THE FOLDING SOCIETY
FOLDING SOCIETY NEWS
Issue 66 - 14 December 2000
EDITORIAL
Things tend to be rather quiet at this time of year from the
point of view of folder news, so this is a rather short issue of
FSN. With Christmas and the new year coming up, we have adjusted
publication dates a little, as it seems unlikely that people will
be rushing to log on to their computers and read the latest issue
of FSN on Christmas and New Year's eves. This issue is thus about
a week later than normal, and there will be a three week gap until
the next issue, though if any important news appears in the
meantime we will either send out a flyer or bring forward the
publication date.
All this means that this is the last issue before Christmas
and the last issue of the year 2000, so we take this opportunity
to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. We
hope you have all had a very enjoyable year's cycling and
travelling in general, and that next year will be even better. We
could certainly hope for some better weather next year in the UK
- it's been very wet, especially the last few months, although
against that we can put the fact that it has also been much
warmer so far than is usual for autumn and winter.
On my bikes
The weather and a cold have meant that once again I haven't
been riding much over the last few weeks. The Newt (Bike Friday
New World Tourist) has been designated winter hack bike, and has
therefore been used for all but two of my outings. During the
last inspection I found that the tyres (Schwalbe City Jets) had a
couple of bad cuts, so although there was plenty of rubber left
elsewhere I decided to replace them. After my experience with the
APB earlier in the year, I decided to fit Schwalbe City Marathons
this time. Distance covered is fairly low so far, but it tends to
confirm my impressions with these tyres on the APB. Although the
City Jet has a reputation for low rolling resistance, I've found
them slightly disappointing, especially if they aren't kept right
up to the recommended maximum pressure, and the shape of the tyre seems
to make them a bit nervous on some surfaces, particularly very
coarse gravel/pebbles. The City Marathons seem to roll more
freely even when a bit under recommended maximum pressure (which
is actually slightly higher than that for the City Jet), they
certainly have a more pronounced tread, and they seem rather less
nervous and also seem to grip a bit better. These are subjective
impressions - I haven't done any measurements, but I think that
overall I'm happier with them for the bikes on which I use tyres
in this category, namely the Newt and APB. For lowest resistance,
but lower life and greater potential vulnerability to punctures,
the Continental GP as used on the New Series Moulton seems fine -
just as well as it's not possible to fit anything else on that
bike! The main problem with the Newt over the last few weeks has
been that the
gears were completely messed up - the hub (Sachs 3x7)
works fine, but the derailleurs refused to index properly. Two
complete overhauls have failed to solve the problem; the
symptoms suggested cabling problems, but they were renewed only
about 6 months ago, and checks gave no indication that they are
sticking. A major overhaul was finally carried out on Tuesday, involving
replacing almost the entire derailleur part of the system, and
the weather today permitted an extended ride from the university
to Hampton in Arden, which proved that everything is now working
perfectly again.
One other bike to go out in the last three weeks has been
the Airnimal, which I used for the Origami Ride at Meriden on
Saturday 9th December. Despite the recent poor weather and the
time of year, we had over a dozen people there, although not all
of them went on the ride. John Pinkerton, returned
(at least temporarily) from his travels, was there to lead the
ride, and we had very pleasant weather for it, disproving the
theory that the weather is bad when he is there! The
folders/separables which went out on the shortish ride were 4
Bromptons, and one each of Panasonic Traincle, Birdy Red, AM
Moulton and Airnimal Chameleon - unusually few Moultons for an
Origami Ride, and no Bike Fridays, but otherwise a nice variety
of machines. After lunch in Berkswell, the group split up, with
some going back home, others to Hampton in Arden station, and the
remainder returning to Meriden. Those of us going to the station
were lucky - just after we arrived there was heavy rain, but we
were able to shelter until the rather late arrival of the train.
The only disappointment of the day was that, unlike the last 3
years, there was no Father Christmas and free mince pies on the
train into Birmingham that morning.
