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Date: 26 Nov 2005 03:31:38
From: Richard Greenberg
Subject: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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Hi. I need to figure out the best way to store my Rocket. I'm thinking of hanging it from a hook - rear wheel. Is this OK, or do I need to come up with something more elaborate? Or maybe I should just let it stand on its tires with the occasional rotation during the winter, does this really harm the bike? Seems more secure. Thanks.
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Date: 02 Dec 2005 22:56:58
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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dale wrote: > But Tom-- the Rocket is an SWB. It takes a 14.783 inch long hook just > to REACH the front wheel. A common ordinary dining room chanderriere > hook will reach the chainring. But just in case I find the wall space > (after all, the entire universe is expanding) are the original > equipment wheels from RANS properly built and tensioned? Can I plonk > my spokes and check them with my A440 tuning fork? Will I need concert > pitch? Utter nonsense! A 14.782-inch long hook is perfectly adequate! A RANS Rocket will use A=415 Hz when "historically informed" wheel truing methods are used. To be more serious, it is less than 8 inches [1] from the front of a 62-tooth chain ring to the inside edge of an Alex DA-16 rim on a 1999-2000 RANS Rocket. I expect that the stock wheels on a RANS Rocket are machine assembled, so wind-up is probably not too bad, but tension will likely be on the low side and they will not have been stress relieved. [1] I did a quick measurement with a tape, and did not take the trouble to get the bicycle vertical with a level and hang plumb bobs at the appropriate points to increase the accuracy of the measurements. Therefore I rounded my result to the nearest inch to reflect the degree of precision used for the measurement. -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
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Date: 02 Dec 2005 18:48:01
From: dale
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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But Tom-- the Rocket is an SWB. It takes a 14.783 inch long hook just to REACH the front wheel. A common ordinary dining room chanderriere hook will reach the chainring. But just in case I find the wall space (after all, the entire universe is expanding) are the original equipment wheels from RANS properly built and tensioned? Can I plonk my spokes and check them with my A440 tuning fork? Will I need concert pitch?
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Date: 02 Dec 2005 17:16:39
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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daveb wrote: > Hi Richard, > I have a few bikes, and have lived in climates where ice & elevation changes > preclude using some of them at times. Among the bikes are a (tweaked, in the > SF Bay Area) Bianchi, a Jekyll with wheels I had replaced by local maestros, > and now a V-Rex, my main machine. When living for a while in Rochester, NY, > I hung my Bianchi by a wheel for about four months (I don't know what you > guys think about riding in upstate NY in the winter on a road bike, but it > sure isn't for me), and my choice of storage really screwed up my wheels. > Yes, I changed from front to back every few weeks, and yes, ended up with > two bad wheels. My Jekyll got more use during such weather, but when I > wasn't using it, I hung it by its front wheel, and the wheel got totally > messed up. > > So, in a long-winded way, I *strongly* advise your hanging *any* bike by a > wheel.... Correlation does not equal causation. The stress imposed on a wheel when a bicycle is hung from the wheel is minimal, assuming no abuse (e.g. using the bicycle frame as a lever and twisting the wheel hard against a sturdy (and sturdily mounted) hook). Much greater stresses will be imposed on the wheel during normal riding. That the wheels went out of true in the above examples indicates that they were in all likelihood built with under-tensioned spokes and/or spoke windup. Many people have hung bicycles by one of the bicycle's wheels with no related distress. If the RANS Rocket has decently built wheels and will be stored in an area free of stupid and/or malevolent children (or adults) who might damage the bike, no damage should occur from hanging the Rocket by one of its wheels. -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
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Date: 29 Nov 2005 18:28:29
From:
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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If you were hanging your bike by wheel and a single hook, that hook must have been in the wall. When I ran out of wall space -I was already low on floor space- I put the hook in a ceiling joist. Now my Rocket hangs vertically in front of a floor-to-ceiling shelf unit, easy to access for the warm afternoon trip to the mailbox, and easy to move to get to the boxes of junque on the shelves behind it. I intended to hang it by the wheel but (doohh) found that the chainring on this (and any) SWB is well out in front of the front wheel. If the steel ring can't take the weight, I'm going to call the result a "biopace" ring or some such. No storage shed? Use that hook that used to hold the dining room chandelier. I'm sure that's how the fanatics do it in Florida.
