September 6th, 2009
Photo Credit: Peter Eland, Editor and Publisher, Velo Vision
SCOOTERBIKE is a German bike/trike by USED. I say bike/trike because either format is available on basically the same frame and they have different models (touring, commuting, etc.) and a selection of drive systems (derailer, Rohloff and others) plus several species of pedelectric some of which include regenerative braking.
Here are some of the specs on their TOURING trike:
Standard equipment: (2,990 Euro)
Frame: Scooter frame with extra deep, high-tensile CroMo thru-tube
Fork: Rigid fork made of high strength pipe CroMo
Suspension: Comfort suspension swing arm with adjustable spring rate and oil damping
Drive: Differential drive with low-maintenance SRAM Dual Drive 27-speed Getriebenabe-/Kettenschaltungskombination (3×9)
Front brake: TEKTRO mechanical disc brake with levers
Rear brakes: MAGURA BIG hydraulic disc brakes for maximum safety claims
Handlebars: Tour guide, adjustable in height and tilt
Handles: Ergonomically shaped handles skin-friendly
Seat: Comfort seat, Quick Range in length and inclination
Lighting: HELLA halogen headlamps in combination with maintenance Diodenstandr? 1/4 cklicht
Dynamo: AXA HR4 side friction over Dynamo
Wheels: Front 16 “, rear 20” with alloy rims and stainless spokes
Tires: SCHWALBE easy-going high-pressure tires with Kevlar puncture protection
Chainguard: PE pipe leading from pollution, low-maintenance and low noise
Chainguard: 90% coverage through Teflon tube leading to pollution and maintenance-free
Color: Granite Grey, powder
Weight: 27 Kg
The full specification sheet is at
and the full range of bikes and trikes are at
A great, full review of this model appears in the
A rear differential and reverse gear… that could come in handy…
June 6th, 2009
I fully understand that my budding career as a “bike accessory photographer” is in serious jeopardy… but these double panniers caught my eye when I was over in Bentley, AB at Bentley Cycle yesterday. In a nut-shell, they are:
Double-sided attached “saddle bag” pannier set
Posi-Lock mounting hardware is simple and reliable
Available in two colors: black and rust
Dimensions: 32 x 36 x 17 cm (13″ x 14″ x 7″)
Volume: 39 set &# cubic inches
Angled heel relief provides pedaling clearance
Large volume matches that of two grocery bags
Simple, urban panniers for the lifestyle and casual cyclist
600-denier water-resistant nylon construction
Structural reinforcements allow bag to keep shape when empty, or not
3M reflective safety strip
One thing that leapt out at me was the “collapsing” it lies VERY flat when it is empty which is nice.
The other thing was the price. These bags seem to retail in the $75 – $100 range…
May 24th, 2009
One thing became perfectly clear at the event this weekend. I have been muttering about needing a longer visor for riding a recumbent bike. Apparently a lot of other people felt the same need and this weekend I saw literally dozens of folks in this solution…
It is the Carbon Spider carbon fibre visor from the people at . It weighs in at a massive 13 grams (think my glasses weigh a lot more than that!), it is securely mounted with either the supplied industrial strength Velcro or I suppose you could lash it with snap-ties. It is stiff but not brittle and should not bend back in the stiffest wind.
My search is ended…
April 28th, 2009
Well, according to Alan Barnard (), via his connections at
(a.k.a. Rick Steele) the answer to all three is now a resounding YES!
We’ve been waiting with bated breath for it seems like many several months for the RANS Trizard delta trike to actually appear, in the flesh, at a dealer near you. The folks at Gold Country Cyclery have this to say:
“Finally have our first RANS Trizard shop demo ready and tested. My wife and I both had opportunity to test ride the prototypes at InterBike OutDoor Demo in Boulder City, Nev last September. I was immediately impressed with the speed, high speed stability, resistance to tip, and comfort (Hoagie seat always impresses). The production model has taken a while to get out to dealers, but the wait was well worth it. It impresses me more every time I take it out.”
Randy Schlitter (founder of RANS) can sate your appetite for details in either (or both) his write-ups you can find at
or the previous one on the Trizard at
The “trike world” has seen a preponderance of ink and attention directed towards tadpole trikes of late so it is refreshing to see a new and interesting player enter the delta club. Check a RANS dealer near you…
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April 25th, 2009
Sometimes it does occur to me, when the sun is beating down on us, that we either need a boatload of sun screen or something. For some folks in some situations this might be the “something”.
For example, Penny can’t take much sun. Her internal thermostat got damaged and she’ll overheat on warm days or chill down too much on cold ones…works both ways. Rather than keep her hidden under a huge sunhat I’m tempted to try this “recumbent ragtop” from (as Alan Barnard would say… “Wait for it!”) .
The design seems to be very flexible when it comes to attaching it to many LWB/SWB, tadpole, delta etc. I haven’t tried it so I cannot say what the effects of a quick trip downhill are, or a headwind, or a crosswind. It would sure be the ticket in a rain!
Which is the segway to the second of their products. It is a seat cover which protects your recumbent seat in a rain. YMMV but I am profoundly glad for the generous, plush, sizeable seat on my Burley, and so is the part of my anatomy that no longer has to have a DF seat surgically removed at the end of each long ride. But in a rain it can absorb an unbelievable volume of water…gallons I suspect. Rag Tops have a “Seat Slicker” to end that problem.
But… for keeping your seat dry there is another solution, at least in Canada. And this is where I introduce you (if you haven’t already been there) to Larry Hager, another Canadian who blogs from Leduc, Alberta on a blog called
In his April 19th 2009 entry he describes and provides pictures of a very low cost solution using “xtra small pack rain covers at your Local MEC, REI or camping supply store!” Check it out.
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April 23rd, 2009
I think that new “Moms and Dads”
all over the planet are going to love this rig!
This showed up on the
site today. To quote the start of their article:
We take a test ride on the Taga, a consumer-friendly trike which converts into a stroller-type pushchair…
Thanks to Simon Pearson of Taga, Velo Vision has once again stolen a lead on the rest of the world’s press with a hands-on review!
The Taga is a child-carrying trike which converts into a pushchair, due to be launched officially in the UK on the 6th May. As well as selling through cycle dealers, it will also be distributed via non-cycling channels including Mothercare. They’ll sell the boxed machine with full instructions, which will apparently urge customers unsure about any aspect of assembly or maintenance to go to their local cycle shop.
Go check it out… a very detailed first review.
The manufacturer is Taga and they are at . I think they are on to something…
Rob says: There is a “movie” on the Taga site () but it is rather large. I’m tempted to post it but folks might come after me with tools of destruction if I directed that size of a file at them. If you’re interested it is a good watch.
Posted in ,
April 23rd, 2009
Alan dropped us a note a
“I am looking for a review on the new 2009 Sun X2 CX and the upgrade X2 AX recumbent bike.
The bike was designed by Easy Racer.
I purchased the Sun X2 CX and I am very satisfied with it. However, I would like other opinions on the
Thanks you very much.