Due to the weather, I hadn't had the Airnimal out since
Portmeirion except for this Origami Ride. On the ride it
performed beautifully again, and made riding an effortless
exercise - apart from the fact that the wind was rather gusty, I
would have thought it was behind us all the way the ride was so
relaxed. After using the Newt for the intervening period, I was
again conscious that the rear suspension and carbon fibre forks
make the ride of the Airnimal more comfortable than the Newt. The
only down side was that the narrow Kenda tyres of the Airnimal do
seem rather lacking in grip on wet surfaces, particularly if
there is any trace of mud, dead leaves or anything else, and I
ride very warily in these conditions; I think I will have to try
one of the other tyres for winter riding, though the Kendas
perform beautifully in more favourable conditions, and with their
low rolling resistance would remain a good choice at other times.
Another Airnimal owner has described how the front mudguard can
be used without impeding folding (see Letters section), but after
my experience at Portmeirion I still haven't fitted one, as the
narrow tyre and large section frame seem to keep me quite clean
and dry - in fact I seemed to get wetter and dirtier on the Newt
with a front mudguard over the last few weeks. Apart from the
tyres, the only other change I have in mind is the fitting of a
different sprocket set, giving a slightly wider spacing and a
lower bottom gear - I haven't been defeated by a hill yet, but I
was on the limits a couple of times at Portmeirion with a heavier
load on board.
The other bike to get an outing was the old Brompton T5 - not
used for nearly two months; it was used earlier this week, both
because of the gear problems on the Newt and because I wanted to
go into Jessops in Birmingham, and it's easier to carry the
Brompton than find somewhere to safely chain the Bike Friday.
Despite the fact that the Brompton cables are badly kinked now,
and are overdue for replacement, the only problem I had with the
bike was when I unfolded it home and the chain fell off -
confirming my impressions that this is more of a problem when the
bike is not being used frequently.
Next issue
In the next issue we shall have a brief personal review of the
year's cycling, plus of course news and anything else relevant.
The planned date for the next issue if 7th January 2001.
Format
If you receive this issue of FSN in a plain text form,
please remember that a formatted version is available on our web pages at
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/fsn/fsn066.html,
and you can receive the formatted version (suitable for reading with a web
browser) just be emailing us to let us know you prefer this version.
NEWS
The Taiwanese company Sun Race is reported to have bought the
Sturmey-Archer name, designs, intellectual property rights etc.
The company is to change its name from Sun Race Roots Enterprise
Co., Ltd to Sun Race Sturmey-Archer Inc, and the European and USA
operations will adopt a similar form of name. It is reported that
the company will produce hubs and spares from the factory in
Taiwan, with production starting in January 2001, and shipping
starting in March/April. For 2002, " a very special surprise product based on the
patent pending technology" is being promised.
The Giant Halfway now seems to be available in this country -
one member - Tim Pestridge, the A to B illustrator - reports he has bought one, and another at the Origami
Ride mentioned seeing one in a shop in Cheltenham - it had
disappeared, presumably sold, a few days later. This is a Mike
Burrows design, at least originally (rumours suggest that he was
not entirely happy with some aspects of the final production
version), and has mono-blade forks - handy for puncture repairs
apart from anything else. We hope to have a full report at some point
in the future from Tim, but these are his initial
impressions:
"I can tell you that it's drastically undergeared, any
normal human will find themselves spinning along frantically at
15mph. But the quality is high, the components good and the
design is very very satisfying, lovely welds, and a superb hinge
catch... Take a look at the new pics at www.pestridge.com/cycle.html#halfway".
Above: Two pictures by Tim Pestridge from his web
site (reproduced with his permission) showing his Giant
Halfway unfolded and folded.
FURTHER ADVENTURES ON A BIRDY, OR HOW TO DROWN USING SPDs
By Dick Hanson
Having owned Mike Hessey's Birdy Red for
most of 2000 I can now give further impressions following my
original article (FSN Issue 50).
The Red has served me very well, being the
preferred choice for local journeys and most of the Origami rides
this year. Points in its favour include, light weight,
comfortable and smooth ride and excellent gear changing and
range. The way the bike is set up makes it easy to ride in any
terrain, hill climbing being no problem and top gear being
perfect for cruising along flat roads with the wind behind you.
