Ikea Bicycles

On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 22:08:04 +0100, "Ian Field"
wrote:



"sms" wrote in message
...
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/ikea-to-sell-bikes-in-the-uk/019410

Not much of a deal. I wonder if it is sold in 1000 pieces that need to be
assembled by the purchaser with an Allen wrench and a spoke wrench.

Assembling a bicycle from the frame up is one thing - building and truing
the wheels is a whole 'nother matter.

The average consumer might struggle with assembling bottom bracket and
steering head bearings, but the rest ought to be little more challenging
than some of the bigger flatpack furniture.

Most things are pretty obvious where they fit, the various cables would need
to be labelled. Final fitment would only be a little more complex than
routine maintenance thereafter.

But judging from some of the replies I got to my V-brake question - I think
some here would struggle.

You are certainly correct, at least from the posts here you are
correct.

After all, the majority of the posters have working brakes, excerpt
for "some" who are struggling, apparently futilely.
--

Cheers,

John B.

gone to Argentina or doing 5-10 ?


http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/

On 20/04/16 10:49, John B. wrote:


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)



However, only on the back wheel, where braking performance is quite
limited to begin with.

--
JS

On 20/04/16 02:49, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 12:37:21 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 4/19/2016 1:18 AM, Tosspot wrote:
On 19/04/16 02:25, sms wrote:
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/ikea-to-sell-bikes-in-the-uk/019410

Not much of a deal. I wonder if it is sold in 1000 pieces that need to
be assembled by the purchaser with an Allen wrench and a spoke wrench.

Coaster Brake ALARM

I *hate* those things.

They are usually crappy.

But thinking about Sir's post about trail riders and disconnected
V-brakes: Those of us who are mechanically competent forget that
there's a huge portion of the population (at least in the U.S.) that
can't manage to care for hand brakes of any kind. (After all, there are
few mechanisms much simpler than a V-brake.) And lots and lots of
people ride bikes almost exclusively on dead-flat trails or cruising
around flat beach towns, where braking needs are minor. So it seems
like there's a place for a super-simple brake of some kind.

My (modern) experience is very limited, but ISTM the main trouble with
coaster brakes is their nearly binary response. There's barely any
space between "off" and "skidding." And if one does have to use one for
a long descent, response can get trickier still, and fade can be a problem.


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

This is true, but that was when rubber blocks on chromed rims was de
rigueur and the height of sophistication was leather inserts in the
rubber for wet days!

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)

You may have another point there.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2016 12:36:26 +1000, James
wrote:

On 20/04/16 10:49, John B. wrote:


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)



However, only on the back wheel, where braking performance is quite
limited to begin with.

"Back in the day" they were all that were available where I lived.
Bicycles had "a" brake and that was that.

I'm sure that traffic was noticeably less, back in those day, but I
don't remember ever feeling disadvantaged for having only one brake,
and that on the back wheel.

I do remember that the "demon drivers" used to pedal feverishly down
the road, start a turn and stamp on the brake. the bike would slew
around almost like a motorcycle "burning circles".

Whereupon, I suppose, the rear brake suddenly became the front brake
:-)

--

Cheers,

John B.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:13:18 +0200, Tosspot
wrote:

On 20/04/16 02:49, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 12:37:21 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 4/19/2016 1:18 AM, Tosspot wrote:
On 19/04/16 02:25, sms wrote:
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/ikea-to-sell-bikes-in-the-uk/019410

Not much of a deal. I wonder if it is sold in 1000 pieces that need to
be assembled by the purchaser with an Allen wrench and a spoke wrench.

Coaster Brake ALARM

I *hate* those things.

They are usually crappy.

But thinking about Sir's post about trail riders and disconnected
V-brakes: Those of us who are mechanically competent forget that
there's a huge portion of the population (at least in the U.S.) that
can't manage to care for hand brakes of any kind. (After all, there are
few mechanisms much simpler than a V-brake.) And lots and lots of
people ride bikes almost exclusively on dead-flat trails or cruising
around flat beach towns, where braking needs are minor. So it seems
like there's a place for a super-simple brake of some kind.

