by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
AirForce Edge.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 1
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 2
AirForce Edge 10-meter target rifle: Part 3
This report covers:
- What happened to BB?
- Today’s test
- Start the test
- Finale Match Light
- R10 Match Pistol
- Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
- Discussion 1
- Back to Basics
- Discussion 2
- Summary
What happened to BB?
First I’ll tell you what happened to me. My new electric bike is a folding model that’s built on a 20-inch frame. As a result the seat and handlebars have to be adjusted very high so my legs have the correct distance to the pedals. My non-electric bike has a 26-inch frame and the crank has been moved forward because it is what is known as a comfort cycle. So the seat doesn’t have to be set as high.
I am still getting used to the electric bike, so I’m staying in my housing development. While riding on Monday I came to an intersection where I had a stop sign and there was a truck coming on my left who had the right-of-way. So I came to a complete stop — something that rarely happens. I put my left foot out to balance the bike because when I’m on the saddle neither foot reaches the ground. But I was so high up that my foot hit the ground at a place where I couldn’t balance the bike. This bike weighs a total of 63 lbs. has a heavy battery that’s mounted up high. A lot of the bike’s weight is above the axels. My other bike weighs 26 lbs. and is better balanced.
I simply went over on my left side and hit the pavement with my hip. The truck driver stopped and got out to ask if I was okay. Naturally I was embarrassed and probably also full of adrenalin, so I said yes. I thought I had just been silly and nothing more. I picked myself up, righted the bike and rode a couple hundred yards home. About an hour later the pain set in and after three hours it was unbearable, so my neighbor drove me to a nearby clinic. They thought the hip was broken from my occasional screams when the left leg was moved, but after an X-Ray and a very thorough CAT-Scan they pronounced me whole.
I am getting around the house with a walker and everything I do now takes me four times longer. But I thought about it while resting yesterday and today’s blog should be relatively easy to do. It’s not what I had planned, but at least I’m back at the keyboard.
Please don’t worry about me. I have a splendid support system. Friends came and stayed with me after I got home from the hospital — one of them spent the night, in case I neexed aything. And my neighbors made me dinner Tuesday and again last night. So BB is on the mend!
Today’s test
The easiest test I can do, and not move around a lot is the velocity test of the AirForce Edge. My plan for this test was to finish testing the velocity and shot count, after adjusting the top hat up higher than where Ton Jones had recommended. I also wanted to shoot some targets in this test. But that won’t be possible today. Setting up my indoor range takes too much stuff that I can’t really carry well while walking with a walker. So it’s just the additional velocity test for today.
Start the test
I actually started this test at the end of Part 3. That was where I adjusted the top hat up one full additional turn and shot a string of 10 RWS Basics that averaged 575 f.p.s., though I did throw out the first shot because it was taken 30 minutes after the rifle was filled. The next ten shots that I accepted only varied by 8 f.p.s. across the string. The remarkable thing about that, and the reason I am doing today’s additional velocity test, was that the string happened right after I filled the gun’s reservoir to 3,000 f.p.s. In Part 3 when I did the same thing Basic pellets averaged 534 f.p.s. with a 28 f.p.s. spread. And you’ll remember that there were 62 powerful shots remaining in that test, after the Edge had fired 106 useful shots. That’s too many powerful shots left over. The gun was wasting air the way I had set it up. I’m hoping I have gotten it closer to an ideal setting today.
I told you that the first shot with this rifle is always faster after a prolonged wait. So, I threw it out in that first string. That shot would get used in the sight-in for a match anyway, so it’s no problem.
Finale Match Light
The second pellet I tested, which was the first pellet I fired today, was the 7.87-grain H&N Finale Match Light. In the current tune 10 shots averaged 552 f.p.s. The velocity spread went from 548 to 556 of the shots that counted, so a difference of 8 f.p.s. The rifle had been sitting silent for many days since I wrote Part 3, so again I threw out the first shot that went 563 f.p.s. There was also a shot in the string that failed to record, so to get 10 good shots in this string I fired 12.
In the previous tune this same pellet averaged 523 f.p.s. with a spread of 30 f.p.s. It’s clear the valve is performing much better now.