Initially I was slightly concerned that the
low pressure of the tyres would mean poor rolling resistance.
However this has never been a problem and gradually I have
increased the pressure. I now run the tyres at about 65lb and
have never felt there is any hint that they will blow off the
rims (the recommended pressure is about 40psi). [These are the
Vredestein tyres which I had on the bike when Dick bought it -
although marked as 40psi, a sticker suggested running them a
little harder; they seemed relatively free running at these
designed, low pressures, and indeed were noticeably freer
running than the latest Birdy tyres rated at much higher pressure
- MFH]
My biggest gripe is that the bike is rather
a pain to fold. The cranks must be set in exactly the right
position before you start and inevitably, you always get grease
and dirt all over your hands. This contrasts badly with my
Brompton which is a relief to fold after the Birdy, but of course
comes nowhere near the Birdy's ride. The other slight criticism
is the riding position. Unusually I like a very upright position
and find the Birdy makes me lean forward slightly more than I
prefer. I have considered buying an adjustable comfort stem, but
the cost puts me off.
I've now fitted SPD pedals, the first time
I've ever used them. They take a bit of getting used to, but
riding definitely seems a lot easier. Now everybody you speak to
has a story of how they fell over when they first tried SPDs.
Mike Hessey will tell you how on one occasion his feet refused to
release and he ended up falling over after colliding with his
garage door! [I was sober at the time - I just ran out of
space trying to get out of the pedals when I reached the door.
Unfortunately the next door neighbour witnessed this incident,
and I'm sure she must have concluded that I was under the
influence! - MFH] On my first lengthy ride I was smugly congratulating
myself on how I was going to be the person who never fell over,
when I inexplicably failed to release from the pedals and
gracefully crashed to the floor at a road junction just half a
mile from home in Cheltenham. Anyway, more of SPDs later.
Incidentally, ask most people what SPD stands for and they will
be at a loss; another example of how we are increasingly using
initials and acronyms without having a clue what they mean.
(Shimano Pedalling Dynamics, whatever that means!)
Sunday 26 November dawned dry and reasonably
sunny so I decide to take the Birdy for another outing. It was a
novelty to be on dry roads with the prospect of little or no
rain. I decided to take the route that I had used for the July
Origami ride. This was from Cheltenham to the Boat Inn at
Ashleworth.
The Boat is a favourite destination for
cyclists and on a Sunday you will usually find various friendly
people to have a chat with. However, this is not always the case
as I found when I visited the pub one Thursday evening when I was
planning the Origami ride. On that occasion I met two older dyed
in the wool CTC riders who met my friendly advances with
monosyllabic answers and definitely didn't want to prolong the
conversation with one of those awful people on a funny small
wheeled bike, who obviously wasn't a 'proper' cyclist!
The day was quite blowy with the wind
against me on the way out, but the Birdy coped very well as usual
and I sailed along quite happily. The day before there had been
torrential rain and I did wonder whether the Severn was still in
flood. I had heard that the major floods from a couple of weeks
previously had subsided, so hoped for the best. The rains from
the day before had not really had time to take effect I reasoned.
On the lane to Wainlode Hill streams of
water were washing across the road, not a good sign. The crunch
point comes when you reach the top of the hill and look down over
the Severn Valley. In bad conditions this is like looking out
over somewhere like Derwent Water in the Lake District. Today the
outlook was not too bad, some flooded fields, but also a fair
amount of dry land. The Red Lion car park at the foot of the hill
was still intact and the lane was above water as far as I could
see. Flying down past the Red Lion I encountered a sign 'Road
Closed'. There was also a fair amount of flood debris everywhere,
which was slightly ominous.
Ever the optimist I decided to carry on,
hoping that the road closed sign was left over from the previous
flood. No chance! Very soon I came upon a completely flooded
section of road. This was about three hundred yards long before a
slight humped back bridge rose out of the water. I was unable to
see what was beyond this, but a dry road seemed a possibility. As
luck would have it, a horse rider was just setting off through
the flood, so I could observe his progress before making a
decision whether to proceed or not.
