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#31
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Simple bikes for local transport
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#32
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Simple bikes for local transport
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#33
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Simple bikes for local transport
On Nov 28, 7:22 am, "Theo Bekkers" wrote:
I did have a steep hill which was on my route in, but I detoured around it on the way home. So steep became long. There's a steep hill in Perth! Where? Admittedly there are probably huge bits of Perth I've not seen, but I've not come across anything which I'd go out of my way to avoid on a single speed. My single speed days were when I was younger and fitter but Edinburgh is rather well known for being built on a bunch of hills. Graeme |
#34
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Simple bikes for local transport
On Nov 27, 9:21 am, Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:39:38 -0800 (PST) tim wrote: Single-speed is as simple as it gets. But there's the hill issue. Cost permitting, my preference would be hub gears. Me too, but single speed works in a lot of places. I saw a single speed Giant with wide slick tyres at my lbs a couple of months ago. It was on special for $150. No gears, no gear lever or cable, 1 front brake and cable, 1 pedal brake. Can't get much simpler than that. I was tempted. How about frame style? Traditional diamond frame is a given; how about step-through frames ("grandmother bikes" as the Dutch would call them)? Not good for frame stiffness, but intended to be easier to ride in a skirt. I've never ridden in a long skirt, so I don't know how much of an issue this is. I think not so much a skirt as for ease of getting on and off. Modern bikes have high BBs so high seats. If you can get lower BBs so people can sit on the seat with feet on the ground - yes that's not "most efficient" but they don't care - then that would be good. My wife and 16yo daughter won't ride a diamond frame bike. They don't wear skirts, it is a security thing - they like to feel that they can easily jump off the seat and stand without falling over. For some reason swinging their leg backwards frightens them. Doesn't have to be the full granny style - the girl mtb with the bar running down to about halfway between seat and pedals is fine. Any other thoughts or suggestions? I like the dutch-style swept back handlebars. |
#35
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Simple bikes for local transport
On Nov 28, 10:07 am, Graeme Dods wrote:
There's a steep hill in Perth! Where? I grew up in Lesmurdie. I'lll see your Edinburgh hill and raise you a Darling scarp. |
#36
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Simple bikes for local transport
brucef wrote:
On Nov 28, 10:07 am, Graeme Dods wrote: There's a steep hill in Perth! Where? I grew up in Lesmurdie. I'lll see your Edinburgh hill and raise you a Darling scarp. Or even Flinders St in Yokine/Nollamara. If you're really seriously looking for a walk-up hill in Perth, right in the city, you could try Spring St, or Mount St. Theo |
#37
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On Nov 28, 6:29 am, "Resound" wrote:
If you're selling these online, offer a certain amount of modularity with regards to bits (would madame like north bend, flat, bullhorn or moustache bars with that?). That's where it gets difficult. If I get my suppliers to do the mixing and matching, I have to carry stock of a wider range of bikes. Any time I spend mixing, matching and assembling costs money. I'm often told I'm cheap, but my hourly rate has to be higher than a Chinese bike factory worker. Every time an importer touches the product, the cost goes up. To keep the costs down as low as possible, I can't afford to touch the product any more than is strictly necessary. I'll be unloading, storing, then distributing the bikes in their boxes. Centrestands are a thing that I can see being a distinct advantage (especially for the bakfiet while trying to load and unload it). The bakfiets will have a big double-sided stand under the box. The single bikes will most likely have a rear axle mounted double-sided stand. tim |
#38
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On Nov 28, 10:48 am, brucef wrote:
On Nov 28, 10:07 am, Graeme Dods wrote: There's a steep hill in Perth! Where? I grew up in Lesmurdie. I'lll see your Edinburgh hill and raise you a Darling scarp. Hey, no fair! Theo was (I think) referring to trips *within* Perth. If you're going to be sneaky and start introducing stuff from the suburbs then I could introduce the Pentland Hills - http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/institut...ews19_0011.jpg I admit that there's no road over the top, but the last bit of road on the way up is a struggle even with a low gear. It's a hoot on the way down too! Graeme |
#39
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Simple bikes for local transport
On Nov 28, 11:13 am, "Theo Bekkers" wrote:
brucef wrote: On Nov 28, 10:07 am, Graeme Dods wrote: There's a steep hill in Perth! Where? I grew up in Lesmurdie. I'lll see your Edinburgh hill and raise you a Darling scarp. Or even Flinders St in Yokine/Nollamara. If you're really seriously looking for a walk-up hill in Perth, right in the city, you could try Spring St, or Mount St. Spring Street's not bad and I'm not familiar with Mount Street, but Malcolm Street running parallel to it is getting to "stand up on the pedals and strain" steepness. In fact Malcolm Street is what made me realise how unfit I'd got a couple of years ago. I was walking up it at my typical high speed whilst talking on the phone to someone and had to stop as I didn't have the breath to do both :-( Still, I'm slowly getting back to my old fitness levels... Graeme |
#40
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Simple bikes for local transport
Graeme Dods wrote:
Theo Bekkers wrote: Spring Street's not bad and I'm not familiar with Mount Street, but Malcolm Street running parallel to it is getting to "stand up on the pedals and strain" steepness. Mount St used to be an extension of St Georges Terrace before the Freeway cut it in half. Mount St is where a lot of cars would be changing down to first gear in the sixties. Theo |
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