WC, I generally go for the top deck seat immediately behind the stairwell, or the rearmost seats on the lower deck.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Designing the Ultimate Commuter
(170 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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@WC: I hear your call to
armslegs!Posted 9 years ago # -
An immediate attack on the grounds of not walking such that they could stop in the space they could see to be clear might have been in order? (Or do they want one rule for themselves and another for everyone else?)
This is an amazing device that I have started using heavily since the other week. It seems pretty much impossible for people to formulate a convincing rebuttal on the hoof :)
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Arellcat
How can it be that I've Spotted you on a Brompton several times, but never once seen this 'torpedo'?
Does my visual cortex simply decline to pass the image on to the rest of my brain for fear of distressing it?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Came across this while shopping for rim tape (you know how it is...)
With the addition of mudguards, a rack and a dynamo this could be quite a useful ultimate commuter. I think it's got the holes for rack and mudguards.
It's the first sub-£1k bike I've seen with a centre-trak belt. It's a bit odd, though. Belt bikes need a hole in the rear triangle to get the belt in. Most seem to achieve this with a removable drop-out, but this one seems to have a split in the offside seat stay which I think* means that you'd need to unbolt the rack to change the belt.
*I think it will. I've spent a few minutes in puzzled attempts at 3-D thinking, but need someone with better spatial skills than me to say if they think they could get a belt on without taking the rack off.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@greenroofer I think you're right, and mudguards too.
You might get away with loosening the drive-side bolt and sneaking the belt out by pulling the rack and mudguard stay away from the frame just enough.
I think the seatstay is more appropriate than the chainstay for the "missing link" as the seatstays are loaded under compression (acting as "props"), the seatstay is in tension (hence the fatter tubes to support the load)
Posted 9 years ago # -
This is an interesting chat. I thought I'd throw some ideas in. My take is a reasonably quick commuter, with drops, but you could flat-bar upright it if you fancied...
Bike 1 - If value for money were a consideration:
- Steel, lugged frame (Reynolds 631)
- Carbon fork (disc)
- 32 or 36 spoke, 3-cross wheels with any number of decent rims choices (Mavic Open Pros or H Plus Son), with SON 28 6-bolt dyno front hub and an Alfine 8 speed out back.
- TRP Hylex discs (http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1207&catid=206)
- Schwalbe Marathon Tyres (cheaper than Plus, lighter, better rolling and virtually bomb-proof).
-SKS mudguards
-Porteur rackBike 2 - If money were no object:
- Titanium frame
- Carbon fork (disc)
- 32 or 36 spoke, 3-cross wheels with any number of decent rims choices (Mavic Open Pros or H Plus Son), with SON 28 6-bolt dyno front hub and an Rohloff hub out back.
- TRP Hylex discs (http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1207&catid=206)
- Schwalbe Marathon Tyres (cheaper than Plus, lighter, better rolling and virtually bomb-proof).
-Velo orange mudguards
-Porteur rackI might build bike 1 at some point...
Re the belt discussion, I'd stick with a chain. Not exactly much maintenance (I hardly ever do anything to mine on my Nexus on my Kona Dr Good) - occasionally tightening and replace once in a blue moon on a hub gear. The advantage with a chain is that it's STILL more efficient than a belt and you can easily source and replace any where.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Harts - interested in the choice of porteur rack vs. a rear rack? For aesthetic reasons mainly?
I've toyed with them before but found for big loads (commuting (lunch, clothes, tools, lock etc.), shopping ) I much prefer it on the back - and shirley that's a more aerodynamic place to put it if drops are on the table.
I'm considering moving to a rear hub on the normalbike at some point, something with a bit more range than a 3-speed, might have a look at the Alfine.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Further, re discussion on hydraulic discs vs cable. There's really no contest. Hydraulics are so much better. You can run mineral oil brakes on olive oil if you had to and hose is quite easy to come by too if something went wrong.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik - yeah, probably aesthetic! But you could rock a rear rack too. Quite like a load on the front as you can see it and pile it pretty high. Had a 24 deck of Tennent's on the front of the Dr Good before. I wasn't going to win any slalom contests, but it was fine!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Having now found that someone makes an aftermarket indexed bar-end shifter for the 8-speed Alfine hub, I think I've found the project for the new year once the winter has ruined the current cassette, chain, rear rim and probably hub.
I have a little lightweight front rack, somewhere between a decaleur, porteur and a lowrider that I may find a use for one day.
The touring bike has one of those S-shaped lowriders, without a bridge between the 2 sides. It's a very neat looking installation however it has quite a lot of flex and makes the steering "interesting" to get used to at first as there's a lot of "twist" when you turn the bars before the wheel eventually follows through and points where you want it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yeah, bar-end shifters for an Alfine. They work a treat and the hubs are really good value when you think about what you're getting for your money.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'll come a-knocking when I need some wheels built! Can I get that special deal again where you forget to charge me for the rims? ;)
Posted 9 years ago # -
"aftermarket indexed bar-end shifter for the 8-speed Alfine hub"
"Yeah, bar-end shifters for an Alfine. They work a treat and the hubs are really good value"
Unfortunately don't seem to be available for 11 speed. I fancy a change to bullhorn bars, and will be going hub geared next year. Di2 would be too extravagant for a commuter just to get a bar end shifter... wouldn't it?...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Ha! Nah, better at working the till now...
