Comments on: Nine people, three bikes, two potted plants http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/ Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:54:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Scott Mizée http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-35782 Scott Mizée Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:02:31 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-35782 Great Video! Great Video!

]]> By: Cleverchimp blog » Blog Archive » Cleverchimp is now Clever Cycles http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-33893 Cleverchimp blog » Blog Archive » Cleverchimp is now Clever Cycles Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:23:59 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-33893 [...] into a bike shop, but not so fast. Not fast at all. Dean’s a lot more decisive than I am. All four of us complement each other pretty well. We all want our children to see and understand what we do for a [...] [...] into a bike shop, but not so fast. Not fast at all. Dean’s a lot more decisive than I am. All four of us complement each other pretty well. We all want our children to see and understand what we do for a [...]

]]> By: Andy R http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12767 Andy R Fri, 20 Oct 2006 02:45:43 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12767 Todd - Everything above makes perfect sense. I really don't think I want a motor in front in any case, now that I think about it. And the Big Dummy is really appealing. All I need is a winning lotto ticket. :) Thanks, Andy Todd –

Everything above makes perfect sense. I really don’t think I want a motor in front in any case, now that I think about it.
And the Big Dummy is really appealing. All I need is a winning lotto ticket. :)

Thanks,

Andy

]]> By: Todd http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12759 Todd Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:32:25 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12759 Andy, it should indeed be possible to fit a Stokemonkey to that bike, but at the cost of developing an alternate mount, clamping the seat tube and having the motor in front. It's been done: /blog/cp/markus/ . I'm somewhat reluctant to emphasize this possibility, though, because it will be an untested one-off, as indeed it will be for every other bicycle frame where it's even possible. Stokemonkey exists as a supported product instead of a DIY hack because Xtracycle's product is a known quantity around which a good mount could be designed, refined, and produced in quantity. Once you bring arbitrary bike frames into the mix, it gets really hard. Thanks to superlight butted tubesets, some seat tubes will buckle if you overtorque the front derailleur clamp! Try a rather heavy motor at the end of a 7" lever arm.... Anyway, I'm committed to developing a mount for the forthcoming Surly Big Dummy, in which a larger diameter, thinner-walled tube must be clamped. Perhaps this process will yield a line of mounts that work with bikes such as yours. And the Bakfiets -- that too. Then I'll spend half my days fending off requests to make Stokemonkey work with plain old diamond frame bikes, and I don't want to go down that road for a mix of philosophical, ethical, and marketing reasons. Andy, it should indeed be possible to fit a Stokemonkey to that bike, but at the cost of developing an alternate mount, clamping the seat tube and having the motor in front. It’s been done: /blog/cp/markus/ . I’m somewhat reluctant to emphasize this possibility, though, because it will be an untested one-off, as indeed it will be for every other bicycle frame where it’s even possible. Stokemonkey exists as a supported product instead of a DIY hack because Xtracycle’s product is a known quantity around which a good mount could be designed, refined, and produced in quantity. Once you bring arbitrary bike frames into the mix, it gets really hard. Thanks to superlight butted tubesets, some seat tubes will buckle if you overtorque the front derailleur clamp! Try a rather heavy motor at the end of a 7″ lever arm….

Anyway, I’m committed to developing a mount for the forthcoming Surly Big Dummy, in which a larger diameter, thinner-walled tube must be clamped. Perhaps this process will yield a line of mounts that work with bikes such as yours. And the Bakfiets — that too. Then I’ll spend half my days fending off requests to make Stokemonkey work with plain old diamond frame bikes, and I don’t want to go down that road for a mix of philosophical, ethical, and marketing reasons.

