Introducing Feronia

[DebW]

I can tell you that my understanding of the packing process is that it is is *much easier* for small frames vs large frames. One issue is how much needs to be removed. ... On larger frames you sometimes need to take the fork out, and/or crank.

Do you wedge foam or something in the case to keep parts from shifting? I assume you'd want a spreader bar in the fork tips and dropouts for protection. And some protection for the rear derailleur if you leave it attached to the frame.

My framebuilder also said that women that go with 650c or 26" wheels have an easier time packing. I can see that now, as to pack my 700c wheel I need to deflate it completely and wedge it in there, although my 24" wheels just drops in anywhere (cases are 26" x 26" xx 10" to meet airline reg). So if I were doing this from scratch I might choose a bike with 650/26" wheels.

I'd be alot more comfortable transporting a wheel with air in the tire. As long as the pressure is 15 psi below the max tire rating - won't want explosions on a plane.

Thanks Deb. You helped me design it!!! I am so glad now that I went with the steel fork and canti brakes, the two points I agonized over. I need to ride her more to be sure, but one interesting thing I noticed is how much stiffer the bottom bracket area feels than any other bike I have owned. Could that be the reynolds 853 steel? ... When I rode her yesterday, in some ways she felt more powerful and comfortable than even my ti isis with carbon fork (by comfort I mean mostly in my upper body, back neck shoulders feel more relaxed). I felt like every watt of energy applied to the pedals was translated into power. My body even felt more comfortable on her even though the fit is identical (she is one frame size larger, so to get an iidentical position I have a 1 cm shorter stem (10 vs 11), and my seatpost and stem are 1.5" less exposed). Do you think that is due to the difference in frame size or frame materials? The other bike is titanium with a carbon fork. All other angles, rake, etc. are identical. It may also be that she was put together with nearly new parts. I really liked the mechanic. This is a new shop (for me) and not only did he take all the parts off my old bike, he put them in this special cleaning machine, and he also rebuilt the hubs on my touring wheels, so perhaps some of what I am feeling is the smoothness of a fresh build.

I really can't answer that. In theory a smaller frame should be stiffer, and you have a bigger frame. Tubing can make a difference, and a frame can be built with a stiffened bb and a softer ride elsewhere. And apparently some newer cranksets are noticably stiffer, especially when they put the bearings outisde the bb and use the integrated crank/spindle designs. I don't think a "fresh build" should create a noticable difference in feel unless you were riding on really really grote hubs before.

What I don't get is why more manufacturers don't offer stock bikes for how we really ride, i.e. the versatility of using 23-32 tires, fenders, etc., but also considering lightness and a need for speed. I noticed Veronica's new legolos has a lot of the same features as my bike, but why do we need to go to framebuilders to get what we want? It seems like they tap two markets, the super fast racers, or the heavily loaded tourist, but what about us in between gals?

Now that's a good question.

[Triskeliongirl]

Do you wedge foam or something in the case to keep parts from shifting? I assume you'd want a spreader bar in the fork tips and dropouts for protection. And some protection for the rear derailleur if you leave it attached to the frame. I'd be alot more comfortable transporting a wheel with air in the tire. As long as the pressure is 15 psi below the max tire rating - won't want explosions on a plane.

Each tube is wrapped with these wrappers, which are like cordura filled with soft padding, and sealed with velcro strips, as are all the exposed joints on the frame. You don't really use foam, but once you start to place everything in there, things pressing against each other hold things in place. Interestingly, he didn't pack the fork tips or dropouts with spreader bars, although I have some from my trico ironcase that I could use. He seemed more concerned with protecting the frame itself from getting scratched. You also put several crush protectors in the case. Did you mean to say you'd be more comfortable transporting a deflated tire. I agree I would deflate it partially, but what I meant about smaller wheels being easier is that you don't have to completely deflate them, and then they would lie flat rather than at an angle in the case. I'll let you guys know more how the packing goes after I take some trips. I think I was just so used to my tiny bike friday case that this one seems enormous by comparison, yet my frame is still relatively small.

I rode her again today, and I think some of the differences I was perceiving between my ti (Isis) vs steel (Feronia) bikes had more to do with the saddles and seatpost positions as I've been shifting things around. Yesterday I rode Feronia first with my more broken in brooks saddle, and then immediatly after rode Isis with the newer saddle, and think I put the seatpost a tad higher than normal, so she didn't feel that good. I think when they are similarly equipped they feel pretty similar in terms of body comfort, although I still think that Feronia is stiffer than Isis. I plan to take Feronia on two club rides this weekend to see how she feels doing the kinds of things I'd do when I travel and am not touring, tomorrow will be a hilly ride so I put my 11-34 cogset on, and sunday will be flat although I'll keep this cogset on as more 'general purpose' as a test as well. Normally I use a 12-27 for most things, and the 11-34 for steep stuff, but sometimes I am caught undergeared witht he 12-27 so it will also be fun to see how I like her with the 11-34 all the time. I worry about the large gaps between gears. In some ways I wish I had a triple, but it was easier to make my custom orthopoedic crank set in a double.