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Date: 29 Nov 2005 19:25:19
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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Hi Richard, I have a few bikes, and have lived in climates where ice & elevation changes preclude using some of them at times. Among the bikes are a (tweaked, in the SF Bay Area) Bianchi, a Jekyll with wheels I had replaced by local maestros, and now a V-Rex, my main machine. When living for a while in Rochester, NY, I hung my Bianchi by a wheel for about four months (I don't know what you guys think about riding in upstate NY in the winter on a road bike, but it sure isn't for me), and my choice of storage really screwed up my wheels. Yes, I changed from front to back every few weeks, and yes, ended up with two bad wheels. My Jekyll got more use during such weather, but when I wasn't using it, I hung it by its front wheel, and the wheel got totally messed up. So, in a long-winded way, I *strongly* advise your hanging *any* bike by a wheel. If you have a spot to hang it from, do so by its frame, IMHO. Another option that might work for you is to store it on its side on a high shelf; you can slap one together within an hour and a few $$ hanging, say, in your garage. Heck, some of us have been, or are, in situations where such a shelf in one's bedroom or "living room" would be not only functional, but exude a certain decorative élan. Last thought: I don't (yet) have a Rocket, but if you have a spot to store it on its wheels, then might it not make more sense to store it "upside down"? You could build up some old cardboard boxes and stray cats ---- or poodles --- to cradle the bike. Regards, DaveB "Richard Greenberg" <richieg@bellatlantic.net > wrote in message news:uGQhf.313$Et4.60@trndny08... > Hi. I need to figure out the best way to store my Rocket. I'm thinking of > hanging it from a hook - rear wheel. Is this OK, or do I need to come up > with something more elaborate? Or maybe I should just let it stand on > its > tires with the occasional rotation during the winter, does this really > harm > the bike? Seems more secure. Thanks. > > >
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 16:48:23
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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Edward Dolan wrote: > "Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic" <sunsetss0003@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:1133108295.161271.225080@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > > > > dale@goldorb.com wrote: > >> You keep your Rocket in the house? Since I assume the bedroom is > >> reserved for the Lowracer, I'll guess that the Rocket is in the dining > >> room. That's a perfect table for disassembling gear clusters and such. > > > > I have an Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer [TM] in every room of my > > apartment. :) > > When Tom is right, he is awfully right. I too have all of my many recumbents > inside the house where they belong. I have a rather large house and am here > by myself, so there is plenty of room. I like to have at least one of my > recumbents next to the TV at all times so I can have something to look at > besides what is on the TV, which is mostly nothing but schlock these days. > However, my cat occasionally likes to lie on top of the TV, so that helps > too. I mean after all, how many "Law and Order's" can you watch without > retching at the inanity of it all.... A sling-mesh seat with a pad (e.g. Lightning Cycle Dynamics) makes an excellent cat resting spot. Contoured foam padded seats over a hard base (e.g. Easy Racers, RANS) may be fine for hominid posteriors, but serve the needs of the residential feline less well. -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 08:18:15
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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dale@goldorb.com wrote: > You keep your Rocket in the house? Since I assume the bedroom is > reserved for the Lowracer, I'll guess that the Rocket is in the dining > room. That's a perfect table for disassembling gear clusters and such. I have an Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer [TM] in every room of my apartment. :) -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 17:05:15
From: Edward Dolan
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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"Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic" <sunsetss0003@yahoo.com > wrote in message news:1133108295.161271.225080@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > > dale@goldorb.com wrote: >> You keep your Rocket in the house? Since I assume the bedroom is >> reserved for the Lowracer, I'll guess that the Rocket is in the dining >> room. That's a perfect table for disassembling gear clusters and such. > > I have an Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer [TM] in every room of my > apartment. :) > > -- > Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley When Tom is right, he is awfully right. I too have all of my many recumbents inside the house where they belong. I have a rather large house and am here by myself, so there is plenty of room. I like to have at least one of my recumbents next to the TV at all times so I can have something to look at besides what is on the TV, which is mostly nothing but schlock these days. However, my cat occasionally likes to lie on top of the TV, so that helps too. I mean after all, how many "Law and Order's" can you watch without retching at the inanity of it all. Ed Dolan - Minnesota
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 05:42:34
From:
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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You keep your Rocket in the house? Since I assume the bedroom is reserved for the Lowracer, I'll guess that the Rocket is in the dining room. That's a perfect table for disassembling gear clusters and such. dale
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 05:30:33
From:
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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I hang mine by the front chainring, not the front wheel. dale Richard Greenberg wrote: > Hi. I need to figure out the best way to store my Rocket. I'm thinking of > hanging it from a hook - rear wheel. Is this OK, or do I need to come up > with something more elaborate? Or maybe I should just let it stand on its > tires with the occasional rotation during the winter, does this really harm > the bike? Seems more secure. Thanks.
