Search found 825 matches

by zenitb
27 Jan 2024, 8:20pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?
Replies: 5
Views: 509

Re: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?

rareposter wrote: 27 Jan 2024, 4:52pm
zenitb wrote: 20 Sep 2023, 4:00pm Halo SAS rims? - 30mm internal. More cushioning but are the rims as strong as the Andra ? (Cost £50)
Stronger - Halo are renowned in the MTB world as one of the go-to rims for DH, enduro, jumping etc.
zenitb wrote: 20 Sep 2023, 4:00pm People have also suggested DT Swiss complete wheelsets and I know Hope do something called the Fortus(?) which is supposed to be super strong. I am less worried about the wheel build and spokes though (we will not be jumping the tandem) and more concerned with bearing and axle life. I am not keen on spending money for the sake of it and would value some down to earth practical advice on this one.
The strongest "basic" hub out of the ones you've listed is the CUES. The top end one (TC600) has twin double-row cartridge bearings and is modular in design too, easy to swap between Microspline and HG freehub bodies.

Hope now just do the Pro 5 but in several different versions, they do a DH one:
https://www.hopetech.com/products/hubs/ ... -rear-hub/
as well as standard "MTB" ones to cover Boost and SuperBoost in both straightpull and regular versions.

And - right up at the top end price wise but I'll include it anyway in case the engineering is of interest to anyone - is the Xeno KOM hub:
https://www.k-o-m.co.uk/infinity-drive

Radically different hub design but lifetime warranty (including the axle), fully modular and rebuildable. The ever-excellent Peak Torque did an in-depth video on these recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO6DUSKhbRU
Rareposter many thanks for the links above .. plenty to think about. I wasn't aware of the TC600 and I like the idea of a modular design. I have built tandem wheels with Shimano hubs in the past so this looks a good candidate. The other links also look interesting so many thanks for posting them. The e-tandem cost us a huge sum, and puts a lot of demands on the hubs, so spending more on reliable wheels makes a lot of sense .. I should probably ditch my normal penny pinching approach and look wider ... I have seen some of the Peak Torque video so it would be good to get his engineering based view...

Cheers

George
by zenitb
27 Jan 2024, 8:16pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?
Replies: 5
Views: 509

Re: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?

Brucey wrote: 27 Jan 2024, 3:53pm If I was in your shoes, I'd probably get the shimano deore, fit high-grade loose balls to it, then make it work by adjusting it and lubricating it carefully.
I am known for having multiple wheelsets per bike so the Deore solution could be part of the strategy Brucey. I am certainly more comfortable servicing loose bearing hubs .. including that tandem/ATB specific 1/4" balls Sachs Huret front one you sent me back in 2018 :-) ( That hub has outlasted the Viking tandem I put it on BTW - the tandem had a seatpost tube fracture unfortunately - probably caused by the collision it had with a car - I still have the wheel I built with it, and its a valuable backup wheel now I have a fleet of 26" wheeled tandems to maintain ... so nothing lost :-)

https://zenit-b.blogspot.com/2018/09/sh ... -dead.html
by zenitb
26 Jan 2024, 8:14pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Which bike would be a better buy?
Replies: 40
Views: 1892

Re: Which bike should I convert into electric?

Rear wheel conversion would
A) affect the steering less without gyroscopic affects
B) avoid any hassle with through axle front forks (but make sure the rear wheel is QR). As far as I know these conversions only work with QR axles..the ones I have seen anyway.
C) the geeko drive in the pic does not require a crank sensor..its built into the rear hub..

I am planning a Geeko conversion but have not done it yet. Let us know how you get on 😀
by zenitb
26 Jan 2024, 12:22pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?
Replies: 5
Views: 509

Re: Best hubs for a BOOST e-tandem ?

I have now found a boost hub with a steel axle rather than the normal aluminium one .. the Novatec D902..

Lots of impressive claims about how much stronger it is ... appears to be designed for heavy e-bikes.. so a possible candidate for my e-tandem. They seem proud about its heavy weight..that's a good sign to me 😀

https://www.eshop.novatecwheels.eu/esho ... 4705.xhtml

And the axle on its own
https://www.eshop.novatecwheels.eu/esho ... 1837.xhtml
by zenitb
9 Jan 2024, 10:39pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimano Shoe Sizes - more volume in some..
Replies: 1
Views: 429

Shimano Shoe Sizes - more volume in some..

