As a commenter commented within the feedback part of this weblog’s weblog feedback part lately, Jan Heine has weighed in on hookless rims:
As he rando-splains in his attribute Heinian means, it’s troublesome to make carbon rims with hooks, due to this fact carbon rims with out hooks are higher:
This poses an fascinating philosophical query:
Is one thing actually “higher” if the fabric out of which you’re making it requires you to omit vital security options?
I’d go as far as to say your reply to this defines you as a bicycle owner and as a client. For instance, it’s my private and extremely subjective opinion that the reply is “No, it isn’t higher; it’s the truth is a sign that carbon is overprescribed as a rim materials.” However, others will little question disagree, and argue that carbon’s different attributes outweigh no matter negatives come together with omitting a hook. Certainly all expertise requires us to make sure trade-offs when it comes to latitude and margin for error, and relying by yourself wants and beliefs you could or will not be keen to make that commerce. In bikes, we’re seeing this with hookless carbon rims: they’re lighter and extra aero and simpler to make, but when every thing’s not precisely proper the tire explodes. We additionally see it with digital drivetrains: they work “higher” than any mechanical system, however on the expense of cross-compatibility, and naturally if you happen to don’t hold them charged they don’t work in any respect. And after all we see it past bikes: streaming digital TV seems to be higher and is far more handy, however if you happen to’ve received an Internet downside or a log-in downside or one thing you’re fucked, whereas your outdated VHS tapes regarded like shit and had been inconvenient, however they labored simply so long as you had an influence supply. I suppose as issues get extra refined additionally they get extra binary: they work completely, or they don’t work in any respect. It calls to thoughts the outdated line concerning the Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleur:
Moreover, every of us strikes a distinct cut price with regard to expertise, and we’re inconsistent insofar because the bargains we strike. For instance, I’d quite use a Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleur than an digital one, however there’s no fucking means I’d select a VHS over an Apple TV or no matter. I’d additionally quite use a conventional aluminum rim than a hookless carbon one, although I do all my speaking on a smartphone and haven’t had a landline for like 20 years. (Though to be sincere I believe civilization could have reached its apex about 5 minutes earlier than Apple launched the iPhone.)
Meanwhile, aluminum rims are dependable and simply incorporate security tabs, however the Heinian spin on that’s that this a consequence of their inconsistent manufacturing tolerances:
I’d say the above is an argument in aluminum’s favor, however Heine appears to view hooks on aluminum rims just like the monitoring perform in your VHS–one thing that makes your shitty image rather less shitty.
Then with none obvious irony he says if you happen to’re nonetheless frightened about your hookless rims you possibly can simply use internal tubes:
This looks as if recording all of your streaming content material onto VHS tapes simply in case you could have an Internet outage.
Anyway, it appears to me that, on the subject of carbon rims, the bicycle trade asks means an excessive amount of of us. First we needed to settle for disc brakes on highway bikes as a result of carbon makes for a shitty braking floor. Then we had to surrender fast releases due to the disc brakes. Now we’ve received to just accept hookless rims as a result of it’s too laborious so as to add options that maintain the tire on there. What’s subsequent, will we’ve got to surrender tires altogether and trip on the naked rim? Sure, there’s a loss in traction and trip really feel, nevertheless it’s all price it for the efficiency advantages of carbon. (Fortunately the Supple Tire Industrial Complex won’t ever permit that to occur.)
Speaking of imitating the professionals, you received’t be in any respect shocked to study that plenty of beginner racers are doping:
Here’s what occurred:
Way again once I used to “race” I’d do the Tuesday night time races at Floyd Bennett Field. I put “race” in quotes as a result of this largely concerned me attempting desperately to hold onto the again of the pack, and as a rule I’d fail to take action. Meanwhile, all the actual racing was occurring up entrance, and on any given night there was a small handful of the identical riders attacking and counter-attacking and usually driving the tempo. Well, within the ensuing years, I’d say just about all of these riders received caught doping. Does that imply I’d even have been a think about these races had they not been dishonest? Almost definitely not, sucking is sucking. But it does put my very own struggling in perspective, and makes my very own futile wrestle to hold in there week after week appear doubly absurd once I contemplate the diploma to which the tempo I couldn’t meet was facilitated by a pharmaceutical tailwind.
Finally, the Queensboro Bridge is an actual shitshow:
The bike-and-pedestrian path is completely too slender:
At the identical time, check out the crashes [see PDF]:
Riders crashing whereas passing? Riders rear-ending different riders? Riders honking horns? Riders on scooters? I dunno, a whole lot of this sounds motor-related to me.
Also, whereas it shouldn’t matter, I have to say the prose of those DOT crash reviews is quite uninspiring. How about one thing like:
It was a transparent day, and but the solar shone with portent upon a busy morning commute. Deliveristas girding themselves for yet one more day doing battle in Manhattan, cubicle jockeys standing prairie dog-like on their electrical scooters, and the denizens of Greenpoint and Long Island City astride their gray Citi Bikes, addled by the morning’s Guardian headlines. It was a fraught and tentative peace, as fleetingly finite as these previous few moments earlier than the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, and one quickly to be lease asunder by the easy twist of a throttle…
Hey, if the DOT pays somebody to do tweets like this, they will pay me for overwrought crash reviews:
Oh shut up.
Again, sure, the bike-and-pedestrian path is just too slender. Indeed, the actual fact that it’s a bike-and-pedestrian path is ridiculous, as they need to every have their very own paths. But it’s all of the motorized shit that actually takes it excessive. Even Streetsblog’s personal reporting makes that clear:
And when electrical meets electrical, sparks will fly:
Everyone needs carbon wheels so that they take away the hooks. Everyone needs stuff with motors so that they widen the bike lanes. I’m not saying we shouldn’t accommodate change. But I’m saying we shouldn’t be shocked by the blowouts.