Alan”
Not knowing the bike personally I went to the Easy Racers site and got this material.
Power and Efficiency for Every Purpose
The X2 AX adds lightweight, stiff aluminum frame and a 9-speed SRAM drive train to already smart design to create the ultimate entry-level recumbent. An awesome upgrade for EZ-1 and X1 owners, the X2 has reached its pinnacle with the X2 AX.
Features and Statistics (Bicycle Specifications Subject to Change Without Notice)
?EUR? Wheel Base: 62″ (157.5cm)
?EUR? Overall Length: 85-1/2″ (217cm)
?EUR? Seat Height: 27-30.5″ (68-77cm)
?EUR? Frame: 7005 Tig Welded Aluminum
?EUR? Fork: Full Cro-Mo
?EUR? BB: Sealed Cartridge
?EUR? Crank: Sun Bicycle Alloy 170mm x 52/42/30 Teeth
?EUR? Derailleur (Front): Microshift
?EUR? Derailleur (Rear): Shimano
?EUR? Shifter: SRAM
?EUR? Freewheel: SRAM PG-950 11-32 9-Speed
?EUR? Pedals: Alloy Cage
?EUR? Brakes: Promax Linear Pull
?EUR? Brake Levers: Promax Linear Pull
?EUR? Headset: 1-1/8?EUR? Integrated Alloy
?EUR? Handlebar/Stem: Alloy w/ Telescoping Top Loading Stem
?EUR? Hub (Front): Formula Sealed
?EUR? Hub (Rear): Formula Sealed Cassette
?EUR? Rim (Front): 20 x 1.50 36h Alloy DBL Wall CNC Side w/ Eyelets
?EUR? Rim (Rear): 26 x 1.50 36h Alloy DBL Wall CNC Side w/ Eyelets
?EUR? Spokes: 14g Stainless Steel
?EUR? Tire (Front): 20 x 1.25 BW Kenda Kwest
?EUR? Tire (Rear): 26 x 1.25 BW Kenda Kwest
?EUR? Saddle: Contoured Foam w/ Tri-Color Cover
?EUR? Seat Slide: Track System
?EUR? Seat Back: Mesh Back Adjustable with Bottle Braze-Ons
?EUR? Weight Capacity: 300 Pounds
?EUR? Available in Fusion Blue and Sunset Orange
The question is this. Would anyone who knows these models, or who knows of a good review comparing them (we couldn’t find one) be willing to comment on this question?
Alternatively, they could pass information on to us and we’d forward it to Alan. If folks find it useful we’ll try to search out reviews and/or ask for help from the Recumbent Blog community on your questions.
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April 16th, 2009
This is not a new recumbent, it’s 2-3 years since it was introduced, but it has some new and different features. Save for one dealer here in North America (Bikes 4 Health, LLC of Seattle, Washington? ? are listed on their dealer site) they are a European phenomenon.
Flevobike Technology have an English site at
(almost all English that is, you have to understand that their Verenigde Staten dealers mean their United States dealers
but their English is a lot better than my Dutch)
Specifications on this machine are:
Total Length: Small ?± 174 cm – Medium ?± 180 cm – Large ?± 186 cm
Width: Handle bar ?± 40 cm (ASS) – Handle bar ?± 62 cm (USS) – Seat ?± 33 cm
Height: ?± 120 cm
Wheelbase: Small 109 cm – Medium 112 cm – Large 113,9 cm
Weight: starting from 16,2 kg – fully equipt 18 kg
Frame(parts): Aluminium
? Anodized frame colors: red, purple, blue, orange, green
Seat: Height ?± 52-57 cm – Angle adjustable from 35?°-50?°
Back Support: Lenomesh fabric (ventilated), aluminium frame
Seat: aluminium with foam padding
Handle bar: upper position (adjustable and foldable) or under seat steering
Head set: 1 1/8?EUR(TM)?EUR(TM) with needle bearings
Crank length 150 mm or 170 mm – Rohloff speedhub, 14-speed with gripshifter – Shimano 18t freewheel – KMC 8-92 chain
Pedals: traditional antislip
Brakes: Mechanical disc brakes front/rear, 160 mm. disc
Suspension Front: rigid (standard), suspension (optional)
Suspension Rear: singled sided, hydraulic rear shock with coil spring
Wheel size: 20″ ETRTO 35 &# – regular 36 spokes
Tire: Vredestein Perfect Moiree 47 x 406
Standard equipment: bell, fenders, kick stand, connection for trailer, head light bracket
Accessories: bottle holder, SPD pedals, cycling computer, telescopic front suspension, hubdynamo, seat pannier, lighting, lock
One aspect, other than the enclosure of most of the “power train”, is the under-seat or over-seat steering options. There is a brief owner’s review on the the British Human Power Club site at .
There are some very interesting developments coming out of Europe in general and Holland in particular… we’ll keep our eyes open.
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April 9th, 2009
They are singing my song, sort’a. The following is an article posted today by Mark Coliton on the
entitled “Bellandare, Bella ATT and the LWB recumbent design”.?
Somewhere I mentioned that my ride is a Burley Jett Creek… which I love… so any article that speaks of it catches my eye. A good article comparing some great recumbents.?
Mark said:
At the end of 2008, we introduced the Bellandare as an entry level replacement for our Caf?(C) and Agio models. The Bellandare was our first low bottom bracket Long Wheel Base (LWB) design and we?EUR(TM)ve been very pleased with the reception it?EUR(TM)s received.
Not surprisingly, people have been comparing the Bellandare other LWB bikes, both past and present and it?EUR(TM)s nice to hear that the design is holding its own.
What we want to do with this article is show where our Bellandare and Bella ATT got its lineage and how they compare to LWB recumbent both past and present.
We?EUR(TM)re not here to say what brand or model is best or that our LWB r we think they?EUR(TM)re all exceptional, especially those mentioned here.
Rather, we want to contrast and compare the bikes that are out there and let the customer decide.
Bellandare-Burley comparison
As you can see from the photo above, the Bellandare has a lot in common with the Jet Creek and Koosha designs that were so popular before Burley stopped producing bicycles a few years ago. The most significant difference between our design and theirs is a triangulated front end. We feel this added frame member gives the Bellandare a more ridged head tube and bottom bracket than the Burley designs and in our opinion, gives the bike better handling. We also pushed the Bottom Bracket (BB) up higher than the Burley?EUR(TM)s (and most other LWB designs) for better performance. The Bellandare is not only a sweet riding bike, but with an MSRP of only $1,295.00, it?EUR(TM)s also one of the best values in the LWB market.
With the success of the Bellandare we decided to take this platform to the next level and design a bike that would better address the needs of the LWB, sport-touring market. Enter the Bella ATT concept.
We knew we wanted to start with the Bellandare?EUR(TM)s proven geometry and higher bottom bracket position, but the end goal for us was a more robust frame for loaded touring.
Therefore, a fully triangulated frame was a necessity.