R10 Match Pistol
Next up were 10 RWS R10 Match Pistol pellets. Because the rifle was now in use, the first shot of this string did not have to be disregarded. The average for ten shots was 579 f.p.s. with an 8 f.p.s. spread that went from 574 to 582 f.p.s.
Previously this same R10 Match Pistol pellet averaged 554 f.p.s. the spread went from 539 to 567 for a difference of 28 f.p.s.
Sig Match Ballistic Alloy
With the current top hat setting Sig Match Ballistic Alloy pellets averaged 650 f.p.s. with an 8 f.p.s. spread from 646 to 654 f.p.s.
With the previous setting the same pellet averaged 634 f.p.s. and the spread went from 621 to 642 f.p.s. That’s a difference of 21 f.p.s.
Discussion 1
The performance of the Edge is now much more uniform. All four pellets only varied by 8 f.p.s. through their 10-shot strings. Now, if I can get a decent shot string from the rifle, I will be very pleased.
Back to the Basics
To finish the test I went back to the RWS Basic pellet again. This will determine the useful shot count for this top hat setting. At this point in the test I had already fired 43 shots because I threw out the first shot with Basics and in the string of Finale Match Lights I dismissed the first shot, and there was one other shot that didn’t register. So the first shot with Basics this time was number 44.
This string averaged 558 f.p.s., so it’s 17 f.p.s slower than the first string. The spread went from 554 to 565, which is a difference of 11 f.p.s. We now have fired 53 shots.
The next string of Basics averaged 564 f.p.s. The low was 561 and the high was 573 f.p.s., for a difference of 12 f.p.s. And now there are 63 shots on the fill.
I’m not going to give you the average for the next string of Basics because the rifle went off the regulator at shot number 70. Therefore there were a total of 69 good shots from one fill on this setting of the top hat. Compare that to the 106 shots I got in the previous test. I had expected something like this. But let’s now look at the final shots that are off the reg.
Shot…..Avg.
70…….590 Fell off the regulator
71…….588
72…….608
73…….615
74…….608
75…….607
76…….604
77…….590
78…….600
79…….596
80…….594
81…….592
82…….590
83…….582
84…….579
85…….560
86…….566
87…….556
88…….555
89…….547
90…….544
91…….538
92…….534
93…….530
94…….518 Stop
A lot fewer shots remained after the regulator stopped working this time than last time — 25 shots remained in this test compared to 68 shots remaining until the air was exhausted to the point that the velocity for both tests dropped under 520 f.p.s.
Discussion 2
I think with further adjustment of the top hat that even fewer shots will remain when the rifle falls off the regulator. To get there I think the top hat needs to be turned down a small amount — perhaps a quarter turn.
On the other hand, there are more than 60 good shots per fill at the current setting. Looking at today’s data I see 69 good shots with Basics. Taking the average of the three strings I was able to record, I get an average of 566 f.p.s. for the 7-grain Basic pellet. The low was 554 and the high was 579 — a difference of 25 f.p.s. That’s better than last time and I think I can tweak it to be even better. But I won’t. Instead I will proceed to the first accuracy test with the top hat set where it is, and I will shoot no more than 60 shots per fill.
Summary
Adjusting the Edge top hat the way Ton Jones tells us is one of the bigger secrets of successfully managing the rifle. Another big one is to use two of the metric 007 o-rings around the valve stem under the top hat. That seems to save a lot of air, though I may discover by tweaking the top hat more that I can save even a little more air. Time will tell, but accuracy comes next.
B.B.
I have not read through the blog yet but I want to be the first to say how happy I am to see you back at your keyboard. 🙂 Hope the pain has subsided and that you are feeling less sore today. Welcome back! You gave us all a scare. Nice to have good friends and neighbors you can count on in time like these. Praise God.
Geo from MI
George,
Thanks. I’m managing the pain and getting around better. Still using the walker but thinking a cane might be better now.
B.B.
BB
First off glad your back writing.
Second glad you were getting taken care of by your friends.
Third I don’t think I like how the seat has to be so high to pedal correct. I think I would set the seat so your feet set flat on the ground. Then whatever happens with pedaling it just has to be that way. And anyway since it’s a electric bike you can set it up where you really don’t have to pedal much. Right? Maybe only assisting going up hills or something.
And fourth. It sounds like your on the right track now adjusting the top hat and with the new o-rings. A 8 fps spread is nice. And as you said next to see what kind of shot string you get. Then if your happy with that its target time.
