Bar height - a good point

[Roy E. Munson]

Although bostondrunk may have asked in jest, he did bring up a semi valid point. Is it possible that on a steep grade, one of the bikes on this forum with the bars significantly higher than the saddle could flip over backwards when climbing?

[Sandy]

I have found that my bike always tips over if the elevation is a tiny bit over 90 degrees.


Looking up and falling down, down, down,....


Sandy

[oracle]

i still cannot for the life of me climb gradients that are steeper than 89%. what is your secret, sandy?

oracle

[Sandy]

Find one of the many 89 degree gradients and simply ride up the underside. Bingo, 91 degrees. Just don't get too dirty.

Sandy

[oracle]

thanks sandy, i'll give it a go.

oracle

[Sandy]

Look at previous post.

[oracle]

one step ahead of you (maybe not). i revised my last post.

oracle

[ericmurphy]

I have found that my bike always tips over if the elevation is a tiny bit over 90 degrees. Sandy

The coolest thing about actually getting up a 90 degree incline (with block and tackle, maybe?) is that it's not a 100% slope, it's infinite slope. Makes for much better bragging rights...

[davids]

Although bostondrunk may have asked in jest, he did bring up a semi valid point. Is it possible that on a steep grade, one of the bikes on this forum with the bars significantly higher than the saddle could flip over backwards when climbing?
Yeah, that happens to me every time I try to climb a slope on my mountain bike :rolleyes:.

I sure hope that your question was intended as seriously as the replies you've received!

[Roy E. Munson]

I actually do think some of the bikes I've seen on this forum would flip backwards going up a steep grade.

[bostondrunk]

What I love doing is taking my Swedish Fit bike (padded fur seat, bars at belly button height, seat jammed down onto the top tube, and a 90mm stem) and zooming downhill at 100 km/hr while changing my jersey. Let me tell you, this baby is stable, corners on rails (ti rails, of course), and is a great sprinter even though my entire upper body is like a big sail since I'm pretty much upright when in the drops.
Roy, any time you want to have a sprint contest (for the front window of the local abc liquor store...), lemme know!!!

[J.M. White]

The only time I've ever climbed a 90, I wiped out on the descent.

[va rider]

This thread raises a good point. If my bars were say 6 cm above my saddle, should I avoid steep hills? I just got my new Serotta and would hate to flip over. Should I just stick to the flats?

[bostondrunk]

false flats should be OK, but you might want to wear some sort of padding on your back just in case.

[djg]

And how much of a response does it need? Half? The first half or the last?

Bars, shmars. If it's paved, then you can probably ride up without tipping over backwards, supposing you can ride it at all.

[Roy E. Munson]

Try and ride a 20% grade on this thing in the saddle and you're going on your ass:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=899

[oracle]

that could very well be true. when i climbed the angliru with my decidedly un-french fit machine, i was nearly popping a wheelie whenever i put some meat into the peadals.

oracle

[Tom]

Stand, hands on the drops, weight to the front and up you go. Remember, those drops are but a little below a coffee racer's tops. Heh heh.

[Roy E. Munson]

Weight to the front, hands in the drops, stand, and then to the dentist when the rear wheel spins out and you knock your teeth out on the stem!