral position but with a shorter stem I got interface with the knees/thighs. In a moment of inspiration? tinkering? I have fit an old set of north road bars - will try that for a bit, maybe try some completely flat bars. Ideally I would have narrower bars and a longer stem (I think) but this way I can try some proto superman bars.
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If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Speedmachine - continuously under repair

Post by belgiangoth »

Stil messing about with SPM setup. I think the issue is that I have worked out seat angle but bars are an odd compromise for me - my narrow bars are more comfortable and less boat like, but the wider bars allow me to sit forward.
I should probably try superman bars, but I am not convinced that the SPM is a long term solution for me (heavy and full sus when I am tall & light enough to be able to ride a high racer with wider tyres), so I need to sort out whether I should use it as a test bed for trying different things or just jump onto n+1.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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