"Build" my commuter for me.

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
robc02
Posts: 1824
Joined: 23 Apr 2009, 7:12pm
Location: Stafford

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by robc02 »

Jupestar wrote: 18 Jan 2022, 3:01pm
robc02 wrote: 18 Jan 2022, 1:43pm I use a Sturmey Archer FM on my commuter. SA considered it to be medium ratio, of course, but it's close enough for me!
Ratios: -33.3%, -14.3%, Direct, +12.5%
A pity they stopped making them in 1963.
Is that a disc brake version? :D
No, I'm still waiting for the retrofit kit... I'm sure they will bring it out soon. :wink:
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by mattsccm »

I must admit to be not expecting the perfect bike as I doubt it is there uless I go for a custom frame.
If I could get longer lasting and less fussy gear I would be happy. Today my bikes was plastered purely from the ride home. Thats with full guards with added mudflaps etc. I could of course ride on the road but thats no fun.
Been playing with 7 speeds but I can't go hydro brakes with that and I find that those are way less fussy than rims or cable discs. My BB7's need stripping every pad change whereas the hydros on my rough stuff bike haven't been touched apart from pads since new in 2014. Thansk for the ideas everyone.
cycle tramp
Posts: 3532
Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by cycle tramp »

...your request is a bit of a challenge..

..the daily mileage requires equipment with the focus on efficiency, but the operating conditions also require protection from the elements and minimal maintenance.

..if your commute was something like three miles, with minimal hills, then I'd suggest a 90mm front drum and a 3 speed hub with a coaster rear brake...

..I've tried three speeds in a past but what I found frustrating wasn't the hills, but the head winds. I cycle in an upright position and I could either grind out in a gear which was too high, or spin out in a gear which was too low...

..if your off road route wasn't to exposed to head winds, 3 speeds might be worth a consideration..

..failing that you may wish to re-visit your feelings of a single chainring?
Motorhead: god was never on your sidehttps://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=m ... +your+side
LuckyLuke
Posts: 374
Joined: 10 Jun 2010, 11:54am

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by LuckyLuke »

Hi, I have a Surly Crosscheck with a Nexus 8 & Sturmey Archer drum dynamo hub, the 90mm one.
It has drops on, albeit set very high for traffic. It’s a bit of a tank and not responsive at all. I do really appreciate it’s reliability and ultra low maintenance though.
It has semi horizontal dropouts so no chain tensioner required.
Has 700 x 38s on, have squeezed 44s in but it’s a wee bit tight.
Thinking aloud, perhaps a 70s-90s cyclocross steel frame or tourer might suit? I used to have an early 90s Baron cyclocross bike with semi horizontal dropouts.
Could make it a 650b conversion for more clearance?
Best of luck,
Luke
LuckyLuke
Posts: 374
Joined: 10 Jun 2010, 11:54am

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by LuckyLuke »

BD4294C6-5335-4BB5-9ADE-FB682B4C3302.jpeg
Jupestar
Posts: 920
Joined: 29 Feb 2020, 3:03pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by Jupestar »

mattsccm wrote: 18 Jan 2022, 6:23pm Been playing with 7 speeds but I can't go hydro brakes with that and I find that those are way less fussy than rims or cable discs.
Cable disc are too fussy, and not good enough. And road style rim brakes limit tyre size too much.

I have TRP Hylex Hydro for drop bars, best brakes I’ve had. I’ve paired them with Alfine 8 speed barend shifters. Alfine Di2. And SRAM 10x2 Barends shifters.

Flat bar I use TRP slate 4 pot brakes - with whatever trigger or grip shifters I have.