The horse and rider carried on at a
leisurely pace and as far as I could see the water was not very
deep and didn't appear to vary much in depth. I should have
observed the distant horse more carefully!
The road was apparently completely flat and
from memory, I couldn't visualise any horrific pot holes to catch
me unawares, especially if I kept to the centre of the road.
Taking a deep breath, I set off in what turned out to be rather a
high gear. Initially there was no problem. The water was about
three inches deep and I could easily see the road surface beneath
the bike. 'This is fine', I thought. However, at first
imperceptibly and then quite rapidly the water began to get
deeper and deeper. 'It can't get that deep surely', I reasoned,
'as I've just seen that horse go through it.'
The first serious signs were my feet going
under water at each pedal revolution. Oh well, wet feet isn't the
end of the world. But then things started to get a bit serious as
the Birdy's wheels were up to their axles. From this point is was
becoming clear that it was going to be a struggle to keep the
bike upright, the resistance of wheels, pedals, gear mech, bottom
bracket etc were making it extremely difficult to pedal in such a
high gear in this depth of water. I was now going so slowly that
changing gear was impossible. It also dawned on me at this point
that there was no way I was going to get my feet out of the SPD
pedals at this speed. Stopping was not an option, as complete
submersion would result as the bike and I toppled over! I've
never put so much effort into pedalling in my life and it was
really touch and go whether I would reach the other side. I did
make it, but on reaching dry land the scene that confronted me on
the other side of the hump back bridge was a vast lake as far as
the eye could see and a Landrover apparently stuck in the
distance on what may or may have not have been the road.
The horse
rider and I looked at each other and laughed. 'Do you think it's
worth going on', he said. There was no way I was going to risk
going any further and considering the plight of the Landrover,
turning back was the only option. The horse rider bid me farewell
and set off back.
Before
ploughing back through the flood I realised that a little thought
was necessary before attempting the return journey. Firstly,
select a very low gear. Secondly, make sure that I wasn't totally
clipped into the SPDs. By this time I had just about got my
breath back and the horse rider was well in front, so I set off.
Things were easier in a low gear, but pedalling whilst not
correctly attached to the SPDs was not that easy. At least I
didn't feel I was about to topple over at any moment, to quite
the same degree as on the outward journey.
Once the
Birdy had reverted from an amphibious craft to a road vehicle
once more, I stopped to chat to a cyclist who had been watching
me with interest. 'Have you come all the way through from the
main road?' he enquired. I explained that I had only arrived from
the dry land he could see in the distance. It was difficult to
get the words out as I was panting so much. It turned out that he
also was on his way to the Boat and was a CTC member (not dyed in
the wool though!).
We decided that the only thing to do was to
turn round and retrace our route back to the A38. My new
companion knew a high level way round to the Boat, but I wasn't
certain that even some of this wouldn't be under water.
I decide to return to Cheltenham and after a
pleasant ride and chat together we parted company at the A38. I
wished him well as he set off north and set off south for home.
One reason I didn't accompany him was that I had no lights and
the day was getting on by now.
After being blown home by the wind that had
been against me on the way out, I arrived back still with very
wet and rather cold feet and lower legs. The first thing my wife
said was, 'You could have been drowned!' Could one really drown,
firmly attached to a bike by SPDs? The thought hadn't occurred to
me; I was too busy thinking about getting soaking wet if I fell
over. You could imagine the headline in the local paper:
Bizarre
accident – local cyclist drowns locked on to miniature bicycle
At the Origami Ride, on 9th, Dick reported that after writing this
article he had failed to extract himself from the SPDs on the
approach to another flood, but fortunately the water was not deep
enough to drown in!
MOULTON
Ferreting out 17 inch tyres
By Tom Shaddox
[The new Bridgestone tyres for the older AM Moultons and the new
Bridgestone Moulton have been in circulation for a few weeks now,
but we haven't seen any reports on their performance. This report
first appeared on the Moulton emailing list, and is reproduced
with the author's permission - MFH].