My (modern) experience is very limited, but ISTM the main trouble with
coaster brakes is their nearly binary response. There's barely any
space between "off" and "skidding." And if one does have to use one for
a long descent, response can get trickier still, and fade can be a problem.


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

This is true, but that was when rubber blocks on chromed rims was de
rigueur and the height of sophistication was leather inserts in the
rubber for wet days!


But the chromed steel rims lasted for years and years :-) I don't
remember ever hearing about anyone "changing a rim". Unless they hit a
tree, of course :-)

And, I never heard that "grinding" noise that folks talk about hearing
on rainy days.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)

You may have another point there.
--

Cheers,

John B.

On 4/19/2016 7:36 PM, James wrote:
On 20/04/16 10:49, John B. wrote:


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)



However, only on the back wheel, where braking performance is quite
limited to begin with.

Some recent children's "toy" bikes have had a rear coaster brake and a
front caliper brake.

Coaster brake bikes were probably not ridden down steep mountain roads.

I think that a bike with one of Sturmey-Archer's 8 speed rear hubs with
coaster brake, would be fine for a city bike, if fitted with a front
caliper or front disc. They also make a version of that hub with mounts
for a disc brake.

On 20/04/16 17:52, sms wrote:
On 4/19/2016 7:36 PM, James wrote:
On 20/04/16 10:49, John B. wrote:


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)



However, only on the back wheel, where braking performance is quite
limited to begin with.

Some recent children's "toy" bikes have had a rear coaster brake and a
front caliper brake.

Coaster brake bikes were probably not ridden down steep mountain roads.

I think that a bike with one of Sturmey-Archer's 8 speed rear hubs with
coaster brake, would be fine for a city bike, if fitted with a front
caliper or front disc. They also make a version of that hub with mounts
for a disc brake.

You say that now. Wait until you get a puncture and you have to get the
rear wheel off.

A friend has exactly that configuration and I turned down the request
for assistance when I realised to fix the puncture would involve
removing the rear mudguard, removing the rear rack, disconnecting the
hub gears, disconnecting the torque arm, *then* removing the rear wheel.
Fix puncture and reverse process. "Sorry mate. Bike shop for you".

On 4/20/2016 8:58 AM, Tosspot wrote:
On 20/04/16 17:52, sms wrote:
On 4/19/2016 7:36 PM, James wrote:
On 20/04/16 10:49, John B. wrote:


Having been "brought up" on Coaster Brakes I would have to argue. They
worked far better then any available alternate at the time and I'm not
sure that they weren't superior to the "rod brakes" on my "Japanese
bicycle", with their skimpy little brake pads.

Are there models of coaster brakes that are fairly decent? Or is
there
some sort of self-contained, backpedal brake mechanism that has good
modulation and more thermal capacity?

Well, I suspect that, compared with the Inimitable Ian coaster brakes
were/are a very superior product. After all, they usually work :-)



However, only on the back wheel, where braking performance is quite
limited to begin with.

Some recent children's "toy" bikes have had a rear coaster brake and a
front caliper brake.

Coaster brake bikes were probably not ridden down steep mountain roads.

I think that a bike with one of Sturmey-Archer's 8 speed rear hubs with
coaster brake, would be fine for a city bike, if fitted with a front
caliper or front disc. They also make a version of that hub with mounts
for a disc brake.

You say that now. Wait until you get a puncture and you have to get the
rear wheel off.

Well I have a Dahon folder with an SRAM Dual-Drive hub. A clever
concept, but it is a bit of work to disconnect the hub gears to remove
the rear wheel. Not as bad as if there was a coaster brake with a
torque-arm though. No need to remove the mud guard on the Dahon.

I recently put on some tires that are very puncture resistant, we'll see
how that goes.

A friend has exactly that configuration and I turned down the request
for assistance when I realised to fix the puncture would involve
removing the rear mudguard, removing the rear rack, disconnecting the
hub gears, disconnecting the torque arm, *then* removing the rear wheel.
Fix puncture and reverse process. "Sorry mate. Bike shop for you".

Remember, it's not difficult to patch a puncture without removing the
wheel from the bike.

Written as a true salesman/adman