Stiffness!!!

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Comments

  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    streel frames are a good example ... they do feel springy as they flex back and forth, giving back some of the energy from the cranks that flexes them. I don't necessarily think stiffness = responsiveness ... responsiveness is a perception and actually some flex in a bike, bars etc. can given the feeling of responsiveness.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    Escargot wrote:
    DaSy wrote:
    As I said, I lifted the text from part of an article on Bike Think, which is here - http://www.bikethink.com/Frameflex.htm
    Escargot wrote:
    When you flex a bottom bracket energy is instantaneously lost in bending the frame

    As someone said above, energy is not lost, but just converted to different forms, so in the case of the bb flexing, the only obvious way the energy would be lost is via heat, and there is no noticeable build up of heat in a flexy frame.

    I do agree that a stiff frame feels and handles better and more predictably, but I think the impression that reviewers give, that a flexy frame is consuming more energy for the same speed etc is not really true.

    Don't get me wrong I wasn't shooting the messenger so to speak but just criticising the theory :D

    My comment regarding the loss of energy was the fact that whatever comes back will undoubtely NOT go back into propelling you forwards. As you are not permanently deforming the frame then it will store some spring like energy, some will possibly be lost as heat but I can almost guarantee that none will go back into the drive train. Hence it is lost.

    I guess it's all down to terminology but in some respects the reviewers are kind of correct
    +1

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