Santa Monica and Venice Beach

Been to Santa Monica many times, finally Junfeng and I got chance to ride on the famous beach bike path.
We started from Santa Monica Pier towards Venice, just a few miles each way. It is amazing how many things you can do in the middle of winter when Ottawa is at -27C.

编轮的＂艺术＂： 1. 阅读随笔

       趁着闲暇，带着一点对自行车车轮构造的兴趣和疑惑，反复研读了手工编制自行车车轮的著名读物《编轮的艺术》(The art of wheel building)和《自行车轮》 (Bicycle wheel)。这两本书不约而同地试图解决怎样才能编制一对完美车轮的问题，我则需要从中找到为什么要手工编轮和什么才是完美车轮的最佳答案。

     《编轮的艺术》是瑞士的一位40年专业编轮工艺匠人的经验荟萃，作者同时也是自行车竞赛的业余爱好者，因此对自行车及其工艺有着极大的热情。行文让人感到一位完美主义的老工艺匠人在面前絮絮叨叨地讲述自行车轮组成部件车轴（hub),幅条（spoke),轮框（rim)的每一个细节和原理，又娓娓道来那些编轮的工艺流程, 编制过程中遇到的问题和解决方法。

       文中收集了一些编轮部件的厂家技术参数和编轮经验公式，联同对编轮步骤最详细的描述使得该书具有一定的参考作用。

       同时，该书随时穿插了作者与当时交往的一些世界级自行车赛手和自行车技师传奇故事，传达了一种对细节和完美无尽追求的职业精神。是这种对手工艺的热爱，用钟表般构造的精密，达到完美的性能，使手编自行车轮这项正在流失的工艺，演绎为曾经的艺术。

   
       尽管编轮依赖经验，并且编轮大师的手编轮更加完美并更具个性，然而，手编车轮不应该是艺术； 车轮的背后应有它的科学原理，其结构应能建模进而定量分析。若能将其背后的理论加以揭示，即使不是大师，掌握技术，优化工序，利用验算测试手段，也能编出理想车轮。Jobst Brandt正好作了这样的尝试，并著作了这本《自行车轮》。

        因而，与《编轮的艺术》行文不同，《自行车轮》 作者隐身，传奇消失，真理试图浮现。

      作者借鉴了材料力学为基础的的工程原理和有限元分析方法，以分析车轮静态和动态受力状态，进而通过独立的观察分析，解释失败车轮的不同原因，车轮强度的各种要求，车轮组件的各种特征，水到渠成地到达车轮的设计。行文从普遍到特殊，从原理到实现，逻辑环环相扣地完成理论篇。随后的实践篇--车轮的手编与维修--也翔实具体，似乎达到手把手相教的效果，给新手以实践的信心。最后的公式与计算部分可以看作是本书的附录，也是对理论篇强有力的背书。综合起来该书不愧为深入了解自行车车轮的宝典。

       然而，大师难免也有犯迷糊的时候，如果单独考察书中的某些论段，偶尔也能发现一些令人困惑，或值得商磋的结论。

Jobst Brandt

例如，在分析车轮是如何支撑车体时，作者摒弃车轴上部幅条受力的悬挂模型，而以桥梁桥墩预挤压而能提供更强支持力作类比，认为是车轴下部幅条预拉伸而产生了支持力，但因预拉伸与支持受力方向不一致，似乎不是让人十分信服。而再用更复杂的电子学的偏流作进一步类比解释时，反而感觉有些忽悠。 又如在分析车轮动力传动时，作者同意共识，即由后轮右边向后斜拉的幅条拉动轮框滚动，但同时宣称同边向前斜拉的幅条因张力释放提供推力，然而细想在没有外力将幅条再度拉紧的情况下，这一论断没法解释在匀速中怎样持续提供推力？ 因为内力不作功。... ...

