Search found 2111 matches

by james01
10 Jun 2023, 1:49pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Simple ebike conversion?
Replies: 2
Views: 347

Simple ebike conversion?

Looking for reliable conversion kit for an old MTB. Must be street-legal. Prefer front hub motor (for simplicity) and ability to operate on any easily available generic batteries (unlike my 2018 Carrera ebike for which batteries are apparently unobtainable). I'd really appreciate any advice from anyone with experience of basic conversion kits. Thanks.
by james01
9 Jun 2023, 2:35pm
Forum: Electrically assisted pedal cycles
Topic: Carrera Crossfire cutting out
Replies: 1
Views: 356

Carrera Crossfire cutting out

Did anyone get to the bottom of this well-known issue? Our 2018 Crossfire has always had this fault (electrics go dead in the middle of a journey, press battery start button and all is OK again). The stoppages were common when we first bought it, then it got better - only once per month, say, but it's now getting to be a pain, with several stoppages on one journey. I've checked the obvious, cleaned battery terminals, also contacts at back of speedometer. Am I missing something?
by james01
20 Apr 2023, 5:43pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: West of Evesham - local knowledge please
Replies: 6
Views: 635

Re: West of Evesham - local knowledge please

Many thanks for the advice folks, much appreciated. It looks interesting and do-able. We'll give it a try on our forthcoming mini-tour of the area.
by james01
19 Apr 2023, 12:10pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: West of Evesham - local knowledge please
Replies: 6
Views: 635

West of Evesham - local knowledge please

Half way along the lane from Great Comberton to Eckington there is a crossing point over the Avon to Birlingham. It's marked as a footpath. Does anyone know if bikes could be carried/manhandled across ?
by james01
4 Mar 2023, 1:14pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Wheeling pedal cycle on footway: Ctc should insist law made clear?
Replies: 46
Views: 2959

Re: Wheeling pedal cycle on footway: Ctc should insist law made clear?

I'm somewhat disappointed to discover that Crank is actually the name of a police officer prosecuting, not the cyclist.
[/quote]

Perhaps he used to "frame" suspects on his "patch".

:D .... other cycle-related surnames : Bell, Lever, Cable (Vince), Bracket....any more ?
by james01
4 Mar 2023, 11:50am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Huntingdon: Angry pedestrian guilty of killing cyclist
Replies: 244
Views: 15307

Re: Huntingdon: Angry pedestrian guilty of killing cyclist

fastpedaller wrote: 4 Mar 2023, 10:21am A sad case indeed, and I'm also surprised by the outcome. I appreciate we don't (won't?) know or see any more, but I question what part the car (the object which killed the victim) (or its driver) played in this. There has been recent 're-inforcement' (if that's the correct phrase) of how vehicles are expected to be driven near pedestrians/others beside a road, and we have no knowledge of whether the driver who 'had no means of avoiding' was driving appropriately.
The driver seems to have been fully exonerated, and apparently still suffers from the after-effects of the incident. However, it's a timely reminder to motorists that they should still keep a watchful eye out for pavement-related incidents. When children from our local comprehensive school walk home on crowded narrow pavements it can be alarming to see motorists speeding past a few inches away, oblivious to the fact that high-spirited kids jostling for space can easily push someone into the road.
by james01
3 Mar 2023, 5:29pm
Forum: Electrically assisted pedal cycles
Topic: Battery pack obsolescence.
Replies: 64
Views: 6574

Re: Battery pack obsolescence.

Cowsham wrote: 3 Mar 2023, 1:14pm If you're buying two batteries for your bike keep a check on the spare battery ie give it a charge every couple or 3 months just so as it doesn't get below that recharge threshold ie the charge management system within the case won't let it recharge to keep the possibility of a fire to a minimum. ( a well known trait of lithium batteries )
Agreed. In fact we always used the 2 batteries in rotation so there were no idle periods
by james01
3 Mar 2023, 12:05pm
Forum: Electrically assisted pedal cycles
Topic: Battery pack obsolescence.
Replies: 64
Views: 6574

Re: Battery pack obsolescence.