To keep the frame as light as we could we decided to start with our triangulated, aluminum Agio frame. From the beginning, it was easy to see the how the new bike would come together once we got going. The process began by simply cutting off the head tube of the Agio and rotating the bottom bracket down to 16 inches, to match the Bellandare?EUR(TM)s. We then duplicated the Bellandare?EUR(TM)s front end in aluminum and welded it to the repositioned rear triangle.
When everything was said and done we realized we had a pretty damn close rendition of the RANS Stratus.
…? There is a lot more material in this article and some really illuminating photographs at? Bacchetta Blog at
Rob says:? Many thanks to Mark Colliton of Baccheta Bicycles, Inc and the Bacchetta Blog for this.? Looking forward to your comments because I know… Your Mileage May Vary.
Posted in ,
March 27th, 2008
have become increasingly popular over the past few years, they’re comfortable, light, convenient, and walkable. I’ve been wearing Shimano sandals for the past 18 months and I find them to be far more comfortable than traditional cycling shoes, both on the bike and walking about. As Sheldon Brown put it, “These are my very favorite footwear. In the summertime I go for weeks on end without ever having anything else on my feet. Far and away the most comfortable cycling footwear ever.“
I too love my Shimano sandals, but I always felt they’d be better with a closed toe box (a la ) to keep my toes a little warmer in the winter and provide some protection in the event of a crash. Consequently, I was excited when I caught wind that Keen was coming out with a “Shimano Killer” cycling-specific sandal.
Called the , Keen’s new bike sandal features a full length SPD compatible plate, a thermoplastic urethane cleat tap plate, and an upper that is nearly identical to Keen’s ever-popular . (The Newport H2 is half sandal, half trail running shoe, with open straps and a treaded sole similar to traditional sandals, but with an enclosed toe box for protection.) The Commuter goes a step beyond the Newport with a stiffer sole and more compact tread pattern to narrow the overall profile, resulting in greater crank clearance and a more positive pedal/shoe interface (don’t let the narrow both sandals are built on the same men’s ).
The narrower profile is key. My
is outfitted with platform pedals (a necessity due to the nature of the ) and I found the Newport outsole to be far too wide, with crank interference on the inside and a feeling of tipping off the pedal to the outside. The Commuter, on the other hand, with its narrower profile and stiffer sole, perfectly mates with a standard width platform pedal. There’s also ample clearance with clipless pedals, even on
cranks like I have on
(this was a bit of a problem with the Shimano sandal). So, whether you’re of the clipless persuasion or, as
puts it, you prefer to pedal “free”, the Commuter is a good fit.
Even with an enclosed toe box, the Commuter feels more like a sandal than a shoe. It’s well ventilated and the upper is supple and easily adjustable using Keen’s unique “bungee cord” lacing system. They can literally be slipped on and off in seconds while being plenty secure for road riding. You do pay a price for the Commuter’s cycling-specific features. Even though it’s not a bad sandal for short walks and even a bit of light (very light) hiking, the wider and more supple Newport is far better for long walks and more demanding conditions. That said, the Commuter is probably the most walkable cycling-specific shoe on the market.
The Commuter successfully combines the ease of use, comfort, and walkability of a sandal with the stiffness and toe protection of a cycling shoe. Because they’re built with the same high quality and attention to detail that is typical of all Keen products, they should provide many seasons of trouble-free use. And who knows, with their enclosed toe box, you might even be able to get away with wearing them around the office!
For more information:
March 16th, 2008
is RANS’ titanium version of their classic
short wheelbase recumbent. The V-Rex is a popular all-around recumbent that’s been used for everything from touring and commuting to club rides and centuries. It’s a versatile design that’s user-frie not too extreme, but still reasonably fast and efficient. I’m a big fan of the V-Rex and I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Ti-Rex since its introduction at Interbike late last year. I finally had an opportunity to take a spin on the Ti-Rex today. There’s only so much one can discern from a single test ride, but I thought I’d pass along my first impressions.
The clear-sparkle-over-titanium clear coat is striking, if not a little over-the-top. When I rolled it out into the sun, everyone standing nearby oohed and aahed, commenting on the “pretty sparkles”. You can’t see it in these photos, but it almost looks holographic in the bright sun. Personally, I’d prefer something a little more subdued, but that’s just me.
It’s light! When rolling the Ti-Rex out of the shop it felt as if there was helium in the tires (of course, my daily ride is a 50 lb. Tour Easy… LOL). But at an honest 24 lbs, the Ti-Rex is competitive with other performance SWBs in this price range.
The frame is plenty stiff in the bottom bracket, but has the smooth, dampened feeling that’s typical for Ti. The excellent
tires undoubtedly contributed to this feeling.
The riding position is vintage V-Rex (and nearly identical to the
“Captain” position). I love this position fo it’s not quite as traffic-friendly as a low bottom bracket LWB, but as SWBs go it’s quite easy and confidence inspiring.
The V-Rex is considered a good climber due to its relatively upright seat and stiff, triangulated boom. The only thing that holds it back is the fact that it’s relatively heavy. Not so with the Ti-Rex. You can really feel the 6-7 lb. difference in weight compared to the factory- this thing climbs like crazy. It would be interesting to compare the Ti-Rex to
side-by-side. My guess is that it will out climb the P-38 for many people.
I found the Z-Seat with narrow CF pan quite comfortable, but it might be a little narrow for larger riders.
I like the Ti-Rex and I may eventually add one to my stable. I’m hoping to have an opportunity to test one fo I’ll write a full report if I do.
NOTE: The Ti-Rex is only offered as a frameset from RANS. The bike I rode was spec’d and built by Rick Steele at .
Posted in ,
February 24th, 2008
Background
has reshaped the contours of the recumbent landscape with the development of a polished line-up of dual big wheel, long wheelbase (LWB) bikes. Starting back in 2005 with the introduction of the ever-popular
(SXP), their collection of “Monster Bents” has grown to a full seven model range.
The SXP was quick out of the gate, almost instantly becoming one of the most popular recumbents on the market and single-handedly rekindling interest in the sleepy LWB segment. Taking advantage of this renewed interest, RANS quickly followed-up in 2006 with another dual 559 LWB, the
The F26 was essentially a modified version of RANS&#9 peformance LWB, the V² Formula. (The Formula was RANS’ go-fast LWB designed to compete head-to-head with the Easy Racers Gold Rush. It had a relatively high bottom bracket for an LWB and was popular among riders that wanted a performance LWB but didn’t want to use a fairing.) By shaving .70″ off of the head tube, RANS was able to retrofit a 26″ fork and front wheel to the Formula. The resulting bike was fast, but the conversion was less than perfect and the low speed handling left much to be desired.
In 2007, RANS went back to the drawing board and developed an entirely new high-bottom-bracket LWB called the V3. Initially it was only available in aluminum and titanium ($$), but in early 2008 a steel version was introduced for those on a budget (or for those of the “steel is real” persuasion). The V3 line-up currently includes 3 models: the V3 (steel frame), the
(aluminum frame), and the
(titanium frame). My review bike is the entry-level, steel frame V3.