]]> By: fred http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12710 fred Thu, 19 Oct 2006 01:13:42 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12710 Andy, I'm a bit biased toward the Stokemonkey, so I applaud your desire to drive the rear wheel (through the gearing) instead of a hub motor. Your photo shows an immense open space ahead of the cranks. I don't know why you'd have to limit the installation to the aft part of the bike, if you can be sure you won't strike parts when installed toward the front. My Alligt Alleweder velomobile has a Stokemonkey in the nose, but no part of my body travels forward of the cranks. I'm sure Todd can tell you if a front mount will work. I'd never want to do without mine, especially after pulling 120 pounds in a trailer. fred in Daytona Beach, FL Andy, I’m a bit biased toward the Stokemonkey, so I applaud your desire to drive the rear wheel (through the gearing) instead of a hub motor. Your photo shows an immense open space ahead of the cranks. I don’t know why you’d have to limit the installation to the aft part of the bike, if you can be sure you won’t strike parts when installed toward the front. My Alligt Alleweder velomobile has a Stokemonkey in the nose, but no part of my body travels forward of the cranks.

I’m sure Todd can tell you if a front mount will work. I’d never want to do without mine, especially after pulling 120 pounds in a trailer.

fred in Daytona Beach, FL

]]> By: Andy Riblet http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12702 Andy Riblet Wed, 18 Oct 2006 23:50:49 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12702 "Working on stoking the Bakfiets…." I'm interested in this. This is my bike: http://people.ucsc.edu/~ariblet/Bikes/Bilenky.jpg A Portland shop, Scoot On This, quoted me a system employing a hub motor in the front wheel, but I'd love to be able to drive the rear instead. Here's a profile shot of one: http://www.bilenky.com/prod42.html I just can't see a way to get a Stokemonkey motor in there anywhere. -- Andy in Santa Cruz “Working on stoking the Bakfiets….”

I’m interested in this. This is my bike:

http://people.ucsc.edu/~ariblet/Bikes/Bilenky.jpg

A Portland shop, Scoot On This, quoted me a system employing a hub motor in the front wheel, but I’d love to be able to drive the rear instead.

Here’s a profile shot of one:

http://www.bilenky.com/prod42.html

I just can’t see a way to get a Stokemonkey motor in there anywhere.

– Andy in Santa Cruz

]]> By: Martina http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12669 Martina Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:27:55 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12669 I wonder what people said, when they saw the first kids in cars around the 19-hundreds? At least they can't die of heat exhaustion... I wonder what people said, when they saw the first kids in cars around the 19-hundreds?
At least they can’t die of heat exhaustion…

]]> By: Jonathan Maus http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12662 Jonathan Maus Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:33:24 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12662 Looks good Todd. I like how the lady with the trailer is pedaling along so easily even though she's pulling a good amount of weight. It's too bad that some people think that the kid-on-xtracycle set-up is dangerous. At Walk and Bike day, Sacha White's kids were like that and I noticed several people cringing and saying "tsssk, tssk, those kids should be restrained." sheesh. Looks good Todd. I like how the lady with the trailer is pedaling along so easily even though she’s pulling a good amount of weight.

It’s too bad that some people think that the kid-on-xtracycle set-up is dangerous. At Walk and Bike day, Sacha White’s kids were like that and I noticed several people cringing and saying “tsssk, tssk, those kids should be restrained.” sheesh.

]]> By: miketually http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12661 miketually Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:28:43 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12661 That's pretty cool. I'm still trying to convince my wife that we don't *need* a car. That’s pretty cool. I’m still trying to convince my wife that we don’t need a car.

]]> By: tuco http://clevercycles.com/2006/10/17/nine-people-three-bikes-two-potted-plants/comment-page-1/#comment-12652 tuco Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:25:24 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=157#comment-12652 Love the video and mentioned it and your site on my blog today. So you looked into Holland eh? I've thought about that recently. And Sweden as well, where they're trying to be off oil by 2015. Hope life in Portland is treating you well. Take care. Love the video and mentioned it and your site on my blog today. So you looked into Holland eh? I’ve thought about that recently. And Sweden as well, where they’re trying to be off oil by 2015.
Hope life in Portland is treating you well. Take care.

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