Bicycle Snobbery

[liveforphysics]

I love the way the build the frames. They make inside radius fold bends on thick-wall mild steel tubing, then lay stamped gusset plates on the tubes, and slather on some MIG weld. It's like, hmm... where have I see that sort of construction method used in the past... ohh! That's right, cheap upholstered furniture! Got a cheap couch with a fold-out bed? Strap an engine on it that was cutting edge in the 1920's, make the frame a little flexier, and the springs a little less dampened, and you've got yourself your very own homo-gayvidson!

Harley's are so phenomenally lame, they inspired me to make 2 shirts I wear at bike events. One just says, "Homo-Gayvidson" written in the harley logo style, but nobody seemed to notice it wasn't a normal harley-davidson shirt... So it inspired the second shirt, "Harley-davidson, motorcycles for poseurs, faggets, and clueless since 1903." I wore it to the hot wing eating contest at the HD dealer, and regularly wear it to the "ride-on" free hotdog/burger bbq events they host (which have great free food!). I hold it out for any of them that want to read it, not a single one of them has done a damn thing about it. Won't even make eye-contact for more than a split second... I keep hopeing I find a live HD rider someday, I hear they exist(ed)... now they seem to be entirely college english professors and psycologists etc that evidently wanted to buy the slowest worst handling least reliable most expensive self-powered couches on the road.


***Edit***
I didn't intend to do it, but I think this qualifies as a perfect example of bike snobbery. lol

 

[dingoEsride]

I keep hopeing I find a live HD rider someday, I hear they exist(ed)... now they seem to be entirely college english professors and psycologists etc that evidently wanted to buy the slowest worst handling least reliable most expensive self-powered couches on the road.

I would've thought Seattleland would be more lay back than that, here in the land of aus it's more the bikies that ride em, or posers, went south to a Z club rally on a moto guzzi 850 le mans and the gods garbage a bikie gang, members (who only ride harley's) would talk at pub stops cause of the italian twin, give me a yami xj or twin beamer or guzzi cruiser thanks

 

[johnrobholmes]

***Edit***
I didn't intend to do it, but I think this qualifies as a perfect example of bike snobbery. lol

Indeed you have! It is really a prime example of how brand equity can make up for design. If you tell people it is good for long enough, they just might all start believing.

 

[AussieJester]

Indeed you have! It is really a prime example of how brand equity can make up for design. If you tell people it is good for long enough, they just might all start believing.

Yes indeed, prime example of this is frock motors on e-bikes :lol:

As dingotookmybaby said, the bike gang members here ride nothing but HD, you would likely never be found again if you were sighted wearing those T-Shirts Luke

KiM

 

[madact]

Indeed you have! It is really a prime example of how brand equity can make up for design. If you tell people it is good for long enough, they just might all start believing.

Yes indeed, prime example of this is frock motors on e-bikes :lol:

What are these frock motors you speak of, anyway? I've taken a brief look around haven't found much (except I gather they're large, heavy and inefficient...)

 

[GrayKard]

Indeed you have! It is really a prime example of how brand equity can make up for design. If you tell people it is good for long enough, they just might all start believing.

Yes indeed, prime example of this is frock motors on e-bikes :lol:

What are these frock motors you speak of, anyway? I've taken a brief look around haven't found much (except I gather they're large, heavy and inefficient...)

Allow me to elucidate you on this tricky subject. According to Wikipedia a "Frock Motor" is defined as any electric bicycle motor that is contained in the center of the wheel hub. It also goes on to point out how much more efficient this arrangement is and how only deranged individuals would use any other type of bicycle propulsion.

How that clears up your confusion.

Gary

 

[AussieJester]

What are these frock motors you speak of, anyway? I've taken a brief look around haven't found much (except I gather they're large, heavy and inefficient...)

Yes you are right they are large and heavy and inefficient, you could also add poorley made, run
terribly hot and have poor hill climbing abilities when run at their recommended voltage to
the description...upside, they are easy to instal

Heres a thread that will give you all the info on the frock and types of frocks available

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=16957


ROFL@GrayKard's post ... i wonder if i can get the description into Wikipedia...

