yeah sorry about being right about that spandex, I road an F90 for years until a couple of good rain storms convinced me that spandex fairing was a really bad idea . No amount of "scotch guard" was going to fix something like that. Still, when its not raining its pretty sweet.
Where's that quote about the bikes from? .. Mine is likely the second one being cited .. I'd like to track down the author and wave a flag exclaiming "over here"
To your thoughts, are you wanting to go fast over distance or just go fast? as the two are not equal and there are a lot of thoughts around both .. There's a guy on BROL which made a cloroplast velo over the top of an ICE QNT and its quite remarkable
http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=118961 There is also a quest shell for sell from a quest that might be a good project shell
http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=134358 Quote from jrob_bent on Jun 19th, 2017, 8:49am:Steve Delaire, the builder of the two bikes, said Dean's weighed 45 pounds and he raced it for 13 years until a few years ago he got hit by an automobile and destroyed. The other bike weighed 35 pounds and has not been heard from since he sold it. Steve is out of the bike builder business and now works for an energy company.
I think the bike in the video is actually Gardner Martin's bike that Fast Freddie rode at Battle Mountain. His 77+ mph run was the time to beat until Sam went 80 mph.
I am at a crossroads myself whether or not I am going to re-build my coroplast Phantom, coroplast Musashi, or coroplast Baron fairings. The Phantom I could hold 30+ mph with the coroplast fairing, but I think with the Musashi or Baron, I could hold closer to 35 mph. The Phantom is more robust, upright seat, and heavier built. The Musashi and Baron, I would have to raise the seat up to be able to see. Whatever I end up doing, they will be used for racing and winter riding. You were right about the spandex getting too heavy when it rained or was very humid. I had to use 1" rigid foam to keep the spandex from collapsing in on me. The spandex was easier to ride in heavy winds though. The coroplast is faster.
Decisions, decisions! At my age I need all the help I can get to go faster. As you know first hand Doug, once up to speed, the velos and streamliners take a lot less energy to maintain speed. I can hit the mid 30's on the Musashi and Baron, just not for very long. With the fairing, I can hold those speeds with way less energy.