the bike of tomorrow

[Joe]

In view of recent posts highlighting the problems of heavy traffic and poor driving skills and the state of disrepair of our roads is the bike of the future one with the biggest tyres, stonking suspension and enough on power to twistgrip out of trouble when need arises?

sounds like what i have just left behind with my piaggio scooter.

 

[Ian]

I think the legal power limitations of an electric bike rule out much of that, plus the inevitability of pedelec only availability in the near future. To me an electric bike is first and foremost a bicycle and I'd like it to stay that way.

My own vision of the future is better segregation with many more dedicated cycle paths. Cycle paths don't seem to suffer potholes to the same degree as roads as they don't carry the heavy vehicles that cause the damage and maintenance is mostly limited to cutting back hedges and unruly trees, something my local authority seems to cope with most of the time.

 

[tgame]

In view of recent posts highlighting the problems of heavy traffic and poor driving skills and the state of disrepair of our roads is the bike of the future one with the biggest tyres, stonking suspension and enough on power to twistgrip out of trouble when need arises?

sounds like what i have just left behind with my piaggio scooter.

We're all getting soft. Imagine negotiating the unmade up roads of a century ago on penny farthings! Do you think those village blacksmith type frames were made of solid steel? Whatever did they weigh?

 

[keithhazel]

We're all getting soft.

speak for yourself. i bet you on a multiple suspension bike with a cushion on the seat. ..i swear blind a Quando with no suspension is the devils incarnation of a penny farthng....every grate, every pot hole, every yellow lined crossing marker its "thud/thud/bump bump bump bump. ...my synergy may have been powered by an elastic band but it was like riding a sofa...still would not change..untill a Qundo with suspension comes along that is..

 

[tgame]

speak for yourself. i bet you on a multiple suspension bike with a cushion on the seat. ..i swear blind a Quando with no suspension is the devils incarnation of a penny farthng....every grate, every pot hole, every yellow lined crossing marker its "thud/thud/bump bump bump bump. ...my synergy may have been powered by an elastic band but it was like riding a sofa...still would not change..untill a Qundo with suspension comes along that is..

Oh dear! Can't you get some cosmetic surgery like a boob job but on your bum? A couple of silicone pads might do wonders for you.

 

[keithhazel]

mmmmm thinking of suitable resonse...

 

[mk1]

.i swear blind a Quando with no suspension is the devils incarnation of a penny farthng....every grate, every pot hole, every yellow lined crossing marker its "thud/thud/bump bump bump bump.

Maybe you need one of these Keith The Office Chair Bike

 

[keithhazel]

cant see suitable place for panniers or might have a test ride on on...

 

[flecc]

There was a sprung Quando Keith, it was the original model 1, but it was enough to make anyone seasick. A soft rubber sprung rear swing arm fork and a centre spring front fork which bottomed on harsh bumps was a poor mix, pogoing along the road in a series of leaps.

I didn't find any problem on the worst of roads on my Quando II with those original 1.95" balloon Kenda tyres, and I'm surprised you do if you have the tyres at their minimum pressure.

That's why I happily swapped to smaller section and higher pressure MP tyres. On those I feel the bumps much more, but that doesn't worry me, it's just part of cycling.

As Joe said at the outset, perhaps a Piaggio moped is the answer, and I think you'd agree that you are really more a moped rider than a cyclist, preferring to ride on power only as you do, and liking springing on a bike.
.

 

[keithhazel]

i checked my tyres and they where 55..which i think is correct...cant really do mo ped as effects of car crash in 88 make it for instance, when i cross the road and look left and then right, by the time i have looked right i dont know what ive seen on the left... ...i manage on bike as if i have to turn right at a junction i stop nd look behind me, if i look behind while riding i wobble so bad i am in danegr of falling off.. another side effect....so while a moped might get me there twice as fast on certain jorneys on others it will not, for instance to my mothers i did it in 7 mins yesterday...1.5 miles...route which moped cannot do....the 43 miles to g/f would take maybe 2 hours on a mo ped, thats if i had not fallen off with wobble, been knocked off by something which i dont remember seeing, i dont get that with the sedate pace of a bike...also the 43 miles to g/f i can do in 1 hour 45 mins with my "folding bike"...ride to train 20 mins, 45 mnute train journey,40 minute bike journey...plus once i get a good bike bag made the last 4o minute bike journey could be cut to 25 mins by hopping on the bus...cant do train or bus with moped.....now stop trying to barr me from being in the electric brigade by talks of " you are a mo ped rider"...bloody cheek of it..

 

[flecc]

Not trying to bar you Keith, just comment on what you've said yourself. Lots of e-bike riders use their bikes like you do, but it's not really cycling.

