ratracer
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Forum Name: Etc
Forum Description: Any other riding-related topics
URL: https://forum.bhpc.org.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=4523
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 4:13am
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Topic: ratracer
Posted By: graydog
Subject: ratracer
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 4:01pm
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ratracers or roadracers? ok ratracer fans hampster or superman for roadriding? ok so not everone likes low low bikes for the road and RR generallly don't turn right well. say for argument sake  if one had a ratracer, how long ought one keep tring with hampster before giving-up and going superman for road riding?has anyone ever fitted a double or triple to one. any one got any good tips to stop right turn tyre rub? in your opinion, is it worth upgrading the front brake to calipers or disc (calipers may need different forks)? now that's all supposing one had another ratracer  and if one did there might be a kingcycle up for grabs soon. 
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Replies:
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 4:49pm
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Probably best to have a chat with Mike? Or it would be if you had a Ratracer...  ------------- |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:09pm
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it goes nice, thought it might have been to long but seems just on the limit..... well it would be i had one
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:23pm
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Sherri used to have one - don't know where it went though... 1. Tiller bars are horrible 2. A single drum brake isn't sufficient to stop a performance cycle 3. Ratracers aren't know for their chassis stiffness - you may find this out when going downhill fast 4. The chain rub will most likely catch you out at a junction Of course none of this matters much on a racing bike. I know all this from experience of other bikes and talking to Adrian. (And hamster doesn't have a 'p' in it, although 'hampster dance' did for some reason) ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:29pm
Bloomin' good job nobody we know has bought one for riding on the road then...
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GeoffBird wrote:Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:34pm
Mention Sibford Hill to Adrian and he still goes white 
------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:36pm
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........don't know where it went though... hummmmm I wonder? 1. Tiller bars are horrible ok change bars asap..... 2. A single drum brake isn't sufficient to stop a performance cycle has twin drums off single lever, need to make singles 3. Ratracers aren't know for their chassis stiffness - you may find this out when going downhill fast // so wrap with carbon cloth on the boom 4. The chain rub will most likely catch you out at a junction //not much can be done here then it rides better than my last one ( I think but then at 48mph down hill with a on your face its hard to remember)you gotta have a p in hampster else you cant tack "the P###" out of it thanks for the feed back |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:41pm
Graydog wrote: "you gotta have a p in hampster else you cant tack "the P###" out of it " That's cleverSimon rides one on the road a lot and I think someone used to ride one around London, so they can't be that bad as road bikes I guess... ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:46pm
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I'm pretty sure Denise Williams used to ride her one on the road...
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:49pm
I think that Denise would be the first to admit that just because she does something, doesn't mean it's sensible 
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Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:54pm
well that or my dyslexic traits are coming out again 
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 5:58pm
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Nah, everyone spells hamster wrong. I've messaged Denise asking about her Roadracer experiences. She uses a Grasshopper now, which sounds much more sensible... ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:07pm
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Nah, everyone spells hamster wrong. well everony but you and Bec. well must admit been really enjoying a windcheater for the last few month.... although cracked ribs just before christmas stopped all bent riding. not had any time out on Ffeuen (aka Welsh beano) since breaking the landing gear last year. It is getting painted in time for the worlds with a full Welsh flag.... and Quattor has only had a few Km testing the pedel electric set-up, currently down due to new pedal set going in. think I'd like to race Quattor this year (albe it minus the motor) |
Posted By: Neil F
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:11pm
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AVD did/does? a ceramic sprayed hub that should be compatible. I believe that this is MUCH better than the stock hubs so might be easier/cheaper than changing to a caplier brake. may also be wothwhile playing about with lever arms on the caliper and at the brake lever end to gett better power. Mine had Superman but I don't have an issue with ham(p)ster bars. I had a large ratio MTB rear cassette but only a single at the front. However, you MUST have something to stop the chain jumping off the fromt cog otherwise a nasty accident can ensue! |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:16pm
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thanks Neil, I have some 15-17% hills to tink about, how do you think the WR mtb would cope? I'm having probs with starting using ham-p-ster bars. it fine once moving rgd gst |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:31pm
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You could change the drum brake to twin leading shoe - that would be a nice little project for one of your students. A guy I worked for had a twin leading shoe drum-brake from a Japanese Grand Prix motorbike, just before they switched to disks - it was at least a foot in diameter and had actuator arms and air-scoops all over it - a really beautiful object. I mean 'disc' of course ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:43pm
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of course just as eye red it... need to make any change replace proof, in that if one is out on a run one can replace parts from the local store. |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:48pm
I doubt they'd have drum-brake spares anyway. I think you'd be able to use standard shoes, it would just require a modified/new backplate with a suitable actuator mechanism. ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 6:56pm
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I fancy a Hope full floater like http://www.tweekscycles.com/components/disc-brake-spares/hope-technology-saw-lightweight-floating-rotor I've got 160s on the front of quattro with hydraulic MC and plan to fit 140s using mechanical actuation for the rear ps nice...... 
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Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 7:00pm
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You wouldn't want to get your leg caught in that 'saw blade' disc though! ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 12 March 2012 at 7:03pm
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too true perhaps http://www.tweekscycles.com/components/disc-brake-spares/hope-technology-v2-floating-rotor I like these too http://www.tweekscycles.com/components/disc-brake-spares/formula-feeling-control-system |
Posted By: GeoffBird
Date Posted: 14 March 2012 at 9:43pm
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Graham, here's the advice about riding Ratracers on the road, kindly provided by Denise: "Yeah with riding the Ratracer on the road you need to set the brakes up for road travel, much much sharper on the front and then balance it with the rear brake. As for sharp right turns you have to filter traffic and flow at speed, even heavy traffic and tight corners are doable, as long as you know how to bank the bike tightly without steering, me personally I've never had a problem but then having a baptism of fire riding in traffic in Holland or from Bikefix to Hillingdon on Sunday via Ealing and Southall or The Dunwych Dynamo or The Brevet Cwmre with Dave Marino....etc, confidence comes with experience. Take the lane and hold it as if you are driving an articulated lorry basically. I've banked the Ratracer so tightly on R/H turns my tyres and bike defied the laws of physics!!!" ------------- Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed |
Posted By: graydog
Date Posted: 14 March 2012 at 9:50pm
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Cool thanks for that... Please pass my thanks on to... Rgd Graham |