Todd,
We're pretty much on the same page. I emailed David Feldman a similar list yesterday. Today I had a bunch of ideas. I'm so excited I could wet my pants!
The comments I recieved and the information both privately and on the list has been great. The "randonners" seem to feel I should go to the other 26" wheel size. Also that I shouldn't bother making the fenders, and other stuff demountable.
Jan is right. I think I have decided on what I want and I will explain. Once you read it, you will probably see the logic of my reasoning. Part of my purpose for this bike is that I want to experiment and learn. I really believe in 650c wheels for small riders. It's just a downsized regular wheel. Now that I know that Terry already has a 650c x 28 tire available the deal is sealed for me. I'm used to 650c x 20. 23 is out there and now 28. I only weight about 150 to 160lbs. The load will be moderate at most on the bike. STYLE will matter heavily in this project so I'm putting extra effort into that. Each bike of this type will be totally unique. I wouldn't expect two "AeroTour"s to be the same, ever. Mine will probably be the most unique. Because this bike will be a complete expression of the concept of "constructor" I will indulge myself to a certain degree. Like Todd mentioned, I want my bike to be modern but in the spirit of the French Tourers. Times change, styles change, equipment changes. It would be stupid to design a spot for your Brownie box camera (unless you can't live without it; then bring it on, it's custom) but how can one leave out a special location for the digital camera and accessories that belong on a bike like this?
I'm an odd duck as a rider. Just ask anyone who knows. I don't climb that well but I go down hill like a swarm of angry bees. I ride at full capacity at all times as a rule and plan to be toast on the "finish line". I'm basically a time trialist, track rider, downhill cannonball. I like to suck high speed tandem wheels on long rides with lots of riders or big packs. I usually run a triple crank with 32-42-56 chainrings and 11-24 7 sp cassette, 165mm or 167.5mm cranks. That's on 700c. I lose a bit when I run 56x11 on 650c wheels.
At this point I don't have a bike built on 650c wheels with "touringish thoughts" on geometry nor loaded riding in mind. I can totally see having a regular bike like this without all the gear. I live in So. Cal. Fenders? Yeah, right! But for the experince and to validate the concept I will make this bike. I see it as a "challange" to make a bike that will have this convertable feature because that's what I want and would work for me. The next "Baylis AeroTour" will most likely be different. Chris Beyer mentioned he'd like something like this but without the quick disconnect stuff. Condider it done. Each bike is an extention of the owner.
First, I figured I have to finish up a tandem that has been stalled for a long time and start on the next four frames on my list. That will include 2 listmembers who will get the "tap, tap, you're up" within a few days. In the meantime I'm figuring out details, revisiting my first drawing ans refiguring for larger tires (and as Curt pointed out, 8cm of drop is not correct; that's for 700c. 5cm was the drop on my first drawing but that will change once I get some tires. I already have two sets of wheels to work around. I'm making a few "tweeks" in the dimentions to get a front center that allows foot clearance with the fender. Thank God again for the 650c wheel. I think I have squeezed the length I need out of my first drawing. My next one should be the final plan. End result, seat angle 73 1/2 deg., TT 54cm, stem 9.5cm w/ 2cm rise.
My drawing allows me to select some tubes and see if they will be suitable for this plan. I found some verticle dropouts that just happen to be exactly the right angle if I make the seat stays "Hellenic"; which I had already decided uopn before I found these ends. Dale has a RH with Hellenic stays. For my bike what it does is makes a perfect size and shape behind the saddle and rear wheel for the rear light/bag. On the advice of the experienced ones I will forget about rear lowriders. A medium small rear rack, bag, light unit will suffice. Since I am eccentric, I will "outfit" my rig with many special features. A custom designed and made Baylis "utility knife" will be built into the bags somewhere (I'm leaning towards my favorite material, Mother of Pearl, for the scales, but may go more "practical" depending on how I feel.) A spotting telescope, survival kit, first aid kit, compass, cell phone (hands off of course), "hotrodded" generators, aux. battery lighting, and lots more can be fitted to the bike in a solid and secure manner and it all can be done with style.
