What advance in bicycle technology has impressed you the most?

[Fordulike]

Minimalistic and sleek design for me, out with old fashioned chains and exchanged for a carbon belt, stuck on accessories such as lights, bottle batteries, better batteries which are hidden in the design, and stunning hydraulic disc brakes. This is an example of what I am talking about, and one which I own, hopefully another as well soon

Just compare this to some of the old fashioned eBikes still for sale that have not changed their design in many years, that look like hilly billy transport with all the attached tat

View attachment 12830 View attachment 12831 View attachment 12832

I fully agree that it's a nice looking bike, which obviously suits you for what you use it for, and what it's designed for.
I'm trying not to end up trolling my own thread, but unfortunately, take that bike off road and;

a) It won't cut the mustard in the rough stuff.
b) It'll disintegrate rather rapidly like their Smart cars.

Sometimes a hillbilly bike is needed to do the task that you require of it. I would ride the Smart any day if I were commuting to work in a suit, but would swap it in a heartbeat to a Haibike, when I wanted a bit of muddy woodland fun.

Not that the Haibikes are hillbilly in any way, shape or form

 

[Smart eBiker]

I fully agree that it's a nice looking bike, which obviously suits you for what you use it for.
I'm trying not to end up trolling my own thread, but unfortunately, take that bike off road and;

a) It won't cut the mustard in the rough stuff.
b) It'll disintegrate rather rapidly like their Smart cars.

Sometimes a hill billy bike is needed to do the task that you require of it. I would ride the Smart any day if I were commuting to work in a suit, but would swap it in a heartbeat to a Haibike, when I wanted a bit of muddy woodland fun.

Not that the Haibikes are hill billy in any way, shape or form

I agree, it is NOT and off road bike and there is a clear warning on the new suspension forks that they are NOT for off road, this is an upper class cycle for getting out to classy wine bars, the theatre, Michelin restaurants e.t.c, if you want to go to the pub then get a hill billy bike

 

[anotherkiwi]

b) It'll disintegrate rather rapidly like their Smart cars.

I beg your pardon? What do you mean by "disintegrate rapidly"? I have not owned a car that was as well built nor as safe as a Smart FourTwo. Economical, nippy, even great out of town on the road.

Thanks to its security features I walked away from multiple (forgot to count at the time I was rather busy screaming) head over heels rolls which ended by cutting a telephone pole in half 2.5 m above the ground.

 

[Fordulike]

I beg your pardon? What do you mean by "disintegrate rapidly"?

Yes, take the Smart car off road and it'll disintegrate rapidly. Go on try it

 

[Fordulike]

Can we just stick with the original topic please.

Smart eBiker, I'll take your contribution as the carbon belt.

 

[flecc]

I walked away from multiple (forgot to count at the time I was rather busy screaming) head over heels rolls which ended by cutting a telephone pole in half 2.5 m above the ground.

Each to his own of course, but wouldn't it have been better to having joined a flying club if you wanted those sort of kicks?
.

 

[Smart eBiker]

Can we just stick with the original topic please.

Smart eBiker, I'll take your contribution as the carbon belt.

Please add sleek design, not christmas tree hilly billy scruffy looks.

Thanks

 

[Fordulike]

Please add sleek design, not christmas tree hilly billy scruffy looks.

Thanks

Carbon belt it is then

 

[Fordulike]

Brakes (hydraulic rim), lights (LED) and puncture free tyres is my list

Yes indeed, tyre technology has come a long way in the last decade. One tends to fit and forget a puncture resistant tyre these days.

On an electric bike, I believe they are are a must.
Firstly, due to the increased difficulty of repairing a puncture by the roadside on some electric bikes. Extra weight, torque arms, cables etc.. can make it a real nightmare.

Secondly, riders tend to go further from home on an electric bike, so an unrepairable puncture can ruin the day.

 

[soundwave]

http://www.ebike-news.de/vw-versteckt-ebike-neuentwicklung/10088/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ebikenewsde+(ebike-news.de)

 

[Artstu]

STI levers are pretty handy, although not many e-bikes have dropped handlebars.

 

[Fordulike]

STI levers are pretty handy, although not many e-bikes have dropped handlebars.

Yeah, good entry. I remember owning a road bike many years ago that had the shift levers on the down tube. What a PITA

 

[Artstu]

Yeah, good entry. I remember owning a road bike many years ago that had the shift levers on the down tube. What a PITA

I still have one! and my friend had old 10-speed friction levers until recently, She's only 20 years out of date now I've updated her bike to 14-speed indexed down tube levers.

 

[Fordulike]

I still have one! and my friend had old 10-speed friction levers until recently, She's only 20 years out of date now I've updated her bike to 14-speed indexed down tube levers.

Good man

 

[JohnCade]

Yeah, good entry. I remember owning a road bike many years ago that had the shift levers on the down tube. What a PITA

Friend of mine still has them. If they’re well matched to the mech they work very well in fact. I had a Claud Butler Dalesman tourer with them over thirty years ago and the bike almost changed gear by itself it was so smooth. I’ve had Campag Record Ergo levers, and STI on bikes since then, and with nine or ten gears on the back they become essential. But with just five like the CB friction levers work fine.

 

[EddiePJ]

I still have friction shift on the road bike. I must admit that it doesn't come natural using it though, and I spend too much time looking down.

One bike that I am never going to sell.

 

[JohnCade]

I still have friction shift on the road bike. I must admit that it doesn't come natural using it though, and I spend too much time looking down.

One bike that I am never going to sell.

It’s a simple mod to put bar end levers on that. They are still available.

 

[Artstu]

This Eddie did quite well with them, not that he had a choice back then.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1174477275901270

 

[EddiePJ]

JC, that is something to think about. I plan on lowering the gearing at some stage anyway, so it could be an opportunity to have a play with different gear change set ups as well.

Artsu. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing the clip.

 

[Croxden]

No helmet & come first.