Conference noted::bicycle

151.0. "Indy blues" by EUCLID::PAULHUS () Thu Oct 02 1986 14:52

	
	   The PC Special made it's debut/shake-down runs at Indy last
	weekend.  We had problems.  Instead of a period of minor refinement,
	the next year promises to be one of major modifications, so I will
	not be too active in local bicycling for a while yet.
	  The Event -
		The event last weekend was billed as a Regional IHPVA event,
	and it was very much so, following the major annual event at 
	Vancouver (in conjunction with EXPO) in late August.  EXPO had about
	150 entries, Indy had about 40.  The high-speed runs used the Indy
	Speedway (I believe that IHPVA is the only organization that holds
	a speed event there besides CART/USAC) with it's super pavement and
	good facilities (electric power outlets at each pit, etc.). It is
	interesting to note that Goldrush, the bike that did 65 at high
	altitude to win the DuPont prize, could only do 57 or 58 at EXPO. I'm
	convinced that Terry Renno's Moby III is the fastest bike in the
	world right now. (He did 59 at Indy last year.)
	  Preparation -
		We finished the vehicle about a week before leaving for Indy.
	We hoped to run the chassis, first bare, then with the shell, during
	the interval. If you'll remember the 18th to the 23rd, you'll remember
	lots of rain.  This allowed us to only get in one afternoon with the
	bare chassis, no time with the shell on.  Things did not look too
	good with the bare chassis - despite training on a DeFelice recumbent,
	Don had a hard time keeping upright on the PC Spl.
	  At Indy -
		Thursday the 25th was "Tinker's Day" at the Speedway. We got
	Don on the track ASAP on the DeFelice. As soon as we were allowed on
	the track, we had him do a few laps in the bare chassis. When he came
	in and said it was OK, we put the bottom half of the shell - "the
	canoe" - on and he put a couple of laps (2.5 mi/lap) on it. After 
	coming in satisfied, we put the front 1/3 of the top of the shell on,
	the part with the windshields.  Don went out. We waited. After finding
	out that he was down between 3 and 4, we started walking towards Pit
	In.  We met him on the apron  between 4 and Pit In, pushing the bike
	and limping a bit.  As we got closer, we could see blood here and 
	there, a torn T-Shirt and lots of road rash. The bike had scrapes on
	it's right side.  He had hit wind coming out from behind the bleachers
	outside of 3, corrected, and then hit wind again and went down. He
	said he slid half way to 4 (it probably felt like it) and got thrown
	out of the shell somewhere along the way. Later, when he rode the
	Infinity streamliner and got calibrated, he said that when he went
	down, he was going much faster than the peak speed in the Infinity.
		Story:    As he hit the wind, he noted a guy working on his
	trike, low between 3 and 4.  Could just see his back. After his crash,
	he was pushing the PC Spl. by the guy. The guy never turned around -
	Don never saw his face. The conversation went like this:
		Don:	"How you doing?"
		Guy:	"OK. How you doing?
		Don:	"I've had better days.
		Guy: 	"Yeah, it didn't sound too good."
	Don leaves, still never seeing the front of the guy.
		That was it for Thursday.  Friday morning, we went for broke,
	put on the whole shell and pushed Don off.  He laid it on it's side
	about 50 feet down the track.  Second try - he wobbles off, looking
	very shaky. Minutes later, this tiny green thing comes wobbling off
	turn 4 and takes the non-timed path by the pits. He lays it in the 
	grass on the inside of turn 1.  I decide the we are not "Looking 
	Good" and decide to cut our losses and pack up, to come back when we've
	got some stability.
		There were 3 new streamliners there, one from Sommerville, 
	one from Cambridge, and mine (town of Harvard). All were unstable in
	the gusty winds that weekend. All crashed multiple times each. New
	England did not look good.  We'll be getting together next spring to
	find a place for development runs.
	  The Future -
		I came back with a list of modifications that should keep me
	busy for the next year:
		1. Scrap the 3 piece top half. Modify mold for more knee
		clearance, take a female mold and lay up kevlar inside female
		with window mounting lips, stiffeners, match line lip, etc.
		2. Modify seat for better stability and more area in contact
		with rider.
		3. Modify steering for slower ratio and wider handlebars.
		4. Set up vacuum forming rig to fabricate new windshields.

	If you've gotten this far, you may be interested in seeing the vehicle.
	It will be in the showroom of Category 1 Cyclegoods in Tyngsboro for
	the month of October, my month off the project.    - Chris

    	I saw the PC Special last night. Knowing absolutely nothing
    	about this type machine (?), I'm amazed that a person can
    	sit in it and ride it. Of course, I define person as something
    	close to my size, 6 ft. 6 in. and 240+ pounds. I imagine the
    	rider/driver of this thing is pretty small.
    
    	Anyway, I had the opportunity to talk to Paul personally and
    	see his shop, and hear him complain about how dirty it was.
    	(It looked extremely clean to me.)
    
    	Scott

    
    	re. -.1     Don is about 5'4" and 130 lb., but a top sprinter.
    			- Chris