I took two identical 12 mile rides on my AM7 today. The first
was on a pair of brand new Wolber (technically, Michelin) tyres that I
bought to put away for a planned restoration of my '84 in 14 more years,
and the second was on the new Bridgestones I received from Doug
Milliken on
Saturday. Neither seemed significantly harder to mount, and they both
fit the rim in the same hand-in-glove way. I aired both sets of
tyres up
to 100 psi. This is the sidewall pressure on the Bridgestones and
also the pressure at which I have run Wolbers for the last ten years.
The tyres are almost exactly the same size and profile. If anyone was
hoping for a radically different tyre that would change the nature of the
bike, well, the new Bridgestone isn't that tyre. Of course, the Wolbers
have a ribbed tread, and the Bridgestones are basically a slick with
some small, decorative siples. The tread on the Bridgestones runs a
little truer as the tires are spun, but no characteristic of this is
noticable when riding.
On the ride, the Wolbers seemed to maybe roll a tad easier,
and the Bridgestones seemed to damp high frequency pavement buzz a
skosh more. The differences were so slight that they were probably just in
my head. That's really about it.
Of course, important stuff like whether one or the other wears
longer or gets fewer flats is far beyond what can be discovered in 12
miles. Also in the future, I'm interested whether a controlled,
instrumented rolling resistance test confirms or contradicts my subjective
impressions. For the present, I have always liked the Wolbers
and I think I'm really going to like the Bridgestones as well.
LETTERS
Paul Whitehead writes on the subject of lights:
"Firstly, thanks for your dedication in producing such an
interesting and long running 'magazine'. It's a shame that paper
magazines can't manage to do the same - I will really miss 'Bycycle'.
On to lighting. I notice that there has been much comment
recently about lights on bikes now that we are all spending a fair amount of
time cycling at night. I am one of the people who ride on pitch black country
roads with no street lighting for miles around. I am sure that LED's at the
front are fine in cities and towns (in fact I know they are as I've used them
for years). However, in the inky blackness bright lights do have a
significant advantage. I ride a Birdy home from work most days (me and the bike get a
lift there in the morning), a distance of about 17 miles. Apart from a 2 mile
lit stretch through Wetherby, the rest is like the proverbial coal cellar.
A few months ago, when the dark nights started drawing in, I was using a
Cateye front light with a xenon bulb and rechargable 'ordinary'
batteries; I think the light was rated about 0.5 Watts. This was just about managable so long
as the road was dry and there was a white line to follow. I thought about
getting brighter lights but wasn't sure until I talked to some other regular
cycling owls. I did my research and ordered a couple of Vistalite lights (a 5
Watt and a 15 Watt). What (or should that be Watt) a difference! I can actually see
where I'm going instead of groping my way along. I have knocked 10
minutes off my journey time as I don't need to keep slowing down to see where
I'm going. Also, part of my route takes me through dense woodland in
which my overactive mind makes me believe there are mad axe-men and monsters from
hell. At least it did with a puny light. Now I have my bright lights I sail
through with an unconcerned swagger (difficult on a bicycle but not impossible
with practice). I like the Vistalite system very much, it is relatively
compact, works well - even in torrential rain - and is very bright. The two
down-sides I have come across are 1) the battery life (I have 2 NimH batteries), is a
little short at about 45 minutes per battery when the bulb is sucking at 15
Watts and 2) the cost - £150 for lights is not to be taken lightly (no pun
intended). I have no personal experience with other systems, but I'm sure
other readers do....
The main point of the letter is to say, if you cycle on unlit
country roads in the dark then seriously think about getting some bright
lights - you won't regret it!"
Pat Strachan has some further comments on tyres for
the Airnimal, lighting, and Dennis Duggan's remarks about riding
on shared paths:
"Congratulations on your new purchase and belated birthday
greetings. Another enjoyable edition of FSN too. Like you I have
not found the lack of front mudguard to be a problem. I intend
using a clip on mudguard - as designed for mountain bikes - over
the rear wheel which can simply pull off when folding.