One problem is for some folks me for instance if i adjust my bike where feet are flat my knees will suffer compression damage. While the flat footed stance is the safest for most people it is not good for the knees and up too high you will hyper extend those same knees. Relaxed frame geometry takes care of the issue but not the shorter more upright frames. One size does not fit all. On the other hand it is an electric bike lower it as suggested or even just a bit more and don’t pedal so much. I am getting older and i think about bone density every time i even get close to wiping out. Hope you have a quick recovery BB.
Mike
What BB explained reminded me of when I was a kid racing motocross.
At first I had a Suzuki TM 125 that had the two shocks on each side of the rear swing arm. That wasn’t to bad to get both feet on the ground when not riding. I have longer legs so it wasn’t a problem for me. Some of the shorter guys had problems though.
So then this is what really reminded me about what BB said with his seat. My next bike I raced was a Suzuki RM 125. I got that right before I turned 16. That bike is when they went to the mono shock rear swing arm. Well guess what they increased the rear shock travel and the front fork travel too. Which is a good thing when your hanging 15 feet or higher in the air coming off a jump and landing on the multiple bumps going across the track that they called whoopty doo’s. And that is really what they called them. But here was the problem. Now the seat height was much higher with the increased shock travel. I could only get one foot on the ground and that was even on the tip of my toes. That made it hard at the start of the race when we was all lined up waiting for the flag to drop.
Anyway that’s what came to my mind when I read about BB’s electric bike seat.
GF1,
Like air guns or golf clubs,.. the better the fit,… the easier to use well and do well. People go to Walmart to get a bike which is fine. (bike supply is wiped out by the way) But,… I could see the benefit of going to a real bike shop and getting setting up real nice and proper.
I would love to do that but out here, it is 2 lane, paved country roads with very little berm and lots of small and big hills,…. equals little to no place to get over. Semi trucks, full size dump trucks and just idiots in general make it a risky proposition. Going to a bike trail (the county is great on that) is an option,…. but not very appealing to me.
Chris
Chris
Yep ergonomics makes a difference.
And not really good to ride a bike where I’m at either. Pretty similar here to what your saying. You get about a mile or so out then it gets open and flat. But still really no room to get off the side of the road.
GF1,
I once had an Ossa enduro that was very much as you describe. It was way too tall for me. Fortunately the Motoplat electronic ignition was bad and I didn’rt get to ride it much.
On the other hand my Bultaco Metralla was a sheer delight! It was a street bike that I rodse on rough dirt trails at Ft. Lewis, Washington, back in the 1970s.
B.B.
BB
I was riding dirt bikes from the early 70’s on up to present, well now pretty much 4 wheelers. As in ATV’s. I was racing motocross from around 73 to 80. There was alot of cool dirt bikes back then. If I remember right Bultaco made dirt bikes too. And I remember Motogusi I believe and then Hodaka. I always want a Hodaka. The Hodaka Combat Wombat was a popular dirt bike back then. I use to watch the professional motocross racers all the time on tv back then. Roger De Coster was a very popular racer at that time.
But alot of cool bikes that I wonder if are still around now days. I remember the KTM’s and the Husky’s/Husqvarna.
And you got me going on it now. Anybody remember the Trails bikes. They had a rear sprocket that was almost as big as the rear tire. They were real torquey. They climbed and balanced the bikes going over boulders and fallen trees and such. Sometimes balancing the bike on the front tire with the back in the air and the swing the back of the bike over to one side and then set the back tire down and balance on the rear and hop the bike right over another bolder. Basically they made a trail to ride on that wasn’t a trial at all. My buddy had one when we was kids. He was very good at. I seen him stop at the bottom of a 75° angle hill. Point the bike straight at it and climb over the top that had about a 2 foot over hang at the top. He would kick the bike right over the top. I would of never guessed he could do it, but he did stuff like that like it was nothing to it.
And well me my mind went straight to my bicycle. It feels almost comical though dicussing BB’s mode of transportation like some sort of intervention. I hear theres a farm where he can play in the fields all day.
Mike
Right. A farm. At least its dirt and not concrete.
GF1,
A bike seat has to be high enough that your leg is almost straight when it’s all the way down — just bent slightly at the knee. On this bike if I do that the ground is 3-4 inches under each foot when I sit on the seat.
