digest number 1506

[Ted Palmer]

Marc replied to Jim:

> If Chris has 50 lbs grip strength on a KLR brake lever, he is an animal. I've done a lot of physical therapy on my hands -- I think 20 or 25 lbs might be more in line.

How is it measured? Squeezing a set of bathroom scales? I can get ~60kg that way using both hands. A blast of adrenaline should help get about 40kg out of one hand.

> I think his 800 psi estimate is probably quite high. I don't think rubber lines can even withstand 800 psi. I am going to have start looking at some hydraulics catalogs.

I thought they went higher than that, like ~1000psi. They're not just rubber, they do have some reinforcing in them and usually have to comply with some national standards.

> Are you contending that brake fade is due to hot brake pads having a lower coefficient of friction than cool brake pads? You may well be correct.

I can vouch for that. I have faded pads on the racetrack, normal lever feel but next to no braking. All it took was one big application from about 160kmh (100mph for you imperialists) to slow for a hairpin at the end of a long straight. The brake was ok for that one application but at the next corner there was zilch. I blame the small heat sink mass of the KLR600 disc for that, and to an extent the metallic pads. Mister_T

[Marc Illsley Clarke]

Physical therapists have a hand grip squeezing device with a force guage. The squeezing device resembles one of those old grip builders which had a coil spring over the top and plastic grips on each of the two protruding legs of the coil spring. -- Marc, KLR650 A12, Loveland, Colorado, USA Ted Palmer wrote: __________

>Marc replied to Jim: > >> If Chris has 50 lbs grip strength on a KLR brake lever, he is an animal. I've done a lot of physical therapy on my hands -- I think 20 or 25 lbs might be more in line. > >How is it measured? Squeezing a set of bathroom scales?

-- Marc Marc Illsley Clarke mailto:marcclarke@...

[Murray Dochstader]

Pat: I'm 56, and I still ride most cross-country races in the Pacific Northwest. My friend (who is a Harley dealer) is 63, and we ride together. We have both run the Baja 1000 and the 2000. I have a friend back east who is 66, and he usually WINS the Vet class. We get a few unlucky breaks from time-to-time, and it takes longer to recover than it used to, but hell, this is livin'. Keep at it! Murray Dochstader B.C. Canada.