     当然，这些丝毫不能震撼大师高山仰止的地位，反而只会增加本书阅读的趣味性，而本书的价值的不在于这些无关紧要的结论，而是其分析方法，以及原理，设计和制作之间畅然关联的逻辑性。


    从两本书中我想我找到了想要的答案。

•        既然手编轮的性能不低于厂家车轮，而耐用性，可维护性远好过厂家车轮，如果能，为什么不使用自己量身编制的高性能手编车轮呢？

•       那些最合理的设计，选用了最优良的部件，用最高精度编出的最强，最硬， 合理轻量的手编车轮，才是完美车轮， 它将象工艺品一样，随岁月流传。

编轮的＂艺术＂： 2. 幅条编织模式分析

Build a versatile performance bike: 3. a touch of retro.

Sometimes lovely bicycles evoke feeling of freedom, independence or/and even nostalgia for whatever memory awaken. It connects emotion rather than be a purely utilitarian.  Moreover, the vantage frame carries the  traditional style and classical handicraft thank to it's flat top tube and lug joint. It can be an unique, refined and chic alternative to just road rage or race machine.

Hence a minimalism, elegant and retro style is a natural choice for this bike building.

A handcrafted leather saddle is almost the symbol of  traditional bike, not only it has been existing the same  way for about one hundred year, it's still considered the most comfortable solution for a long distance riding.

All those old school silver colour seat post, stem, handle bar and even the Campagnolo Veloce brake calipers contribute a touch of retro. 

note the seat far higher than the handler bar, it keeps a aggressive position to ride according to my own riding habit. It should be an athlete in casual suit. 

The small stainless front rack not only gives a classical looks, it's also the best utility of carrying casual stuff for daily use.

The whole bicycle is still at fairly light about 19 LB.although there is some weigh penalty for it.

Build a versatile performance bike: 2. frame and wheels

The performance mainly comes from bicycle's frame and wheel set. The frame's geometry and material both play importance role in it's performance. 

the geometry of the frame can be described in the last photo in the post. the seat tube length(D) represents the size of the frame. usually Head tube angle(A), seat tube angle(B) and stay length determines if the bike is aggressive or leisure style. other size changes proportionally.  Roughly, more straight seat tube ( say 75 degree angle) and shorter rear wheel to the seat tube distance, more efficient riding due the designed riders position and resulting bike's stiffness. more comfortable other wise.

The geometry of this frame usually can be seen in the entry level race bike, and the material of the frame, which is chromoly steel , is stiff enough also supposed to provide more comfortable riding. 

the wheel consists of white industries oversize hub laced with Mavic open pro rims.  The hub was designed for rough condition such as touring and unpaved road usage but with race hub's lightness and ultra smoothness. the rims are also strong and light. the wheel set is versatile enough to be training or touring wheels. Hub is 8-9 speed compatible, while I configure it as single speed for daily use.


Based on this frame and wheel set,  the idea is to get ride of all none-sense to achieve the simplicity, elegance hence the performance. if needed, with cassette and bar end shifter, it can be easy converted to the multi-geared touring bike for long distance.  

A   Head Tube Angle
B   Seat Tube Angle
C   Top Tube Length
D   Seat Tube Length              
E   Chainstay Length              
F   Bottom Bracket Drop  
G   Fork Offset
H   Total Fork Length    
I    Head Tube Length              
J   Wheelbase

Build a versatile performance bike: 1. repaint the frame.

The cycling season just finished,  the ski season has yet 1 or 2 weeks to start. Now it's just the time to rebuild my versatile performance bike. Having checked the weather forecast, it would be a warm week since this Sunday, which  makes a perfect opportunity to repaint the frame in the following  days.

It's actually a late 80's Fiori Modena triple butted and lugged chromoly steel frame.  The Fiori bike and its frame is rated in a decent middle level  category. Comparing to the high end race steel frame such as made from Columbus, Reynold  tube which are about 2000- 2500 g, this  frame weights above 3000 g. Compromising some lightness, it's  still a excellent candidate for city , light touringbike  due to its stiffness and geometry and decent build quality.

Most importance, the 54 cm is right my size and the 80's steel frame is almost the only option for the modern retro-style bike building( or rebuilding). Based on this frame, will build a versatile all around for city commuting, light touring or touring when full loaded performance bike.

