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rbent Forum
https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl General Category >> rbent Lobby >> Low average speed on my Fusion https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl?num=1237757616 Message started by Opus the Poet on Mar 22nd, 2009, 4:33pm |
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Title: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on Mar 22nd, 2009, 4:33pm I have been bothered by low average speeds on my Fusion. I know my computer is calibrated correctly within the levels of repeatability for the course I use to check, about 0.5% so that's not the cause. I have been blaming the engine because I had so much off the bike time in the last year what with blowing up the Stratus and all. Well I had some pedal problems with the pedals I installed to try to get my wife to ride the bike, some plastic ones with a not too-aggressive "cage" style. I managed to kill one of the bearings in one pedal, so I swapped to a set of alloy body pedals with the usual alloy cages with teeth. Well I have somehow managed to rip the cages right off the front of the pedals, stripping out where the retaining screws thread into the body. The cages are now hanging loose from the front and are bent to about a 45 degree angle away from the rest of the pedal. Do you think that maybe the motor is not the problem with the slow average speeds? [smiley=rolleyes.gif] |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by mleuck on Mar 22nd, 2009, 7:41pm Opus the Poet wrote:
What IS your average speed? |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 22nd, 2009, 8:45pm Are you saying you need new pedals? |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on Mar 23rd, 2009, 5:17pm I have a set of replacement pedals from the spare parts box, my average speed has been about 11 MPH during the cold weather. Lately my average speed has climbed to 12.5 when the winds are calm and as low as 10.5 when the winds are really blowing. I'm looking at the data and I'm thinking the problem is the way I have the bike set up with my torso upright and sitting directly over the seat. Set up like this I can lean back and pull on the handlebars and put a tremendous amount of power into the pedals when climbing hills [smiley=grin.gif] but I think the aero for this position is poor? |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by mleuck on Mar 23rd, 2009, 5:39pm Opus the Poet wrote:
Your best fix is of course to get an Optima Baron |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 23rd, 2009, 6:01pm Opus the Poet wrote:
Yes, well, that's how the CF bikes are DESIGNED to be... you're just missing the recline of your Stratus.... |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by aikigreg on Mar 23rd, 2009, 8:03pm Hey, if you don't like it, I'll be happy to take it and give it the old stress test! [smiley=runover.gif] I want a CF badly after riding the zenetik last summer. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on Mar 23rd, 2009, 9:20pm mleuck wrote:
I suppose you have one to donate to the cause [smiley=rolleyes.gif]? |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Mar 24th, 2009, 7:49am aikigreg wrote:
Greg, the Fusion has the rider sitting pretty far back in relation to the pedals -- not sure you'd be able to stand up for hill climbing purposes -- that's why they designed the Zenetik the way they did, in comparison. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on Mar 25th, 2009, 11:43pm Right the Fusion is much more upright compared to the Zen.I'm still trying to get the seat dialed in as all I had to work with was the plastic pan, pre-carbon fiber. No cushion or cover came with the bike. I have a 10mm pad that I cut up from a different bike to kinda sorta fit the pan, but when I did a 36 mile ride around the beginning of the month it felt like I had been sitting on a cheese grater. I had managed to build up some calluses over where my tailbone grew back crooked after I wrecked a toboggan when I was in college (long story, ask me about it when we're riding). When I got home the callus was gone and I had a spot or 2 of blood in my shorts [smiley=puking.gif]. I need to get a better cushion and a real cover over it. I went to the upholstery department at Hobby Lobby up the street and the cushions they have are all way too soft. Their idea of "high density" is a joke... One thing the Fusion will do is climb like there's no tomorrow. That seating position lets my put a ton of power into the pedals :D |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by aikigreg on Mar 26th, 2009, 9:00am Zotefoam would probably work just fine. It's extremely dense. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on May 1st, 2009, 5:10pm Seat cushion is in, still waiting on the seat cover, that cushion doesn't look very durable with the kind of power I put out trying to move me back in the seat [smiley=deadhorsebeat.gif] The pedals were the original Stratus pedals that the bike left the factory with back in 1983, and the only thing they required to make them fully functional again was to pull them apart and remove the old grease and put in nice clean grease. How about that, 26 YO pedals that are still good? And rebuildable to boot. How many modern pedals can say that (rebuildable)? I'm going to be leading a series of training rides on how to do a multi-day bike trip (3 days @ ~80 miles a day, long weekend, and then 3 days back) not a tour but riding bikes as transportation to the destination. OK technically it's touring as the trip is to a camp out, but if I can keep these guys focussed on just the fact that they are riding bikes for a few hours a day rather than riding 240 miles out and back I think they can do it. ;D |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on May 3rd, 2009, 5:25pm OK the toe clips are a pain. The biggest problem I'm having with them is getting the pedals right side up to slip my foot in. They keep turning back over when I get them right side up, and are a major pain to get turned back over when that happens. On the plus side I can get my feet out on the ground as fast as flat platforms, and My average speed has jumped almost 1.5 MPH since my foot stays with the pedal better at high cadences. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by Opus the Poet on May 7th, 2009, 3:52pm The toe clip pedals were more than a figurative pain, they actually hurt my feet and were staring to tear up my shoes, so I retapped the threads in the alloy body pedals and bought new screws and bolted the damaged cages back on the pedals, after I straightened them out. I need to get some thread locker to prevent losing the new screws, but it looks like the modified pedals will work better. And I'm working on new platforms to bolt on in place of the cages that will let me use toe clips and not have to flip the pedal over. I'll just slide my foot forward when I start pedaling and catch the toe clip ;D Won't that be cool? [smiley=cool.gif] |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by bikerteam on May 8th, 2009, 6:14am Opus the Poet wrote:
I recently began comparing CF models as Angie would like a bike to ride light trails (ie, a 28-32mm tire). Contrary to what I quote Opus as saying, it appears the Fusion is much more laid back than the Zenetik. Please tell me if I'm wrong. Also, can anyone let me know if either PCF or RBM (or elsewhere) carries various CF model? |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by aikigreg on May 8th, 2009, 7:47am City cyclist has quite a few CF bikes, but not RANS. They have a zenetik on order though. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by system-f on May 12th, 2009, 8:21am Quote:
The last time I was there they had the V-Rex, F5 and V-3 Steel in boxes. The Zenetik was built and I had a chance to ride it. By now he should have most of the Rans Recumbents put together. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by aikigreg on May 12th, 2009, 8:54am Looks like I've have some stuff to play with when I take my corsa in there later on. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by freakflyer9999 on May 12th, 2009, 5:30pm system-f wrote:
Yesterday Mike at City Cyclist was finishing up the V-Rex. The F5 and Zenetik were done and the V3 was on today's agenda. I want to try the V3 when he gets it built. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by system-f on May 12th, 2009, 8:15pm I do not want to ride the V3 or the V-rex...because I might buy another bike. |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by aikigreg on May 12th, 2009, 8:58pm system-f wrote:
Hey, don't blame me,. I told you to wait, but NOOOO! ;D |
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Title: Re: Low average speed on my Fusion Post by evblazer on May 12th, 2009, 9:05pm system-f wrote:
That is why I never test ride anything. Of course most of the bikes I purchased were purchased sight unseen so that strategy might not be working out too well for me. [smiley=embarassed.gif] |
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