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From: eirik@tekchips.UUCP (Eirik Fuller)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Components
Message-ID: <126@tekchips.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Mar-86 14:24:35 EST
Article-I.D.: tekchips.126
Posted: Thu Mar 13 14:24:35 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 20:55:08 EST
References: <2674@sdcrdcf.UUCP> <16056@rochester.UUCP>
Reply-To: eirik@tekchips.UUCP (Eirik Fuller)
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 41
Keywords: silly

In article <16056@rochester.UUCP> scott@rochester.UUCP (Michael Scott) writes:
>I'd like to stimulate discussion of neat new components that HAVEN'T
>been invented yet.  What do you most need that no one manufactures?

Well, you can't say you didn't ask for it. :-)

I thought of lockable parts a while back.  I still think it's a
great idea.  In the same vein, when will someone market a lockable
luggage system?  Doesn't seem too hard.  Make a hard shell pannier
set with a built in rack.  Some of the new materials might make
this reasonably light.  Ideally, it would be entirely removable from
the bike, with no tools.  Perhaps it could have built in gadgetry,
like lights or computer stuff.  It seems this might have aerodynamic
advantages too, in a low rider style.

I wonder if bicycle computers could use optical pickups and, if so,
whether that would provide more resolution (hence precision) than
magnetic ones.  In particular it might allow higher update
frequencies.  Ambient light might cause problems with such pickups,
but there is a way around that:  build bottom backets (for cadence
pickups) and hubs with internal optical pickups.  This would also
eliminate alignment hassles.  Of course, wiring would run inside of
the frame.

I vaguley remember reading about a stem (from Shimano?) with a built
in cycle computer.  Is my memory faulty, or was there such a thing?

How about a built in night light (connectable to a generator) in a
cycle computer?  I look forward to street lights with my Cateye
Solar when I ride after dark.

How about a seatpost with a spoke hanger for spares?  It could
include a plastic cover that runs the length of the spokes, to avoid
scratching the inside of the frame.  Admittedly, racers would have
little interest in this.

How about plumbing inside of the frame?  Cannondale and Klein could
brag about their larger capacity :-).  With a straw and lightweight
insulation, this could replace or supplement water bottles.  Seems
as though this has been mentioned before, but I've never seen it
done.