What was the best thing before sliced bread?

[Mr Crosby]

What's so good about sliced bread?

[dang65]

Yeah, but the wheel had to come before the bicycle and that was a wheely good invention.

Yeah, I think most inventions rely on previous inventions. Standing on the shoulders of giants and all that. But the leap from the wheel to the bicycle was gigantic in itself. And a lot of diverse inventions came from bicycle development, in the same way as they now come from space exploration and F1 racing car development. Many famous inventors were originally bicycle engineers, including the Wright brothers and various motor car developers.

[TimberWolf]

Yeah, I think most inventions rely on previous inventions. Standing on the shoulders of giants and all that. But the leap from the wheel to the bicycle was gigantic in itself. And a lot of diverse inventions came from bicycle development, in the same way as they now come from space exploration and F1 racing car development. Many famous inventors were originally bicycle engineers, including the Wright brothers and various motor car developers.

Bicycle development seems to have come to a standstill or is occurring small increments now though. It's not as if there isn't room for further improvement, highly efficient though bikes already are. Getting rid of the human power is one part, as human aren't efficient and their fuel is expensive to produce. Electric bikes are far more efficient. But huge gains could also be made in aerodynamics, as a standard bicycle position isn't great (worse than a car I believe), and fairings/recumbent positions are banned in racing which may be holding back development. The drive train itself is pretty efficient, and the weight low.

[Churchill]

Bicycle development seems to have come to a standstill or is occurring small increments now though. It's not as if there isn't room for further improvement, highly efficient though bikes already are. Getting rid of the human power is one part, as human aren't efficient and their fuel is expensive to produce. Electric bikes are far more efficient. But huge gains could also be made in aerodynamics, as a standard bicycle position isn't great (worse than a car I believe), and fairings/recumbent positions are banned in racing which may be holding back development. The drive train itself is pretty efficient, and the weight low.

The problem with a battery powered bike is that even though the energy is expended the weight of the bike remains constant, same with battery powered cars.

I would've thought that most bicycles don't travel fast enough for aerodynamics to be a significant factor.

[BrianSnail]

Easy, the best thing before sliced bread was a bread roll.

HTH.

[Epiphone]

1. Fanny.
2. The absence of yeast infections.

[Moscow Mule]

I would've thought that most bicycles don't travel fast enough for aerodynamics to be a significant factor.

Average bike speed around town is 10-15 mph, TdF averages 20 mph IIRC.

Aerodynamic drag starts being the significant factor around the 15mph mark.

Even altering your position slightly (horizontal is best IIRC) changes the point where fatigue sets in considerably.

[dang65]

Bicycle development seems to have come to a standstill or is occurring small increments now though.

Those slick kevlar tyres were a huge revelation to me when I started using them, though that was a few years ago now, admittedly. They may add weight to the bike, but punctures have become a distant memory - probably get one once a year these days.

I guess the thing with bikes is that different types suit different people, so I'm usually happy with a hybrid for commuting, though I sometimes wish I could get my hands on a 1k+ ultra-light and aerodynamic road bike, just to see how much difference it would make.

I'm hardly cycling at all at the moment though, due to current contract away from home and staying in hotels. Having horrendous effect on my health being away from the daily twenty miles on a bike which I was doing before. Need to get back to that asap.

[Mich the Tester]

What's so good about sliced bread?

Nothing. here in NL the bread is kept unsliced at the baker, but when you buy it they automatically slice it. I always ask for unsliced bread and am confronted with stares of disbelief. I then explain that the bread stays fresh for longer if it's unsliced and that I rather like really big thick, irregular slices of toast.

[TimberWolf]

The problem with a battery powered bike is that even though the energy is expended the weight of the bike remains constant, same with battery powered cars.

Yeah, but the batteries are becoming quite energy dense now and easily make up their added weight, in bikes at least.

I would've thought that most bicycles don't travel fast enough for aerodynamics to be a significant factor.

In a standard riding position aero losses equal all other losses combined at around 14 mph, and beyond that speed aero losses rapidly becomes the dominant loss. Which is why bikes don't 'travel fast enough for aerodynamics to be a significant factor' - because it becomes too much like hard work at higher speeds. At high speeds a bike can become less efficient than car because of aerodynamic losses.