CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
resolved-
Posted 11 years ago #
-
I think sprocket can also mean the teeth which engage with something like a chain.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Arellcat - Yes, but cgo is easier to spell, so I'm sticking with it.
@SRD - I think it's a little from column A and a little from column B. For the mass/resistance reasons Dave and I mentioned she's having to pedal even when more massive and/or less befrictioned bike+rider systems do not, but since her gearing is too low for the speeds at which she is evidentally comfortable, she's having to spin like nuts just to add a teensy pressure to the pedal and top up the momentum that her shoecover level of mass cannot supply.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@wfb - I've got the 12/16 sprockets on my BWR 6 speed.
It works, but I'll be swapping to 13/16 when possible.
You're correct in that the spacing isn't even (and the top speed increases) - I find that dropping down in particular is problematic as the drop is too much from some gears, leading to some dramatic increases in cadence, a drop in road speed, or a sigh and a change back up to stomp for a bit...
Robert
Posted 11 years ago # -
There was no alternative as everybody was sold out of the 13/16. If the right set comes in stock I can swap back and keep the 12/16 combo for my SuperLight.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Revisiting an old topic with child number 2.
http://deceasedcanine.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/how-to-choose-kids-bikeor-why-its-not.html
Update on the souped up islabike coming soon.
Posted 8 years ago # -
My eldest (now 7) got a Frog 52 for her 6th birthday - have been delighted by it - it's light, manoeuvreable (especially when she has to dismount) and teh smaller handlebars/brakes etc are great.
TBH has gone well given the relatively lumpy terrain we cycle on. She is definitely maxed out on long flats where she is in top gear and spinning, but we don't have too many of those.
She's due an upgrade in the summer will probably stick with Frog again.
Child 2 aged 3 has had her first pedal bike out at the weekend- a Halfords special, much heavier than her elder sister's bike and will be much trickier to manoeuvre when she gets off.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Having never officially met SRD in real life, I am now sure that I have a spotted her and 2 miniSRD's raking through the drawers at the Bike Station, no doubt looking for the illusive cogs and cranks referred to in her above blog. I was the guy (red long sleeve jersey, black shorts) waiting for the Silver Helmeted lady to finish at the bottom drawer so I could have a look at front mechs on the top. Next time I shall say hello, but I wasn't 100% sure.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"I am now sure that I have a spotted her and 2 miniSRD's raking through the drawers at the Bike Station, no doubt looking for the illusive cogs and cranks referred to in her above blog"
True
Posted 8 years ago # -
update:
Our trip to the bike station was more successful than we first thought (why don't chainwheels just have their size stamped on them?)
http://deceasedcanine.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/operation-souped-up-islabike-success.html
Posted 8 years ago # -
@SRD - Presumably the problem is that the kind of people who think it's reasonable for a 5yo to ride 20 miles are very few and far between, so it's not worth these companies offering the option you sensibly suggest in your second post. Most of their customers will never use the bikes that intensively, ride them that fast, or develop the muscles to power a bike with a higher top and bottom gear.
Ideally, I think, the cassette would have a wider range, but presumably that makes it extremely non-standard and gets into the territory of needing special rear derailleurs.
Mini-Greenroofer (aged 9 at the time) did the 20-mile hilly round trip route from Glenelg to Arnisdale very successfully on a bike with a 'megarange' rear cassette that we'd hired in Glenelg.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"the cassette would have a wider range"
12-32 pretty wide.
Problem was 32T front (on 20" wheels).
Now swapped to 36.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@greenroofer dunno - seem to be lots of kids doing pedal for scotland and whatnot. my theory is that most parents just chalk it up to wheel size and don't really think about the gear ratios. or as chdot points out, look at the cassette and think 'that's a decent range'.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"look at the cassette and think 'that's a decent range'"
My though when inspecting the eldest's new bike was "that large sprocket's almost as big as the wheel". Seeing as he'll be moving up from a singlespeed I'll see what part of the range gets used before modifying.Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Before Islabikes, children had a raw deal when it came to bicycles. They were riding bikes that weighed half their body weight, struggling to reach the brakes, and generate enough power to use them even if they could.
And then Isla Rowntree came along, found a gap in the market, built a successful business and made a lot of children very happy in the process. We caught up with her to find out how she did it, and ask her for advice on buying a child's bike...
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
my theory is that most parents just chalk it up to wheel size and don't really think about the gear ratios.
This is why other small wheeled bikes, like Bromptons and Moultons and sundry recumbents, have big chainrings (and/or a hub gear) to gear up the back wheel a bit.
Posted 8 years ago # -
and how often do people assume it 'must be slow' because it has small wheels?
Posted 8 years ago # -
"and how often do people assume it 'must be slow' because it has small wheels?"
Indeed!
Posted 8 years ago # -
"This is why other small wheeled bikes, like Bromptons and Moultons and sundry recumbents, have big chainrings (and/or a hub gear) to gear up the back wheel a bit."
Yes, though slightly different with very young riders.
With bikes for under 5s there are good reasons for very low gears - stops them escaping from people walking!
But the 20" bikes with 32T rear sprockets seem surprisingly undergeared, especially as they are more likely to be for riders who already cycle and have built up some cycling muscles.
Low gears are important but at the extreme, if hills are steep walking is an option.
Spinning out (because top is low) in a family group is a disincentive (for all).
Posted 8 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