Thanks to paint stripper spray, it took about 1 to 2 hours to remove the old coat and painting and sand for completly clean. I actually have been done  2 day ago.  Today sprayed  the primer as the first layer covering and for rust proving  as well. after several fine sanding and re-applying ,  the  frame is ready to paint.

I chose the "recreational white" color for retro and clean looking. leverage the precious warm weather , will paint it in garage and then heat it to dry beside the fireplace.

As expected,Sunday is warm and also a little windy for ventilation, good timing to do the job.

(click to enlarge)

Sprayed  the fork first, but  since did too fast,it generated some bubbles and spots on the surface. So the result is not ideal, need  sand it after it dry and repaint the 2nd layer. seems need more patient to achieve mirror flat result.


Patient does work!  Carefully sprayed little by little and let it dry, apply over and over, it's done and it does look clean and simple.  Thought it twice, instead of further apply the final clear coat, I just leave it as it. I prefer it home made style rather than a commercial product alike.


Having installed a race bike wheel set, It demonstrates the start point of my concept.

Cycling in Taiwan

I had a few days to my own in Taiwan so I thought I'd bike around. Biking is certainly a better way to see a city, faster than walking but slower than driving. Taiwan has a cycling culture, supported by Giant the bike manufacturer.  Rental places like the one shown below are easy to find.

At the hotel I was staying, there was a fleet of Giant folding bikes that are free for guests to use. You know that I had to take advantage of. So on the day I was free, I borrowed one of these nice bikes and got on my way.

The bike is complete with a basket, a front and a rear light, a bell and a working kickstand. You can see these features better in the following picture. My laptop bag actually fit well in the basket.

The city, Taitung, has a nice bike path, a loop actually. The whole loop was built by connecting several stretches of old bike paths, one converted from an old railway going through the city, another along the ocean, and yet another through a forest park and a botanic garden. The loop is named the Mountain-Ocean Bike Path because you can see both the mountain and ocean doing the loop. Here is a typical sign on the bike path,

and a map.

You can see the ocean,

and the mountain (actually both).

Here is a gps track file from my phone with additional pictures.

Taitung Moutain Ocean Bikeway at EveryTrail


I ended my cycling adventure by sampling local food at one of their night markets. Yum...

I took a picture of the following dish after devouring most of it. What's the bamboo shoot like object in the middle?

寻访小镇Merrickville

或许中长距离的骑行给人日后远行的信心， 周末一人去了６５公里开外的小镇Merrickville，也算是周末的休闲吧。

开车来到市郊西南的riverside， 然后跨上自行车， 沿着市郊river road, 伴随身边车来车往，很快来到了出城最后小镇--Manotick.

Manotick小镇依在Rideau河边， 桥上眺望---今天的旅程就将沿河蜿蜒而下。

Manotick太小， 上主街刚加速，就已穿城而过， 眼前豁然开朗的则是广阔田野,蓝天白云和无尽的乡村路。 

路上几乎没人，间或驶过一两辆小车， 剩下只有我的影子，和这辆破车.

独自在这一里路狂奔，每个上坡起身似乎摇动世界 踏板在这没完没了的乡村路上仿佛拉动地球－－大地在退后，偶遇的车队在退后,伴随我心飞翔；

行过Rideau Park的大桥后， 柳暗花明的是一片田园诗意。

 这段路程应是此行的目的之一吧？ 如同置身世外桃圆，一边是古树掩映下的老房子，一边是青纱帐； 我闻到花香，听到虫鸣，车轮翁翁脆响；

这样走过了一村又一村；... ...,经过 这一段令人留恋的Rideau heritage trail

看到标记牌后的两公里，古镇Merrickville就在眼前了。

这是有着两三百年历史，未受现代工商业冲击和污染的历史小镇。

这里有乡村工艺店。

这里有老教堂;

这里有古建筑,

这里繁花似锦;

这里有古色古香的石头房;

这里有人骑单车，

。... ... ??

这里曾有我。