If you have a favorite “off street” location that you think is worth exploring, you can make submissions here. 

I submitted a recommendation for the Street Views trike to visit Rancho San Antonio.  Can you see Google’s cyclist climbing up the PG&E trail?  On the other-hand maybe walking the trike will work as well.

It turns out it is the Ascend road bike created by Delta 7 Sports.  The bike which Delta 7 calls an “IsoTruss” based bike has tubing made of a combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar.  Delta 7 claims the frame is stronger than any bike in its weight class.  I picked the bike up and it was unbelievably light.

Being larger than the average road biker, I questioned whether the bike could withstand my girth.  I tend to bend wheels and such.  He claimed it could and went on to discuss the design of the bike. 

I also wondered whether the open weaving of the tubes would create more wind resistance than a traditional bike.  Apparently, in wind tunnel testing (with head winds), the Ascend road bike had slightly less drag than a comparable sized cylinder frame bike.  I forgot to ask, but I wonder if it was tested in cross winds and what the results were?

The Ascend road bike appears to be lighter and stronger than most road bikes, but at what cost?  I went to the web site and found that suggested retail price for the frame was $5,995. and for a completely built out bike, $10,995.

Kind of pricey, but if you want something light, rigid and strong, it might be the answer.  For now it appears that you can only order them online at http://www.delta7sports.com. 

It’s a great looking bike.  However, I think I would get more enjoyment out of my rides by losing a few LB’s and pocketing the money.  See you on the road and wear your helmet!