I have dropped the seat 2.5 inches and may drop it some more.
B.B.
BB
I guess that was one of the things that didn’t come up when you researched about the electric bikes.
Are there other brand bikes out there that are better for ergonomics like the seat height and pedal to seat distance and ground distance to seat.
Did you scratch up your bike when you fell? If not maybe you can sell it and get a more ergonomic electric bike if they make one. I do know when I watch the hunting channels on tv that the Big Cat electric bikes are very popular with hunters. Maybe you can check them out and see what you think.
GF1,
That Rad Power bike I mentioned has a larger frame and would have been better for me. My bike was unscratched from the fall. I cushioned it! 🙂
B.B.
BB
There you go always thinking.
There’s ole BB seeing his self falling and going I got to save my bike!!!
Yeah that never ends up good. 😉
BB
Heres the electric bikes I was talking about.
https://www.bigcatbikes.com/collections/electric-bikes
Try searching off road bikes on the site and see what comes up. But they are the fat tire bikes. They are suppose to be good for rough terrain and hills.
I know nothing about electric bikes so I don’t know how to compare these to the one you have
B.B.,
I’m glad to hear that you didn’t break anything! I’ve been reading your blog for a while, but just signed up.
I am not an E-bike expert, but ride my road bike a lot. I have to scoot forward off the seat to get my feet (or even a foot) down relatively flat. For very short stops I can track stand or “dab a toe down”, but for stoplights and full stops I move forward off the seat to get one foot solidly on the ground. A 2.5″ seat drop is huge (bike fitters work in ~1mm increments on seat height) and will definitely mess up your bike fit and power potential, You will be putting a lot of extra angulation in your knee and loading it more, and differently. If you can’t scoot forward off the seat though, I don’t know what else to do… Do they make recumbent E-bikes?
BES
BES,
Of course that is what I should have done. I was just trying to do it the easy way! I would nerver do that with my non-electric bike.
B.B.
BB,
Glad you have some good friends to assist in times of need. Keep moving. The worst part is just getting moving.
Good to see that spread dropped. I would take 8 any day.
Chris
Chris,
Yes, I am delighted with where the rifle is right now.
B.B.
BB,
glad to hear that you didn’t break anything. Get well soon…
I have other hobbies as well, so I haven’t done much with airguns for a while. But some weeks ago, I felt like shooting again and I also couldn’t resist buying a Feinwerkbau 80 match pistol.
In this case, the springs and seals were already replaced so there was nothing for me to do except shoot it.
This pistol is really awesome. We all know it’s accurate and the artillery system for recoil control works great. But having real match grips gives me a completely new level of stability. I have been firing 2-4 10 shot series every day for the past few weeks and my scores are really improving.
Which also brings me to a bit of a dilemma. My pistol has the regular right-handed mens grips I think and they’re unmodified. I can shoot it fine, but for best results, I think I would have to take some material off the thumbrest and possibly the back of the grip.
But I can’t bring myself to “mutilate” this classic (which is still in great shape). I guess that’s a luxury problem 🙂
By the way, I wonder why Weihrauch doesn’t make a version of the HW75 with real match grips. The accuracy and build-quality should be there and even if they charge a little more for the “match” version, it would be a great alternative for people who don’t want to spend a thousand bucks for a PCP match pistol. Maybe somebody should suggest it to them 🙂
Kind regards,
Stephan
Stephan,
Ah, yes! The old, mutilate-the-classic dilemma! I know it well. 😉
I think a solution is to try to find other grips that will fit and work on them.
B.B.
Stephan,
Well, it sounds like you have a choice.
You can either do as BB suggests and try to find other grips to “mutilate”, or…
…you can decide this grand old lady is not going anywhere and “mutilate” the grips to fit.
I took the monstrous block of wood they call grips off my Izzy and made them into some very nice fitting grips. Grasping her is a joy. She is not going anywhere.
I have a Rad Rover…..Electric Bike…..They are heavy, but they are fun…..I’ve dumped it a few times …..It hurts ….I’m 68…..I don;t bounce like i did when I was 30
Be careful
Zermat,
I looked at the Rad Rover a long time before buying a LectricXP. I though a folding bike would be nicer, but as heavy as they are I doiubt I will be taking advantage of it.