KiM

 

[madact]

Heheh, I see... given this thread is about bicycle snobbery, seems I was right on topic :lol:

I am considering a DD frock motor for mum - she's not technically inept, but OTOH I'm not having my 66 year old mother re-tensioning a chain on the side of the road on a rainy day

For my e-velo motor I'm going the high tech route; it will be direct drive, but not in the hub, mounted to the disc brake bolt holes. Why DD? Because at the speeds it's designed for, this motor will have about the same efficiency as a chain itself ... so will that be a frock motor? You tell me - maybe we need another acronym...

 

[dingoEsride]

Yes indeed, prime example of this is frock motors on e-bikes :lol:

As dingotookmybaby said, the bike gang members here ride nothing but HD, you would likely never be found again if you were sighted wearing those T-Shirts Luke

KiM

Indeed you have! It is really a prime example of how brand equity can make up for design. If you tell people it is good for long enough, they just might all start believing.

Yes indeed, prime example of this is frock motors on e-bikes :lol:

As dingotookmybaby said, the bike gang members here ride nothing but HD, you would likely never be found again if you were sighted wearing those T-Shirts Luke

KiM

I don't think I'd be game enough to call them bikie gang members gay, unless I say it while already running and then hide somewhere safe
and I spose that I qualify for a recipient of snobbery from the jester having a gayish front frock motor

mark

 

[fechter]

Dang that Luke!

Now every time I see a Harley go by I think "Homo-Gayvidson". :wink:

 

[liveforphysics]

Lol join the club with the rest of everybody who is into performance motorcycles. An HD starts up in a parking lot somewhere, and everybody with a clue starts snickering. Lol.

Dang that Luke!

Now every time I see a Harley go by I think "Homo-Gayvidson". :wink:

 

[sk8norcal]

nobody waves to the guy on the scooter...

[youtube]9bMaQy88DAU[/youtube]

 

[georgefromvt]

Perfect example of Electric Bicycle Snobbery: The World Naked Bike Ride doesn't permit Electric bicycles!!! Does anyone know why? Very disturbing! Nothing is greener than a bike whether it's human powered or electric assist! Really glad I didn't show up naked with my bike. Humiliated; turned away cause my bike is electric.
http://montpeliernakedbikeride.org/

 

[Demosthenes]

I was one of about 5-6 electrics in our Naked Bike ride here. That is pretty odd they won't allow it. http://www.ebikes.ca/sustainability/Ebike_Energy.pdf Print some copies of this for the next one and ride along next to them handing them out

 

[veloman]

I did the Naked bike ride in Austin on my roadie. Those types of social rides are so slow that it's silly to ride an ebike. Just take out ANY bike and pedal a little with the rest of them. It's not like you're commuting to work and can't be late or sweat so you need an ebike.

We got a lot of cheering, and our group was probably around 300 riders. Just be careful on these rides, many of them don't know how to ride a bike very well, since it's more about the event than something that draws skilled cyclists.

 

[veloman]

There IS something to be said about human power transport. If you're an ebiker, you can't get too mad about being excluded, because, well you ARE different. Even though ebikes are just as 'clean' as normal bikes, it's not always about the environment either.

Cycling is often times about being pure and moving yourself. Trying to get in on that setting among cyclists when you have a motor - it just makes you look silly.

Of course, I think ebikes are great for many purposes, such as commuting or raising your cycling speed to keep you safer in traffic. Just don't complain that you aren't being treated EXACTLY like traditional cyclists.

 

[vanilla ice]

word

 

[Gordo]

The Harley will be kicking loooong after that Suzuki of yours has seen its last days Luke
Jap bikes are made for a good time not a long time....which usually works out well for their riders
as they have pretty short life span too :lol:

KiM

A few years ago, I sold a 1993 GL1500 with 635,000KM on it. It had a bent shifter fork. In it's life it needed two final drives and 3 alternators, brakes and tires, PERIOD. The new owner put a new shifter fork in it, plus one half of the rod bearings, plus new top rings. It is still going strong. My 1978 Honda 550 CBX is still running around town, as are many of the other old Jap stuff I rode. In my lifetime, on many 100's of rides with dozens of other bikes, not one Jap bike has ever broke down and been left behind. My 500 Norton broke; push rods collapsed, my 650 BSA broke a crank, My Tiger Cub ignition died, etc. Don't wear a watch or ring, never found the need for motorized jewelry, so a Harley did not interest me.