I like Brifters, but they end up making a restrictive set up.
mig
Posts: 2702
Joined: 19 Oct 2011, 9:39pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by mig »

mattsccm wrote: 18 Jan 2022, 6:23pm I must admit to be not expecting the perfect bike as I doubt it is there uless I go for a custom frame.
If I could get longer lasting and less fussy gear I would be happy. Today my bikes was plastered purely from the ride home. Thats with full guards with added mudflaps etc. I could of course ride on the road but thats no fun.
Been playing with 7 speeds but I can't go hydro brakes with that and I find that those are way less fussy than rims or cable discs. My BB7's need stripping every pad change whereas the hydros on my rough stuff bike haven't been touched apart from pads since new in 2014. Thansk for the ideas everyone.
fixed with a wisely chosen gear relating to your route?
zenitb
Posts: 832
Joined: 7 Aug 2018, 9:59pm
Contact:

Cube Travel Pro

Post by zenitb »

slowster wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 2:02pm ....

A couple of possible bike candidates with flat bars and Alfine 8 speed:

Cube Travel Pro (availability not particularly good at the moment..

https://www.cube.eu/en/2022/bikes/city- ... eenngreen/



The Cube has the big advantage of 55mm tyres, especially given the 7 miles of gravel/mud. I am not a fan of belt drives, but would run with it for the time being. If and when it failed, I would replace with a chain and a Hebie Chainglider.

..




If you can get hold of a Cube Travel Pro, then it would probably be far cheaper than buying a new frame and assembling a bike to your chosen specification. Any suitable second hand donor bike/frame that comes your way sufficiently cheaply to be an option, is likely to require compromising on the specification, e.g. needing a chain tensioner, maximum tyre width etc., and whether a particular compromise is acceptable is usually a personal choice.
Good shout on the Cube Travel Pro Slowster. I have done over a full year muddy commuting on this so here are my comments

- This is a German Fahrrad so super practical but expensive

- Mine was Nexus 8 speed but zero issues with the gears. Unless you have 1 in 3 hills on your commute the standard gearing seems fine for commuting.

- Belt drive...hmm.. I know some people have got on fine with this. I converted to chain drive after killing two belts c.f. Slowsters advice above. Happy to accept it might be all my fault but it just didnt work out for me. The bike is brilliant now with its chain drive :-)

- The cheapish (but reliable) shimano disc brakes are great fun..super powerful and verging on overkill but good to have in traffic where you can stop on a sixpence with the fat tyres.

- got to love it comes with dynamo lighting. I upgraded the front light to a Cyo but only because I had the 80lux Cyo lying around. The original 20 lux unit had no standlicht so I added led flashers front and rear.

- Needs a mudflap adding for front mudguard

- Sizing!! This mental!! Try before you buy. My normal frame size is 58cm but I just got over the too tube on a 54cm Trave Pro. Find a dealer and try this (or the Cube Hyde..the same bike stripped down with less kit).

- Tank like handling. Now I like this aspect ..the bike feels unstoppable. I can also load it up with laptop shopping etc with zero impact. But light and responsive it certainly isn't. I sense the OP might want a bike more akin to his gravel whip?
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Cube Tavel Pro converted from belt to chain drive
Cube Tavel Pro converted from belt to chain drive
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by mattsccm »

"I have TRP Hylex Hydro for drop bars, best brakes I’ve had. I’ve paired them with Alfine 8 speed barend shifters. Alfine Di2. And SRAM 10x2 Barends shifters."
this is the sort of thing.
Tried fixed but a 39/19 was a bit big for my hills, one is loose mud and gravel, but was too low for some long gentle down hill drags.
mig
Posts: 2702
Joined: 19 Oct 2011, 9:39pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by mig »

mattsccm wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 5:48pm "I have TRP Hylex Hydro for drop bars, best brakes I’ve had. I’ve paired them with Alfine 8 speed barend shifters. Alfine Di2. And SRAM 10x2 Barends shifters."
this is the sort of thing.
Tried fixed but a 39/19 was a bit big for my hills, one is loose mud and gravel, but was too low for some long gentle down hill drags.
singlespeed?
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Cube Travel Pro

Post by PH »

zenitb wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 11:53am I have done over a full year muddy commuting on this
I'd never have guessed it was muddy :wink:
Very practical looking bike, though unless there's a reason not to, I think it would benefit from an even longer front mudflap.
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by Carlton green »

The Sturmey three speed has been mentioned. They are not close ratio and their overall range is limited but they are reliable and by picking the overall ratio wisely they make a good commuter. If wanted then versions with drum brakes are available, possibly second hand and at reasonable prices too. Perhaps they aren’t the best performing type but I still like and value the simplicity of traditional rim brakes.