If I stay with electric bikes I think something like a Rad Rover 4 would be just right.
B.B.
BB,
Glad to hear you are on the mend, even if it is slow. May God bless your “support system”.
Without jumping into the Wayback Machine, I seem to remember the Edge used to get over 100 regulated shots with a pretty tight spread. They have obviously been “redesigning” something.
As for your spelling…
“— one of them spent the night, in case I neexed aything.” (needed anything)
😉
B.B.
Wishing you well!
Thanks for your explanation of what happened to you. It reminded me of your straight razor series….
You bought an e-bike that was not properly fitted to you. Please get rid of that death trap! I sure hope that you were wearing a helmet?
Stay safe,
-Yogi
Yogi,
Yes, I was wearing a helmet. And don’t forget — I was the one who set up the bike, not the manufacturer. I have to assume the responsibilkity for what happened.
B.B.
Does that make it hurt any less? lol.
Feel better,
-Y
Very glad to hear your not broken, that would be a serious problem. It’s kind of like having a ‘do-over’, you get a chance to realize what happened and then make sure it never happens again.
Maybe I’ve missed it but, why does this gun’s velocity INCREASE when it goes off reg?
Also, since shot count seems so important in 10 meter competition, I remember this being an issue when the Challenger was discussed, why don’t manufacturers just put larger cylinders on them ?
toddspeed,
When the regulator quits working it no longer seals off the reservoir, and air from the reservoir also flows through the valve on the shot. It does seem odd and it doesn’t always happen this way, but it did this time.
B.B.
toddspeed,
Given the way AirForce designed the Edge, a larger reservoir would also mean a longer pull (trigger to butt) that they are trying to keep short. A fatter tube for the reservoir will increase weight and they are under a weight constraint by the rules.
B.B.
Glad you’re better and have a great support system—a true blessing!!
I remember back when I was a child, and bikes were too big for me, I always had to either lean the bike a lot when stopping, or ease off the seat and straddle the tube when stopping. Still had plenty of falls though!
BB,
Glad to hear you’re doing better. That’s why I stay away from things where my feet have to leave the ground. I use my iPhone for access to the blog and having a heck of the time trying to get past the capcha. You would think checking the box that I’m not a robot would be good enough
Brent
When the going gets tough, B.B. still keeps on going. Happy to hear you’re on the mend. “Hey! Let’s be careful out there…” – from Hill Street Blues.
FawltyManuel,
I was reading some older blogs and noticed you mentioned S. Fla. I’m from around there too! Whereabouts do you go shooting?
AP
Sorry – just saw this; shows how often FM checks email…shooting right now is confined to the backyard with the Umarex MP-40. Most shooting is .22 rimfire and 9mm in local indoor ranges in Palm Beach County. There is a very good outdoor range in Okeechobee, FL which have been meaning to visit in order to exercise some of the heavier artillery, but the “virus thing” has put other things on hold. Very few places left where one can go and shoot outdoors safely and without incurring the wrath of the authorities, all thanks to overdevelopment in these parts.
Glad you’re feeling better with a little help from your friends. your pride will take the longest to heal. I’m thinking you should’ve/could’ve taken a couple more days off. You had a good enough reason. Now the Edge….If you tweak the top hat a 1/4 turn is it possible to tighten the shot string to less than 8 fps (which I think is a great number)? Brother rode/raced Hodaka 125’s I think it’s called….he still walks a bit funny.
Rk
I wasn’t into road race bikes back then. But I did really like the Hodaka dirt bikes.
I came across a Hodaka dirt bike about a good 15 years ago or more that a guy restored and had setting out in front of his auto repair shop. I can remember I wanted to buy it but I didn’t for some reason. I think it was because my kids were young then and I thought maybe I really needed to go to work everyday to make money. Knowing me I would of got it and I would been seeing that emergency room too. I sure wouldn’t of let it set there and look pretty in my garage if I did get it. 🙂
rk,
The short answer is — I don’t know. But I have already done so much with velocity tuning that I think it’s time to move on. If I find out anything spectacular, I’ll be sure to tell you.
B.B.
Rk,
If my rememberer is working right, you can tighten that spread to around 4 or 5 fps. I have owned a couple of sproinger FWBs and a SSP FWB. I would rather buy another of the Edges than any other 10 meter air rifle.
