Ikea Bicycles

On 4/20/2016 10:58 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.

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".


I find a fixed gear wheel with QR axle (+ front caliper)
works well on my folder. Simple, reliable, quiet, quick tire
changes- what's not to like?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Sir Ridesalot" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 5:07:41 PM UTC-4, 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.

Gotta remember that some can't even set up a V-brake without destroying
it. VBEG LOL

Who destroyed it?! - the one that got damaged was the rear that had been
left unhooked for months.

Your reading comprehension level is actually deteriorating.

"John B." wrote in message
...
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.

You'd think someone on a bicycles *TECH* group would know the answer,
wouldn't you!

O

I find a fixed gear wheel with QR axle (+ front caliper) works well on
my folder. Simple, reliable, quiet, quick tire changes- what's not to like?

Hmm. Maybe hills?


--
- Frank Krygowski

On 20/04/16 20:14, AMuzi wrote:
On 4/20/2016 10:58 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.

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".


I find a fixed gear wheel with QR axle (+ front caliper) works well on
my folder. Simple, reliable, quiet, quick tire changes- what's not to like?

So that would be without the hub gear, without the torque arm, without
the axle nuts, and presumably without a rear mudguard. That does indeed
leave a lot to be desired.

On 4/20/2016 11:58 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.

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".

Removing multiple parts for any service is the bane of those of us who
don't like to ride naked bikes. So yes, it would be nice if racks and
fenders never interfered with wheel removal. (Actually, on most of my
bikes, they don't interfere.)

But getting back to coaster brakes: Their big advantage, as I see it,
is that they're nearly foolproof. There are no cables to snag, no brake
blocks to knock out of alignment, no rapidly wearing parts. The
actuation is easy to learn and accessible even to people with small or
weak hands, like kids. And the great mass of mechanically inept riders,
especially those confining themselves to MUPs, would have less trouble
with them than with rim or normal disc brakes.

I don't think the torque arm is much of a disadvantage. It could
certainly be designed to be removable without tools.

But while I think the defining characteristic of "coaster brake" should
be just "no cable, back pedal actuation", in practice they all seem to
include "small diameter internal metal brake shoes." I think that's what
leads to lower controllability and less thermal capacity, including
boiling out the grease on big downhills.

I don't see a practical reason why a back-pedal, cable free brake
mechanism couldn't actuate a larger diameter drum, or band, or disc
brake. Does such a thing exist?

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:52:34 -0700, 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 hate to be the one to awaken you but "back in the day" there just
weren't any bicycles that had two brakes. I well remember seeing the
first "10 speed, English Racer" bicycle. I was still in High School
and it belonged to a Dartmouth Collage student. A strange device had
all kind of cables and levers and skinny tires. I remember the local
lads disparaged it for the flimsy looking frame (only one top tube).

It might also be true that during the "Bike Craze" in the 1890's that,
in relation to the population, there might well have been more
bicycles then today.. all with a single brake.

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.
--

Cheers,

John B.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:58:35 +0200, 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.

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".

This demonstrates the failure of the modern American school system.

To repair a flat on the rear tire one simply turns the bicycle upside
down so that it is resting on the handle bars and the seat. Pry one
side of the tire off the rim, pull out the inner tube and glue a patch
on it. Then reverse the actions, pump up the tire, and ride away.
--

Cheers,

John B.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:41:01 +0100, "Ian Field"
wrote:



"John B." wrote in message
.. .
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.

You'd think someone on a bicycles *TECH* group would know the answer,
wouldn't you!

But they do.... they are all riding around with operating brakes. You
are the only one that has brake problems.

Which still doesn't answer the question as to why the only dunce that
can't seem to fix his brakes is disparaging all the other blokes, who
can fix their brakes.

"****wit" indeed.
--

Cheers,

John B.

On 20/04/16 21:22, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 4/20/2016 11:58 AM, Tosspot wrote:

snip

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".

Removing multiple parts for any service is the bane of those of us who
don't like to ride naked bikes. So yes, it would be nice if racks and
fenders never interfered with wheel removal. (Actually, on most of my
bikes, they don't interfere.)

It's because they often have track fork ends. I have the same setup
now, but with vertical dropouts and a Surly chain tensioner. A little
more faff, but bearable.

But getting back to coaster brakes: Their big advantage, as I see it,
is that they're nearly foolproof. There are no cables to snag, no brake
blocks to knock out of alignment, no rapidly wearing parts. The
actuation is easy to learn and accessible even to people with small or
weak hands, like kids. And the great mass of mechanically inept riders,
especially those confining themselves to MUPs, would have less trouble
with them than with rim or normal disc brakes.

I don't think the torque arm is much of a disadvantage. It could
certainly be designed to be removable without tools.

Pah! You are just an acolyte of Satan!

But while I think the defining characteristic of "coaster brake" should
be just "no cable, back pedal actuation", in practice they all seem to
include "small diameter internal metal brake shoes." I think that's what
leads to lower controllability and less thermal capacity, including
boiling out the grease on big downhills.

I forgot that bit! But tbh, a lot of brakes can exhibit less than
optimal performance on big down hills.

I don't see a practical reason why a back-pedal, cable free brake
mechanism couldn't actuate a larger diameter drum, or band, or disc
brake. Does such a thing exist?