What keeps a train on the track?

Last night was old-bike night. Today it's time to look back at Richard Feynman's enthusiasm for science. I like to watch this series of videos, where he explains these really complicated concepts using everyday thoughts. I'll let him do the talking.

Daydreaming about old bikes

New York's streets overflow with track bikes, and while there is some tasty stuff out there none of it is complex enough to be really interesting--no freewheels, no suspension, and no wild brakes. This Nuke Proof Reactor is a bike I've never seen in person, but it has those awesome steel Sweet Wings cranks, and a Rock Shox rear shock... in the head tube! Ironically, this is probably one of the more serviceable old forks--I'd rather try to get parts for it than a Manitou I or a Headshok--surely there are tons of rear shocks you could stuff into it.

FromRetrobike

Sometimes, I wonder if the cars that magazines have me dreaming about have nothing to do with the cars I'd dream about on my own.