First Impression
The first thing I noticed about the V3 is the new frame layout. The rear triangle appears to be taken almost directly from the Stratus XP, while the front half of the frame is more reminiscent of the V², albeit with only a pair of tubes instead of a trio running forward to the head tube. It’s a deceptively simple, clean, and elegant design that allows a direct chain line from the c no power-side idler is required.
RANS recently introduced two-tone paint schemes on many of their models. I like somehow they manage to be simultaneously retro and techie. The V3 comes dressed in a striking black/silver powder coat that looks fantastic in combination with the polished aluminum fork and mostly black components. Like all RANS bikes, the V3 has a refined appearance and the overall fit-and-finish is excellent.
Mechanical Details
The steel V3 comes outfitted with a typical mix of mid-level components from SRAM and Tektro. The quality and functionality of low- to mid-level components is quite amazing these days. On a bike used in demanding conditions such as those encountered in long-distance touring, randonneurring, or racing, more robust components might be in order. But for a recreational bike that is most likely to be used for club rides, day-tripping, and light touring/commuting, the V3’s components should provide years of trouble-free service.
I had no problems with the SRAM SX5 shifters, SX5 rear derailleur, or the RANS Microshift front derailleur. They shifted cleanly and smoothly and required no adjustment over the course of my testing.
By necessity, the steel V3 is only offered with disc brakes. Its high bottom bracket (for an LWB) places the crank ends very near the fork crown (). The limited clearance negates the use of linear pull brakes (aka V-Brakes). It may be possible to use linear pull brakes in combination with ultra-short cranks, but I didn’t have the brakes or cranks on-hand to try it out. For the time being, it’s disc brakes only from the factory.
I’m generally not a big fan of Tektro brakes, but the Aquila mechanical discs supplied on the V3 performed quite well. They are surprisingly powerful and respond well to subtle input. Tektro obviously took a look at Avid’s excellent (but more pricey) BB series discs when they designed the Aquila. The caliper is ball-bearing actuated and auto-centering, with dual pad adjusters and floating pad holders. Given the option, I’d probably opt for the simplicity of V-Brakes on this bike, but since discs are currently the only option, Tektro’s simple cable-actuated discs are a good fit.
I like the looks of the V3’s JetSet disc wheelset. These aren’t exotic wheels by any stretch, and they’re not going to be as durable as hand-built wheels, but they’re about what you’d expect on a sub $1500 recumbent. They didn’t require any truing during the du with a reasonable amount of care and maintenance I’m sure they’ll hold up fine for anything short of loaded touring.
You’ve all heard me
on just about every bike I’ve reviewed. RANS has taken a small step in the right direction with the V3 by speccing a Truvativ triple crank with 30/39/52 chainrings. I’d still much prefer a 110/74 BCD triple up front with something around a 24/36/46 chainring combo, but a 39T middle ring is a step in the right direction.
There’s not much to say about the RANS seat that hasn’t already been said. Many people find it to be the most comfortable seat on the market. Personally, there are other seats I prefer for use in a more upright posture, but when adjusted to the recline required by this bike, the RANS seat is exceptionally comfortable.
The V3 handlebar/riser combination provides only limited adjustability, but I had no problem reaching the bars. For those that are unable to get a good fit with the stock bar/riser combo, RANS offers a variety of bars and risers for dialing-in fit.
I noticed a bit of flex in the riser that wasn’t present on the other RANS bikes I’ve ridden with this same bar/riser combo. It’s my guess that the V3’s relatively shallow head angle accentuates riser flex to a greater degree than on RANS’ other bikes with steeper head angles. The flex isn’t a big deal — it didn’t affect handling in a negative way — but hopefully it’s something RANS will address going forward.
Ride Quality
All dual big wheel LWB recumbents tend to be more difficult to manage at low speeds than their more traditional 20/26 counterparts, but the V3 is right on par with the Stratus XP and is certainly manageable on anything other than extreme inclines. Compared to the first-generation F26, the steering is much lighter in hand, with far less tendency to flop at low speeds.
Where the V3 really shines though, is up at cruising speeds over 15 mph. Once those dual big wheels gain momentum, the V3 just wants to keep rolling and rolling, tracking straight as an arrow with little input required from the rider. On the V3, I was extremely relaxed and comfortable cruising along at 15-18 mph with two fingers on the bars while chatting with a friend. It’s a perfect bike for long days on open roads.
Jan Heine of
describes “planing” as, “… the effect of the rider’s pedal stroke getting in sync with the bike. This enables the rider to maintain a higher output than on a bike that feels as if it was resisting the rider’s pedaling input. Planing requires the rider’s pedal stroke to match the flex characteristics of the bike. In some cases, we have to ride a bike for a while before we are able to adjust our pedaling to get in sync and experience planing.”¹
I’ve experienced planing on a few uprights, but rarely on a recumbent. I’ve ridden recumbents that flexed too much in all the wrong places, and I’ve ridden recumbents that were stiff as a board, and as Mr. Heine described, felt like they were “resisting” my pedaling input. The steel V3 has an ideal amount of flex for a rider of my weight and strength, and I almost immediately experienced what I’d describe as planing when climbing and powering this bike. The V3 flexes just enough to feel alive and responsive without feeling as if your pedal input is being drained off as inordinate frame flex.
There’s a lot to like about the RANS V3. It offers refined handling and excellent high-BB performance in a great looking LWB package, all for under $1500. It’s an ideal bike for club rides, credit card touring, and day trips. The V3 is particularly well-suited to long days in the saddle on open country roads, the type of days where the miles tick by with little notice and the focus is on the journey, not the destination.
Specifications
Frame: Tig Welded 4130 CroMo Steel
Fork: RANS Alloy 1 1/8″
Headset: FSA 1 1/8″
Bottom Bracket: Truvativ
Crankset: Truvativ Elita 52/39/30
Chain: KMC Z9000
Front Derailleur: RANS Microshift
Rear Derailleur: SRAM SX5
Shifters: SRAM SX5 9-Speed
Brakes: Tektro Aquila 160 Disc
Brake Levers: Tektro MT2.1
Wheels: Jet Set 26″ Disc
Tires: Primo Racer 26×1
Cassette: SRAM 950 11-32 9-Speed
Weight: 33 lbs
Overall Length: 89.5″
Wheelbase: 64.5″
Seat Height: Front &#″ Rear &#″
Bottom Bracket Height: 26″
Weight Limit: 275 lbs
Price: $1,495
Many thanks to Rick Steele at
for supplying the RANS V3 used for this review. Rick is an authorized RANS dealer – give him a call to set up a test ride.
1. Heine, J., 2007: Getting in Sync With a Bike: Planing and How It Works. Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 5, No. 4, p. 37.
Posted in ,
January 14th, 2008
is a next generation, dynamo-powered LED headlight driven by a
emitter¹, producing over twice the output of comparable previous-generation headlights. The light is unique in that the emitter is rear-facing, enabling complete control over the light beam with the use of a sophisticated reflector (notice the lack of a visible emitter in the photo at right). The beam is sharply focused into a clearly defined rectangle that is brightest at the top to reach far down the road, and dimmer toward the bottom where less light is required. Unlike most , the IQ Fly’s design makes full use of the emitter’s output, with very little light misdirected into the night sky and the eyes of oncoming vehicle operators.