I sketched out the lugs today. Once I found all the right lugs to start with, my design worked beautifully. I'm planning to make an expander type seat post so I can use my Ideal 90 saddle. I will braze a sleeve 3" long inside the seat tube to reinforce it and resize the seat post diameter from 27.2 to 26.0mm. I'll put a fishmouth profile on the bottom so as not to create a stressriser inside the seat tube. Since my stays are Hellenic the seat lug can now be artistically extended down the seat tube a ways to additionally reinforce the tube. The design I came up with is fantastic (let's just say the customer approves!). The seat post itself will be a "wedge design" as opposed to "plug expander" type; but it will be a "double wedge" to help distribute the expansion pressure. This lug looks very cool because not only is it free of stays attached but it has no binder bolt either! I will "fillet braze" around the lug crotches with brass and file it before I silver-braze the lugs to the tubes to give it that French Look. I will be painting the lugs; the original chrome idea is probably not a go unless everything somehow comes out incredably well. Considering how much monkeying I'll be doing to these lugs I'm not going to plan on it.
This feature is highly experimental and could easily result in the one and only Baylis with this feature. I've always liked the classic Bianchi internal headset races. A few years ago a friend made me some headset bearing holders that fit inside headlugs and are the thickness of a headtube (the part that fits in the lug that is). They were shaped and designed to fit bearings for Chris King headsets. I have all the parts. I'm going to fashion an internal sealed bearing headset into the custom shaped headlugs. It gives me a woody to look at this setup. It will knock your socks off; if it works. I think I can do what it takes to make this work.
My tubing hunt produced a pair of indented chainstays of undetermined origin but I suspect maybe Vitus. The are about .6mm on the large end and have a nice rapid taper to a very thin end. The indention is exactly placed and I have to cut off only 1cm of the small end. I may "reshape them slightly if I feel like it (oval them a bit maybe). I wanted some double taper seat stays, long enough for the hellenic, and 16mm diameter at the bulge; reason being 16mm stays are often light gauge (as are these) and I think I might use an expanding wedge type of attachment thru the stays. Therefore the larger diameter would be an advantage. I found a perfect pair of Reynolds stays where the tapers are in exactly the right location for the bridge placement and possible rack mounts, etc. I will do my regular concave pointed type staycap and adapt it to the Hellenic attachment. The "Continental oval" fork blades are deffinitely Vitus. They are longer than modern fork blades and will allow me to build a small skinny fork in the french touring style using the Vagner crown with chevron on top. Cool.
My selection for main tubes will probably be Reynolds 531 std. seat tube and top tube. I will use a Columbus SL down tube. Why? OH, because! (ask Mike) We can call this a "Jellybean" tube selection. In drum collecting a jellybean kit is one where a bunch of drums with different finishes are mixed together. This may seem like "tube goulash" to some but this method makes "tasty" bikes. (ask Mike)
That's enough excitement for one day. I've got all day tomorrow to think about it some more. I don't know if I can take another day like today. How much junk can you pile on one steed and not break her back and still let her run swiftly? Baylis "AeroTour" number one is officially germinating. Hope it doesn't turn out like "Alien". Whoa! I've got the colors all picked out and everything. I'll save that for some other time.
Considering that if I end up building a few of these models I couldn't possibly saturate the market. No doubt there would be fewer than 10 built before I retire. For God sakes, the price alone would probably choke a horse. ;-o! Remember, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. (I've always wanted to say that ;-)
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Home of the "AeroTour". By the time I get done with this baby it will look like the space shuttle. All I need now is a tailfin on the back............now that's an idea! I always liked the bike with the propeller on the back; I'd see that guy at the Human Powered Speed Championships back in the late 70's. I wonder if HE makes a touring model????