Rack Off!

[nuppynup]

What O Chaps! I've recently bought a second-hand Kalkhoff Pro Connect (Alfine model) to serve for my daily commute - a round distance of about 22 miles. Generally I am quite pleased with the bike though I do find it gives quite a harsh ride so I've ordered some Big Apples to compensate. I have also been considering swapping out the fork for a spare carbon one I have, I guess I'll see what affect the change in tyres make first. I would also like to take it up a notch and have ordered an 18 tooth rear and an 11 tooth front sprocket.

Another issue I have is the difficulty in changing gear on steep hills. I have trouble changing down and pretty much have to stop pedalling to get it in gear - is this normal? One other bone of contention is the rear rack - it is angled down towards the seat tube. Looking on line it seems to be a fairly common feature of these bikes - the latest models mostly seem to have rectified this anomaly. I am sufficiently annoyed by this intrusion to my horizontal sensibilities that I'm considering swapping it out for a Blackburn one off my tourer. Have any other PC users had this issue and if so were you able to solve it?

 

[flecc]

The need to pause pedalling or at least ease pedal pressure on hub gears when changing gear, especially downwards, is normal, despite Shimano's claims to the opposite. It's the downside to the advantage of stationary gear changing ability. Some element of anticipating the need for a lower gear before reaching a critical point helps considerably.

Sorry I can't help on the rack question, hopefully someone else can.

 

[steveindenmark]

Another thing I have found with changing gear so it goes in smoother is to change much earlier than you would on your normal bike. You have to experiment to find the right slots for the gears to drop into.

I must admit I am a clunk and crash man but then my other bike is a Moto Guzzi.

Steve

 

[PJM]

Now 'Clunk and Crash' brings back memories of a Norton Commando. As to the rack issue could you not just make up a couple of custom plates to extend the fitting to level it off. Bit like a pissed picture on a wall drives you mad.

 

[JamesC]

One other bone of contention is the rear rack - it is angled down towards the seat tube. Looking on line it seems to be a fairly common feature of these bikes - the latest models mostly seem to have rectified this anomaly. I am sufficiently annoyed by this intrusion to my horizontal sensibilities that I'm considering swapping it out for a Blackburn one off my tourer. Have any other PC users had this issue and if so were you able to solve it?

You describe your Pro Connect as the Alfine model - I guess that it is a more recent mdel than the 2008 Nexus model that I am familiar with.

On my PC, the rack can be rotated to make it horizontal other than the fact that the stays for the rear mudguard attach to the rack behind the light. This limits the available adjustment.

The 2008 model also used relatively narrow mudguards which would likely need changing for the Big Apple tyres.

I have changed the mudguards to SKS Chromoplastic P50, using the stays provided. The P50 suits 700x40 tyres well, and the fixing is independent of the rack, which can now be adjusted to suit.

James