I was interested in your comments on tyre choice - I believe
that the trend towards racing tyres is from 24inch wheels being
used in triathlon and some time trial machines - beyond the reach
of the UCI that is!
As for lights I would heartily recommend the latest TREK LEDs
- they emit a blue light with powerful beam - unlike any LED
before! They cost about £15 but I think they are worth every
penny.
Finally can I respond to Dennis Duggan's comments (and thank
you for defending me!). I agree entirely that cyclists should
slow down on shared use paths and priority should be given to
pedestrians. That's why if I want to go somewhere in a hurry, I
use the roads. My point had been that I had averaged 16mph in
spite of part of the ride being on the path - it would have been
higher if I had stuck to the road, and apologise if I did not
make that clear. Yes I did have to slow down for the dogs (and I
do think its not asking too much for owners to not let their dogs
stray on an extendable lead across the path of cyclists (or
other users)) but am happy to slow down when passing people
and/or dogs (or horses), always do so and making a point of
thanking them when I do so - if they have been considerate they
know it is appreciated, if they haven't been, perhaps they will
be next time!"
Simon Davies, another Airnimal owner, has some additional
comments following on from my report:
"Just scanned through the start of the latest foldsoc news. I
notice you are having problems folding with the front mudguard on. What I do
is to turn the handle bar through 180 degrees so that it is pointing at
back of the bike. This way the back end folds up fine (although you may
have to anchor the front mud guard stays part way up the front fork. You also
need to fold the seat tube before turning the bars. This gives you a
package that is some what smaller than what you would have had with the bars
pointing forward as they are now 'in board'. I asked Richard Loke about
this procedure in case it invalidated the warranty or anything
silly like that and he said it was fine and that they do it themselves.
A couple of nags I have - if you fit a bottle cage behind the
seat tube then you can't fold it any more because the top of the cage hits the
stem - Hopefully a little remanufacturing with the trusty hacksaw should sort
this. Also, when I took delivery of mine, the first time that I used the
big sprocket the rear mech hit the spokes, luckily I stopped before any
damage was done. The rim quality appears a little lacking too as the
join in the rim is not well aligned and can be felt through the brakes which,
no doubt, will lead to faster pad wear."
Thanks for the tip about the mudguard - I found so little
dirt and moisture reached me when riding without the 'guard that
I'm actually going to leave it off anyway for the present. I
think that the bottle cage problem depends a bit on the type of
cage - the one Richard Loke had on his bike seemed to have
minimal upper extension, and wasn't a problem. I briefly fitted a
TA (?) cage on mine, and that seemed to just clear, but it was
removed because I couldn't get the saddle bag QR, rear lamp and
cage on the back with the fairly low saddle position that I have.
As there is only the one set of bottle bosses, I still need to
work out a suitable way of mounting all this paraphernalia.
Dennis Duggan takes me to task regarding my comment
about bells in the last issue:
"Can I discuss your comments about
bicycle bells in the latest FSN, please? You say you hate
the things, and can shout louder and quicker than ringing a
bell.
Speaking as a pedestrian, I am one
of the people who have a 'fetish', as you put it, about bikes
and bells. If I am walking along, minding my own business
on a shared path, I appreciate the discreet 'ding' from
the bell of a polite and considerate cyclist approaching from
the rear.
On hearing this I am happy to step
aside, though only one rider in fifty shows any consideration to
walkers or other traffic. I do not object to a polite
'excuse me please,' either, but I certainly take exception if
someone shouts at me to get out of their way. The natural
response to this is to deliberately obstruct the cyclist.
If course, if you are riding along
the road and a pedestrian looks as if he/she is likely to step
in to the road, that is a totally different matter, and a
warning shout is justified, as well as being beneficial to both
parties.
So there is surely a case for both
bells and yells, but a bell is preferable as it is more likely
to promote harmony rather than discord. Speaking as a
cyclist, when I use my bell I usually receive co-operation from
pedestrians, and many thank me for being considerate.
Hope you will not take my comments
personally, but I am entitled to my point of view and the subject
is an important one."