Given Shimano are sharing some rare information about how the width and volume of their shoes varies from model to model I thought I would take the opportunity to capture it for future use. I had always assumed that the Shimano shoe last was the same across models but it looks like I was wrong .. and that this info was worth sharing. Here is the info:
Screenshot 2024-01-09 at 22.29.39.png
Screenshot 2024-01-09 at 22.30.15.png
I have just bought some new Shimano ME7 trail/touring shoes (part SH-ME702) blind from the web (since "all Shimano 44s fit me") then I noticed the "VOLUME + LAST" branding on the box - prompting me to look it up. Quite a lot of variation between the models in the table above. I snapped the data from the bike-discount dot de site .. pasted in though since URLs tend to fail after a while.. here is the original link https://www.bike-discount.de/en/shimano-more-lasts
by zenitb
21 Dec 2023, 2:46pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?
Replies: 7
Views: 589

Re: Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?

Brucey wrote: 20 Dec 2023, 2:27pm having tried just about everything, I think that the very best thing that you can do is to drill lube ports in your pedals, hubs, BB etc. Then just pump them full of your chosen lubricant using a grease gun, or better yet, (mainly because it is less messy) use a solvent-borne grease, such as that which motorcycle chains use.
I have been planning to do this for years. Maybe these cheaper pedals would be good guinea pigs to put grease nipples in..that's assuming they do have proper bearings in and not some useless plastic "maintenance free" plain bearing..
by zenitb
20 Dec 2023, 12:29pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?
Replies: 7
Views: 589

Re: Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?

Brucey wrote: 20 Dec 2023, 12:20pm most such pedals have bushings not proper bearings, but those do look to have proper adjustable bearings in them, using 1/8" balls unless I'm very much mistaken. i bought some pedals which were similarly cheap alternatives to PD-M324 and they didn't really work that well.
The problems were that the seals were no good, the bearings required very frequent readjustment, and the bindings had no 'kicker ramps'. The last of these meant that the pedals worked OK with new cleats, but would hang on to worn cleats like grim death, which made them dangerous IMHO, although shimano have since launched their 'click'r' pedals which also don't have the ramps fitted AFAICT. Those pedals look better than the ones I tried.
Thanks for that Brucey.. I will stick them on my shopper bike and see how they go. I should be able to pop the end caps off and photo the bearing setup as well...

Cheers

George
by zenitb
20 Dec 2023, 10:41am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?
Replies: 7
Views: 589

Budget PD-M324 pedal alternative?

Has anyone tried these pedals?
Screenshot_20231220_103255_eBay.jpg
I have seen them (or very similar) sold by Rose and Decathlon and wondered if anyone had tried them? I love the Shimano PD-M323/PD-M324 "half and half" pedals despite their whacky special tool servicing parlarver. At £15 though (1/3 the cost?) I have gone for a pair of these...Will probably pull them apart to see if they have serviceable bearings...
by zenitb
11 Nov 2023, 7:04pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

m-gineering wrote: 2 Nov 2023, 1:53pm
zenitb wrote: 29 Oct 2023, 5:13pm
MrsHJ wrote: 21 Oct 2023, 2:20pm Be prepared for some wind and rain. I’d recommend the Kroller Muller museum in Arnhem if you are into art. It’s Van Gogh etc rather than Brueghel. One fo the most special features is that it’s in the middle of a national park and of course it’s all super cycling friendly.

https://krollermuller.nl/en
https://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en
Ah .. sorry missed all the new comments. That's a great suggestion MrsHJ and very timely since I am tapping in routes on cycle.travel right now !!! We have a couple of military history buffs so visiting Arnhem would keep them happy as well !!!!
At the other (west) end of the Veluwe: National Military History Museum in Soesterberg (and you can cycle over the runway ;) )
Many thanks m-eng ..will have a look!!
by zenitb
29 Oct 2023, 5:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

plancashire wrote: 22 Oct 2023, 5:03pm Other posters have mentioned most of the culture I have seen and would recommend except for: Enjoy.
whoa !! just logged on and seen this Plainlancs, many thanks for taking the time to go through the comments and add your list. I am plinking in some proposals on cycle.travel ATM so these will go on the list. Thanks again for replying .. much appreciated. I am starting to feel I've taken the lazy option here but I knew there would be far better and more relevant suggestions on here than the usual YouTube selfie merchants!!!!
by zenitb
29 Oct 2023, 5:15pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

