An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

32:16, move over. Make way for 32:∞

I have to admit I've always been just a tad skeptical of Ellsworth bikes. They pioneered what seemed to me to be pointless boutique upgrades like shot-peen finishes, seemingly to distract from the fact that their suspensions were primitive second-generation swing arms and the like. (Not entirely their fault. The Horst link, like a good pharmaceutical, has been protected by patent for years now.)

Anyway, I remember hearing about "The Ride," and I remember looking at pictures and feeling a little dirty. The exaggerated teardrop design of the frame, with no seat stay -- this alone felt like something that emerged not so much from a framebuilder as from a Vegas hotel room at 3 AM, smelling of cheap cologne.

I also remember reading that it had an elaborate transmission with infinite gear ratios, thanks to an ingenious reproduction of a sketch Da Vinci made 500 years ago of a similar idea.

So, paging through the December issue of Popular Science, I was reminded of all this, and discovered a nifty schematic of that unique hub.

The frame still makes me feel dirty, though. I prefer my pipes straight and my angles sharp. The frame jig for this thing must look like an iron maiden.


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