B.B. That you had an Ossa and a Bultaco improved your standing with me even just a little more! I still have my 1973 Rickman 250 (Metisse) motocrosser I bought when I was 16! And Gunfun1 with the R/C airplanes, TX and RM 125s actually racing AND air guns? This is alright! I still have some Bultaco sales pamphlets from when I was buying. I kid myself that I’ll replace the leaky engine case gasket and ride it again in my retirement.
Regarding your return to the keyboard, B.B., I guess it’s hard to keep a good man down. Thanks for caring about us that much and It’s no wonder you have friends and neighbors who are highly interested in taking care of you when you need it.
The air management of the Edge has been an interesting lesson. By moving the top hat forward, you increased the air flow and with the orings, the amount of wasted air after the shot is reduced, maybe like a de-pinger. The new, better fitting orings made the valve action more stable and repeatable.
By reducing the travel of the valve (by turning back in a quarter turn) you will reduce the air usage a wee bit. In my mind, this might allow for a few more useful shots before the gun falls off the regulator? Is that right?
Will S
All I can say is I grew up on a farm. Once the choirs around the farm was done I was out to have as much fun as I could before it all started over the next day. I was always up to something growing up and throughout life.
I’m lucky I was and still able to enjoy myself with my hobbies and such. And growing up and now with my kids and now a new grandson. I make it a point to keep the fun happening.
I knew what I wanted and I always was cutting grass or as time went on was able to have a good job. Put it this way somebody up there has always been watching over my doings way more than I can explain.
But anyway those sales pamphlets would be cool to see. I still have (somewhere) a box full of old dirt bike magazines from the 70’s. I know that will bring back some memories if I ever find them again.
Will,
Yep — those o-rings are exactly like a de-pinger!
B.B.
B.B.
It seems it is more like a de-bouncer rather than de-pinger. – Don
Don425
You are right. A debounce. Not a depinger.
It’s always something isn’t it, B.B.? I’m glad to hear you are on the mend and that you have a good support system close by. Take care.
I recall you had taken up drones sometime back. Now it’s electric bikes too? Boys and their toys, lol.
😉 Jim.
I am glad you are just bruised. I hope the bruising heals quickly.
I am also glad I didn’t complain about the airsoft post the past couple of days.
David Enoch
BB
Relieved to learn you have that support group. Do take care to avoid falling while mending. Handrails at steps are helpful.
Look for another bike that fits you and don’t ride this one again.
What shot string? All 60 shots with one pellet?
Deck
Deck,
No, I did shoot the other pellets. But each shot counts, so I include all of them in the shot count.
B.B.
B.B.
Glad to hear that things are under control and improving!
At 69 I am (slowly) learning to pace myself – or suffer the aches and pains. Realizing that some activities are best left to younger people, paid to have the snow shoveled off the roof last winter – that was a “first” as I have always done that – frustrating but I have to be realistic. (getting old in “inconvenient” at best eh?)
With all the chrony work that you do have you considered the FX Wireless Chrony? I recently got one and find it to be convenient to use; takes 30 seconds to set up, records the shot strings, gives stats and in several hundred shots over mine it has not missed reading any pellets. It’s not much bigger than a tin of pellets and I like that it fits in my shooting box.
/search-results-ext?Ntt=fx+chrony&sid=1375A617A415&N=0&Ntk=primary&q=fx+chrony&cx=002970863286801882398:jlcminxfwdw&cof=FORID:11;NB:1&saSearch
Hank
Hank,
Yes, but with the skyscreens so close I alsways wonder how accurate the thing can be. I had one that went on the muzzle many years ago, but it was not in agreement with my better Oehler chrono, so I never used it.
B.B.
BB,
If I am not mistaken, the FX chrony is Doppler radar.
https://fxairguns.com/accessories/pocket-chronograph/
RR,
That could work. I haven’t looked into it.
B.B.
B.B.,
If you look at the FX see how a bit more money invested for the Labradar will get you much more information. Downrange velocity at 5 points on the device but downloaded files give you data points at PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) which is a whole lot of data.
Also for your fitting: https://sandiegoflyrides.com/how-to-correctly-size-your-electric-bike/
Glad you are getting better quicker than you thought at first!
shootski
B.B.
