Re: unabashed plug, Crumpton

In article 
<f8095f01-acce-4910-b76a-982f1ee735ab@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
 Chalo <chalo.colina@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> >
> >  Chalo <chalo.col...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > >
> > >
>http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137960420?bctid=1539...
> > >
> > >  I mean, can't someone buy a plastic road bike
> > > basically indistinguishable from that one just about anywhere for a
> > > whole lot less money?
> >
> > But the Crumpton SL is stiff, yet compliant. The Seven was stiffer,
but
> > not as compliant.
> >
> > Holy moly. I hadn't watched the video before I wrote this. At 1:26 on
> > the video, the reviewer talks about how the frame has the stiffness of
a
> > race bike, but the comfort of a "plush" (?) bike.
> >
> > I thought we were only joking here when we accused Bicycling of doing
> > that.
> >
> > Functionally, I think the mass-produced bikes (pick one) are similar,
> > but the reviewer also praises its aesthetic qualities, and I can't
find
> > hi-res enough photos to comment either way.
> >
> > I'm pretty uninterested in the aesthetics of bicycles that are
otherwise
> > functional, but it's a legitimate differentiation.
> 
> Here's an article with nice detail shots of teh Crumpz0rz:
> 
> http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3956
> http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:bIfdLRij92MJ:www.pezcyclingnews.com
> 
> It reminds me of a fancy bowling ball or accordion.  Here are some of
> the highlights of the accompanying review:
> 
> "A marked contrast is in the seat tube, and that makes perfect sense,
> as the tube it¹s self performs a bit different job than the othersŠ
> You¹ll notice a spiral pattern and it¹s a thickness that will give
> some stability against bending (different than twisting), but also do
> a good job of absorbing vibration."
> 
> "All of the joints are minimalŠ And all are wrapped with not just
> size, but function in mind, a bit like wrapping an ankle for a
> s****ting event (to keep it from twisting to the sides but allow
> freedom of movement vertically. Meaning the wrap will resist twist
> more, but allow for some vertical compliance. Roughly translated,
> that¹s stiff for power, but soft for rideŠ"
> 
> "The Crumpton is stiff enough to cost you no power loss. The
> acceleration is what you would expect from a very light very stiff
> bike. The road holding during rougher surface turns is extremely
> impressive as the frame and fork will flex well enough to not cause
> the tires to skip and chatter the way some of the overly stiff newer
> bikes can."
> 
> "...the twist control (providing the stiffness) is, to some degree,
> done in a way that doesn¹t prevent some of the bounce that is lacking
> in some carbon bikes today."
> 
> I'm sure it comes equipped with a saddle that is hard and narrow for
> austerity yet soft and wide for comfort, spokes that are short
> radially while remaining remarkably long from end to end, and bar tape
> that is wrapped counterclockwise without sacrificing its traditional
> clockwise-wrapped qualities.

"The special part of Nick¹s bikes lies in his joining the tubes... 
He of course starts with an extremely accurate tube cut and finish 
that lets him basically call out angles down to fractions of degrees. 
This allows for geometry with true nuance as I was able to spec 
very slight changes to the Geometry that I have used on the past 
two or three other custom frames in just the past year 
(rough life, but some one has to...). I specified angles down 
to the hundredth of degree and Nick knocked em out using some 
fairly expensive gear..."

Ooohh! Nuances.

Fifteen yards for illegal use of ellipses...

-- 
Michael Press