Search found 447 matches

by stevew
23 Feb 2016, 9:57pm
Forum: The Cycling UK brand refresh
Topic: It's all in the name - Cyclists' TOURING club
Replies: 703
Views: 295829

Re: It's all in the name - Cyclists' TOURING club

I like the new name

Cycling UK....................says it all for me.
by stevew
17 Feb 2016, 6:22pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Commuting wheels ?
Replies: 12
Views: 949

Re: Commuting wheels ?

reohn2 wrote:Not such good hubs :?
The one's from Rose that I linked are much better quality Shimano LX hubs and quality rims,with no compromise on the DT Swiss spokes either,plus they were in in my hands within 7 days IIRC.


True but i think even those hubs will last the life if the rim :idea:
These will be here tomorrow and i need them before the end of the week...........needs must !!
by stevew
17 Feb 2016, 5:04pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Commuting wheels ?
Replies: 12
Views: 949

Re: Commuting wheels ?

Thanks all, Went for these in the end 'cos i need them quick. Look very similar to the SJS ones :wink:
Free post too :D

https://www.woollyhatshop.com/account/r ... der_id=897
by stevew
17 Feb 2016, 3:05pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Commuting wheels ?
Replies: 12
Views: 949

Re: Commuting wheels ?

Thanks , i'll let you know the result.
by stevew
17 Feb 2016, 3:02pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Commuting wheels ?
Replies: 12
Views: 949

Re: Commuting wheels ?

135mm and under a ton !!
by stevew
17 Feb 2016, 10:11am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Commuting wheels ?
Replies: 12
Views: 949

Commuting wheels ?

Need new wheels for my commuter bike.
700c, 22mm wide rims for 35mm tyres, QR, Cassette, with tough rims so that the brakes don't wear them out too quickly!

Now this bike is not one that i spend money on easily :roll:
It's the "old dog" that rarely gets cleaned and gets regularly abused so i don't want to spend a fortune on super hand built wheels although i know they are often worth it :oops:

Suggestions please, has anyone got recommendations from use ?
Need your advice from real users so i can go searching with some fore knowledge :wink:

Thanks
SteveW
by stevew
8 Jan 2016, 5:54pm
Forum: Helmets & helmet discussion
Topic: Thin end of the wedge?
Replies: 6
Views: 970

Re: Thin end of the wedge?

I do hope you are right :)

If the helmet law comes into being for the "speed" E-bikes it may make it easier for the pro helmet brigade to have their way with the L1e-A category and then normal bicycles.

Just my thoughts and open to debate :?
by stevew
6 Jan 2016, 11:36am
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Electric bikes - a special section ?
Replies: 12
Views: 20021

Re: Electric bikes - a special section ?

Hi Graham,

There is a lot to talk about, but are people interested ? That i can't answer :?
Does the CTC forum user want to engage in such heresy !!
May i suggest you pop over to the Pedelec forum for a quick perusal ?

I can answer some of your questions but not all as i'm far from an expert.
In short the major and established manufacturers in the E-bike market do care about their customers and will keep batteries available long beyond the perceived need of the customer. The perceived need and the actual need are miles apart !!
Much more standardisation is making things better for the customer too. Decent batteries offer something like 1000 cycles so if one was to commute every day you worked that would last you over 4 years. Remembering that the 1000 cycles is a minimum, 5 years life from a hard used E-bike battery is easily doable.

Range is always the first question that crops up in a E-bike conversation but it's a moot point really. If you asked the average E-bike buyer how far they want to travel on their bike most will tell you it's no more than 10 miles. Most commuters won't consider an E-bike for anything more than a 10-12 mile (each way) commute. So actually 30 miles is plenty and 20 miles will do for about 80% of buyers.

With the new pedalecs (must pedal) bikes using crank motors like the Bosch and similar these mileages are easy. Even with uneconomical and uninformed use.

Cheers
SteveW
by stevew
6 Jan 2016, 10:39am
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Electric bikes - a special section ?
Replies: 12
Views: 20021

Re: Electric bikes - a special section ?

Oh well. Thought i t was time to re-visit this thread
It's sad that the general cycling community are so conservative.
Sort of sums up my feeling about the traditional CTC member. I know that all the CTC members are not like that but as i interact often with the membership i am noticing that they are getting older and older (like me)

Biggest selling sector of the "bicycle" market in Europe (yes that does include us!) is the E-bike market.
As for the earlier statement that there were only 24 people interested, well that may appear so, but look at how that recumbent section has flourished from the original 24 "interested" peeps. From little acorns big Oaks grow, and all that !!

