I am doing it to keep a period look, plus I like the idea of a broken spoke not causing a header. I like stiff light riding bikes too. I'm not sure if it translates too well to the later bikes that the CR list is generally about, but there is a huge difference between a radial spoked Expert Columbia and a tangentially spoked Columbia Light Roadster, Victor, Singer, Rudge (which is my main rider), New Rapid ( a 58" one of which prompted my original question, I wasa putting together its wheel today). The Expert kind of rides like a big durable tank, the other bikes ride more light and nimble and tight. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here. But I also figure you guys probably didn't know there was that much of a difference in highwheels and the way the ride.
Here is what can happen when bad things occur:
Fast freespinning descents are not really a good idea. A Czech guy did the Tour de France on the day after the actual event each day, nearly killed himself. I have the story in a word document if anyone wants to see it. It's very interesting, he ended up finishing with a broken shoulder and he had to be helped up on the bike the last couple days..
http://www.radio.cz/
Czech postman, 48, completes Tour de France on penny farthing bicycle Josef Zimovcak, photo: CTKJosef Zimovcak, photo: CTK Czech Josef Zimovcak has succeeded in completing the Tour de France on an old-fashioned penny farthing bicycle. Zimovcak almost had to quit after a bad fall on a mountain stage left him with a broken rib and jaw, but got back in the saddle, riding most days until around midnight and rising at six every morning. Zimovcak, who is 48 and a postman, said he planned to treat himself to an ice-cream in Paris, after completing the 3607 km Tour.
And if you want to see a video of a Wheelmen demonstration and meet, go here. It's complete with hobby horse racing and trick riding.
http://www.youtube.com/
David Toppin dave@pelletizer.com http://www.pelletizer.com <------ see our complete, searchable inventory.
The Pelletizer Group, Inc. 4 LaChance Street Gardner, MA 01440-2476
(978) 669-0060 (978) 669-0061 fax
-----Original Message-----
From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
[mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Steven M.
Johnson
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 7:29 PM
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Spoke Tying Wire
> Brandt also claims that tying and soldering does nothing to measurably increase the lateral stiffness of the wheel ant is likely a throwback from the high wheeler days when it would keep broken spokes from flailing around and causing damage.
+ Keeping the spokes together on a 700c wheel might be a good thing too. Low count spoke wheels and for thin spokes, I believe in it. Does Jobst's model take into account all conditions a wheel might encounter?
Kind of like the dowel in the steerer tube. It might help avoid catastrophe
at failure time.
> So, basically, you would be tying and soldering to give your vintage
bike the proper period look. Of course, some people say Brandt is an idi ot.
+ The person who started the thread is a high wheel rider. I saw a Wheelman demo that that he was part of back in the 1980s. My memory on the event is hazy. I still remember that I was darn impressed, and real glad I was a safety rider. I have ridden a penny farthing before, but I was real careful and real slow. No legs over the handlebars gymnastics, and fast free spinning downhills for me.
The Thomas Stevens books are online, and I think I would have stuck to a
horse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/
Steven Johnson, Shiloh, IL
_______________________________________________
No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.3/809 - Release Date: 5/17/2007 5:18 PM