Ron wrote: 22 Oct 2023, 11:45pm Schokland might appeal to you, "countless birds" there according to Google, but I would think that figure would vary through the seasons.
It's a fascinating sort of place anyway, an island that became isolated from the sea. Google 'Schokland' for info on birdlife, wildlidlife, museum, and history.
Interesting .. new to me. ... I will check this out Ron, thanks for posting.
by zenitb
29 Oct 2023, 5:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

MrsHJ wrote: 21 Oct 2023, 2:20pm Be prepared for some wind and rain. I’d recommend the Kroller Muller museum in Arnhem if you are into art. It’s Van Gogh etc rather than Brueghel. One fo the most special features is that it’s in the middle of a national park and of course it’s all super cycling friendly.

https://krollermuller.nl/en
https://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en
Ah .. sorry missed all the new comments. That's a great suggestion MrsHJ and very timely since I am tapping in routes on cycle.travel right now !!! We have a couple of military history buffs so visiting Arnhem would keep them happy as well !!!!
by zenitb
19 Oct 2023, 8:43pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

Grldtnr wrote: 19 Oct 2023, 6:31pm No one's mentioned the Biesbosch,, a tidal inland delta system, very watery, a lot of nature, I haven't been there, but intend to, camping of course.
Friesland has been mentioned, and certainly I'd say why not!
The thing about the Netherlands ,it's a small country which is densely populated , so Greeness and nature is hard to come by.
But thats not to say don't go, every cyclist ought to, just to be in a cycling paradise, and see how an integrated transport system can work,
We, here in Britain are just playing at it, it comes to something when you could be anywhere ,at a train station or bus/ tram stop and see serried ranks of ' Omafiets', all black,so sometimes it must be difficult to find your bike.
The Netherlands, I just love it, for cycling, can't go wrong!
Although I didn't put in into my post the Biesbosch was actually a nature reserve I had spotted myself .. since it is near the Hook of Holland so convenient after maybe an initial stop at Delph.

I agree with all your points about cycle infrastructure. We will definitely have a steep learning curve though since, ironically, we are not used to cycling on mass, busy cycle routes where everyone cycles quickly, on the right and all know where they are going. A period of adjustment is going to be needed while we all get used to it I think!!
by zenitb
19 Oct 2023, 8:35pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Where to go in Holland?
Replies: 47
Views: 9919

Re: Where to go in Holland?

Psamathe wrote: 19 Oct 2023, 5:28pm If considering Drenthe and interested in "history" there are quite a few amazing Hunebed. Loads of them around, some quite small, some very large - and size doesn't always make for the most interesting. One of the largest is a museum (D27) but I didn't think it the best (maybe because there were other people there and I loved the sites where I was mostly the only person there.

https://psamathe.net/tag/hunebed/

eg
Image

Image

And the historical aspects are broader than from the time of their construction and extend to the war when the German occupiers raided at least one for stones to build airfields. Fortunately the site had been surveyed prior to the war and could thus be repaired e.g. D53 - which I thought probably the best of those I visited.

Many are close to cycle paths and easy to visit (there is no "entry", they are just sitting there.
Ian
Thanks Ian..that looks an easy one to loop into the route...
by zenitb
19 Oct 2023, 7:26pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Shimano SM-SH51 cleat change?
Replies: 8
Views: 2220

Re: Shimano SM-SH51 cleat change?

Many thanks everyone...given they call them "spacers" it looks to me to be more a fine tuning thing...like combinations that squeak or where release is impeded by a thick sole.

Rareposter if you look closely at the cleats I have put them in the correct place. I lifted the exposure on the second pic to make it more obvious. I think you have assumed the cleats are the other way up.

I like the support the "wings" of the pedal give to my feet so I have left it off.

Many thanks to all for the feedback.

Cheers

George