Posted 9 years ago # -
@baldcyclist, you can get a Di2 drop brake lever for the 11 speed Alfine - not cheap...
That's why I'd go for the 8 speed Alfine. 8 speeds is plenty in this context and you can change chainring/sprocket if you need to shift the range.
Posted 9 years ago # -
" I wasn't going to win any slalom contests, but it was fine!"
Posted 9 years ago # -
Can recommend a 1x9 derailleur setup with bar ends for an almost-like-hub-gear feeling.
Also, Old Man Mountain front racks provide a handy top plate (for bungee-ing big boxes) as well as the ability to carry front panniers.
http://www.oldmanmountain.com/Pages/RackPages/FrontRacks.html
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik What are you going to do about chain tension on your hypothetical ultimate commuter build? Do you have horizontal rear dropouts or an eccentric bottom bracket, or are you going to use a tensioner of some kind?
When my (nearly) ultimate commuter arrived from Raleigh it came with both a chain tensioner and an EBB. Several bike shops sucked their teeth and shook their head at it, but Just Bike Repairs were brave enough to take the tensioner off and rely on the EBB for chain tension. It's been fine since then, and it's made me realise how much of a pain it was to have to work around the chain tensioner every time I wanted the rear wheel out.
I've had my Alfine 8 hub for five years. It's got about 12,000 miles in it and it still runs very sweetly. It's been serviced two or three times in its life.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Do you have horizontal rear dropouts or an eccentric bottom bracket, or are you going to use a tensioner of some kind..."
...or get a framebuildy/weldy person to replace your dropouts, perhaps adding a few extra mm of tyre clearance at the same time?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Do you have horizontal rear dropouts or an eccentric bottom bracket
Yes, it's an older 531-framed road bike from the days when dropouts were horizontal. Already have 1 similar bike successfully set up with a 3-speed / drum brake combo.
Posted 9 years ago # -
If it's my commuter that means I'm using it every day so I'd be wary of anything I couldn't fix in an evening at home with simple spares or by robbing another bike.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Suitable thread for celebration; I'm finally moving from my 50km-each-way-commute job to one 5km from home. And Lo! there was great rejoicing.
Given the 'bent really isn't designed for short-distance hacking through Glasgow traffic in non-Lycra, this thread has become very interesting...
Posted 9 years ago # -
No reason why you can't start a "designing the ultimate short-distance commuting recumbent" thread. Suppose a lot depends on the cycle-parking at your new job - would a 'bent be safer from opportunistic theft from an unsecure parking location, or trickier to park in badly-spaced or badly-designed racks?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Parking is OK from outsiders, but shared by a big building with various companies.
My MetaBike is perfect for long distance riding and will never be a good urban commuter, so I'd rather keep it as is. Given I'll be meandering in rush-hour Glasgow traffic, I also want the extra vision and manoueverability (sp) of an upright.
Further requirements: ability to carry mini-DS+shopping, non-rim brakes, dynamo lighting, and with a fully enclosed chain.
My tourer is worringly close to this spec already, but I reckon I can wrangle an n+1 argument in here somewhere...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Kaputnik - Alfine Warning Having now found that someone makes an aftermarket indexed bar-end shifter for the 8-speed Alfine hub, I think I've found the project for the new year once the winter has ruined the current cassette, chain, rear rim and probably hub.
ICE Sprint 26 - Alfine SG-S501 version by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
ICE Sprint 26 - Alfine SG-S501 version by LaidBackBikes, on FlickrJust been through hoops on that. Shimano have now re-done their Alfine so cable pull is different amount and from top of hub. We had one of these new SG7000 one supplied from ICE and had already ordered the J-Tek shifters to do just what you are thinking of. Well weeks later and nothing had come in from USA. So we went to Hase and they sold thir lever - shown here - Nexus/Old Alfine compatible. That though is an Alfine 500 series. We had to rebuild wheel using 500 series one from Planet X so we could use the bar end.
Older Alfine 8 speed hubs - Planet XPosted 9 years ago # -
"
I’ve been wanting to build up the ultimate commuter for some time now."
http://www.ecovelo.info/2011/12/19/gallery-chris-civia-bryant/
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Laidback, thanks for the headsup on that. I'll make sure to try and find an older hub. Or by the time I get round to it maybe someone will have invented a new bar-end shifter?
Posted 9 years ago # -
""
I’ve been wanting to build up the ultimate commuter for some time now.http://www.ecovelo.info/2011/12/19/gallery-chris-civia-bryant/
The Halfords Cycle2Work scheme advertises Civia as one of the bike brands that they can source if you don't want one of their own brand bikes. I had a good look at the Civia website and there are some nice bikes on there. (In the end I didn't bother with C2W this yea and took the boringly sensible option of putting the money into my pension)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Insto and Smudge: anything you regret or which annoys you about the LHT as a commuter/light tourer?
Posted 9 years ago #
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