Thinking out loud: S&S couplers

[stalker]

Ohh ok! And the benefits are...

Not having to spend on an all new bike.
Easier transportation.

Not getting ridiculed on BZ for riding a midget sized bike

[Minkey Chief]

Har, Rajesh one day you complain there's not enough cycling content, the next you can't be bothered to read cycling content? My first post on this thread has all the details you need. If you need some more help: http://bit.ly/Ni2t4Z

[RNair]

I read it and fell out of my chair! LOL. Glad it all went ok

I googled it myself. You were late. I never knew you could such stuff.

[Minkey Chief]

Arrey baba Stalker, why are you spoonfeeding the primary opponent of spoonfeeding?

[RNair]

LOL. Just one time sake! There is so much going on here with bollywood youtube videos et all.when you are done with it there is no time left. Appreciate Stalkers help

[RNair]

OK let me get serious here now! The bike has been assembled? How does it feel to ride?

[Minkey Chief]

That's the key question--how is it to ride! Not yet assembled--I've changed the cockpit somewhat. Have new handlebars and a new stem, raising the bars a bit to get it more tourerish.

[RNair]

The key question is I want to know what the bike does when you get off the saddle and ride it on a climb. let me know when you have that answer. Especially when it is loaded.

[Minkey Chief]

Got Nitto Randonneurs on them now (long story of matching stems) and they seem really comfortable. Only problem may be that with a handlebar bag it'll get a little tight in front of the bar, especially with cabling. Will post pics as I go.

[RNair]

To continue with my last question I am few days away from my Greek trip. I am looking at well over 45 kilos net weight. And I do ride my Volpe out of the saddle on climbs.

I am dead curious.

[Minkey Chief]

The key question is I want to know what the bike does when you get off the saddle and ride it on a climb. let me know when you have that answer. That too when it is loaded.

Ah, I was going to add, "Esp. when loaded" but saw you had.

Apart from reading, I talked to our tour guides in Mexico about it a lot. They tour for a living, they're on their bikes for 8 or more months a year, and have been running S&S couplers on their LHTs for a couple of years now. They say it's made no difference in feel whatsoever. They ride more loaded than I do, and both are very strong riders who go hard up hills.

There are videos on the S&S site showing strength tests where the tube fails before the coupling.

[Minkey Chief]

They say it's made no difference in feel whatsoever.

I know after spending money some people just see what they want to see, but some people are not afraid to be critical of their own choices if necessary, and one of the guides is really into bikes and fine detail of things, so I trust his opinion.

[RNair]

When you do something like this it is difficult to make much out of what others say as a lot will depend on how you ride that bike more than the bike itself?

Two different styles of riding will make the same bike look 2 different worlds apart. Kind of a bold move. Hope it all works well. Looks cool though.

[deepakvrao]

Not getting ridiculed on BZ for riding a midget sized bike

Go ahead, have your laughs. I'll have the final one

[Minkey Chief]

When you do something like this it is difficult to make much out of what others say as a lot will depend on how you ride that bike more than the bike itself.

Two different styles of riding will make the same bike look 2 different worlds apart. Kind of a bold move. Hope it all works well. Looks cool though.

S&S has overwhelmingly positive reviews and the structural soundness of S&S bikes is well-established, but whether ride feel changes is much more subjective. I'll be sad if I find the Volpe's lively ride is now dead. But then, at least I've done this on a mass-produced entry-level Taiwan frame--not, say, a custom Vanilla rig!

Fingers crossed!

[RNair]

I am not being a pessimist Just that this is like a real bold move as I said earlier. Surely it will work out well.

I am just talking over my head here and maybe I am totally wrong. I would think that a lot of these people who do these are dedicated tourers? In my case the Volpe does double duty and it is not a 100% touring bike. I do take my Volpe out on rides and ride it hard. Maybe I am wrong but I would assume that much of the dedicated tourers don't do that and hence can afford to do that and works well for them? Hence my query.

