Back in 2014 a man with a vision and a huge truck decided to try something new. The decided they wanted to go and drive up a ski slope with it. Add some studded tires and some ski goggles and a new race was born. In 2015, the Red Bull Signature Series hosted the Frozen Rush for the first time at a quaint ski slope in Maine. It attracted many of the top pro-4 short course truck drivers throughout the world, and it was considered a huge success by many. The event came back this again, and it is as good as ever in 2016.
What makes these cars able to operate on the snow is due to two important factors. The first being the massive studded tires with over 600 studs in each tire, which allows the tires to bite. The second is the conditioning of the snow by snow cats and groomers. Without these two crucial ingredients combined, a new and seemingly unstoppable race was born. I personally am super excited to see more of this racing style in the future and I hope you will too. Below are the videos of the visionary and the first runs, along with the first and second races.
Beginnings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDqO1FRtl7o
2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxGrrDjilJg
2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVYailVZpEY
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Something Funky
In the anorexic world of mountain bike manufacturing, the seemingly magic number is 20 pounds. In a sport where mere ounces can see to weigh tons at the end of a race, only the best bikes achieve this number. One of these bikes is the Funk La Ruta, and it is very special indeed. It's frame is made entirely from titanium, any coloring or designs are created through an anodizing process of the titanium frame. What this means is an electrical current is passed through certain points of the frame to change the color of the metal. The color depends on the amount of power being passed through the frame. This only changes the color of the metal and does not weaken it in any way.
Another cool thing about this bike is the way the rear suspension works. Instead of having a pivot point in the pedal tube, there is a carefully designed and milled section behind the tube where the metal flexes and allows for 80 mm of travel in the rear without ever having to add weight for a pivot in the frame.
This level of technology and level of weight reduction is due in part to many key design and material components. For starters, Funk offers a single side shock post in the front as compared to the typical 2 post fork design. The next part in the already mentioned rear suspension system, along with a severe reduction in the number of gears needed. A typical setup will have 3 gears in the front and 6 to 9 in thew back, however, the La Ruta only has one front gear, while keeping many of the rear gears. There is also utilization of hydraulic brake systems, and lots of carbon and carbon fiber being used in places to replace many previously heavier components of the bike. The final major weight reduction component is the employment of an entirely titanium frame. This ensures major durability combined with a super lightweight bike.
Another cool thing about this bike is the way the rear suspension works. Instead of having a pivot point in the pedal tube, there is a carefully designed and milled section behind the tube where the metal flexes and allows for 80 mm of travel in the rear without ever having to add weight for a pivot in the frame.
This level of technology and level of weight reduction is due in part to many key design and material components. For starters, Funk offers a single side shock post in the front as compared to the typical 2 post fork design. The next part in the already mentioned rear suspension system, along with a severe reduction in the number of gears needed. A typical setup will have 3 gears in the front and 6 to 9 in thew back, however, the La Ruta only has one front gear, while keeping many of the rear gears. There is also utilization of hydraulic brake systems, and lots of carbon and carbon fiber being used in places to replace many previously heavier components of the bike. The final major weight reduction component is the employment of an entirely titanium frame. This ensures major durability combined with a super lightweight bike.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Fun buggies
We all have seen or been on an offroad capable vehicle at one time or another in our lives. Some of the most capable products on the market include 4-wheelers and buggy type vehicles. Today, we are going to focus on what makes these things so fun and capable at the same time.
If you couldn't already tell, the most important component in any vehicle is the motor and its application to the vehicle. All good producers of these off-roading vehicles stick to similar engine designs. The formula for a good motor in this application is a light, compact,and power dense engine. This benefits the driver for many reasons. The first being that when the engine has a very good power to displacement ratio, the vehicle tends to be more efficient. The engine needs to be light because a heavy engine would add lots of unneeded weight to the vehicle, causing it to possibly become stuck and less efficient. These engines are constantly evolving with new innovations, like turbocharging and supercharging to even further increase both power and fuel economy.
The small frames and narrower tracks allow for access to otherwise off-limits areas. This versatility is aided by long traveling suspensions and shocks. What this enables the driver to do is to allow the passage to areas with only a 4' or less wide path to travel upon where other larger vehicles like trucks and jeeps would be incapable in passing through. Although these smaller tracks can be a blessing, they can also be a curse with the greater risk of flipping over while turning at high speeds. This is caused by a high center of gravity falling over the tipping point axis of the vehicle. The same problem can occur in any vehicle, but the speed varies with the center of gravity point.