I think if you look on the tyre wall, the minimum pressure is way below that, I think from memory either 35 or 40 lbs. That will make a big difference, as I think you're on the maximum pressure of 55 lbs at the moment.
.

 

[tgame]

Captain Kirk

I think maybe you are actually a transporter type, Keith. "Beam me to girlfriend Scotty." Although I believe hyperspace can be a bit bumpy at times!

 

[Ian]

Although I believe hyperspace can be a bit bumpy at times!

I've heard it's rather like being drunk.... from the perspective of the drink

Source: Ford Prefect, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy.

 

[keithhazel]

Not trying to bar you Keith, just comment on what you've said yourself. Lots of e-bike riders use their bikes like you do, but it's not really cycling.

I think if you look on the tyre wall, the minimum pressure is way below that, I think from memory either 35 or 40 lbs. That will make a big difference, as I think you're on the maximum pressure of 55 lbs at the moment.
.

was not serious when i mentioned barring, i know im not a purist about cycleing,mind you anyone with an electric bike isnt really, you either "are" or you "are not"....the tyre thing...when i took to my handy cycle shop and mentioned it he said if i dropped the pressure yes it would be more comfy but also speed would be affected, i remember when he tried to alter my synergy, one thing he did do was to put the pressure up as i had it a little low and that increased speed a little..not talking loads but maybe 1mph..which doesnt sound much but you know the who-ha caused when a bike doesntperform to what its supposed to..even by as little as 1mph.and it is noticeable isnt it...however i will try lowering the pressure if i cant find a route that isnt decent, the one at the moment has a stretch about 4 miles long that has twice as many drain grids then i would think is the norm, and horrible ruts and gouges and patche's too...wish it wa bus lane all the way as bus lanes being newish are lovely as firstly nice condition ad secondly no cars just buses in them...love rush hour and bus lanes...would travel 25% longer way if it had more bus lanes....weather picking up and likelyhood i may have a few hours spare at the weekend, well if i skive i might...so might be a "pedal" job...YES you heard right..pedal !!!!...well assisted anyhow...curious to see how far it will go ..on the flat and assisted....i reckon...30miles befor the red cuts in which means 2-3 miles and we flat, at this point i will be 500 yards from home and will pedal..TOTALLY UNASSISTED..yes you heard it hear correctly...

 

[frank9755]

We're all getting soft. Imagine negotiating the unmade up roads of a century ago on penny farthings! Do you think those village blacksmith type frames were made of solid steel? Whatever did they weigh?

Probably quite a bit. But as they were made of steel, not aluminium, they would have had a bit of spring in the frame and hence been a little bit more pleasant to ride.

As well as road quality, the move to aluminium frames with their harsh, inflexible ride is making people feel they need suspension.

Frank
(PS I'm just about to treat myself to a non-electric steel-framed touring bike!)

 

[keithhazel]

Frank
(PS I'm just about to treat myself to a non-electric steel-framed touring bike!)[/QUOTE]

have you gone MAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Ian]

The large wheel of a penny-farthing would probably give a surprisingly smooth ride for those brave enough to try.. not me though, I don't function well at heights.

It would be interesting to know how heavy and flexible the old frames were as they obviously were not made from the steel alloys of later years.

 

[mk1]

Probably quite a bit. But as they were made of steel, not aluminium, they would have had a bit of spring in the frame and hence been a little bit more pleasant to ride.

As well as road quality, the move to aluminium frames with their harsh, inflexible ride is making people feel they need suspension.

I agree with that Frank, some of the best bikes I have ridden have been steel. Quality ones don't have to be much heavier either.
The reason they are mostly aluminium now is because of fashion. There is a perception that aluminium must be better.

Martin

 

[flecc]

The large wheel of a penny-farthing would probably give a surprisingly smooth ride for those brave enough to try.. not me though, I don't function well at heights.

It would be interesting to know how heavy and flexible the old frames were as they obviously were not made from the steel alloys of later years.

Penny farthings were incredibly heavy. I've only ever ridden one when I was 15 years old in the trade on a fairly short trip of under two miles, delivering it to the customer. It was a terrifying experience with one short hill walked up and a short bit walked down since I didn't dare risk the brake and tumbling over the top. I doubt if anyone ever rode one up any real degree of hill, or down a very steep one.

I don't think I paid any attention to it's stiffness, only my survival and preparation for getting off without hitting the road face first being a concern.
.

 

[giguana]

I don't know but maybe one day Formula One cars will be faster on electricity. That will be the day!

As for suspension, I know what you mean, around my place there are roads with about 10 potholes every 5 m, I even went in a dip the size of a large salad bowl the other day-but I didn't feel a thing and it was really fun because I have the most amazing suspension! On my bike I can actually go down stairs and it is comfortable! Except I wouldn't do that with the motor on there!