The IQ Fly was initially released in Europe in the summer of ’07 and has just recently become available in the U.S. I’ve been following the European forums and blogs since its introduction and the reports have been excellent. Prior to the release of the IQ Fly, the
was considered the state of the art in dynamo-powered LED headlights, but many reports claim the IQ Fly is superior in both light output and beam pattern. The IQ Fly is also being compared favorably to the venerable , with some people switching over from this longtime favorite. Given these developments, I’m officially predicting the imminent extinction of dynamo-powered halogen headlights.
I’m officially predicting the imminent extinction of dynamo-powered halogen headlights.
After waiting for 6 long months, I finally got my mitts on an IQ Fly a couple of weeks ago. For the past year-and-a-half I’ve been running a halogen B&M Lumotec Oval Plus as my primary headlight. The Oval Plus has served me well, but the thought of over twice the output, a virtually indestructible LED emitter, and a precisely focused beam, had me anxious to try out the IQ Fly.
FeaturesThe IQ Fly is available in 4 configurations: the “N” is the basic model with a simple on/ the “N Plus” has a built- the “Senso” has a built-in ambient light sensor that automatically switches the light on or off in chang and the “Senso Plus” incorporates both the stand light and the auto on/off. I went for the Senso Plus.
The ambient-light-sensing auto on/off feature takes the
to its ultimate conclusion. With the light switch set to “Auto”, there is no longer any need to give your lights a second thought. When the ambient light is low enough that lights are needed, the lights come on, and when it’s bright enough that they aren’t needed, the lights turn off. Pretty cool.
The standlight is a nice safety feature, particularly if you’re not using a secondary battery-powered light. An internal capacitor is charged while rolling and the capacitor powers the standlight for approximately 5-6 minutes after stopping.
Installation
The IQ Fly is supplied with a fork crown mount. It will also fit any standard Euro-style light mount, though I suspect most people will mount it on the fork crown because of its shape. Since I already had a B&M fork crown mount in place, it was a simple one bolt affair to install the IQ Fly.
The IQ Fly’s input wires are supplied with bare ends that require installation of specific connectors for attachment to a generator hub – a simple process that takes less than 10 minutes. Output connectors for both a secondary headlight and tail light are located on the back of the light body.
Fine adjustments to the IQ Fly’s position can be made without tools by rotating the light head up and down independently of the main light body (see animation at right). Since these lights have such precisely focused beams, getting the vertical adjustment just r this feature simplifies the process.
On the Road
The IQ Fly is the brightest dynamo-powered headlight I’ve seen. It’s rated at over twice the output of the halogen Lumotec Oval Plus, and that definitely holds true on the road. The beam pattern is sharply focused like the Schmidt E6, but is approximately twice as wide. I always felt the E6 beam was too narrow, but conceded that it was a necessary trade-off to create a sufficiently bright patch on the road. The IQ Fly, with it’s more efficient emitter, is brighter than the E6 while at the same time providing a beam that is wide enough to cover the road from edge to edge.
Conclusion
The Lumotec IQ Fly Plus Senso represents the state of the art in European-style, focused beam dynamo headlights. Its emitter is highly efficient and produces substantially more output than previous generation LEDs and 3-watt halogens. Its clever, rear-facing-emitter design, combined with its high tech reflector, create a nearly ideal patch of light on the road. At this time, there are no commercially available, dynamo-powered LED headlights that can compete with the IQ Fly*. Highly recommended.
Pricing (USD)
Lumotec IQ Fly N (standard) $ 84.00
Lumotec IQ Fly N Plus (w/standlight) $ 92.00
Lumotec IQ Fly Senso (w/light sensing) $ 92.00
Lumotec IQ Fly Senso Plus (w/light sensing and standlight) $ 100.00
More Information
(Beam Shots & Output Graphs – German Language)
1. Fafrrad Zukunft –
*The Inoled 20+ is getting upgraded to a Cree emitter for 2008, but from what I’ve been told they have yet to hit the U.S. market. It’s also rumored that Schmidt is working on an LED headlight that’s due out this summer.
January 13th, 2008
is a must read for anyone that rides a bicycle on public roads in the U.S. In the book, author Bob Mionske (former pro cyclist, Velo News columnist, and lawyer specializing in cycling law) lays out cyclists’ rights and responsibilities in a comprehensive and comprehensible manner. Bicycling & the Law was clearly written by a cyclist, for cyclists.
Topics covered include: and liability waivers. I found the section on social bias against cyclists particularly interesting (Mionske recently wrote about this in ).
Bicycling & the Law is an essential reference that sits on my bookshelf next to Forester’s
and Wilson’s . Highly recommended.
Paperback, 5 1/4″ x 9 1/4″, 384 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-1--1
ISBN-10: 1--9
January 10th, 2008
Background
is owned by the , one of the largest recumbent specialty shops in the world. Each Volae model is designed by Hostel Shoppe owner Rolf Garthus and each frame is built by
in Waterford, WI. When you purchase a Volae you get the excellent customer service and attention to detail the Hostel Shoppe is famous for, along with the superb craftsmanship of a Waterford frameset (read about the history of Waterford ).
Prior to this year, Volaes were only available via mail order or at the Hostel Shoppe retail store in Wisconsin. Fortunately, Volae has recently started selling their bikes through a
across the U.S. It’s my recommendation to visit your local Volae dealer to take a test ride before purchasing a bike, but if you don’t have a dealer in your area, Volae has the best program in the industry for ordering a bike remotely (see
for more details).
First Impression
The Century stands out in a line-up. All Volaes exude an air of quality that’s difficult to capture in photographs, but is palpable in person on the showroom floor. The finish is deep and rich, the welds are clean, the integrated seat stays look a part of the bike, etc. The overall package, unlike so many recumbents, appears refined and polished, well thought out, and finished with an eye for detail. In other words, this is an extremely attractive bike that looks as good as many high-end uprights.
Mechanical Details
The Century sports a nice mix of mostly SRAM components, typical of what you’d expect on a recumbent in this price range.
Shifting with the X.9 derailleur/shifter combo is adequate, if not inspiring. To be honest, I’m a friction shifting devotee and find all indexed shifters annoying – these were fine and worked as well as one might expect. If you’re a twist shift person you’ll feel right at home here. The barrel adjuster required tweaking a number of times to keep the indexing clean, probably due to cable stretch/settling, but this is not unusual on any new bike. Again, the shifters are perfectly fine, just not my cup of tea.
I like Avid BB7 they’re powerful and easy to adjust, if not a little clunky looking on a pretty bike like this. They can be a little fussy if you frequently remove your wheels, but in normal use they’re pretty much plug-and-play. They’re far superior to rim brakes in nasty conditions, but they may be overkill if you don’t frequently ride in the rain.
