Why Silvio is built to standards
This interesting question on the Silvio came in via the yahoo group "I was wondering if you could save even more weight by putting a 451 wheel back there. Lots of fast recumbents push a small wheel out front, and I think pulling a small wheel behind you is fundamentally more stable than pushing one in front."
Thanks Mark for that question and for the general appreciation of what's been achieved with the Silvio back end. Taking the seat shells and making them an integral part of the frame structure meant the riding position had to be spot on because there is now no adjustment. The weight saving and the clean lines are well worth it. The next target for weight reduction is the front end, which will be lighter, more stiff, and deliver full reach and height adjustment to the handlebars.
The 451 wheel has developed credibility through the many recumbents that use it. But we don't see it being used in the tour de France. Why is that? Well, in my view the small front wheel is driven by the need to keep the feet and chain out of its way. A small wheel as we know does this. Then, given the need for high performance small wheels, the 451 has come a long way. They do accelerate well and good tires can be found.
The principle of rolling resistance tells us that generally smaller wheels are slower, so if you take the best wheel technology and build two wheels: a 451 and a 700c, its clear the 700c will roll better. So while they are good, I can't see reason to think they are better than the 700c adult sized wheel. Recumbents still run large wheels on the back, remember.
Imagine what it would be like if overnight our roads were twice as bumpy as they are today. Actually you don't have to imagine, just put 451 wheels on your road bike and you'll get the idea. Smaller wheels = bigger bumps.
Another very important consideration is that bicycle technology is bound up in systems, or standards, depending on how you like to think of it. The Silvio concept is to adopt the standards of the road bike industry. As soon as you make that policy decision, you have at your fingertips the best componentry, research and development and everything else that exists on the planet. I notice M5 just presented a super lightweight brake, but that research investment is just a drop in the ocean compared to what is invested by the mainstream bicycle industry. The choice is wide, the prices are good for the performance and the convenience is unmatched. I can buy a pair of great tires at any bike shop I care to walk into. Or great wheels. How many recumbent riders out there have ever been given a fresh tube by a passing road bike rider to fix the flat in their front tire? Not many I know, but I can put my hand up - I got a dividend from exploiting the established industrial system. Every cruzbike owner gets these dividends as a free bonus.
Take a close look at a good quality road bike and really, you have to admit, its quite a beautifully engineered thing. The components are beyond compare - don't let the existence of a saddle blind you to what technology is available and at what price.
I'll finish this entry with a comment on aesthetics. When I look at regular bent, I see a designer who was not able to figure out how to use two wheels the same size, and gave in, putting a kiddy sized one on the front. You can't win in the wider market if you tell people they can't have two wheels the same size. It is and always will be a workaround second rate solution.
Thanks Mark for that question and for the general appreciation of what's been achieved with the Silvio back end. Taking the seat shells and making them an integral part of the frame structure meant the riding position had to be spot on because there is now no adjustment. The weight saving and the clean lines are well worth it. The next target for weight reduction is the front end, which will be lighter, more stiff, and deliver full reach and height adjustment to the handlebars.
The 451 wheel has developed credibility through the many recumbents that use it. But we don't see it being used in the tour de France. Why is that? Well, in my view the small front wheel is driven by the need to keep the feet and chain out of its way. A small wheel as we know does this. Then, given the need for high performance small wheels, the 451 has come a long way. They do accelerate well and good tires can be found.
The principle of rolling resistance tells us that generally smaller wheels are slower, so if you take the best wheel technology and build two wheels: a 451 and a 700c, its clear the 700c will roll better. So while they are good, I can't see reason to think they are better than the 700c adult sized wheel. Recumbents still run large wheels on the back, remember.
Imagine what it would be like if overnight our roads were twice as bumpy as they are today. Actually you don't have to imagine, just put 451 wheels on your road bike and you'll get the idea. Smaller wheels = bigger bumps.
Another very important consideration is that bicycle technology is bound up in systems, or standards, depending on how you like to think of it. The Silvio concept is to adopt the standards of the road bike industry. As soon as you make that policy decision, you have at your fingertips the best componentry, research and development and everything else that exists on the planet. I notice M5 just presented a super lightweight brake, but that research investment is just a drop in the ocean compared to what is invested by the mainstream bicycle industry. The choice is wide, the prices are good for the performance and the convenience is unmatched. I can buy a pair of great tires at any bike shop I care to walk into. Or great wheels. How many recumbent riders out there have ever been given a fresh tube by a passing road bike rider to fix the flat in their front tire? Not many I know, but I can put my hand up - I got a dividend from exploiting the established industrial system. Every cruzbike owner gets these dividends as a free bonus.
Take a close look at a good quality road bike and really, you have to admit, its quite a beautifully engineered thing. The components are beyond compare - don't let the existence of a saddle blind you to what technology is available and at what price.
I'll finish this entry with a comment on aesthetics. When I look at regular bent, I see a designer who was not able to figure out how to use two wheels the same size, and gave in, putting a kiddy sized one on the front. You can't win in the wider market if you tell people they can't have two wheels the same size. It is and always will be a workaround second rate solution.