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Date: 27 Nov 2005 01:23:59
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: RANS Rocket winter riding
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Tony Raven wrote: > Steve W wrote: > > Store it on it's wheels and ride it "occasionally" during the winter. > > After all that's what a bike is for!! > > > > I thought they were for riding all year round myself ;-) Having owned and ridden a RANS Rocket in the snow, I suggest that one will want a pair of these studded tires [1] for riding in climates where there is snow and/or ice on the ground. Light snow on rural roads can be handled with normal tires, but anything more is questionable. I have not tried them, but the good folks at Calhoun Cycle have experience in bicycle ice racing, so I expect they know what works. [1] <http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=478&idcategory=115 >. -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
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Date: 26 Nov 2005 13:56:48
From: Sunset Lowracer [TM] Fanatic
Subject: Re: Storage of RANS Rocket in Shed
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Richard Greenberg wrote: > Hi. I need to figure out the best way to store my Rocket. I'm thinking of > hanging it from a hook - rear wheel. Is this OK, or do I need to come up > with something more elaborate? Or maybe I should just let it stand on its > tires with the occasional rotation during the winter, does this really harm > the bike? Seems more secure. Thanks. [Goes into other room, performs cursory examination of 2000 RANS Rocket, returns to computer keyboard.] Hanging a RANS Rocket by the back wheel would certainly work, however, if your Rocket has a "Flip-It" hinge the handlebars will flop around. In addition, you will have a good chance of fouling yourself on the chain and/or crank while doing so. If practical, I would find a longer hook and hang the bike by the front wheel. The only reasonably probable occurrence of damage from hanging a bicycle by its wheel would be scratching the rim if a metal hook was used or if the rim was dirty (since most natural dirt contains silica particles which are harder than most rim surfaces). -- Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley "Twisting may help if yawl can chew gum and walk." - G. Daniels
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Date: 26 Nov 2005 17:31:33
From: Steve W
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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Store it on it's wheels and ride it "occasionally" during the winter. After all that's what a bike is for!! SW "Richard Greenberg" <richieg@bellatlantic.net > wrote in message news:uGQhf.313$Et4.60@trndny08... > Hi. I need to figure out the best way to store my Rocket. I'm thinking of > hanging it from a hook - rear wheel. Is this OK, or do I need to come up > with something more elaborate? Or maybe I should just let it stand on its > tires with the occasional rotation during the winter, does this really harm > the bike? Seems more secure. Thanks. > >
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Date: 26 Nov 2005 18:24:40
From: Tony Raven
Subject: Re: Storage of Rans Rocket in Shed
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Steve W wrote: > Store it on it's wheels and ride it "occasionally" during the winter. > After all that's what a bike is for!! > I thought they were for riding all year round myself ;-) -- Tony "The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the right." - Lord Hailsham
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