Back to the original thread title - obsolescence : my wife's Carrera Crossfire was bought from Halfords in 2018. The original battery failed a few months ago ( a sudden mysterious complete failure to accept a charge, not a slow deterioration ). Fortunately we have a spare battery bought in 2019 to keep us going. But I've hit a complete dead end after combing the internet for a replacement battery, and I've lost any trust in suppliers to stock spares for older models. If and when we buy a new ebike I shall be looking at models which can accept generic replacement batteries.
by james01
3 Mar 2023, 11:09am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Santander (Boris) bike rental question
Replies: 1
Views: 282

Santander (Boris) bike rental question

I'll be visiting London soon for the first time for quite a while. In the past I've rented Santander bikes for a single daily fee (£2 I think) giving unlimited trips provided the bike was docked every 30 minutes and re-hired. The website appears to be saying that the fee will now be £1.65 for each and every 30 minute rental. So a day's heavy use could be quite expensive. Am I misinterpreting the website ?
by james01
19 Jan 2023, 3:05pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Scottish Borders 20mph limit study
Replies: 123
Views: 10772

Re: Scottish Borders 20mph limit study

Bmblbzzz wrote: 13 Jan 2023, 8:34pm In terms of encouraging active transport, lower speeds are one factor. Passing distances are another, infrastructure a third, along with road surfaces, cycle-specific (or walking-specific) infrastructure, availability of alternatives such as buses, and seemingly unrelated things like mortgage interest rates. And it all takes time.
Another factor which makes a huge difference is ease of car-parking. In my semi-rural area, utility cycling is confined to a tiny minority. People will use their cars for journeys of a few hundred yards because parking is easy and free. Large conurbations, on the other hand, seem to be thronged with cyclists and people actually (OMG!) walking.
by james01
11 Jan 2023, 12:03pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Hub motor e-bike
Replies: 16
Views: 2149

Re: Hub motor e-bike

My wife's bike has a Suntour hub motor, and steep hills are best approached fast. Lose speed and the assistance drops off markedly. Friends with mid-drive motors driving through the bike's transmission system definitely have an easier time going up steep hills. I still prefer the simplicity of the hub motor, however.
by james01
11 Jan 2023, 11:22am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Good rain trousers for touring
Replies: 25
Views: 2226

Re: Good rain trousers for touring

I cut down (de-legged ?) an old pair of full-length overtrousers . Quick and easy to get on & off, plenty of ventilation, and keeps my shorts dry.
by james01
24 Nov 2022, 2:28pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Front light doubling as powerpack
Replies: 8
Views: 972

Front light doubling as powerpack

Looking for a new rechargeable front light as backup to my dynamo, and thinking of one which doubles as a powerpack for phones etc.
Does anyone have any experience of these lights? There seem to be plenty available on the internet.
by james01
24 Nov 2022, 11:10am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Waterproof Cycling Jacket
Replies: 55
Views: 5179

Re: Waterproof Cycling Jacket

rogerzilla wrote: 15 Nov 2022, 8:03am If you run on the hot side, like I do, there is no such thing as a jacket that keeps you dry. You can keep the rain out, but you'll still be soaked. Gore-Tex is for people who barely sweat, or walkers.
As an all-weather utility cyclist I find that close-fitting cycle-specific jackets can exaggerate the boil-in-the-bag effect because the air is trapped. Much drier and more comfortable is (roadie fashionistas look away now) a loose-fitting walking jacket - my Berghaus Cornice Goretex is my weapon of choice for really foul weather, the looseness allows airflow between body and outer.
by james01
21 May 2022, 10:30am
Forum: Electrically assisted pedal cycles
Topic: Sudden battery failure to accept charge
Replies: 2
Views: 326

Sudden battery failure to accept charge

My 2018 Carrera Crossfire has covered 5,000 miles. It has 2 batteries used in rotation, one to use & one to charge. All was well until suddenly, one of the batteries refuses to take a charge - the Green (=fully charged) light comes on almost as soon as the charger is connected even though the battery is down to 10%. The other battery is performing and charging normally, so the charger must be OK. The battery is 4 years old, but was showing no signs of deterioration. Is it common for batteries to fail without warning? The battery still has enough remaining charge to propel the bike, so it still works, just can't be charged. I'm tempted to open it up in case there's an obvious fault inside - any suggestions?