I'm afraid some aspects of this reaction just go to support my view
about attitudes to bells - in my article I immediately followed, in the same sentence,
the remark about shouting louder with the following, "...or
make gentler noises if this is more appropriate". Well over 50% of the time I find
that sounding a bell has no effect - whether this is because it is inaudible or the
person at whom it is directed is unwilling to respond in any way I'm not sure. In an
emergency, a shout is more likely to be heard and can be done more quickly, and
at other times deliberately making mechanical noises (flicking the brake levers to produce loud clicks)
seems just as effective, and is probably politer than sounding a bell, which
might be taken to imply a 'demand' to be given right of way.
Like Pat Strachan, see letter above, I usually make a point of
saying thank you while passing pedestrians etc on paths.
David Edge writes with some comments on the use of
dynamos on Bromptons:
"This is almost exactly what your correspondent doesn't want to
hear - it's all down to installation and nothing to do with make and
model. We used to use Axas and they lasted no longer than the old
Brompton cheapie sold in four packs - a year. We now use the Nordlicht silver ones. The first few lasted but
months, but the current ones have done a couple of years. Keep your
receipt anyway! Remember that the dynamo on a folded or parked Brompton sits
upside down dripping water and salt into the bearing. Better to leave it
the right way up after a wet trip. The Nordlicht doesn't work well with the standard roller. The
CTC tell you this after you complain. Your best to buy the
auxiliary big
rubber ring and the metal roller and see which works. Neither will
compensate for misalignment. Alignment is critical. I have replaced Raleigh Record tyres
with Brompton tyres and the dynamo track is higher - hence there is an angle
between roller and track and dynamo doesn't work in wet.
There is, I believe, a Brompton rear carrier stay that will
accommodate dynamos of different sizes. I haven't seen it, but am trying
to buy one. Of the two models mentioned by your correspondent, one has a
screw adjustment of tension rather than depending on the user
bashing the carrier stay. Afraid I can't recall which. That said, the Nordlicht
appears to exert good force over a long arc. The choice of hand depends on how you mount it. Ralf's ancient Brompton
has an Axa fitted by a previous owner to the steel carrier and it is
left-handed, mounted behind the stay. This pulls the roller against the
tyre and prevents sliping, but with an alloy stay would probably bend the stay
outwards and pull through.
I want my bike to just work when I pick it up - I have
problems with the idea of battery lights. However, my Brompton rear bulbs only
last a year, so I think that a rear LED is worthwhile. I have a front white
one for emergencies - but it is seldom visible because of my low bars
and monster front bag.
Jon Dreyer Rensmoen is another who offers some
thoughts on dynamos:
"In a side remark to Elaine Spencer's question about whether a
Lightspin or a Busch & Müller S6 dynamo would work on her
Brompton, you
share with us your own bad experience with dynamos: ...'slipping when the
tyres are wet has been such a problem that I had to carry battery lights as well
as the dynamo...'. Slipping on wet tyres might be a problem with many dynamos. I
use the Busch & Müller S6 dynamo on my Fold-it. My experience with the
S6 dynamo with the wire brush roller, is that it doesn't slip. This autumn has
been extremely wet here in Oslo where I am located, with wet tyres every day
since the beginning of October. And there has been no slipping at all. I
strongly recommend this dynamo, which rolls very lightly on the wheel.
I am sorry that I can't answer Elaine's question about how it would fit
her Brompton, but since she has had another bottle dynamo on, I don't
see any reason why the B&M S6 shouldn't fit. I hope other FSN readers can
give more precise answers on this.
I am very fond of my Busch & Müller lighting system. In
addition to the S6 dynamo, I use the Lumotec Oval plus front light and the
DToplight plus rear. Both has standlight, so the light continues to shine also when
I have to do traffic stops. The front lamp has a beautiful bluish white
standlight. When using a dynamo to power the lights, one doesn't have to
worry about burning time left in the batteries etc. I have used lights
also on most of my daytime rides this very dark and wet autumn, knowing that
as long as I pedal on, I will produce my own light."