I’m not thrilled with the paired-spoke Velocity Thracian disc wheels spec’d on the Century. If I was using the Century as a touring/commuting workhorse, I’d want a more robust set of traditional spoked wheels with discs. On the other hand, if I was setting up the Century as a fast club bike I’d spec lighter wheels and forgo the discs altogether. Consequently, the Thracian discs end up being a compromise that doesn’t serve either purpose particularly well. The good news is that you can pretty much order the Century with any wheel/brake combination you’d like.
As is usual for most off-the-shelf bents, the gearing on the Century is likely to be too high for most people (I’m always happy to sacrifice a little on the top end to have that low gear when I need it). Seriously, how many people are going to use a 53/11 on a recumbent designed primarily for recreational riding and commuting? I’d much rather see a touring triple up front that provides a more usable range of gears for the average rider. To be fair, this is not something that’s unique to Volae, but is the result of a preponderance of roadie components in the marketplace.
Earlier Volaes had a reputation for having noisy drivetrains – this issue has been resolved. The Century’s dual-idler set-up is quiet and smooth.
The Volae carbon seat is similar to the M5 carbon seat (as on the Bacchetta Aero), but with a slightly longer seat pan. The longer pan makes it possible to run the seat more upright without feeling like you’re slipping off the front. The dual density foam pad has plenty of give while being dense enough to prevent bottoming out on the rigid pan.
The Volae seat mount is the best I’ve used. It’s easy to adjust, it doesn’t slip, and the seat can be removed in less than a minute. Some other bikes with bolt-on carbon seats have a fair amount of lateral flex at the rear of the seat, probably due to less than rigid seat stays. Volae stays are designed as a rigid structure (see photos) and are noticeably stiffer than the others I’ve tried. Combined with the excellent seat mount, they create an unusually strong seat/rear triangle.
Ride Quality
Here’s where the C it’s one of the easiest to ride, smoothest, most predictable, yet fun and zippy short wheelbase recumbents out there.
The Century handles particularly well at low speed. I was able to easily ride it with a pile of camera gear and a bike stand in one hand, while weaving through a tight parking lot at under 5mph. Try that on a high racer or an LWB with tiller steering. Stop-and-go city traffic traffic is no
I was able to effortlessly creep along at walking speed while weaving through pedestrians and waiting for light changes, all the while remaining clipped in.
At speed the Century tracks perfectly (I was even able to ride it with no hands for short distances). The frame is sufficiently stiff without being harsh. It follows a line well through corners, while allowing mid-corner adjustments with no more than a little pressure on the bars. It’s a confidence inspiring bike that begs to be ridden aggressively.
Gauging performance is always a little suspect unless testing is carefully controlled, but I can confidently say the Century is faster than my Tour Easy, but not as fast as my Bacchetta Aero. To be fair, my TE is set-up with expedition quality touring wheels and racks that place it in the 50 lb. range. The Century, with carbon seat, Thracian wheels, and Stelvio tires, weighs in at around 28 lbs.
After riding a Tour Easy everyday for many months, I thought I might not like getting back on an SWB with a hard shell seat. To my surprise, the Volae carbon seat fit me like a glove and is quite comfortable for someone of my build. The longer seat pan makes possible a
this, combined with the Century’s low seat height and relatively low bottom bracket make for a comfortable and exceptionally easy to ride bicycle.
Recommended Uses
Volae describes the Century as their “multi-tool bike”. I have to agree. As it comes stock from the factory, it makes a decent commuter, tourer, or club bike. With a few modifications to tip it one way or the other, the Century should perform exceptionally well in any of these categories. It has the potential to be a particularly good commuter given its friendly low speed handling.
Personal Mods
As mentioned above, the Century is a real chameleon that can do many things with just a few minor modifications. Personally, I’d be interested in this bike as an urban assualt vehicle. First, I’d replace the stock wheels with more robust touring/commuting wheels and tires. I’d add fenders front and rear. I’d swap out the twist shifters and SRAM rear derailleur for bar-ends and an XT Rapid Rise rear derailleur. I’d swap the stock road crank for a . And finally I’d add a
and waterproof panniers. Of course, those are just my preferences and it’s possible to order a Century in any configuration that suits your particular needs.
Final Analysis
The Volae Century is a well-built, versatile, confidence inspiring, and fun recumbent. It does a lot of things pretty well, and with a little fine tuning will do exactly what you want it to do exceptionally well. It would make a great first recumbent, yet it has a lot to offer the seasoned rider. It’s one of the few bikes I’ve ridden that might persuade me to give SWBs another look as my daily ride.
Specifications
Frame: Reynolds 4130 CroMoly
Fork: Volae Aluminum Disc
Seat: Volae Carbon
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X.9
Front Derailleur: MicroShift
Shifters: SRAM X.9
Crankset: Truvativ Rouleur GX 30/39/53t
Bottom Bracket: Truvativ Giga-X Pipe
Cassette: SRAM PG970 11-32t 9spd
Front Brake: Avid BB7 Disc
Rear Brake: Avid BB7 Disc
Brake Levers: Avid FR5
Front Wheel: Velocity Thracian Disc 406mm
Rear Wheel: Velocity Thracian Disc 559mm
Front Tire: Schwalbe Stelvio 28x406mm
Rear Tire: Schwalbe Stelvio 28x559mm
Chain: SRAM PC971
Bottom Bracket Height: 26.5″
Seat Height: 23.5″
Wheelbase: 46″ + (SM – XL)
Weight: 27.5 lbs.
Weight Limit: 250 lbs.
Retail Price: $2295.00
Many thanks to Rick Steele at
for supplying the Volae Century used for this review. Rick is an authorized Volae dealer – give him a call to set up a test ride.
Posted in ,
January 4th, 2008
By now, most of you are probably familiar with
of Hampton, New H their products have been extensively covered on many websites.
DiNotte’s most unique product is their 140L-AA-R tail light. It’s essentially a 3-watt LED headlight with a red emitter in place of the typical white emitter. Much has been said about this light on the newsgroups, with many people raving about its output. I recently picked one up to see what all the fuss is about.
It’s Bright!
Not to repeat the endless superlatives, but to put it simply –
it’s all true. The 140L-AA-R is definitely the brightest tail light available.
On full-power, the 140L-AA-R is bright enough that if you turned it around facing forward you could actually use it as a headlight (don’t do this – it’s illegal). If you ride on trails or commuter routes where you share the road with other cyclists, you’ll definitely want to run the light on one o it’s so bright it will ruin a cyclist’s night vision if they come up directly from behind. Even on the 25% setting, the 140L-AA-R competes favorably with other popular tail lights.
View . [5.9mb MOV]
(Shown next to
for reference.)
The 140L-AA-R boasts 6 modes total with 3 steady-on light levels and 3 flashing modes: slow pulse, rapid pulse, and strobe. The slow pulse mode is similar to the on/off flashing modes of typical LED tail lights, only slower and brighter. The rapid pulse mode is a faster steady flash with a low-level continuous-on light behind it, and in strobe mode the 140L-AA-R fires off five flashes in rapid succession followed by a pause, again with a low-level continuous-on light behind it.
