2月の取材から1ヶ月経過。
このところ、土曜日になると雨ばかりで、完成した14号機の撮影も延び延びになっていましたが、雨の晴れ間を縫って取材を決行。
いつの間にか、エアロホイールと弾性支持スピーカーが完成していて驚く。本当にマジックのようですわ。
On March 24, 2012, I went to SANOMAGIC to cover the completed Mahogany
Bike No. 14,
and I was surprised to see an mahogany aero wheel and an elasticity supporting
speaker system.
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一日で120km位、これまでに350km走ったとのこと。各部の強度に問題なし。
フレームはアシストを生じる上でやや堅いとの評価だったので、既に一度削り直したという。
Mahogany Bike No. 14 was completed on the end of February, and Mr. Chomei is now testing it.
Mr. Chomei has run with Bike 14 for 350 km in total, and each of tests was about 120 km.
He found no problem about the strength of Bike 14; but, he said the frame was slightly too stiff to produce optimum power assistance by the frame.
Accordingly, Sueshiro has already shaved the frame.
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Sueshiro exchanges test wheels to the wheels made for Bike No. 14.
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The front rim is 40mm high, and the rear rim is 32mm high.
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Tuned-up machine is beautiful.
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Please see from eight directions.
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Fibers of mahogany reflect the light of flash, and the frame is seen gold.
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I noticed that mahogany bikes could be photographed beautifully when road surface was wet.
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Because the frame of Mahogany Bike No. 14 is relatively small,
the frame was severely shaved to decrease its thickness to improve elasticity in comparison with the previous bikes.
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"When the owner will be accustomed to the mahogany bike after about one year
and he will wish to strengthen the assist power of the frame, I will shave the frame again", Sueshiro said.
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Mahogany Bikes grow up with each owner.
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The front rim is 40 mm high.
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The rear rim is 32 mm high. This time, I was surprised to hear from Sueshiro that he will make hollow mahogany rims in the future.
"It became technically possible", Sueshiro said.
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The sloping top tube brings about a gentle atmosphere.
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The chain stay has a sectional shape near rhomb, and causes a sharp impression.
The shape also decreases the sectional area and improves elasticity.
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Secret engraving seen only from this angle.
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Graceful curves consisted of the seat stay and the chain stay.
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Horizontal rear view of the mahogany saddle.
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The shape and size of the saddle were tailored to the owner.
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Of course, the handle was also adjusted to the owner.
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Each wheel has a mahogany valve cap having a characteristic shape.
14号機オーナーの岸さんからの、14号機のインプレッション (2012/4/8)
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Well, this is the best surprise in this report. An aero wheel has been completed before I know.
Finally, even spokes and a hub were made of mahogany.
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Three aero spokes have a hollow structure of wall thickness of 3mm.
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These spokes have complete aero shapes.
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直接、NSK製の高精度ベアリングが両端にはめ込まれ、ステンレスのシャフトを支えている。
To my astonishment, the hub is made of mahogany. There is no metal tube inside it.
Highly accurate bearings made by NSK were directly installed in both ends of the hub, and support a stainless shaft.
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Sueshiro said, "metal tubes cannot be firmly combined to mahogany spokes and are no use."
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The technique of Sueshiro has come to such ultimate area. I will not be surprised even if I see mahogany chains in the future.
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"The weight of the aero wheel seems to be almost same as that of previous wheel using metal spokes,
and the air resistance may be smaller than metal spokes", Sueshiro said.
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Sueshiro said that it was very difficult to combine the rim and the hollow spokes.
Solid mahogany cores were embedded in both ends of each hollow spoke,
a V-shaped groove was formed in the outer core, and the inner edge of the rim was inserted into the groove.
This structure offered satisfactory strength.
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実はスポーク強度が高すぎるので、弾性および軽量化のため次回は肉厚2.5mmにすると末四郎。
In this prototype, the wall thickness of the mahogany spokes is 3 mm, and the wall was formed by laminating five mahogany plates of thickness 0.6 mm.
Sueshiro said, "I found 3 mm was too thick. Next I will try to produce mahogany spokes of 2.5 mm thick to improve elasticity."
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700Cは十文字スポークにして、スポーク肉厚を2.5mm、リムを中空にすると、恐るべきことを言っています。
[VIDEO] Please click the enlarged image to hear Sueshiro explain the aero wheel.
He says that 700C mahogany aero wheels will have cross-shape aero spokes, the spoke thickness of 2.5 mm, and a hollow mahogany rim!.
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Here is the second surprise today. This is an elastic support system that supports elastically a large-sized mahogany speaker.
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This system supports barycentric position of the speaker box at one point, and makes the entire surface of the speaker box freely vibrate,
and prevents the vibration from being transmitted to the floor.
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An aluminum column is fixed on the center of the bottom face of the speaker box, and the column is lifted up by four mahogany spring plates.
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Usual wood never provides the sufficient strength for this structure.
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Moreover, metal springs cannot absorb high frequency vibration from the column.
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[VIDEO] Please click an enlarged image to hear Sueshiro explain the purpose of this system.
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心が震える臨場感を伝えられないのは本当に残念。
Let's listen to the actual sound. Please click the following links.
These were recorded with my digital camera, so I regret it cannot reproduce the impressive sound.
Lineup of Wooden Ships designed and manufactured by Sueshiro SANO