Two Wheel Blogs

As you may have read, I received the first draft drawing from Rob (Badger Custom Bicycles) today. I also received an email from a friend of Rob's asking if I wanted to take his Badger for a ride.

I think this frame was designed for a rider and style similar to me...It should be fun to get some ideas from this ride. I think I have seen the bike before and it appears to be very purposefully built.

I have planned and packed up for my trip to Lawrence, Kansas where hopefully the weather will be nice for a ride. I have the Monkey, some riding gear, a camera, and a bunch of papers with questions written on them.

I have reviewed the drawing he sent to me...I am no frame designer, but it is apparent that there are a few differences from my current ride. There are some similarities too.

In a nutshell, the fork geometry looks similar (rake is the same), but the frame has some differences. The head tube is longer, the top tube slopes more, the bottom bracket is higher, the chainstays are longer, and the seat tube and head tube are steeper.

What does that mean? I am pretty much a novice, but I will take a stab and talk to the man tomorrow and see how well I did...

1. The longer head tube should allow for the same bar height I have but without the spacer I am currently using...this will allow me to adjust to a higher front end by using the spacer if I want...and I doubt that I will want a lower front end.

2. The sloping top tube. One thing is obvious...my boys get some more room, but the longer exposed seat post should soften the ride a bit....I think that shortening the seat tube may also change the characteristics of the rearend's ability to deal with shock...I could be getting carried away here.

3. Higher BB (a small amount) should make lofting the front end a bit easier...but because it is a small amount it should not adversely affect the center of gravity (for balance and climbing). Raising the BB should add ground clearance to reduce chainring and pedal strikes.

4. Longer chainstays...The KM has some really short chainstays. Many guys seem to think that short stays are where it is at. I imagine that longer stays will balance the other changes to make this bike a rounder....I am sure Rob is getting a laugh reading my armchair review (I know so little about what I am talking about here...some of you are laughing, I am sure).

5. Steeper angles should make the bike feel quicker in the steering.

I am sure that none of these items can really be considered individually...after all the frame is a unit, and all of these angles work together to change the ride...throw into that mix, the tube selection and butt lengths--and my postulating probably flys out the window.

I have a few questions for Rob tomorrow. I don't doubt his expertise...in fact it would probably be dangerous to inject my ideas regarding geometry choices. I do want to learn more about why things are done...and see if any of my observations are correct. I will report back on that one...hopefully, I get a passing grade.

Rob and I have spoken briefly about adjusting the frame to use a shorter stem than the pole I currently have hanging off my steerer. I need to learn more about what a shorter stem will do to the feel of the front end, and I need to consider the implications that designing a frame this way has (it means that I will always have to use bars similar to the Jones bars I am using currently). I am also interrested to see what Rob thinks about my current effective top tube...I am starting to think it may be a bit short....

There I go again...my head is buzzing. As I have said before, I will basically, trust Rob to get everything right based on the info I provide. Tomorrow, I hope to provide a demonstration of my riding style...hopefully, I won't demonstrate my crashing techniques on this loaner bike...it is so new, it is going to paint after I ride it! That thought might be keeping me up late tonight...
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