The 140L-AA-R is powered by 4 AA rechargeable NiMH batteries that can be found at most hardware and electronics stores. At first glance this might seem like a disadvantage, but if you’ve recycled as many expensive proprietary batteries as I have (I have a virtual graveyard of expensive lights with dead batteries), you too may grow to like the idea of inexpensive, ubiquitous AA rechargeables. NiMH AAs are readily available and reasonably priced and if you purchase high quality batteries they’ll last quite a long time. (I’ve tried a half-dozen brands of NiMH batteries and so far I’ve had the best luck with
from Thomas Distributing.)
Because it’s essentially a 3-watt headlight, run times for the 140L-AA-R look more like headlight run times than tail light run times. I’m accustomed to seeing tail light run times in the range of 50-100 hours. Even on its lowest setting, the 140L-AA-R tops out at 12 hours. This may be a fair trade for the added safety provided by its extremely high output, but it’s something to be aware of if you aren’t excited about the idea of adding another light to your daily battery charging routine.
Run times based upon 2300mAh batteries:
Steady Mode
100% (Full Power)
Flash Mode
Slow Pulse
Rapid Pulse
Like the majority of DiNotte’s lights, the 140L-AA-R uses a clever and versatile o-ring mounting system. At first glance the mounting method looks a little flimsy, but in practice it has proven to be plenty durable. The mount is designed for attaching to a relatively large diameter tube such as a DF seatpost and consequently it was too loose on my Tour Easy seat brace. I was able to work around the issue by giving the o-ring a couple of twists before attaching (see photo ).
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the ultimate tail light, the DiNotte is it.
The 140L-AA-R has definitely raised the bar and just may change the way we think about tail lights going forward. Whether it’s worth the hefty $169 price tag is a matter of whether you feel you need this much light, and whether you’re willing to accept short run times in a tail light.
Price: $169
Maximum Output: 120 Lumens
In the box: taillight engine, battery bag with battery holder, worldwide smart charger, 4 AA batteries, straps, taillight mount
November 16th, 2007
A Homemade Double Boiler
I’m on a chain lube jag again. (Holy cow – two posts on lube in one week! -ed.). It seems every year or three I take another look at chain lubes, hoping to find the magic elixir that strikes a perfect balance between lubricity and cleanliness. Eons ago I used the old hot wax method as
in the 1992 edition of the Bridgestone catalog. The other day I had a wild hair and decided to give it another shot. Here’s how it’s done.
First you’ll need a 1lb. block of paraffin, available at most grocery stores as ““, or at craft stores as “” (not to be confused with bee’s wax). You’ll also need two pots, one small enough to fit inside the other, or a real ¹. It’s also nice to have an old spoke or a wire coat hanger handy to fish the chain out of the hot wax and hang it to drip dry.
The first time you use the hot wax method you’ll want to sanitize your drivetrain. Remove the chain and strip it using your favorite degreaser. While it’s drying, scrub your chainrings and rear cogs. Use whatever method you’d like, just make sure everything is squeaky clean and dry or the wax will pick up and absorb whatever oily gunk that was leftover, defeating the whole purpose.
Put about 4-5″ of water in the bottom of your large pot and place it on the stove. You’ll need something to use as a spacer to hold your small pot off the bottom of the larger pot – metal cookie cutters work well for this. Place whatever you’re using as a spacer in the bottom of the larger pot, then place the smaller pot on top of that. The water should reach an inch or two above the bottom of the smaller pot. Place the wax block in the smaller pot and bring the water up to a rolling boil.
Once the wax is completely melted and is about the consistency of water, turn the heat down a bit and carefully place your chain in the wax. You’ll notice bubbles eman I’ve been told these bubbles are the air that’s being forced out of the inner pockets of the chain by the wax. Let the chain stew for about 15 the wax will adhere better if the chain gets up to about the same temperature as the wax. Once you’re convinced the chain is sufficiently saturated, turn off the heat and wait about 10 minutes for the wax to partially cool and thicken to about the consistency of syrup.
While the wax is cooling, set-up your bicycle work stand outside. Carry the entire small pot, with the chain and wax still inside, out to your work stand and set it directly under the arm of the stand. Using your old spoke, fish the chain out of the wax and hang the chain on the stand. If done carefully, you won’t lose a drop of wax and your wife won’t kill you for dripping paraffin everywhere. Once the chain is hanging, use a clean, coarse rag to wipe the excess wax from the chain. Leave the remaining wax in the pot to harden for use on another day.
Reinstall your chain and enjoy the clean, silent ride of wax.
The first time out you’ll notice a few wax flecks on your bike – this flaking will subside after the first ride or two.
Expect to get anywhere from 400-700 miles per wax job, depending upon your local conditions (just like with any lube, the nastier the conditions, the sooner you’ll have to re-apply). Be sure to re-wax your chain as soon as it starts squeaking.
Straight paraffin works well in dry conditions, but some people like to add a little Teflon (PTFE) impregnated oil such as Slick 50 to increase its effectiveness in wet conditions². One or two tablespoons of oil per 1 lb. block of wax is plenty. Grant Petersen advocates mixing paraffin with bee’s wax at an 80/20 ratio. Whatever your flavor, adding anything to pure paraffin will increase its stickiness while reducing cleanliness.
Some people claim a waxed chain will not last as long as a chain lubricated with modern synthetic oils. This may be true, but anecdotal evidence seems to support the contrary.
Some people claim a waxed chain will not last as long as a chain lubricated with modern synthetic oils. This may be true, but anecdotal evidence seems to support the contrary. Personally, I put what I’m guessing to be 10,000 miles on a waxed chain back in the 80’s, and I’ve seen claims of up to 15,000 miles. Whatever the numbers, it seems waxing is sufficiently effective to assuage any concerns about bicycle chain life.
I’ve always wondered why waxed chains last as long as they do since it seems, intuitively at least, that wax is not as effective a lubricant as oil. I suspect it may be because wax keeps dirt and grit out of the internal workings of the chain, whereas oils tend to grab abrasive particles and deliver them to the inside of the chain where they do their insidious work. This is from a
done at John Hopkins University in 1999:
The Johns Hopkins engineers made another interesting discovery when they looked at the role of lubricants. The team purchased three popular products used to “grease” a bicycle chain: a wax-based lubricant, a synthetic oil and a “dry” lithium-based spray lubricant. In lab tests comparing the three products, there was no significant difference in energy efficiency. “Then we removed any lubricant from the chain and ran the test again,” Spicer recalls. “We were surprised to find that the efficiency was essentially the same as when it was lubricated.”
The researcher speculates that a bicycle lubricant does not play a critical role under clean lab conditions, using a brand new chain. But it may contribute to energy efficiency in the rugged outdoors. “The role of the lubricant, as far as we can tell, is to take up space so that dirt doesn’t get into the chain,” Spicer says. “The lubricant is essentially a clean substance that fills up the spaces so that dirt doesn’t get into the critical portions of the chain where the parts are very tightly meshed. But in lab conditions, where there is no dirt, it makes no difference. On the road, we believe the lubricant mostly assumes the role of keeping out dirt, which could very well affect friction in the drive train.”