If you couldn't already tell, the most important component in any vehicle is the motor and its application to the vehicle. All good producers of these off-roading vehicles stick to similar engine designs. The formula for a good motor in this application is a light, compact,and power dense engine. This benefits the driver for many reasons. The first being that when the engine has a very good power to displacement ratio, the vehicle tends to be more efficient. The engine needs to be light because a heavy engine would add lots of unneeded weight to the vehicle, causing it to possibly become stuck and less efficient. These engines are constantly evolving with new innovations, like turbocharging and supercharging to even further increase both power and fuel economy.
The small frames and narrower tracks allow for access to otherwise off-limits areas. This versatility is aided by long traveling suspensions and shocks. What this enables the driver to do is to allow the passage to areas with only a 4' or less wide path to travel upon where other larger vehicles like trucks and jeeps would be incapable in passing through. Although these smaller tracks can be a blessing, they can also be a curse with the greater risk of flipping over while turning at high speeds. This is caused by a high center of gravity falling over the tipping point axis of the vehicle. The same problem can occur in any vehicle, but the speed varies with the center of gravity point.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Fastest motors ever
If you have ever read into any aviation book or lesson, chances are that you have come across the mentioning of a legendary plane. This plane is the SR-71 Blackbird and it's fame is well earned. It is one of the fastest manned airplanes to have ever flown, and it is also one of the most secretive ever. This plane was so good and so fast that when a SAM or surface to air missile locked onto it, the Blackbird simply outran the missiles at speeds up to and quite possibly past mach 3.5 or three and a half times the speed of sound. The reason the true top speed is still unknown is that it is top secret information. The Blackbird was capable of hitting such great speeds for many reasons like aerodynamics and high tech flight computers, but the largest part of this amazing place reaching the speeds that it did were due to it's engines. They are called the Pratt and Whitney J-58 and they are behemoths and an amazing feat of engineering.
If the declassified top speed isn't enough to amaze you, then maybe the fact that such a powerful engine was designed by hand and mind without computers, calculators, and just a slide rule, Oh yeah and this was back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There are many things that make the engines extremely unique, but for the sake of time we will just stick to the big things. The engine itself actually operates in two stages. The first being that of a turbojet engine, and the second being that of a ramjet. Here is how it works, the engine operates as a normal after-burning turbojet engine up to mach 2.2, where the next element comes into play for a few reasons. The first is a concern of fuel efficiency, and the next is of heat. The afterburners at mach 2.2 are using an incredible amount of fuel, and there is so much heat at this point that any more would melt the nacelle or capsule holding the engine in the plane. The engine has 6 air bypass tubes that draw cool, compressed air from the 4th stage of the fan in front of combustion, and bypasses it directly to the after-burner area, thus creating a cooler and even more oxygen rich environment for the fuel to burn in, This creates massive efficiency and allows the blackbird to cruise at mach 3.2.
What this plane contributed to the country in terms of vital information may never be fully known to the public, but there is already enough known to cement it's legacy in history as the fastest and highest flying manned airplane ever.
If the declassified top speed isn't enough to amaze you, then maybe the fact that such a powerful engine was designed by hand and mind without computers, calculators, and just a slide rule, Oh yeah and this was back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There are many things that make the engines extremely unique, but for the sake of time we will just stick to the big things. The engine itself actually operates in two stages. The first being that of a turbojet engine, and the second being that of a ramjet. Here is how it works, the engine operates as a normal after-burning turbojet engine up to mach 2.2, where the next element comes into play for a few reasons. The first is a concern of fuel efficiency, and the next is of heat. The afterburners at mach 2.2 are using an incredible amount of fuel, and there is so much heat at this point that any more would melt the nacelle or capsule holding the engine in the plane. The engine has 6 air bypass tubes that draw cool, compressed air from the 4th stage of the fan in front of combustion, and bypasses it directly to the after-burner area, thus creating a cooler and even more oxygen rich environment for the fuel to burn in, This creates massive efficiency and allows the blackbird to cruise at mach 3.2.
What this plane contributed to the country in terms of vital information may never be fully known to the public, but there is already enough known to cement it's legacy in history as the fastest and highest flying manned airplane ever.
Turning old to gold
A large part of the car enthusiast world is not so much concerned about what cars are the newest and most modern, but they are more enthusiastic about the cars of old. These time machines on wheels can give us a glimpse into what life was like in the past and for some these are what all cars should be. Now, most if not all of these old cars emerging from the past are going to need at least some repair or world to restore them to their former glory, and this is what I want to discuss. The re-creation of history and restoration of classic cars.
Sadly, these cars are becoming more and more rare to find in fixable condition as nearly all the "barn find" treasures out there in the world have emerged. This also has driven up the price of the vehicles substantially. When a new and untouched find surfaces, it should and will be acted upon quickly to obtain these cars for restoration.
