Cycling UK Forum

rareposter wrote: ↑15 Apr 2024, 6:32pm Nope - it adds extra weight, extra complexity and more things to rattle around and fall off.

I think thats taking it a bit far describing it as extra complexity. Its hardly rocket science - a few screws / bolts to hold it in place. I have had similar systems with chains over the years and never had a guard rattle around and fall off.

The washing the belt frequently, helps to mitigate things, but does nothing if you are unlucky enough to have some grit wedge itself when on the trail.

Nobody yet has presented an argument to me as to why this is a bad idea from the prospect of belt life.

rareposter wrote: ↑14 Apr 2024, 10:15pm Belt drive is already very low maintenance. Enclosing the thing actually makes life more difficult in getting the wheel out, tensioning the belt properly etc.

I don't see that as an issue. From what I gather, once a belt is setup properly, it does not need constant retensioning. Over the years I have seen plenty of photos online of belts being trashed by pebbles / grit, particularly if being used offroad. Fully enclosing the belt mitigates this issue. A fully enclosed housing, if designed probably, would not add much time to your workflow. Why would it not be better to keep the belt as clean as possible in a sealed environment?

Does anyone make a bike with a fully enclosed belt drive? This would have an advantage in keeping grit out etc and would potentially make for quite a low maintenance solution.

Mike_Ayling wrote: ↑12 Mar 2023, 8:50pm Possibly but I am perfectly happy with the twin cable manual system.
Works every time!

I understand that, but I still think people would buy it and it would be profitable for Rohloff. As they already have an electric system for ebikes, you think they could just engineer a battery hookup for non ebikes without too much expense. They have been pretty slow in this sphere, but is that because they have given exclusive rights to ebike makers?

Do you think we will ever see electric Rohloff shifting other than on an ebike?

willcee wrote:if one is using a van an suv or a jeep to draw bicycles around why not just pop them inside

Because it reduces the capacity of what you can carry inside, particularly when camping when you need all the space you can get. I don't see security as an issue either, as I would never leave a bike unattended. If I leave the vehicle, the bike comes with me. The same as if I go to a pub when on a ride, I only go to pubs where there is a garden where I can sit with the bike.

rotavator wrote:I have the Atera Strada 3 DL.

Thanks for your reply. I just sent you a PM

I am looking for a swinging hitch rack to carry bikes. When I say swinging, I mean one that will swing out of the way to allow access to the rear door without having to remove the bikes from the rack. The pictures below shows examples of such designs. From my research, these are some are the options for sale:

Thule Apex Swing Away
Atera Strada 3 DL
Yakima Fullswing 4 Bike Hitch Mast Rack
Yakima FullSwing 8002465 4 Bike 2" Hitch Swing-Away Bicycle Rack
RockyMounts BackStage
Kuat Pivot V2 Bicycle Hitch Rack (swing adapter)
Yakima BackSwing (swing adapter)

The problem is, I can't really find many options in the UK. Most are American and use a 2" receiver. The American 2" receiver is okay, as it's possible to get an adapter like this:
https://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/impor ... wbars.html

However, the racks are already expensive, so I don't really want to important from America with the added shipping and customs chargers. Any idea if any swing designs are for sale in the UK? As I say I don't mind the 2" receiver design, but reluctant to import from America. You think there must be a market for this type of thing in the UK?

Brucey wrote:I think you will only get ~1/6th of a turn with any open ended spanner, even with full access. However you may not get enough torque easily with a slotted box spanner, either. I suspect a standard flare nut wrench might need to be ground down to work in that space.

I don't think the torque will be too much of an issue, as the torque spec is only 4Nm anyway. You are correct about a standard flare nut wrench, as it's just too wide. I have some decent flare wrenches that I use on the car and they are all too wide. I also have some good crows foot wrenches, as well as standard open spanners, which are all too wide. I really don't want to grind any of my tools down, as they are expensive quality tools. Yes I could buy something cheaper and grind it down, but being as I will buy something anyway, I thought I may as well buy something that would fit.

I think something like the below would be my best bet. ideally I would want something with a longer handle for clearance. Not sure if anyone ever made anything like this?

DevonDamo wrote:Would a cone-wrench do?

The thickness of a cone wrench tends to be less than a conventional wrench, but the actual width of the head is what is critical. I think those draper wrenches may do the job with the angled heads. Having an angled head like that, means I can get one side of the union, without fowling on the other. The handle would have to be long enough though, as clearance with the rack makes things tricky.

Jdsk wrote:Could you add a photo of the problem area?
Jonathan

The rack is off the bike at my other house at the moment. But when I measured everything the other week, I calculated the maximum width of the head would have to be less than 15mm. If you look at the screenshots below, taken from a Magura video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJOD_9BwgAw), you can see how tight everything is anyway, particularly between the two union nuts. Anything thick would fowl on the other nut. If I remember, when I set the brakes up, I had the slaves off the bike for maximum clearance, as none of my spanners were thin profile enough to do it in situ. If you look at these screenshots, Magura seem to use some special torque tool that enters from the top:




I guess this type of design would probably work. Having an angled head like that, means I can get one side of the union, without fowling on the other. The handle would have to be long enough though, as clearance with the rack makes things tricky.

Apart from the incredibly tight clearance on Magura unions, I have also fitted a custom front rack to my bike, which decreases clearance further. Yes I could unbolt the rack or totally remove the slaves, but looking for something with a slim profile (in 8mm size - ideally 15mm or less at it's widest point on the head), so I don't have to unbolt the rack etc if I have to nip things up on tour.

I was looking at Park tool MWF-1, but they don't give dimensions for the width of the head. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Cowsham wrote:trouble would be heel strike with big panniers and if you try to put them too far back the bike wheelies when your not on it unless u have a load on the front too.

It depends really, as some things are very bulky but actually quite light.

How do those cibie pedal reflectors secure into the metal bracket? Do you just slide them in and fold over the side of the metal bracket to trap the reflector in? Or is the reflector glued in?

Brucey wrote:vintage cibie pedal reflectors as above occasionally appear on ebay, NOS. They are less likely to break or allow the inserts to fall out.

I like the look of these. Are these what you were referring to in your previous post when you said "Until fairly recently you could buy reflectors mounted in metal housings which were more robust."

I may well have a look out for these.