RR is correct – the FX Chrony uses radar.
I’ve checked mine against my Beta Chrony and the numbers are always similar with differences being rounding errors or more likely not shooing exactly over the Chrony sensors.
The bonus is that there are no screens to align to and lighting is a non-issue, the thing will work in the dark.
Hank
Hank,
The FX Chrony sounds nice. How are you and the new FX Impact getting along?
Chris
Chris,
As much as I prefer traditional wood stocked, full length rifles I am becoming very fond of my Impact – it is one heck of a shooter!
Hank
B.B.
Someone above asked this question already, but how do you determine that the rifle has fallen off the reg? I thought that when an airgun fell off the regulator, the fps dropped rapidly and significantly. Another lesson to learn.
Glad to hear that you are feeling better. Going from a walker to a cane would be a significant improvement.
Last spring while pesting a gopher in our front yard, I forgot that I was not 30 years old, actually 72. When I was young I could run and make cuts like a halfback. Well, I saw the gopher coming from the flower garden, heading for the house. I tried to cut him off and I felt a pop in my right calf muscle. The next day I could barely walk, so I went to the doctor to have it checked. I thought that I may have torn something. I had some significant bruising and swelling, but nothing serious. I just had to ice it everyday for several days to keep the swelling down and wrap it with an ACE bandage. It took a few weeks before I could walk without limping. Oh, and I got revenge on that gopher a week later with my Gamo Urban PCP.
Like Dirty Harry said, ” A man has to know his limitations.”
Geo
George,
Basically when the velocity suddenly changes from the stable numbers to ones outside the range and there are lots of shots on the fill you are off the reg.
B.B.
B.B.
Here is another suggestion when riding your electric bike. If a hill is too steep, do not try to turn on the hill to go back down. We have friends that bought electric bikes last year. They are our age, wife is a bit younger in her late 60s. Well, they were out riding and rode up a fairly steep incline. The ladies bike was losing momentum, so she attempted to turn around to go back down the incline. She lost her balance and fell, breaking both of her wrists. She was out of commission for most of the summer. She just recently got back on the bike, but that accident is still fresh in her mind.
Geo
My brother-in-law rode motocross back in the 70s with a PUCK 125cc. He was a pretty good rider, but fell on a course and another bike ran over his knee. He’s now 59 and has pain in that knee and back everyday. When injuries occur at a young age, it seems they always come back to haunt us when we get older.
GF1, I used to love watching those trials competitions. It is amazing what they can do. I liked watching hill climbing too. Some of those guys were crazy! I rode dirt bikes for a while, then graduated to a road bike. We did enjoy riding the road bike, but gave it up because too many idiots tried to kill us on the road, cutting us off and pulling out right in front of us…and then animals too. A racoon or dog could take you out permanently. It got to be just too dangerous.
Geo
Geo
I never got into street bikes just for the reason you said. Heck dirt is hard to if you know what I mean.
And yep the trails bikes are cool.
And I had a good crash on a finish of the race on the last race of the season. We raced for points to win money at the end of the year. Me and two other racers were the top 3 in points. Guess who was trying to go over the finish line first. Us 3. Well I lifted as well as the guy on the outside of me. The guy on the inside didn’t. It was a down hill jump at a turn after the finish line. Guess what he sandwiched us. My bike was tore up. I broke a rib, my wrist and my nose. The guy that slammed us ended up getting his arm caught in the rear sprocket and chain. The bone in his arm stopped him from getting his arm chopped off. They had to cut the chain to get his arm out. The other guy got knocked out. So yep no good.
And yes I’m 58 right now and do feel the pain.
BB,
I don’t think you have a 26″ frame. Measure from the center of the bottom bracket to where the seat post enters the frame, in centimeters, please! I am 6’2″ and a 60 cm road frame is a bit small. For recreational type riding,
over shorter distances, you can also try a way back seat post, moves the seat back as much as you need to lower it. helps get the riders feet to the ground at stops. So, you have to pull the handle bars back some too. Any good shop can set you up better than the bike that came in the box.
Yeah, correct seat height for competition is generally thought to be about 86% of leg length. A quick rule of thumb: in a doorway, set on your bike. Place your heels on the pedal axles, pedal backwards. When you lose contact with the pedals, its too high, right before that point.
