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by edocaster
27 Mar 2024, 11:37am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
Replies: 195
Views: 24364

Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.

Bmblbzzz wrote: 26 Mar 2024, 10:01am
I think this is as much or more to do with social perceptions than any particular industry or retail. It took Western markets several decades to accept that Japanese cars and electronics were as well made and designed as their European or American counterparts. We then repeated the process, slightly faster maybe, with Korean goods. China has been the workshop of the world for the whole of this century, so far, yet we still disparage these items with terms like "Chinesium" – sometimes justified* but often ignoring the high quality products from China, under Chinese and Western names.

*And that low quality seems to be often driven by marketing rather than manufacture; Western and Chinese marketing, from Amazon to Temu.
I very much agree. Social perceptions play the largest part here, and the challenge of accepting change is universal.

With the cycle industry though, this acceptance is further hindered by the byzantine measures previously outlined. It would be like Nissan buying Chrysler in the 1970s, but nobody knowing for over a decade, while the actual production of cars under both brands is taking place 99% in a Nissan factory in Japan. And all the while with the public happy to justify paying more for the American brand (or not even being aware of the Japanese brand). The cycle industry is largely set up this way. Ironically, the likes of Amazon and Temu are ways out of this, precisely because they are outside of industries which tend toward oligopolies.

The cycling industry is very successful in protectionism, both through state action, but also in weaponising the perception of consumers. The endless anti-dumping duties on Chinese bikes and parts have succeeded in reducing market access for all but the cheapest built goods, which affects market perception as a result. But this endless whack-a-mole within a relatively small industry only serves to corrode the industry itself, as it hurts its own suppliers, and prices are shifted upwards. This ultimately affects retail, especially for such highly discretionary products.
by edocaster
25 Mar 2024, 11:57pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Yaw Know About Solar Chargers?
Replies: 77
Views: 4088

Re: Yaw Know About Solar Chargers?

USB charging protocols before USB C seem to have had a few quirks, in terms of signalling whether a charger could supply a certain current.

According to the Dedicated Charging Port specification, tying the two data lines together in the socket, signals up to 1.5A is available. But Samsung and Apple had rather different ideas: https://obddiag.net/usb-power.html
by edocaster
25 Mar 2024, 11:34pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
Replies: 195
Views: 24364

Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.

Bmblbzzz wrote: 17 Mar 2024, 1:09pm So that would make Marin an Indonesian owned company, with HQ in Switzerland and design based in California, operating in over 40 countries worldwide. Like a great many companies, it's impossible to ascribe it one single nationality. How does that related to the state of retail in UK?
While my answer was primarily to supply the citation, it did interest me that without it, Bonzo Banana's claim would disappear into the ether (of course, I'm sure BB could provide more solid evidence too). It wasn't extensive research on my part, but I did go down a rabbit hole of seeing just how difficult it was to reach something resembling (what I believe is) the truth, at least on the English-language internet.

Instead, what you get is years of industry journalists repeating press releases, and not really doing any actual digging. Forums often aligned with these interpretations (Marin only use Insera Sena as a manufacturer, etc), because they had limited information. But also, it seems it wasn't really in anyone's interests to present a direct set of facts. Marin, the bike industry, industry journalists, Insera Sena themselves - why would they? After all, people will pay more for a Marin than a Polygon.

What was rather amusing was this quote: "Vanek couldn't say much about the new owners except that Minestone is a private group that does not own any other businesses that would align with Marin. 'It's not like some other acquisitions recently where we would become part of another group. We will still manage ourselves.'" (https://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-a ... acquistion) - the first half is, strictly speaking, true I guess.

While none of this has anything directly to do with cycle retail in the UK, it does demonstrate to some degree the abstraction from the physical product and its production which the (Western) cycling industry has reached. While this is certainly not the only industry where a large markup can be extracted based solely on brand perception, cycling is marketed as a lifestyle activity, hence is discretionary. It's not a part of a wider, unified industry, like power tools might be to DIY. Hence cycle retail rises and falls based on one activity and its popularity. But the industry has wedded its pricing structure to the segmentation demonstrated above. I think this backs the industry into a corner, where they can't upset the pricing hierarchy.
by edocaster
18 Mar 2024, 12:08am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New DIY dynamo light project
Replies: 53
Views: 10061

Re: New DIY dynamo light project

Since my last post, I have been able to ride with this DIY dynamo light for a few weeks (selecting dry days, as this version isn't yet sealed). I'm happy to report that it has held up - nothing has broken or overheated, and the behaviour is all pretty much as designed.

The beam is fairly good. A lot better than the Pico 30 I resurrected up thread. It doesn't really have a sharp cut-off to compete with the B&M Cyo Premium I also have though, or even the original Crivit light, but it has a general fade to a dark upper half:

Remorp remote switch.jpg

(Yes, I see a face in it too...)

Note that this was a beamshot of the standlight against a wall. Also, the hotspot is slightly exaggerated by the camera. In motion, the two additional LEDs add some illumination to the sides too. In fact, the beam is very wide - the above photo is about 90 degrees across.

