Headsets on tall bikes generally wear much longer than headsets on small bikes, even though the users of the tall bikes are heavier. This is because any small angular discrepancy of the orientation of one bearing relative to the other is magnified with a short head tube, while a long head tube reduces the effect.
Imagine a stress on the fork deflecting a bearing; with a short head tube, the angular discrepancy between the two bearings is greater than when that same deflection is extrapolated over a large distance between the bearings. In other words, long head tubes keep the bearings closer to parallel under use better than do short head tubes.
I once found a remarkable man to use my used innertubes named Jim Gamble. He was in his eighties and had a large yard filled with a life time of collectibles. He wanted to use the tubes as huge rubber bands to hold together his fence posts, machine parts, appliances for recycling. etc. CITY newspaper did a story on him entitled “The Rag and Bone Man” because of his background as a soldier and …policeman and because he is a gentle wonderful soul. He is a beekeeper also, out on Ballantyne road about a mile west of the river. He has a sign on his property that says “Old beekeepers never die, they just buzz off.” He gave me a half gallon of honey in exchange for the tubes when he did not need any more.
The right wing wants to cut important social investments and they are lying about how broke we are. Have been lying about this and promoting Trickle Down Economics since the Reagan era. But we must point out how investments work. In our area of interest, it has been shown that including bicycle infrastructure has shown major decreases in accidents of all three transit types (bike/ped/auto), due to the fact that roads are being thinned, cars are having to slow their speeds, while more people are attracted to walking and bicycling, which in turn increases ridership levels thereby supporting the “Safety in Numbers” trends found throughout the world.
A couple brought their two recumbents to my store yesterday. They had smacked their derailleur on the curb of the bridge over the river at the Western end of the Lehigh Valley path and it was partly sprung out: loose c-clip. Later in the day, two men came in who had witnessed the event. They were new to Freewheelers and had just come in coincidentally. They mentioned the recumbent rider’s accident, and I said “they were here earlier today.” Pure coincidence. My shop must be the psychic center of the universe.
Whenever you visit the store, look at the Hours of Operation sign. On it you will see a special contest for musicians. There will be a prize given to any musician who can bring in an instrument and play the piece listed on the sign. Past winners include Emily Good who sang the Broadway hit “It Might As Well Be Spring”,and Jeff Love who brought in a beautiful guitar and performed Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, Its All Right”. Currently we are awaiting anyone who can bring in a violin and perform a piece by Sarasate or an accordian and play “Under Paris Skies”. Keep posted for further contests for musicians.
A very interesting customer came in this summer. He rode a four wheel electric wheelchair and communicated with a computer voice that was activated by looking at a screen. The screen had an alphabet and several commonly used words as well as navigation commands. He looks at the word go and the wheelchair goes!
He was not able to move his limbs or his head, just his eyes. He asked me to install a rear view mirror because he has been startled by passing bicyclists and others on the sidewalks! He was very warm and when we were done, had me take the money from his side panniers.
I was honored to be able to serve such an important neighbor. It is interesting to be near the Monroe Community Hospital.