Ducati Supra-Bling

[lethe]

but let me tell you about the check-out girl in my grocery store who squeezes the air out of your bags of veggies so it "weighs less"

It depends on the air in the bag, maybe she knows something that you don't. It could be that the air in the bag is Tungsten Hexafluoride and she's saving you an ounce of weight or so.

[ducatiz]

It depends on the air in the bag, maybe she knows something that you don't. It could be that the air in the bag is Tungsten Hexafluoride and she's saving you an ounce of weight or so.

i doubt she remotely knows about flouride much less six times it.

[lethe]

i doubt she remotely knows about flouride much less six times it.

Genius can be found in the strangest places.

[Jarvicious]

CF is naught more than a chunk of plastic, it's going to weigh less than metal.  The only difference in its use is that to get the same amount of strength you have to have a thicker piece of carbon to equal the strength of the exact same Ti part.  Take bike frames.  You could easily build 4 bikes of the exact same weight out of, say, carbon, steel, titanium, and aluminum.  Each bike though, despite being the same weight would have very different material and ride properties.  The aluminum and carbon bikes would have very think walls and most likely large diameter tubing, which provides a very stiff and responsive ride.  The steel and Ti, on the other hand, would have comparatively thin walls (which they can swing due to the strength of the material) and smaller tubing diameter.  At the same time though, these bikes have a more "flimsy" feel to them.  So, per volume of liquid displacement, CF is lighter than ti, but per that exact volume, Ti is much much stronger so manufacturers utilize each material in different thicknesses as they see fit to get the best performance or "bling" for the buck.  I just reread my post, and you're right, that doesn't make too much sense. It would be kind of amusing though to see a titanium faired bike.  I'm not an engineer but I think that's close to correct.  Any of you structural gurus want to give it a hack?

[Pancake81]

well... I jus bought one. So  I will post a reveiw later in the week of the product.

[Pancake81]

KIDDING 

[Vindingo]

What is crazier? $370 for a highly machined part out of an expensive material or $70 for a long sleeve cotton tee shirt??

Im with you on that one!  You can't get machined Ti at Target for $10.  At least with the sprocket cover you know that the "Ducati" mark up isnt as much as with the t-shirt.  It would be cool to have if everything on your bike was Ti though.

[Porsche Monkey]

What about all the liability of claiming that it will protect your foot if the chain breaks?  Thats a very bold statement.

[Ducatiloo]

Not even one go fast sticker on it

[ducatiz]

What about all the liability of claiming that it will protect your foot if the chain breaks?  Thats a very bold statement.

it will protect your foot.

just like the original plastic one will.

it is very nebulous language.. its fluff. 

of course it will protect your foot -- if you're wearing proper footwear.

[MikeZ]

if you need the weight advantage, just take it off, right?

+1
and it's a LOT cheaper

[Cider]

+1
and it's a LOT cheaper

No kidding.  I'm about to release my sprocket-cover removal kit, and it's only $39.

[Porsche Monkey]

I bought my bike used and it didn't come with a sprocket cover. What is its purpose? To guard against being able to see the chain fling?

[Cider]

I bought my bike used and it didn't come with a sprocket cover. What is its purpose? To guard against being able to see the chain fling?

It keeps squirrels out of there.

[Buckethead]

It keeps squirrels out of there.

Dammit! That's what I've been doing wrong. 

Here, squirrel squirrel...