The lack of a tight cut-off is slightly disappointing, but I can point the brightest part of the beam in the mid-range, and illumination is good. Overall, it definitely makes better use of the available light than a round beam.

The standlight is good, certainly better than any of the passive versions I built before. With both this light and the B&M Cyo standlights on, I would say the peak brightness is similar, but the Cyo's is a pencil thin portion.

For a remote switch, I had printed a design built around a small tact switch:

DIY remote switch.jpg

The fiddliest part there was building around a switch cap (scavenged from an old TV remote). That worked fine, but the shape was a bit taller and angular than ideal (I also left space in the design for a second switch, which could be potentially of use in future). Basically, totally fine for the flat part of a handlebar.

I had actually decided on a 2.5mm remote jack because it is used by wired camera remote controls (largely Canon), so was going to buy a Canon-compatible remote rather than building my own, although the camera remote form factor isn't great. But I recently stumbled across a switch built for a bike horn, retailing for just £6, which also uses a 2.5mm jack:

Standlight wall beam shot.jpg

So I'll now try this one out instead. It can fit more comfortably close to typical drop bar hand positions. Interestingly, it's a two-stage switch, even though my light makes no use of the extra switch. That could be really useful in future. Why? Because I may consider a next light build :D In short, while I started off wanting manual control over switching between voltage doubler and full wave rectifier... to be honest, it's not super useful. It's just something I got used to on my last light. In practice, I mostly want brightest, unless climbing slowly.

What a bar-mounted two-stage switch could be useful for is dipped beam/high beam. The full press would switch between modes, while the half press would flash a high beam (if not already in that mode).

Alas, at this stage I have no real plans. I think to make this worthwhile the cut-off would have to be tighter. Anyway, I'm glad I got a working light out of this current project before the clocks go forward, lol.
by edocaster
17 Mar 2024, 3:03pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?
Replies: 26
Views: 2566

Re: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?

Revisiting this topic as it seems like commercial options (for Stvzo lights with switchable high beams) are still problematic. E.g. I note Busch & Muller have rather poor reviews for the IQ-XM Speed: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/acces ... ght-review - and some users mention a recall: https://www.rosebikes.com/b-m-iq-xm-spe ... on-2705644 (interestingly the e-bike version without multiple power levels seems far less expensive: https://www.rosebikes.com/b-m-lumotec-i ... e=Standard).

How hard can it be for them to make this well?
by edocaster
17 Mar 2024, 11:23am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
Replies: 195
Views: 24364

Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.

AndyK wrote: 15 Mar 2024, 6:37pm
Bonzo Banana wrote: 15 Mar 2024, 6:11pm Marin has been for quite a few years a Indonesian brand as it was bought by Insera Sena who also have their own inhouse brand Polygon.
Citation needed, as they say on Wikipedia. The only reference I can find for that statement is another thread on this very forum 5 years ago. According to press reports Marin were bought by European-based investment company Minestone in 2012 and I can't see anything since to say that's changed.
Isn't it rather odd that Minestone doesn't appear to have any web presence, for something described as a European investment firm? All searches lead back to this one acquisition.

Also of interest is the fact that Marin and Polygon are imported and distributed into Germany and Europe respectively by Zentro Poridis, which is an Insera Sena subsidiary: https://radmarkt.de/neues-vertriebsdach ... d-polygon/

More directly at: https://radmarkt.de/nach-dem-aus-bei-ma ... h-neu-auf/ - "has been part of the Polygon maker since it was sold to the European investor Minestone Limited in spring 2012. Minestone was used by Insera Sena for the Marin purchase."
by edocaster
29 Feb 2024, 5:05pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?
Replies: 26
Views: 2566

Re: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?

Whatever the wisdom of a particular battery scheme, going back to the Velocharger SA_SA_SA linked to, it would work for a light. But aside from being more complex and expensive than necessary it would need a stand light. There's no guarantee it will enter 'charging' mode the moment you set off, so you may end up with no light for several seconds.
by edocaster
28 Feb 2024, 11:46am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Charging Devices: Pass Through Battery Pack
Replies: 5
Views: 562

Re: Charging Devices: Pass Through Battery Pack

A pass-through power bank would work better if it is, itself, more forgiving in accepting inputs that aren't perfectly in spec, than whatever you're trying to charge.

It's a tough life for a power bank, however. So I've wondered whether someone could make a 'buffer' battery using a supercapacitor and an off-the-shelf USB output. It might only have enough energy to output power for under a minute, but it should be more tolerant of brownout conditions and continuous charging and discharging.
by edocaster
28 Feb 2024, 11:39am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: ...how to fix a B+M dynamo light?
Replies: 5
Views: 638

Re: ...how to fix a B+M dynamo light?

Interesting light. It seems to have four identical terminals at the back. It may be easy to mix up front and back terminals as a result. They also specify which is earth and which is live - that will affect things if the dynamo is earthed to the frame, AND the rear light (possibly via a screw).