When properly restored, some of these cars can bring sums of into the hundreds of thousands to the many millions of dollars at auctions. The best classification for a completely original restoration of a classic car is the Councours level and only a few hundred cars exist in the world with this level of restoration quality. In order for a proper restoration to be completed, many hundreds and even thousands of hours and a huge sum of money went into the restoration of these cars. So the next time you see one on the road, be sure you remember what that owner has invested in their ride.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Traffic
The worst nightmare for anyone with a fast car and/or a lead foot. This is the product of when drivers of less confidence, experience or just a lack of that stuff that makes us driving enthusiasts tick converge onto a road at the same time in a large quantity. Although in some places it is simply sheer volume that causes back-ups, many times it can be avoided. I have discovered the solution to this problem and it comes as a simple piece of metal on the floor of your car all the way to the right of the driver's floor compartment. It is called a gas pedal and when used properly, can achieve magical things. These things go on to include achieving speeds greater than 35 miles per hour, allowing for the escape from accidents and finally, the smooth transitioning into a traffic flow at the speed of the road, and not the speed of the on-ramp.
What people seem to be lacking is an understanding of how to utilize this magical device in their cars, so instead they just leave it alone and don't bother to use it. I am here to clear up any misunderstandings on how to use this device. You take your RIGHT foot, lift it up off of the brake pedal where it has rested for miles, and using the balls of your feet, press down on the gas. You may experience a new sensation sort of like you are being pushed back into your seat by an invisible force. This is good, it is called acceleration and should be familiar to you in no time. After you get this new use of a crucial part of the car figured out, magical other things will happen. People will no longer shout at you as they pass you on the highway to "get off the road" and to "learn how to drive" because i just did it for you. You will also now be able to re-paint your car and not worry about the paint because no angry drivers who have been stuck behind you for the last 3 hours wont try to side swipe or key your car.
Just remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.
What people seem to be lacking is an understanding of how to utilize this magical device in their cars, so instead they just leave it alone and don't bother to use it. I am here to clear up any misunderstandings on how to use this device. You take your RIGHT foot, lift it up off of the brake pedal where it has rested for miles, and using the balls of your feet, press down on the gas. You may experience a new sensation sort of like you are being pushed back into your seat by an invisible force. This is good, it is called acceleration and should be familiar to you in no time. After you get this new use of a crucial part of the car figured out, magical other things will happen. People will no longer shout at you as they pass you on the highway to "get off the road" and to "learn how to drive" because i just did it for you. You will also now be able to re-paint your car and not worry about the paint because no angry drivers who have been stuck behind you for the last 3 hours wont try to side swipe or key your car.
Just remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Best Driving Roads
To me, the ultimate in driving experiences doesn't come in a luxury wrapped Mercedes or Rolls Royce. For me, the best experience would come when driving a car with an actual maual gearbox, through a road that is both fun to drive and majestic to look at. Why a manual you may ask? The manual is all about purity. If i could choose which car I would take with me on these roads, the choice would be between an AC Cobra and a Noble M600. Both of these cars have the most bare bones driving environment available, yet they contrast each other perfectly. I would take the Noble to a place like the Autobahn, or to the Nurburgring and let it loose. I would chose the AC Cobra for cruising in the Rocky Mountains on I-70, along the California coast in the summer, and many other open-air experiences only properly enjoyed in a car like the Cobra.
For me, there has to be lots of direct interaction with the road. I go insane when I have to drive a car where the steering is so electrically interfered with it feels like you are in a video game. I also as mentioned before need to be shifting the gears myself with a true manual transmission. I know there are those of you out there who will say that dual clutches improve performance, and I say to that "I would rather have it be me performing to the best of my abilities instead of a computer doing it for me. The road must be winding and ebb and flow. Just like the life itself, things are always going to be changing direction and going up and down, this is what makes the road good.
When you find your road, you'll know it. Just make sure it is truly the right road for you and then stick to it forever.
For me, there has to be lots of direct interaction with the road. I go insane when I have to drive a car where the steering is so electrically interfered with it feels like you are in a video game. I also as mentioned before need to be shifting the gears myself with a true manual transmission. I know there are those of you out there who will say that dual clutches improve performance, and I say to that "I would rather have it be me performing to the best of my abilities instead of a computer doing it for me. The road must be winding and ebb and flow. Just like the life itself, things are always going to be changing direction and going up and down, this is what makes the road good.
When you find your road, you'll know it. Just make sure it is truly the right road for you and then stick to it forever.
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