If I had to do something of this nature I would have surely grabbed someone who has done this, ride their bike and see.

Not setting out alarms, like I said it looks beautiful and it will work I guess. The Volpe is a brilliant bike. I just had it in the shop for a week and the guy told me everyone who entered the shop had a word to say about it and this is in Italy! Off all the bikes I have this one is special and I can see it with me for a long time. Every passing year I find it more and more beautiful

[Minkey Chief]

Yes, most S&S I'd guess are dedicated tourers, but you also see them on cross bikes, steel race bikes and MTBs. Some people who travel a lot to cross/MTB races use them. The frame has to be steel or titanium to install them, so I guess that decides the kind of riders who tend to do this. If you look at the Bilenky gallery, you'll see lots of really nice steel race frames that have had this done. I was reading about road riders who have a CF bike, but travel with the S&S steel bike to keep the training going.

No reason a coupled bike can't work just fine on a regular hard ride. I'd think that the most stress on the frame is when it's loaded and you're standing and cranking up a hill?

[RNair]

I don't have an opinion on this. I don't know much about this. Just questions and curiosity. KInd of interesting.

[photon]

I don't have an opinion on this. I don't know much about this. Just questions and curiosity. KInd of interesting.

No reason a coupled bike can't work just fine on a regular hard ride. I'd think that the most stress on the frame is when it's loaded and you're standing and cranking up a hill?

Depends on Frame geometry and material used. In cantilever beams(example) the most stress occurs closer to/at the support and maximum deflection at the loose end. Mechanics of Materials comes into play.
Impact/cyclic loads(like a flat wheel of train hitting the tracks or a vehicle hitting a bump at speed) are more harder on equipment than gradual loads, especially in cycles which do not experince the monstorus torque/forces like automobiles upon accelerating or pushing a load up a slope. It would be helpful if the guys doing this job can specify to an extent what load the original frame can take and what load the modified frame can take, its difficult but doable with all the jazzy Finite Element Software available these days. Trust me those guys would have most probably done that.

There are videos on the S&S site showing strength tests where the tube fails before the coupling.

Have they applied the same load to the same model cycle without S&S couplers to see where and how they fail? Of course, I salute that the guys doing this are SME's.For a brand like volpe, there is a probability original design strength may be compromised a bit.

I have one question though...I dont have access to to the pix posted by you, what do we do about the chain before folding?

[Minkey Chief]

Hey Photon,

Take a look here (http://www.sandsmachine.com/testdest.htm) and here (http://www.sandsmachine.com/testnond.htm). I don't know enough to critique the test methodology, so would love to hear your views.

What's happening with pics.. I've used imageshack. I now remember some people being unable to access that site.

I usually take off the chain before regular packing as well, so it'll just be the same--Powerlink to the rescue.

[deepakvrao]

How long does it take you to pack/unpack? What is the size of the box? No personal experience but from what I have read, couplers don't mar the ride, but like Rajesh said, you'd be the best judge after you ride it.

[Minkey Chief]

The box is 26x26x10 and I have no idea if I'll be able to fit it all inside. Not looking forward to that part at all and I'm sure it'll take a long long time. Two of us will be travelling with two bikes, but I'm going to say the Volpe box is spare wheels and outdoor equipment.

[bonigv]

Vandit has an orange bike with these couplers. He brought it to pune once and we rode to lavasa. It was Ritchey breakaway I think. Where is he?

[deepakvrao]

^^Not the same couplers I think. Location and mechanics are different if I recall correctly.

MC, that is 62". Well within check in allowances right? You should not have any problem at all. With the airline that is. 700c wheels with tyres is over 27", so fitting the bike in that box will be impossible without removing the tyres. Pretty sure but you could reconfirm by measuring or trying to fit a wheel in that box.

[vkalia]

Not getting ridiculed on BZ for riding a midget sized bike

Go ahead, have your laughs. I'll have the final one

No, not really. We are the freaks, you know.