New Year weight loss plans ???

You guys are thinking way too high tech. My son recommends a skateboard.

Those things are dangerous, and lots of work. Those little
skateboard/scooters (with handle bars) are better -- and better than
walking -- but they're still too much like work, too.

We always see the annoying gas-powered versions of those things at OSH.
I've never yet seen anyone kill themselves on them, yet, but I always watch
anyway...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

We always see the annoying gas-powered versions of those things at OSH.
I've never yet seen anyone kill themselves on them, yet, but I always watch
anyway...

I regularly do some pretty stupid things on mountain bikes (scars to
show for it) but wouldn't be tempted to actually use one of the
motorized scooters (aka "gopeds") for transportation.

The front wheel is small enough that even a small obstacle can cause
an endo, and the geometry is usually such that there's little or no
trail in the front end geometry (trail is what makes the rear wheels
in a shopping cart and the front wheel on a bike tend toward inherent
stability). Without that, the front wheel will want to take off one
direction or the other at the slightest input.

There's no reason there couldn't be a "safer goped" design, with a
front wheel in the 12-14" range, and inherently stable geometry (draw
a line through the steering axis, and if the wheel's contact point
with the ground is behind the axis, it's stable).

Mark "brave but not stupid" Hickey
Former wife would disagree

"Mark Hickey" wrote

(draw
a line through the steering axis, and if the wheel's contact point
with the ground is behind the axis, it's stable).

A bike is not in agreement with your statement. Yet it is stable. Any idea
as to why?
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote:

"Mark Hickey" wrote

(draw
a line through the steering axis, and if the wheel's contact point
with the ground is behind the axis, it's stable).

A bike is not in agreement with your statement. Yet it is stable. Any idea
as to why?

Actually, it is... the steering axis is canted (usually by 16-18
degrees). Remember what matters is the relationship between the
steering axis (a line drawn through the center of the head tube, or
fork's "steer tube"), and the point the front wheel touches the ground
(not where the steering axis crosses the wheel, which is ahead of the
steering axis line). Don't get misled by the centerline of the fork's
blades, which can be canted to the front, putting the axle ahead of
the steering axis - it's the contact patch that counts.

It's a lot easier to visualize if you're looking at a bike - the
steering axis line passes clearly ahead of the front tire's contact
patch (by 2.5 - 3" on most bikes). In effect, this produces the same
kind of results that a shopping cart's rear wheels does - the front
wheel wants to "trail" behind the steering axis. It can also get you
in trouble when you hit a very steep bump or get the rear wheel up in
the air a bit (since the contact patch can end up ahead of the
steering axis, and can take the bars out of the rider's hands if
he/she isn't paying attention).

Mark "and I always hate it when that happens" Hickey

I regularly do some pretty stupid things on mountain bikes (scars to
show for it) but wouldn't be tempted to actually use one of the
motorized scooters (aka "gopeds") for transportation.

Maybe you should try one. I probably have several thousand miles on mine,
and it is by far the most convenient thing to carry as simple ground
transportation in a small plane. I've used it on all kinds of terrain and
it's no more prone to "endoing" than any bike I've ridden; the CG is way too
low to do that - you'd get thrown off the front if anything (which hasn't
happened to me).

Then again, "I ain't skerd" to ride anything. My favorite bike is the penny
farthing with a 4' front wheel. Now THAT thing will endo!

"JohnH" wrote:


I regularly do some pretty stupid things on mountain bikes (scars to
show for it) but wouldn't be tempted to actually use one of the
motorized scooters (aka "gopeds") for transportation.

Maybe you should try one. I probably have several thousand miles on mine,
and it is by far the most convenient thing to carry as simple ground
transportation in a small plane. I've used it on all kinds of terrain and
it's no more prone to "endoing" than any bike I've ridden; the CG is way too
low to do that - you'd get thrown off the front if anything (which hasn't
happened to me).

The COG of the scooter is really low - it's the fact that the COG of
the rider is about belt-height that bothers me - that and Newton's
insistence that an object in motion... ;-) Any obstacle that the
front wheel hits taller than halfway up or more to the axle is likely
to cause "bad things to happen". If there was some suspension it
would be a bit less likely to spontaneously separate the rider from
the vehicle.

Then again, "I ain't skerd" to ride anything. My favorite bike is the penny
farthing with a 4' front wheel. Now THAT thing will endo!

And those things produce the mother of all endos (starting with your
head about 10 feet above mother earth). Never rode one, but would
love to some day.

Mark Hickey

In rec.aviation.homebuilt Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired wrote:

You guys are thinking way too high tech. My son recommends a skateboard.

Indeed.

I always though that I needed a folding bike for the plane. Then I
realized that the roller blades languishing in the closet weighed a lot
less, were more compact, were easier to get in and out of the plane, and
required less maintenance than a bike. Add a backpack to it and you can
carry almost the same amount of stuff.


--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

"Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired" wrote in message
news:KyOuf.73096$sg5.9349@dukeread12...
You guys are thinking way too high tech. My son recommends a skateboard.

I've seen motorized ones of those also... I seem to also remember seeing an
add for a motorized rollerblade type device...

"Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired" wrote in message
news:KyOuf.73096$sg5.9349@dukeread12...
You guys are thinking way too high tech. My son recommends a skateboard.

My wife's motto, and subsequently mine as well: Don't put it on and
you don't have to take if off.

Corky Scott