Shawn Small will rescue you from
the sea of bike jargon and myths.
(Photo © J. Maus)
It’s with great excitement that I introduce our latest project here at BikePortland, a new column we call Bike Science with Shawn Small.
Shawn is the man and the mind behind Portland-based carbon fiber research lab and manufacturing company Ruckus Components (a business we profiled last year). He’s smart, he’s passionate about bikes, and he’s a mad scientist (I mean that in the best way possible) — all of which make him perfect for the job!
Shawn hails from Wisconsin farm country, where he says he learned to fabricate tools and machines ever since he was “old enough to milk a cow, which is real young.” He’s built just about everything you can think of — from robots to wind turbines, rockets to hovercrafts (yes, hovercrafts). After earning a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin and working several engineering jobs, he moved to Portland in 2008 to start Ruckus.
Think of Bike Science as a mix between Mythbusters and the informational brilliance of Sheldon Brown (may he rest in peace).
Shawn’s articles will investigate and demystify the science behind bikes, components, and accessories. He’ll tackle the truth behind product claims (is that jacket really waterproof?), he’ll delve into physics (how far can you lean before slipping out in the rain?), and he’ll break down the jargon (know the difference watts, joules, lux, lumens, and candela?).
If you have a question or a topic you think Mr. Bike Science should tackle. Drop us a line and we’ll send it to the lab for analysis. Stay tuned for the first article next week!
Bike Science is sponsored by:
Strava.com – GPS cycling, virtual competitions and detailed ride analysis