Cycling UK Forum

alotronic wrote:I have a SP8 dynamo attached to an ewerk. I recently did a week in Switerland 'off grid' with the following setup:

Monkey explorer classic (name?!) battery - which I then used to top up old school nokia phone and a kindle. The nolkia would have charged off the ewerk but I just kinda got used to using the battery.

Garmin 705 - I had this on the dynamo a good few hours a day, would then switch to the battery for another couple of hours and then back to the Garmin. It wasn't dark enough to need lights.

Worked well - felt like I was completely power independant and could go anywhere on that setup. There are a few minor annoyances like the 705's tendency to just turn itself off every now and then (but it does that by itself, not just on the ewerk).

Next time I would add a small AAA usb battery charger or alternatively a USB powered head torch. There is something nice about being power indelendant. If you wanted to run something like an iPad or netbook, well that's an entirely different problem and one that a dynamo won't solve for you. Doubling up the 705 and phone into something like an iphone or G3 would work but then I am not sure I would trust them. I have put my garmin through the washing machine and it's survived.

A

nickh999 wrote:I have a Shimano dynamo connected to Philips Saferide led front and rear lights. I have connected the output from the dynamo to a Reecharge Dynamo kit. This converts/regulates the dynamo voltage from 6v ac to 5v dc and is considerably cheaper than some of the other options (e-werk, PedalPower, etc). It's quite small and I have fixed it to the front forks with tie wraps. I have a 6600mah battery which I charge up while I ride, and then use the battery to charge up my phone and gps. Unfortunately, the battery cannot be in two modes at the same time. Meaning that you can't charge the battery at the same time as charging the phone and gps as well as a usb battery charger for 2 aa batteries. I haven't done any serious touring with this setup yet, but I am confident that it will meet my requirements.

Richard Fairhurst wrote:No, you can't download Google Maps' vector data. You can download OpenStreetMap data in Garmin format from many sites, however.

andrew_s wrote:The USB-Werk itself is waterproof, but normal USB plugs and ports aren't. The USB-Werk comes with a standard USB port on a short cable, which you would normally set up so that it's open end downwards and doesn't get too much water in, You would then use your regular USB cable between the port and your device. You can also get long cables as extras with mini-USB or micro-USB plugs and a waterproof connection to the USB-werk at the other end. You've also got to watch out for the socket on your device filling up with water The main thing to watch is that cables approach sockets from below, so water doesn't get channeled in along the cable (this is why the latest version of the Luxos 179U has a permanently fitted handlebar switch-cum-USB port rather than the removable one the original had).

I've actually got the e-Werk - the USB-Werk wasn't available at the time I got it. This costs more, has adjustable voltage (2.8-13.3V in 0.7v steps) and current limits (0,1-1.5A in 0.1A steps) rather than the fixed 5V 1A of the USB-Werk, and doesn't have a cache battery for stops (optional extra). It also comes with a more complete set of cables. It's more flexible, so you can do things that don't work by USB (eg camera batteries or netbooks), but actually I only really use it for the GPS and e-book reader (and that's of less use now I've replaced the old Sony by a Kindle).

andrew_s wrote:The simple option is to get something that includes a USB supply, running off a dynohub - a front light with a built-in USB port (B+M Luxos 179U, Axa Luxx 70 Plus, Axa Nano 50 Plus Steady), or a B+M USB-Werk. The Luxos 179U light and the USB-Werk include a small cache battery that continues to supply power through stops at traffic lights - some devices don't like losing power during charging, and will turn off.
The Axa lights with USB seem only to be available in Germany - eg Axa Luxx 70 from bike-discount, Axa nano 50, and the USB-werk and the Luxos are cheaper than in the UK.

andymiller wrote:

patpalloon wrote:What does it do exactly?

Most campsites have ,,,,,,,,,,,

andrew_s wrote:The Sputnik is the same width as the A719, and on the whole I'd prefer it. (model, make is Rigida/Ryde)
It will take tyres from 28mm up to 60mm width.

If you have a spare spoke when on tour, and one breaks, it's best to replace it straight away.
You'll need a spoke key, and something to get the cassette off. If the spoke breaks at the rim end you'll have to take the tyre and rim tape off to get a new nipple in, and you may also have to take the brake disc off if you use disc brakes (Torx key). Then it's just replace the spoke and tighten it up to the same tension as all the others on the same side of the wheel. If you replace the spoke later, it's quite likely that you'll have to adjust other spokes to reduce rim wobble, and that makes getting the rim straight after replacement more fiddly.
You can judge the length for spare spokes by putting the hub, rim, spoke count and crosses into a calculator like EDD, or by measuring the existing spokes from the inside of the elbow to the rim face and adding 2mm.

coast 2 coast wrote:Sputniks are bomb proof, heavy weights. They will keep turning and stay true when all other rims have given up. The downside is they are very heavy and make your bike feel like a drunk slug. Buy them if your planning on fully laden on touring, with loaded panniers, front and rear. Or if you happen to be a lardy fat boy with no finesse. The type who tends to plough through things, rather than glide over them. A very good quality, medium weight touring rim for those that do not require ultimate strength, would be the Exal LX17. These are very reliable, of a slightly better quality than Ryde Sputniks (whose quality dropped when Ridgida became Ryde) and suit the riding habits of many more people, than the Sputniks. LX17s are of a similar price to Sputniks and both are substantially cheaper than the equivalent quality offerings from Mavic.

531colin wrote:

andrew_s wrote:..............
You can judge the length for spare spokes by putting the hub, rim, spoke count and crosses into a calculator like EDD, or by measuring the existing spokes from the inside of the elbow to the rim face and adding 2mm.

Or just buy a few spares with the wheels............

Unless you are unlucky, spokes in a handbuilt wheel should outlast a couple of rims, assuming rim brakes.

andrew_s wrote:In 700x35 sizes, Marathon Plus are 895g, ordinary Marathon are 730g, Panaracer Pasela are 490g