To quote, “The lubricant is essentially a clean substance that fills up the spaces so that dirt doesn’t get into the critical portions of the chain where the parts are very tightly meshed.” That sounds like a perfect description of chain wax to me.
If you just dribble some lube on your chain once every couple of weeks and call it good, all of this double boiler and wax nonsense is probably far too much trouble. On the other hand, if you’re already in the habit of removing your chain periodically to degrease and replenish with fresh lube, you’ll find waxing a simpler process that doesn’t require the use of harsh degreasers. Simply drop the chain in a fresh pot of melted wax and the dirt gets carried away as the old wax is dissolved and replaced.
Very few people still use this antiquated method to lube their chains, but if you like the idea of a super-clean, greaseless, yet well-lubed drivetrain, you might give it a try sometime.
1. CAUTION: Paraffin is flammable. Attempting to melt paraffin without the use of a double boiler may cause a fire.
2. If you live in a waterlogged climate, you’re probably better off to stick with heavy-bodied, oily lubes to guard against rust.
Posted in ,
November 12th, 2007
Last year I wrote
in which I concluded that most cycling-specific chain lubes, and many general purpose lubricants, do a decent job of protecting a drivetrain if applied and maintained as directed by the manufacturer. The trick is finding the product that best fits individual maintenance habits and local conditions.
I also noted that my favorite lube at that time was Dumonde Tech Lite, which I used for approximately 18 months. Prior to using Dumonde, I used ProLink for approximately 2 years. I recently switched back to ProLink.
I ride on roads and paved trails in mostly mild conditions, so I prefer a relatively light and clean lube over a heavier lube that might be more appropriate for wet and muddy conditions. Both Dumonde Tech Lite and ProLink fall into the category of light lubes.
Dumonde is not a bad lube and I really like how quiet it runs. The only lubes I’ve used that are quieter are heavy oils such as Phil’s Tenacious Oil
both are high viscosity and very sticky. But there is a price to pay for a silent drivetrain. The Dumonde “lite” formula is simply a diluted version of the higher viscosity “original” formula, and once the solvent completely evaporates, what’s left is a relatively high viscosity fluid. Contrary to the manufacturer’s claims,
and I found a thorough drivetrain cleaning was required at least every couple of months.
Directly out of the bottle there’s little difference in viscosity between Dumonde and ProLink, but once they’re dry, ProLink is much lighter than Dumonde. It’s a cleaner lube that has very little of the buildup and black gunk of Dumonde. When applied frequently and wiped down regularly, ProLink does a good job of flushing old lube and road grime from the chain. The downside to ProLink’s low viscosity is more drivetrain noise and the need to apply more frequently than Dumonde.
Dumonde’s literature states, “Reapply Dumonde Tech BCL when you begi sound, not appearance, is the best indicator to reapply.” I tried this, but found my chain would sometimes get stiff before it started getting noisy, so I can’t recommend this method. Better to inspect the chain and reapply the lube once the chain starts becoming tacky. In actuality, Dumonde’s recommended method works better for ProLink. Being a lighter lube with little buildup, ProLink gets noticeably noisier as it wears and consequently the sound of the chain is a good indicator for when to reapply.
For someone that wants a totally silent drivetrain, Dumonde is a good choice. But be aware that a silent drivetrain comes at the price of periodic drivetrain overhauls due to Dumonde’s tendency to build up and turn black. For me, ProLink’s lack of buildup and resulting low maintenance requirements are a fair trade for a slightly noisier drivetrain.
October 27th, 2007
I’ve received a number of inquiries regarding my SON hub so I thought I’d address a few of the most frequently asked questions here. -ed.
Why a Generator Hub?
A generator hub makes possible an integrated lighting system that doesn’t rely on access to an electrical power source to recharge batteries. Integrated lighting makes a bike more like other vehicles that provide their own light such as automobiles and motorcycles. A bicycle outfitted with a generator hub has instantaneous lighting available 100% of the time, regardless of external factors, encouraging its use any time of day or night. Generators are particularly useful for tourists, commuters, and randonneurs, or anyone else that requires instantaneous, reliable, self-contained lighting.
First and foremost, people are concerned about how much resistance is introduced with the use of a generator hub.
Why the SON?
The German-made
(Schmidt’s Original Nabendynamo) is a low-drag generator hub, popular among serious bike tourists, commuters, and randonneurs. It is quiet and reliable and will realistically provide 30,000 miles between servicing. The SON weighs ~1.5 lbs. and has significantly less drag than any other generator hub. It’s available in a variety of models to fit most common and some not so common configurations. The SON is covered under a 5-year warranty.
Which Lights?
The SON can be used to power a variety of 6V headlights and tailights including those from , , , and . One can use either a single headlight, dual headlights, or a single headlight in combination with a hard-wired, dedicated tail light.
Dynamo powered headlights produce less light than battery-powered HID and next-generation LED headlights. Some light manufacturers compensate for this by utilizing optics that focus the beam to take maximum advantage of the available lumens. Even still, these lights don’t compete directly with the latest high-lumen battery systems. I find the quantity of light from my generator system more that adequate, particularly when , but others may differ on this.
The $64 Question
First and foremost, people are concerned about how much resistance is introduced with the use of a generator hub. The SON produces very little drag when the light is off. When the light is on, the amount of drag is slightly noticeable at low speed, but decreases as speed increases (see table below)¹. At high speeds and on climbs, the added resistance is a very small percentage of the total power required to propel the bike. The amount of drag is also affected by the particular light set-up used. As more current is drawn there is more resistance at the hub, consequently dual light set-ups produce more drag.
Speed Reduction w/Light On
-0.36 km/h
Generator hubs are by no means a panacea, but speaking for myself, the advantages offered by an integrated, reliable, battery-free bike lighting system are well worth the expense and performance losses. The SON is unquestionably the best of breed and provides the greatest reliability with the lowest drag of any generator hub available.
1. Heine, J., 2005: Testing the Efficiency of Generator Hubs. Bicycle Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4, p. 30.
September 13th, 2007
There’s nothing worse than taking a big swig from a plastic water bottle on a scorching hot day and getting a mouthful of chemical water. Besides being extremely unpalatable, there is growing evidence that the chemicals that leach out of plastic bottles can be harmful to your health.
In our search for a greener, safer alternative, we discovered the stainless steel water bottles from Klean Kanteen.
Klean Kanteens are made from sanitary grade, electropolished 304 L.N. (18/8) stainless steel that is non-leaching, inert, and toxin-free. This is the same stainless that is widely used in the dairy, brewing, and food industries. KK’s are available in four sizes (12oz, 18oz, 27oz & 40oz) with either a stainless steel cap or sport cap. The 18oz and 27oz sizes fit standard water bottle cages, and the 40oz fits nicely in a seat bag or pannier.
These are very nice bottles that provide a taste-and-odor-free alternative to plastic water bottles – highly recommended.
(The Sierra Club)
(The National Geographic Green Guide)
(Company Website)
(TreeHugger)}