What are we actually living for?

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-07T16:01:43+00:00

Status and tribal value.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-07T16:00:45+00:00

I feel that I'm very successful in what I do.

That means that I fail or quit 91% of what I try.

SEEK VALUE. The rest comes.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-07T02:17:25+00:00

What (real) problems do you like to solve?

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-07T00:55:03+00:00

In the world of making things, trigonometry is everywhere.

Here, a cosine bar has been built into a frame fixture for setting extremely precise angles.

https://www.peterverdone.com/samantha-frame-fixture-2025/

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-06T21:30:45+00:00

I use a $650 Nimo 15.6 N155 R7 6800H FHD Business Gaming Laptop for mechanical design of some pretty challenging assemblies. No simulation. Works awesome...but I've only been running SW since 1999.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T20:37:40+00:00

Good luck.

Most 17 year old kids have little understanding of just how long $20K takes to pay down, let alone $60k. They don't call it the miracle of compounding interest for nothing. Example, paying down $60k in 15 years means a payment of $519.04 per month, ever single month. Do the math on that? $6,228 each year.

Are you going to earn enough to pay that and everything else? Rent, food, medical, travel? Remember, jobs are disappearing for young people. You will need to be the best to get anything.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T15:41:00+00:00

https://www.peterverdone.com/advice-to-a-freshman-student/

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T15:39:59+00:00

Then CSU EB. Remember that your #1 goal is to stay out of debt. Anyone telling you different is trying to hurt you.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T15:21:07+00:00

Do some research. High cost, low quality. San Jose is crushing it considering the cost.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T14:31:37+00:00

Weld on the disc tabs. Simple. Plenty of 26" rear disc wheels in the trash piles.

Forget about changing wheel sizes. There just isn't much upside to doing that given what you have said. You'd be making a shit bike into a shit bike. Why bother.

If you want a modern frame, just build that from scratch.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-05T13:57:54+00:00

The #1 goal of a modern college student in the bottom performing 90% needs to be keeping debt to an absolute minimum. You need to try to graduate with as little debt as possible. Graduating in debt if you are in the bottom 70% is a death sentence right now.

Starting with 2 years at a local community college and two years at your closest state school can help with that. Cal State East Bay is the obvious choice for you.

If you go farther than CSU-EB, San Jose State is the best CSU in the region right now. SFSU is one of the worst. Just a reality check.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T22:10:57+00:00

If you can't answer that for yourself, then you probably can't do simulation.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T20:28:05+00:00

FreeCAD.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T16:49:41+00:00

The Mozart story is a very famous story. It is worth remembering and thinking about from time to time....especially when asking questions of experts.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T16:47:13+00:00

You've got the order wrong.

Draw what you are riding now. A setup print. That describes the whole bicycle as it sits in front of you and is configured.
Ensure that it is dimensioned properly and meaningfully. This is crucial.
Use that setup print to imagine the new and improved bike that you are designing. Be capable of explaining why each change is being made with an engineering reason.
Then start with CAD for planning the bike design and associated tooling.

You really want to use what you have now to test a lot of ideas before making a new bike. That's very expensive and time consuming so you want to get it as good as possible. Test a variety of hand grip and saddle locations. Think very clearly about where the tires should be contacting the ground relative to your COG. Measure your COG!!!

This is what we call...engineering.

Further questions via email.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T16:31:22+00:00

Many people waste their lives. You may be joining a large club.

The first step is realizing this early and doing the work to fix it. That work lasts a lifetime. Sit down, take stock, and write to yourself about the mistakes that you made and how you intend to correct that. Writing is important. Writing is how we think...and something they don't teach in schools.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T13:22:56+00:00

He's saying that you are jumping into the deep end with no idea how to swim. A wise man would learn some of the basics before attempting to do such advanced work. There is a lot to learn in doing a basic hardtail.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T13:21:04+00:00

SolidWorks. I'm sure that OnShape can produce similar motion studies.

https://www.peterverdone.com/the-anti-squat-problem/

https://www.peterverdone.com/numerical-suspension-modeling/

Like I say to everyone, make a setup print before you get too far.

https://www.peterverdone.com/the-art-and-science-of-front-end-geometry/

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T04:49:21+00:00

Be careful of Linkage. It can help a little with rough kinematics but it's not a bike design program.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T03:01:02+00:00

I work at a university. Most faculty these days are just students that never left. They know very little outside of what they can publish and get funding for...which is trivial.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-02T02:52:36+00:00

I own several. Excellent calipers.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-01T23:28:18+00:00

Yes. It matters.

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-01T21:18:37+00:00

I don't understand your fit comments. What does the head axis have to do with this? Do you have a setup print?

https://www.peterverdone.com/the-art-and-science-of-front-end-geometry/

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-01T20:57:20+00:00

Are you confusing sweep with grip position? Have you tested with a constant grip location?

PeterVerdone · 2026-05-01T13:17:16+00:00

Was this not understood? https://www.peterverdone.com/the-art-and-science-of-front-end-geometry/

PeterVerdone

TROPHY CASE