Re: definitely not cyclists

tim said:

On Nov 22 2007, 6:31 pm, "tim" <[email hidden]> wrote:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290200559926http://www.cargocycles.com.au

Way cool!

tim said:

tim said:

PeteSig said:

> Can't have people riding daggy bicycles just for transport.
All those bikes and not a real cyclist amongst them...

FYI, I'm inching closer [1] toward importing and selling cargo bikes
in the style of the Dutch "bakfiets" (as featured in PeteSig's
postcard from Amsterdam).

Update:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290200559926
http://www.cargocycles.com.au

tim
still inching...

A couple of questions Tim;

1) what's the weight limit?
2) what's the gear range? I note the S-A 8spd hub, from memory this hub
has direct drive as the lowest gear and therefore can't provide
really low gears.
3) Any chance of a v-brakes or canti front brake model?

Thanks

Joel

--
Human Powered Cycles | High quality servicing and repairs
[email hidden] | Affordable second hand bikes
(03) 9029 6504 |
www.humanpowered.com.au | CPF and RTCA Member

Joel Mayes said:

A couple of questions Tim;

1) what's the weight limit?

Difficult one to answer without sacrificing a few frames to get a
meaningful failure load to work back from. I don't have a few frames
to sacrifice.

I've stood in the cargo box, and sat on the pannier rack, without any
protest from the bike. I don't think you'd really want to ride up a
hill with 90kg in the box, but I'd be confident of the frame not
breaking.

Depends what kind of riding you're doing, too. Down gutters? Up
gutters? Potholes?

Quoted message said:

2) what's the gear range? I note the S-A 8spd hub, from memory this hub
has direct drive as the lowest gear and therefore can't provide
really low gears.

Your memory is correct. It's a box full of overdrives.

It can provide really low gears as long as direct drive is really low.

The one for sale on Ebay has 32:23 direct drive, giving it about 36"
to 109" gear range.
If I go ahead and order a saleable shipment, they'll be 32:25 geared,
for about 33" to 101".

Quoted message said:

3) Any chance of a v-brakes or canti front brake model?

Not at this stage.

Most of the weight is over the rear wheel (even with a heavy load up
front, there's still ~70kg of rider sitting on the back), so the rear
brake does most of the work. Too much front brake would make it prone
to locking up with so little weight out there.

The S-A rear drum is quite an effective unit, once it's had a few
stops to bed in.

tim

tim said:

Quoted message said:

2) what's the gear range? I note the S-A 8spd hub, from memory this hub
has direct drive as the lowest gear and therefore can't provide
really low gears.

Your memory is correct. It's a box full of overdrives.

It can provide really low gears as long as direct drive is really low.

The one for sale on Ebay has 32:23 direct drive, giving it about 36"
to 109" gear range.
If I go ahead and order a saleable shipment, they'll be 32:25 geared,
for about 33" to 101".

I'd like to see more towards a 18 to 80-ish gear range for serious load
carrying, though this range is probably good enough for kids/home
shopping.

Thanks

Joel

--
Human Powered Cycles | High quality servicing and repairs
[email hidden] | Affordable second hand bikes
(03) 9029 6504 |
www.humanpowered.com.au | CPF and RTCA Member

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:32:59 -0800 (PST)

tim said:

The one for sale on Ebay has 32:23 direct drive, giving it about 36"
to 109" gear range.
If I go ahead and order a saleable shipment, they'll be 32:25 geared,
for about 33" to 101".

Hmm.. OK on the flat I guess, any load up a hill for an averagely
unfit person might be harder with 33"

Guess it's a matter of riding one to see/

Zebee

Joel Mayes said:

tim said:

they'll be 32:25 geared,
for about 33" to 101".

I'd like to see more towards a 18 to 80-ish gear range for serious load
carrying,

I think we have differing expectations of what these things will be
used for. A cargo bike isn't a replacement for a forklift.

Although we were discussing adult human-sized loads earlier, it's more
suited to loads that the rider could carry unassisted. If an item
needs a two-man lift or mechanical assistance to get it into the cargo
box, it's getting beyond what the bike is designed for.

It's an elongated boom-tube frame, after all. Yes, it's big diameter
heavy gauge tubing, and it has a stiffening rib along much of it, but
it's designed to be a relatively light and agile way to move bulky and
inconvenient loads that would be a nightmare to carry on a
conventional bike.

As an aside, the S-A hub (like the Nexus 8) has about 305% gear range.
If you want 18" at the bottom end, you're limited to 55" at the top.
You're well into Rohloff territory if you want 18-80".

Most three-speed city bikes for adults run about 50-90" gears. The
cargo bike has a wider range to accommodate a heavier load (and a
heavier bike); biased toward the bottom end, but with a nice cruising
gear for when you get some momentum up.

Quoted message said:

though this range is probably good enough for kids/home
shopping.

That's what they're intended for.

tim
about to take the cargo bike into town to do some shopping...