Is the switch an actual mechanical switch (i.e. it goes in and locks in that position)? Or a momentary switch (i.e. just a click)?
by edocaster
14 Feb 2024, 11:59pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?
Replies: 26
Views: 2566

Re: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?

rjb wrote: 13 Feb 2024, 1:20pm More lights here from PSW power. Anyone tried these.
"Front 6V-48V 1.8W DC light for bafang BBSHD BBS02B BBS01B TSDZ2 mid drive motor kit" https://www.pswpower.com/products/front ... or-kit-168
Incredible prices. Ironically, the cheapest ones (the QD236) may be better as they at least have lux ratings (30), and are 2.4W rather than 1.8W. The QD197 looks very odd, like the reflector is upside down.

The 80 lux M-Wave one SA_SA_SA listed I've seen under various brands in multiple places. It looks very much like a B&M Ixon IQ-XS.
by edocaster
14 Feb 2024, 11:47pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New DIY dynamo light project
Replies: 53
Views: 10061

Re: New DIY dynamo light project

As previously mentioned, designing the shell has taken the most time. Not because there are any optimistic design or styling goals, but just rather getting ideas into a workable form while learning CAD has been a headache. You can spend ages trying to do something, and then only later learn a better way with a few shortcuts.

It's also very easy to end up designing something which doesn't fit, as something else is blocking access, etc.

The rear of the case was fairly straightforward, as most items were at right angles to each other. The front of the case was another story, as it has to accommodate a lens at an angle.

My first attempt:

V1 shell front.jpg

This was based on a transparent plastic piece I had from a clock. Making a screw-on retainer was pretty elaborate, but ultimately this just wasted too much space and was fairly ugly.

V1 shell.jpg

...and messing up some measurements meant the reflector sat unnecessarily deep.

My current approach is:

V2 shell.jpg

...which is a lot shorter. In this photo you can see the rear of the first light and it's attached innards (including the supercapacitors stuffed inside a piece of inner tube), ready to be transferred to the second design. This is plugged into the board, as that is the main way that this light can be assembled and disassembled - a key goal this time, compared to my last lights, was to make something which could be re-opened without too much hassle.

The first incarnation I did actually test out on the road, albeit not at speed, as I was waiting for some copper shims. These are to provide a thermal path from the LED's heatsink to the aluminium case (as the original heatsinks from the Lidl light aren't sized to handle the wattage this light should be able to output). In truth, if I did this design again I probably wouldn't use such a case, as the contact isn't really on a plane that can be tightened. Instead, the heatsink and the case slide in place. Hence the shims have to be sized carefully. In any case, I should be able to get a road test in soon.
by edocaster
12 Feb 2024, 6:26pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Ebike Stzvo or Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?
Replies: 26
Views: 2566

Re: hilux ebike lamp better than Led mr16s with 10degree beam: main beam?

SA_SA_SA wrote: 12 Feb 2024, 1:18pm I wonder if affordable hi lux Stzvo E bike front lamps aimed high might be better/simpler/more affordable than said narrow MR16 eg
https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Wave-Unisex_ ... B092M1PY1FA pity the min voltage is usually 6 rather than 5Volts (usb power bank standard volts)...
Stepping up the USB should be easy: https://thepihut.com/products/usb-step- ... -to-9v-12v (as long as about 1 amp is sufficient). Efficiency will be slightly hit of course. Some USB C PD trigger cables can request 12V straight from a power bank if it's USB C and happy to supply 12V (although arguably the conversion is still happening, just in the bank).
by edocaster
12 Feb 2024, 12:42pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dynamo lighting deterioation
Replies: 9
Views: 512

Re: Dynamo lighting deterioation

Interesting that a loose rear cable could cause this. Presumably the rear light failed to come on, when the problem existed (as it would be open circuit)? Alternatively, if it did come on, that could show that there is an alternative (maybe high resistance) path through the frame.

Another point to note about the light in question, is it seems to have some special low-speed mode ('intelligent beam'), which possibly relies on sensing speed by frequency. That can get messed up somehow too.
by edocaster
2 Feb 2024, 9:16am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Which budget dynamo hub?
Replies: 51
Views: 2691

Re: Which budget dynamo hub?

An external power bank may also behave the same way as a phone or other device in refusing charging if it doesn't think the available current or voltage is right. That was my experience using a simple linear regulator > USB. Plugging in/switching on while already on the move worked, whereas starting from a standstill didn't.

Chargers like the Sinewave Revolution solve this by only starting charging after 15 seconds of motion.
by edocaster
22 Jan 2024, 8:15am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Simple dynamo lighting. Now with Standlight.
Replies: 42
Views: 6103

Re: Simple dynamo lighting. Now with Standlight.

If this was a normal, bare LED, I suspect the diode would only work if the battery could rise a diode's voltage drop (up to 0.7v) over the LED's voltage. The way to get around this with bare LEDs is to discharge to a lower number of LEDs - e.g charge across 2 and discharge across 1.

With MR16s and their built-in driver circuitry who knows. I would guess that the input voltage, and hence battery voltage, rises depending on the driver's duty cycle. But that would also be bad news for the battery.