I use my Sturmey AW down country lanes and forest tracks, it seems surprisingly able to me. It is shod with 700 x 35c tyres and they seem to go anywhere happily enough, compared to derailleur gears IGH wheels tend to stay true and I neither worry about them or spend hours fixing them. With good pads and cables my side pull rim brakes work adequately enough - I’m working with what I have but ideally I’d like to have better rim brakes.

What I have is simple and functional, I believe that it could do the job for the OP. There might be better arrangements but that’s a separate issue.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
zenitb
Posts: 832
Joined: 7 Aug 2018, 9:59pm
Contact:

Nexus gears freezing ?

Post by zenitb »

PH wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 6:56pm
zenitb wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 11:53am I have done over a full year muddy commuting on this
I'd never have guessed it was muddy :wink:
Very practical looking bike, though unless there's a reason not to, I think it would benefit from an even longer front mudflap.
Yes, several people have suggested a longer mudflap at the front PH, I am sure you are not wrong. The one I put on was something quick I ordered from eBay. You can see the Basingstoke Canal is pretty muddy. Incidentally Facebook reminded me this morning that exactly two years ago the Nexus gears jammed riding to work on the same canal. Nexus 8 was stuck in 6th gear. I got to work in 6th but by the time I had marshalled GT85 to sort it out at lunchtime it had freed itself. It was fine when I left home but the cold conditions must have caused something to lock up, maybe the rotating thing at the back that the gear cable turns ? Only once had that problem despite cycling all winter.
Attachments
82945181_2972992629398576_1496881095763820544_n.jpg
slowster
Moderator
Posts: 4629
Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Cube Travel Pro

Post by slowster »

PH wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 6:56pm
zenitb wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 11:53am I have done over a full year muddy commuting on this
I'd never have guessed it was muddy :wink:
Very practical looking bike, though unless there's a reason not to, I think it would benefit from an even longer front mudflap.
It looks like the front mudguard is quite a bit shorter than ideal, hence the bottom of the standard mudflap being too high. I think a very long DIY mudflap *might* be an option, but it would need to be a fairly rigid material. A DIY mudflap of flexible material, such as damp proof course, cannot work properly if it is that long - it just gets blown back and lifted up, allowing the spray from the tyre to pass under the mudflap, and the mudflap is likely to brush against the shoes.

A longer front mudguard (with conventional length mudflap) is probably worth fitting. If spray from the front of the tyre blown back onto the front light, head tube and your lower body is a problem, then the ideal solution is to fit a rear mudguard to the front: the extra coverage of the mudguard extending well in front of the fork stops that spray (e.g. see the photograph of reohn2's MTB here viewtopic.php?p=886259#p886259). I've done the same as reohn2, but with mudguards using the same type of stays as on your bike. That required a bit of research, buying extra stays and clips, and a bit of work with a drill and file, but was worth it in my case because I was fed up with the constant fine muddy spray on the front of my trousers.
Jupestar
Posts: 920
Joined: 29 Feb 2020, 3:03pm

Re: "Build" my commuter for me.

Post by Jupestar »

Carlton green wrote: 20 Jan 2022, 12:19am The Sturmey three speed has been mentioned. They are not close ratio and their overall range is limited but they are reliable and by picking the overall ratio wisely they make a good commuter.
Interested in how these ride. I’ve been tempted to try either the 2 or 3 speed SA. But been a bit put off going further into IGH by the feel of the Alfine.

The only thing which has stopped me pushing ‘go’ on the 2 speed is I’d rather the direct drive was the higher gearing. Then I wouldn’t need to swap the chain when changing wheel from SS. 3 speed I’m tempted with.
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