Cycling UK Forum

ukdodger wrote:

johnb wrote:

ukdodger wrote: The only way to clean a chain is to take it off put it in a tub of spirits overnight and clean it using an old toothbrush. Wiping off the dirt does hardy anything in terms of increased efficiency.

Oh yeah!

Is that statistically proven or just your personal preference?

Ok what's your's?

What mine is in the context of this thread is not relevant. You said

The only way to clean a chain is to take it off...........

. That is what is relevant.

I dont know of a hub dynamo that uses a wheel being driven by the tyre. If you're using a dual wired system it stands to reason that the VR circuit will work well. Try joining a battery to a bulb via a VR circuit and loose connection. Then bounce it around such as a bike would bounce around a bad connection on the road. The bulb will soon give up VR circuit or not.

I dont know how many versions of bottle dynamo are available now. But Ok the latest german BR dynamo which is the only one I can find does use dual wiring. I humble and prostrate myself to your superior knowledge. You're probably right.

[/quote]What mine is in the context of this thread is not relevant. You said

The only way to clean a chain is to take it off...........

. That is what is relevant.[/quote]

Uh huh. So you dont know a better way then?

ukdodger wrote:

What mine is in the context of this thread is not relevant. You said

The only way to clean a chain is to take it off...........

. That is what is relevant.[/quote]

Uh huh. So you dont know a better way then?[/quote]

The question still awaits your answer. Dump the load or get off the pot.

I think it should be taken as a bit of a tongue in cheek comment i mean it's not the ONLY way to clean a chain and, for example y way of cleaning the chain does more than "next to nothing"

perhaps rewording to "the most effective way of cleaning the chain is...."

How on earth did this thread about belt driven bikes go off on such a tangent and such an ironic one

johnb wrote:

ukdodger wrote:

What mine is in the context of this thread is not relevant. You said

The only way to clean a chain is to take it off...........

. That is what is relevant.

Uh huh. So you dont know a better way then?[/quote]

The question still awaits your answer. Dump the load or get off the pot.[/quote]

Lol. I'll take that as a 'no' then.

Hudson1984 wrote:I think it should be taken as a bit of a tongue in cheek comment i mean it's not the ONLY way to clean a chain and, for example y way of cleaning the chain does more than "next to nothing"

perhaps rewording to "the most effective way of cleaning the chain is...."

... to get the most crap out of it. Short of breaking a chain down to it's component parts I dont know a better way.

Claireysmurf wrote:How on earth did this thread about belt driven bikes go off on such a tangent and such an ironic one

Because we all know better than each other.

" ukdodger"

Lol. I'll take that as a 'no' then.

You can take what you want. I have made no statement on the merits of any chain cleaning method, I have only sought clarification of your statement where you say

ukdodger wrote:
The only way to clean a chain is to take it off put it in a tub of spirits overnight and clean it using an old toothbrush. Wiping off the dirt does hardy anything in terms of increased efficiency.

To which I asked the question

Johnb wrote: Is that statistically proven or just your personal preference?

So either you can answer the question as asked or you cant.

ukdodger wrote:

Claireysmurf wrote:How on earth did this thread about belt driven bikes go off on such a tangent and such an ironic one

Because we all know better than each other.

Unless you had a mouse in your pocket when you typed the above reply it should read I and not we

Claireysmurf wrote:How on earth did this thread about belt driven bikes go off on such a tangent and such an ironic one

I don't know, but I feel it could further benefit from a link to Sheldon's special chain cleaning regime:
http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

And maybe I'm not reading it right, but is the main reason for the belt drive the muck in the chain? Even your current bike can take a chainguard, and if you have a hub-geared bike you could go with a fully-enclosed chaincase; would that be a reasonable solution?

ukdodger wrote:I dont know of a hub dynamo that uses a wheel being driven by the tyre. If you're using a dual wired system it stands to reason that the VR circuit will work well. Try joining a battery to a bulb via a VR circuit and loose connection. Then bounce it around such as a bike would bounce around a bad connection on the road. The bulb will soon give up VR circuit or not.

I dont know how many versions of bottle dynamo are available now. But Ok the latest german BR dynamo which is the only one I can find does use dual wiring. I humble and prostrate myself to your superior knowledge. You're probably right.

We were trying to make a reliable bike and who would use a bulb when making a reliable bike, in fact who would put a bulb system on any bike when LEDs are available instead?

Though if both dynamo and battery lights are considered unreliable (and I for one am happily sat on the fence trusting neither) then possibly the bike should have both. Of course there would not be an incandescent bulb in sight.

meanwhile, back on planet earth....

on one pompetamine versa -£899 for alfine 8

genesis day one -£1099 for alfine 8

both have drop bars, alfine hubs, avid bb5 mech disc brakes, steel frames, various eyelets.... and are chain driven

civia bryant -£1275 for alfine 8

all of the above but is belt driven

ridgeback journey - £1175 for alfine 8

all of the above but chain driven with shimano cantilever brakes

I have deliberately omitted flat bar and mtb, of which there are legion. All above models can be found in alfine 11 iterations (apart from ridgeback) also I believe these may also have upgrade to avid bb7 brakes, in all cases costing 2-300 quid more...

Anyone else know of other drop bar touring/commuting, lightish frame fairly sporty bikes which meet the OP brief?

My money would go on the civia for it's looks and belt drive. The pompetamine also looks nice and is from Yorkshire (via Taiwan) but has been criticised for short wheelbase and twitchy handling, although I ride a charge mixer to work which has same criticisms and I don't think they are a problem for a 10 mile commute, but might be for long distance touring...

Hi Claireysmurf. I dont have anything like the experience/knowledge of some bods on here..but for what its worth I got a cannondale badboy with a Rohloff hub for commuting to work over 3 years ago now. Mileage per week does vary, but in region of 60-100. Its got hydraulic disc brakes. I had problems with loose spokes (bought bike on web-but easily sorted by LBS).....Iffy tyre after about a year needed replacing....external box (think thats the term) came away on ride in one morning-easily fixed even by me..thats it in the way of problems. All I've done is change oil in hub annually-have had brake pads checked twice...never needed changing yet. So these sort of things (hub gears, disc brakes) do seem to be important in my view-which, given that I would LOVE to be an experienced bike fettler/font of knowledge (a la Brucie of this parish) but am in fact the most cack handed bodger in the history of humankind, means my view is really really important!! Dave