Evelyn MacMillan writes:
"I was wondering if anybody has heard of a Breezer Alternative
folding bicycle. It was made by a California company and
according to the two reports that I can get it is supposed to be
really light and not a bad bike to ride. Maybe some American
readers can help....I am now consumed with curiosity!!!"
SALES AND WANTS
If you have a folder,
separable, or accessories to dispose of, or you want to buy, you can use the
Sales and Wants page (http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/sandw.html). If you want to
have something put on the list, just email us the details (mike@foldsoc.co.uk) - there is no charge,
but please let us know when it is sold so that we can take it off
the list. As I strongly suspect that I am not being told when
items are sold, I intend to introduce some changes to the Sales
and Wants section. In future all entries will be dated, and will
be deleted after 3 months unless a request is received to retain
the entry on the list. However, please do still tell us as soon
as anything is sold, so that we can remove it and avoid creating
annoyance to those using the list. Take all normal precautions
when buying and selling goods - the Folding Society and its
officers are not responsible for the descriptions and products
and services contained in the Sales & Wants list.
EVENTS
The events listed below are a combination of those organised
by Folding Society members or of potential interest to members.
Remember that cycling can be dangerous (so is travelling by
car, bus, train, air or water, breathing and living!); anyone
participating in any way in any event does so at their own risk.
Saturday 6th January - Mud Dock
Although there is no official organiser, the gatherings on the first Saturday
of the month at Mud Dock in Bristol are still taking place and
receiving good support. Meet at Mud Dock from about 10.30am
onwards.
Saturday 13th January - Origami Ride
The next Origami
Ride will be at its usual location, starting from the Tearooms at
Meriden: arrive from 10.30 for an 11.00 start. For more information, contact John Pinkerton on 0121 350 0685, email
pinkertn@mwfree.net, or look at his web site at
http://www.users.mwfree.net/~pinkertn/origami.html.
Friday 11th - Sunday 13th May 2001 - Informal
Folder/Separable gathering in Weymouth
Early notification of the dates of our annual informal gathering
in Weymouth - no so much a Forum, more a way of life! Nothing
organised, just take things as they come. Typically meet up at
the Pavilion between 10:00 and 10.30 am for activities during the
day, and 7:00 pm in the evening. More details (if there are any -
it is informal) nearer the time.
A to B Magazine
A to B Magazine remains the ultimate source of
authoritative information on folding cycles. In the unlikely event that you
aren't aware of A to B and/or don't read this magazine, then we would
urge you to take out a subscription without delay. A to B can be found on the
web pages at http://www.a2bmagazine.demon.co.uk,
or you can email them at post@a2bmagazine.demon.co.uk, or
they can be reached by telephone or fax on 01963 351649, address 19 West Park,
Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7DB, England. A subscription to A to B is only
£10 per year in the UK, or $24, and the magazine is published ever two
months and is packed with news, reviews and other interesting information on
effective integrated transport systems in general, and folding cycles in
particular.
Note: The views expressed by contributors
and correspondents are those of the writers, and are not
necessarily those of The Folding Society or its organisers.
Back Numbers
Back numbers of all issues of Folding Society News are
available on our web site - go to
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/fsn/fsn.html
for the full list.
Contributing material for FSN
We would very much welcome articles, photographs or any other material
for inclusion in future issues of FSN, or on our web pages. Please send any
material to The Folding Society at the address given below. However, if you
are planning to send pictures by email, please send them at an
appropriate resolution to avoid high telephone bills - a JPEG
picture of 50K or less
is ample for use in FSN or on the web pages.
The Folding Society
email: mike@foldsoc.co.uk
Web:
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk
If
you have any news or other information of interest to other members of the
Folding Society, please email us at the above address.
If for some reason you wish to be removed from this mailing list, please
send a message to this effect to the same email address.
All information given here is provided in good faith, but no
responsibility can be taken for errors or for any consequences arising from the
publication of this information.
Return to FSN index | Folding Society home page
Copyright (C)2000 Ferrets Anonymous
Last updated:
14 December 2000
URL:
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/fsn/fsn066.html