When I retire, I would like to make custom frames in the garage. we’ll see.
Thanks for sharing all this pcp tuning stuff!
Rob
Rob,
I meant that my non-electric bike is a Giant 26-incher. My electric bike has a 20-inch frame. I didn’t lose contact with the pedals — just with the ground.
B.B.
BB,
I am confused,…. ” I didn’t lose contact with the pedals — just with the ground.”
I was under the impression that all this started when you DID make contact with the ground.
😉 Chris
Rob,
I think when BB says 26″ frame, he means a frame that takes a 26″ wheel. Same for the 20″ frame. – Don
“This bike weighs a total of 63 lbs. [and] has a heavy battery that’s mounted up high.”
B.B.,
First off, I’m so happy to hear that you are on-the-mend and that you have such a great support network. =>
I had an old BMW 900cc bike, the old dry-clutch, 2-cylinder model, that was a joy to ride due to the low center-of-gravity. My current Harley weighs 800 pounds, but is super easy for me to handle, even at low speeds, due to its low center-of-gravity. I found a nice review of your bike here: https://electrek.co/2019/11/20/review-lectric-xp-electric-bike-fat-tire-fun/ But with due respect to the company, I believe they could have placed the battery lower…and without sacrificing any ground clearance for going over obstacles. Just my two cents.
It was great to see a B.B. report today, and even better to know you are getting better. =>
Take care & God bless,
dave
Another suggestion:
https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bicycle-kid-training-wheel-260nw-485032639.jpg
Kevin,
Awe,…. that is just being plain “mean” there! Good one,…. but still. 😉
Chris
B.B.,
I feel badly for you. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you for a fast recovery.
I feel comfort reading how many folks you have around you in your support system. From time to time we all get by with a little help from our friends, don’t we?
Get well soon,
Michael
Sorry to hear about your accident. Your comments on the Lectric XP prompted me to research them. I ordered mine today.
B.B. and Readership,
Why shootski doesn’t cotton to regulators for lowering extreme spread…especially for hunting!
Regulator 101:
The safest means, other than a well balanced valve, to reduce cylinder pressure to a workable level for operating a PCP is through a pressure reduction regulator. Single-stage gas pressure regulators reduce cylinder pressure to delivery or outlet pressure in one step. Two-stage gas pressure regulators reduce cylinder pressure in two steps. Since the performance of each regulator is influenced by mechanical characteristics, the choice depends on the requirements of the application.
The two most important variables to be considered are droop and supply pressure effect. Droop is the difference in delivery pressure between zero flow conditions and the regulator’s maximum flow capacity. Supply pressure effect is the variation in delivery pressure as supply pressure decreases while the cylinder empties.
Single-stage and two-stage regulators have different droop characteristics and respond differently to changing supply pressure. The single-stage regulator shows little droop with varying flow rates, but a relatively large supply pressure effect. Conversely, the two-stage regulator shows a considerable droop, but only small supply pressure effects. Generally, a single-stage regulator is recommended where inlet pressure does not vary greatly or where periodic readjustment of delivery pressure does not present a problem. A two-stage regulator, however, provides constant delivery pressure with no need for periodic readjustment.
Except if you use a new or different pellet/bullet by weight or barrel drag!
So right off the bat we usually would want a two-stage regulator on a PCP because our cylinder pressure varies by a considerable amount. But the droop issue in a two-stage means that adjustability or different weight/barrel drag pellets/bullets can drive a new user without patience, diligence, and a Chronograph to distraction.
shootski
Regulator 102,
So a two-stage regulator could be made to work better with a ???? Who knows the answer.
Shootski
Shootski,
A plenum. But I wonder, how large, in barrel volumes, is it typically? Any examples? – Don
Don425,
ding, Ding, Ding!!!! What is a Plenum?
Is the correct answer!
If you want maximum efficiency (moderate air usage) go for 1/3 barrel volume. If you want strong performance go for 2/3 barrel volume. If you are in to making noise go for total barrel volume which will give you ultimate performance but really not much beyond 2/3 volume since for every inch/mm longer you will be pushing more “dead” air MASS to get behind the pellet/bullet. Some volume increase may also be found within the area past the plenum but before the transfer port; certainly configuration dependent.
Shootski
Shootski,
Thanks for the added details. – Don