RANS commuter pics

[PaulM]

Having put a 20" front wheel on my Stratus XP, I had to sort out a new front mudguard to fit the 26" wheel fork. One week of commuting and getting used to it and getting faster.

front muguard

• PaulM
• 31 Aug 2018

Front right 1/4

• PaulM
• 31 Aug 2018

Mudguard attachment

• PaulM
• 31 Aug 2018

Left rear 1/4

• PaulM
• 31 Aug 2018

right rear 1/4

• PaulM
• 31 Aug 2018

 

[PaulM]

Just occurred to me that I can create a fairing for the handlebars to keep some of the coming winter's wind and rain off. Rather than pay £400 for a Windrap fairing, I think £5 of 100mm black electrical tape will provide half of the benefit and won't add weight. I can turn the existing handlebar bag around and access the zip opening from below .

 

[Nigelnightmare]

Sheet of clear Perspex fixed with "P" clips and you could extend it up past the top of the handlebars.
Perspex sheet available from garden centres (greenhouse glass).

 

[neil earley]

looks fast just standing still ,enjoy your bent

 

[PaulM]

The tape has arrived but I rather think it will spoil the look and dump the rain on my feet. So considering the Windwrap WERX fairing which icletta can import for me, https://t-cycle.com/products/werx-long-wheelbase-fairing-kit
I will need to sort out a light mount too but I have a couple of ideas independent of the Terracycle accessory. What do you reckon, clear or tinted?

 

[PaulM]

Now with WERX fairing:

Fairing front

• PaulM
• 2 Jan 2019

Fairing Side

• PaulM
• 2 Jan 2019

 

[Tigerbiten]

Looks nice but ...........

Don't expect it to keep you dry in bad weather.
The gap between the fairing and you is so big that that it will only stop a small fraction of any wet stuff from hitting you.
Don't put a light inside the fairing if you want to see where you're going. It will disperse the beam to much to light much in front of you and it will also reflect light back into your eyes cutting down on what you can see in front.
I mainly used my Streamer fairing because it made the bent look more imposing from the front not for weather protection.

Luck ...........

 

[mickle]

Did the smaller wheel impact the geometry/handling?

 

[PaulM]

The smaller wheel reduced wheel flop and made it easier to handle at slow speed e.g. when going uphill. Above 30mph it's more sensitive on the bars than it was but still solid.

 

[mickle]

It must have had a little too much caster originally. It would be interesting to plot it out. I'm planning to buy a new fork for one of my bikes which, due to the slackness of its head angle, will need new longer rockers fabricated. I find the subject of steering geometry endlessly fascinating.

 

[PaulM]

I didn't measure the trail before but it's well known to be large. Will measure tonight what it is now. Still lots I'm sure.

 

[PaulM]

Looks nice but ...........

Don't expect it to keep you dry in bad weather.
The gap between the fairing and you is so big that that it will only stop a small fraction of any wet stuff from hitting you.
Don't put a light inside the fairing if you want to see where you're going. It will disperse the beam to much to light much in front of you and it will also reflect light back into your eyes cutting down on what you can see in front.
I mainly used my Streamer fairing because it made the bent look more imposing from the front not for weather protection.

Luck ...........

I'm hoping it will keep my shins and feet dry at least. We'll see. It should keep some wind off my body, and/or deflect it into my face. I might try mounting a light on the lower fork leg with a Topeak Bar eXtender. For the time being I have a light mounted to the fork crown. This is not in my line of sight and shines perpendicular to the screen in front of it so maybe reflected glare won't be too much of a problem.

 

[Tigerbiten]

I'm hoping it will keep my shins and feet dry at least. We'll see. It should keep some wind off my body, and/or deflect it into my face. I might try mounting a light on the lower fork leg with a Topeak Bar eXtender. For the time being I have a light mounted to the fork crown. This is not in my line of sight and shines perpendicular to the screen in front of it so maybe reflected glare won't be too much of a problem.

With your feet it really depends on the difference in height/distance between them and the bottom of the screen and your speed.
The slower you go, the more likely the drops off the screen will miss your feet and visa versa.
Plus any side winds will just blow the wet stuff in from the side.
This includes any spray thrown up by passing vehicles.

As for lights it basically depends on the height of your eye line in relation to the top of the screen.
The higher it is, the more you see forward.
But very little light is thrown forward through the screen and you cannot really see through the illuminated parts of it.
This can make unlit roads a bit tricky, in the dark with the screen on my bent trike I only found potholes after I hit them.
But if you only cycle on lit roads you're fine because the whole screen lights up and that can make you more visible.

Luck ..............

 

[PaulM]

It must have had a little too much caster originally. It would be interesting to plot it out. I'm planning to buy a new fork for one of my bikes which, due to the slackness of its head angle, will need new longer rockers fabricated. I find the subject of steering geometry endlessly fascinating.

The trail measurement is around 7cm with the 20" wheel. More than I was expecting.

 

[PaulM]

Rode it to work Friday. Reminded me of my Piaggio X9-250 with its fairing. I've been able to fit a light mount outside the fairing using aTopeak Bar eXtender adapter.