I have ridden an SL frameset for 26 years now and have a few observations to make. The frameset is the Ilkeston built frameset of which I have spoken before on this list. When I first started to ride the bike I weighed probably no more than 140lbs. - in fact most of my riding in the early 80s was below the 150lb weight. When I got back into cycling in a more serious way a few years ago my weight had pushed up towards the 195lb range - after serious attention to getting that weight down last year I dropped to 169 and now hover just above the 170lb mark (hoping to drop to 163lb by next summer).
So what does this mean? I guess it means that I have been able to assess the performance of the bike at a number of different stages - included in this must be the factor of age and strength.
I have never been able to successfully ride the bike no hands - it has always been rather squirrelly and prone to steering itself (this may also be due to the fact that I probably need to have the frame and fork alignment checked). There has always been a certain flex in the BB when out of the saddle with the result that there is occasional chain drag. In more recent years I have been struggling with a serious autoshifting problem which I have still not been able to solve - some time ago one member suggested that it might be the result of frame flex. I don't know if that is a possibility - I am not an expert in such matters and defer to the framebuilders on the list.
There was always a bit of autoshifting when I first set up the bike and I put that down to the NR rear derailleur I was using at that time shifting under load. The current problem I have is that I am using an SR der. with a straight block and find myself shifting up at least three gears when out of the saddle or exerting any kind of major force (very hard work on any uphill stretch). I don't know whether this is a consequence of drivetrain problems or frame flex - as I am at least 20lbs heavier than when I first started riding the bike there is almost certainly more stress on the frameset.
It has always been a responsive, but not stiff, frame and has a quick feel to it. I still ride it when in the mood. I am not a racer and never raced the bike so can't comment on race conditions - but it served me well as a bike both for a quick ride and for longer distance rides (even under the load of panniers and camping equipment).
BTW It is also still being ridden with a dent in the seat-tube which has been there for 25 years after the box it was in was badly handled by an airline employee at Heathrow!
Paul.
Paul B. Williams, BAH, MPhil, PhD
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
castell5@sympatico.ca
> Mark --
>
> I was riding a Casati Gold Line made with SL, and at above 200 lb.
> Wouldn't say it was the tubing, but I never once let go the handlebars
> when riding that bike -- no real sense of inherent stability.
>
> Contrast that to the first time on an early '70s Masi GC, tubing
> uncertain. I needed to make a jersey adjustment within the first 30
> seconds of the very first ride and didn't even notice I'd been riding
> no-hands until I was grabbing the bars again. Still, the bike's a GC
> and handles beautifully, of course.
>
> Dan Kehew
> Davis, California USA
>
> On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 11:47 AM, Mark Stonich <mark@bikesmithdesign.com>
> wrote:
>> I'd like to hear from 175-190 pounders who ride frames made with Reynolds
>> 531 SL tubing. Do they, as Jan says "plane" or are they noodles? Does
>> the
>> chain rub the derailleur whenever the road gets steep?
>>
>> I'm planning to build myself a new 21" frame, which I'll equip with
>> mostly
>> on topic parts. The frame it will replace is an '81 Trek 710 with 531
>> standard butted tubes, forks and stays. I don't cause any noticeable
>> amount
>> of flex on this. I weigh 185 but I'm not a strong rider and could weigh
>> 165
>> without losing any muscle. (Anybody know where I can buy some will
>> power?)
>> I run low gears, so rarely have to stand when climbing. The bike
>> will
>> not be used for touring.
>>
>> I have a couple of old sets of standard 531, but I just found out a
>> friend
>> is sitting on several sets of 531 SL.
>>
>> BTW I've built a couple of recumbents where the frame stores some power
>> at
>> peak pedal force and returns it later in the stroke. Both climb quite
>> well
>> (at least for recumbents). So I'm convinced that matching frame flex to
>> the
>> rider can provide the "Planing" Jan refers to.
>>
>> Mark Stonich;
>> BikeSmith Design & Fabrication
>> 5349 Elliot Ave S. - Minneapolis. MN 55417
>> Ph. (612) 824-2372 http://bikesmithdesign.com
>> http://mnhpva.org