[Veronica]

Our tandem has S & S couplers. This what half the bike looks like when packed.



Our new tandem will have 26" wheels to make it easier to pack.

V.

[Triskeliongirl]

Our tandem has S & S couplers. This what half the bike looks like when packed. ...V.

It looks like you got the soft case. Have you had problems with damage on airplanes? I got the hard case cuz it seemed to offer more protection. Deb had asked about padding. As I was putting the case away today I realized that he did pad it with newspaper since it only had the frame and wheels, not as full as when she is fully built up. I took her on my first long ride today. She rode like a dream!! I was amazed, cuz at the beginning of the ride I could tell folks thought I was crazy to bring a steel bike out for a hilly club ride. But, I wanted to know what she would be like in that situation traveling. I did put the 11/34 cogset on, and she climbed like a dream. I don't have computer for her yet, but I was faster than a group of women that I usually have to struggle to stay with or pass me, and I even passed a guy walking his carbon trek up the first steep climb. I really knew I was doing well when a little before the halfway point it started to drizzle. I was worried it would get worse and my new brooks saddle would be ruined (I forgot her raincoat) so I decided to do an out and back instead of the planned loop. Well, that was the surprise cuz as I went back I could see all the folks still behind me (again, on their carbon fiber racing bikes!). I was not really trying to stay in a group, but kind of trying to get used to the bike and see what she could do. The ride was smooth as butter, and I actually think she felt more stable descending than my titanium isis with carbon fork. After the ride folks were really amazed how well we did, and that I was comfortable and fast without a carbon fork, etc.

[DebW]

The ride was smooth as butter, and I actually think she felt more stable descending than my titanium isis with carbon fork. After the ride folks were really amazed how well we did, and that I was comfortable and fast without a carbon fork, etc.

WOO HOO!

My comment about deflating the tires in the case was that they'd be less likely to get damaged rims in transport if there was air in the tires.

[Veronica]

It looks like you got the soft case. Have you had problems with damage on airplanes?

No, but we've only flown once with it to Hawaii.

After the ride folks were really amazed how well we did, and that I was comfortable and fast without a carbon fork, etc.

This stuff always cracks me up. Sounds like a guy I talked to going up Diablo one day. He said he had a Rambouillet like mine, but it was too heavy to take up the mountain. And I'm kind of thinking, "Wuss." Of course I continued to talk politely with him and he did eventually drop me. Now riding up Diablo on a tandem? That's hard work.

V.

[KayTee]

This is really helpful info - thanks, ladies. I have a new this year, S&S coupled steel bike that hasn't seen any flying adventures...yet. But I can take off the front wheel, uncouple the frame into 2 halves, and fit that and my bike bag in the trunk of my car now w/o having to put the back seat down, yay! My bike, too, is mostly 853 Reynolds steel. Don't know if it's the couplers or the geo or both, but it feels and rides really stiffly - nice!

[Triskeliongirl]

My bike, too, is mostly 853 Reynolds steel. Don't know if it's the couplers or the geo or both, but it feels and rides really stiffly - nice!

I am starting to think its the reynolds 853 steel. I took Feronia out on another club ride today, and she really flew. Todays ride was flatter, so of course less influenced by bike weight. Again, I took off ahead of the gals I usually ride with, passed a couple guys who usually ride ahead of me and both commented that they couldn't believe how fast my new bike was, again given she is 100% steel (one on his new cannondale carbon synapse). Then I started drafting off a couple thin thirtysomething guys (european on carbon bikes), but then I got cocky, I was resting so nicely in their draft instead of just taking a pull like I should of I shot off the front, thinking they were holding me back, but then I tuckered myself out and they passed me, but again I caught some faster guys and, get this, got to the rest stop before the fastest group of men had even left yet. This never ever happens to me. One of my friends who always rides with the fastest men had just bought a new tandem to ride with his son, and his son was tired and didn't feel like keeping pace with the fast men, so we decided to ride back in together. I am used to always wheel sucking, but we start off and they are drafting off me! Then his son kept trying to talk to me so when the wind died down we just rode side by side and chatted. Then when the wind kicked up again I drafted off them which was really nice. I made a personal best time on this ride finished with the moderate paced men (not the fastest men, but the ones who look like they should be fast but for some reason don't try to be). But, how can this be, that my steel bike which weighs 1.5 lb more than my titanium bike is faster? The geometry is the same, size is slightly different. I really think the stiffness of the reynolds 853 steel is part of it. It may also be that I was in 'time trial mode' going out there wanting to see what this bike could do. It also may be the different gearing. I had the 11/34 vs the 12/27 on. This worked great on this flatter ride, cuz I just stayed in the big ring the entire time, rather than having to down shift when it did get a little hilly. The other weird thing is that my body felt more comfortable (even though part of the road was worse than chipseal) than on my ti bike with carbon fork. I did measure everything after and realized my bars are just a tiny bit higher on the new bike, but could just a 1 cm longer top tube and 1 cm shorter stem actually make me better balanced on the bike? I'll play with making my old bike match the new one now in terms of bar height and gearing and see. But what a surprise to find out what a joy reynolds 853 steel is to ride.