Also might be worth noting how active and forward thinking the E-bike forum http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/ is.
Not many CTC members there, but there could be :wink:
by stevew
5 Jan 2016, 10:46pm
Forum: Helmets & helmet discussion
Topic: Thin end of the wedge?
Replies: 6
Views: 970

Thin end of the wedge?

Culled from Bike Europe.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 categories in type-approval

In the new type-approval, there are 2 categories that can accommodate electric bikes. L1e-A is for “powered cycles” with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and maximum 1 kW of power. L1e-B is for “mopeds” with maximum 45 km/h and 4 kW. The mention of “cycles designed to pedal”, as explained before, comes under this category.

It is unclear how the member states will rule on the conditions for use of these vehicles. Some ministries still seem totally unaware of the issue of electric bikes in type-approval. Others have started up a decision process. The German and Dutch ministers seem to be in favour of a moped helmet. The Belgian minister has been advised that a bicycle helmet should do the job. All this concerns so-called speed pedelecs. So far, nobody seems to be aware of the L1e-A category. No statements have been made so far about helmet obligations for this category. In the meantime, some helmet manufacturers are ready for possible moped helmet obligations on speed pedelecs. Both Cratoni and Abus have developed a pedelec model that complies with standard ECE 22.05.
Unsolved problems

The details of the type-approval have been elaborated by the European Commission and laid down in 4 separate Regulations. They deal with environmental and propulsion performance, vehicle construction, functional safety and with administrative requirements. Whereas the framework Regulation is difficult to change, these Regulations can be quite easily modified. That is why the Commission is continuously talking to the Members States and the stakeholders in the Motorcycle Working Group on necessary corrections, amendments, etc.

In that framework, there are still quite a few issues on the agenda for electric bicycles. One of which is the categorization of electric bikes that have a so-called throttle. The Member States have asked for clear guidelines. It seems that the Commission is willing to exclude pedal assisted bikes with throttles up to 25 km/h – 250 W. All other throttle operated bikes would come under L1e-A and require type-approval. A second, very important issue is the categorization of so-called speed pedelecs that do not comply with factor 4 (ratio of auxiliary propulsion power and actual pedal power). The question is whether they can be type-approved as L1e-B, whilst falling outside the scope of the mention on cycles designed to pedal. The Commission has not yet given a final opinion on this.

Published by Jack Oortwijn on 5 Jan 2016

last update: 5 Jan 2016
by stevew
14 May 2015, 4:33pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Gearing and chain line conundrum.
Replies: 21
Views: 1707

Re: Gearing and chain line conundrum.

Been there, done that !!

Waiting for Middleburn's reaction. Think they may have the answer with one of their 'touring' chainsets.
Either this
http://www.middleburn.co.uk/products/cr ... pe-touring
Or this with a new BB
http://www.middleburn.co.uk/products/cr ... 01-touring
by stevew
14 May 2015, 10:33am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Gearing and chain line conundrum.
Replies: 21
Views: 1707

Re: Gearing and chain line conundrum.

Suppose i use this
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-tiagra- ... -chainset/
Going to keep very near the gearing i want (30 instead of 28)

Will a Sram MTB (flat bar and therefore indexed) triple changer work with a Shimano triple road front mech?
If so that would be good because the bike has a Sram 10 speed mtb changer on the right. Would keep things consistent.
If not i'll have to have odd shifters on each side :(

BTW gonna talk to Middleburn too 'cos that may work with their compact "touring" chainset RO1. Have to change the BB though.
by stevew
14 May 2015, 9:57am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Gearing and chain line conundrum.
Replies: 21
Views: 1707

Re: Gearing and chain line conundrum.

Tortoise wrote:stevew - just curious, because I'd mused about using that sort of idea myself, but I wonder if you could expand a bit as to exactly what the problem is? Is it that the chainline when on the 28t/36t is too skewed and causes rubbing on the inner cage plate? Or is it that the cage doesn't throw left hard enough to dislodge the chain off the 42t ring? Or do you just want the line from the chainrings generally nearer the middle of the rear cluster? You say that you'd like to move the chainline at the front in by some 10mm, which seems quite a lot to me. What am I missing?


If you adjust the front mech (with the chain on the 36 rear) to lift on to the 42 front it will over shift when it's on the 11 :(
No matter how hard you try and how much you fiddle it won't word consistently.

The 10mm was a guess, have a look at the 3rd picture down and you will see that the 11 on the rear lines up with the 42 on the front. My reckoning is that it should lining up somewhere in middle if the cassette.
by stevew
13 May 2015, 10:48pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Gearing and chain line conundrum.
Replies: 21
Views: 1707

Re: Gearing and chain line conundrum.

That's OK as i have a few front mechs here off road bikes, one of them should be OK.