I want to install frame sliders: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:cage_1.jpg|150px]]

====I absolutely hate frame sliders====

One of our regulars, who is a long-term racer and track day teacher, has a few opinions on the subject.

"There are times when sliders do help. In driveway tip-overs and low speed crashes, frame sliders can reduce the amount of damage. But even with sliders in place, bars still get bent/broken and bodywork still gets scratched. To me less scratched-up bodywork is not a big bonus.

The downside is if the bike has any momentum and that slider catches on a curb, pothole, dirt, etc... then it can start flipping, doing major damage.

Plus, if I am taking a tumble, there are already enough sharp parts sticking out without adding two big solid spears. I'd rather have a nice big plastic panel land on top of me than one with a firmly mounted spear sticking out of it.

Here are a few photos I took of a bike that had an easy low side and then slid off the track into a big, smooth, flat dirt runoff area.

[[image:hatesliders-1-2.jpg|150px]]

[[image:hatesliders-2.jpg|150px]]

[[image:hatesliders-3.jpg|150px]]

[[image:hatesliders-4.jpg|150px]]

Everything was fine until the frame slider dug into the dirt and started the bike flipping. The frame slider is the broken-off piece in the first photo. It broke the case as it tore off too. Notice the bent forks and shattered rear wheel. Another bike crashed in the same turn that day and only needed a new rearset and clutch lever to be back out later in the day.

We have been keeping statistics on bike crashes at the track for the last few years, and bikes with frame sliders are more than 3 times as likely to suffer major damage than bike without.

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 [[Image:cage_1.jpg|150px]]
+====I absolutely hate frame sliders====
+One of our regulars, who is a long-term racer and track day teacher, has a few opinions on the subject.
+"There are times when sliders do help. In driveway tip-overs and low speed crashes, frame sliders can reduce the amount of damage. But even with sliders in place, bars still get bent/broken and bodywork still gets scratched. To me less scratched-up bodywork is not a big bonus.
+The downside is if the bike has any momentum and that slider catches on a curb, pothole, dirt, etc... then it can start flipping, doing major damage.
+Plus, if I am taking a tumble, there are already enough sharp parts sticking out without adding two big solid spears. I'd rather have a nice big plastic panel land on top of me than one with a firmly mounted spear sticking out of it.
+Here are a few photos I took of a bike that had an easy low side and then slid off the track into a big, smooth, flat dirt runoff area.
+[[image:hatesliders-1-2.jpg|150px]]
+[[image:hatesliders-2.jpg|150px]]
+[[image:hatesliders-3.jpg|150px]]
+[[image:hatesliders-4.jpg|150px]]
+Everything was fine until the frame slider dug into the dirt and started the bike flipping. The frame slider is the broken-off piece in the first photo. It broke the case as it tore off too. Notice the bent forks and shattered rear wheel. Another bike crashed in the same turn that day and only needed a new rearset and clutch lever to be back out later in the day.
+We have been keeping statistics on bike crashes at the track for the last few years, and bikes with frame sliders are more than 3 times as likely to suffer major damage than bike without.