Comments on: Big Dummy continued, and a digression on speed http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/ Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:15:20 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Todd http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-16898 Todd Sun, 26 Nov 2006 22:13:20 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-16898 adam, i have an eccentric BB on my custom longtail. it turns out not to be useful because over such a long chain run some frame flex is inevitable, and you don't want that flex with a statically tensioned chain. also with a single-speed-style chainline, the lower chain run is too close to where the xtracycle's front bridge needs to be; the chain thwacks it. so i use a rohloff chain tensioner. adam, i have an eccentric BB on my custom longtail. it turns out not to be useful because over such a long chain run some frame flex is inevitable, and you don’t want that flex with a statically tensioned chain. also with a single-speed-style chainline, the lower chain run is too close to where the xtracycle’s front bridge needs to be; the chain thwacks it. so i use a rohloff chain tensioner.

]]> By: adam cosic http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-16677 adam cosic Fri, 24 Nov 2006 01:22:36 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-16677 how about an eccentic bottom bracket to adjust the tension? how about an eccentic bottom bracket to adjust the tension?

]]> By: Brian Miller http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-15211 Brian Miller Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:57:37 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-15211 If you guys do add a speed inhibitor, please remember to tell us how to disable it! If you guys do add a speed inhibitor, please remember to tell us how to disable it!

]]> By: fred http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-14843 fred Thu, 09 Nov 2006 03:48:55 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-14843 budman, my construction project can be viewed at http://www.humanpoweredmessages.com/construct and there are links on those pages to a couple of Stokemonkey videos posted to YouTube. I haven't linked all the YouTube videos, because I'm lazy when it comes to web page updates, but once you get one of them, the rest of them are listed under my username. Regarding speed vs climbing, I will add that having a Stokemonkey providing an assist has increased my climbing speed from 4 to 6 mph all the way up to 12 to 15 mph, depending on how much human bean is thrown into the system. I particularly like that I cannot loaf and have to pedal whenever the motor is operating. It tends to "keep me honest" in my contribution to the power levels. More than once, I've taken off from a parked stop, pedaled up through the first few gears and then noticed that the motor wasn't drawing any current, because I'd forgotten to turn on the controller! budman, my construction project can be viewed at http://www.humanpoweredmessages.com/construct and there are links on those pages to a couple of Stokemonkey videos posted to YouTube. I haven’t linked all the YouTube videos, because I’m lazy when it comes to web page updates, but once you get one of them, the rest of them are listed under my username.

Regarding speed vs climbing, I will add that having a Stokemonkey providing an assist has increased my climbing speed from 4 to 6 mph all the way up to 12 to 15 mph, depending on how much human bean is thrown into the system. I particularly like that I cannot loaf and have to pedal whenever the motor is operating. It tends to “keep me honest” in my contribution to the power levels.

More than once, I’ve taken off from a parked stop, pedaled up through the first few gears and then noticed that the motor wasn’t drawing any current, because I’d forgotten to turn on the controller!

]]> By: Bill Manewal http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-14836 Bill Manewal Thu, 09 Nov 2006 03:16:53 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-14836 Yeah, they should tout its hill-climbing prowess and not just speed. Although I agree with the battery location (having purchased an experimental, uh... Woodie box from Todd), and while I know that Dave IS building a prototype , he is, in my opinion, doing both Surly and Cleverchimp a bit of disservice by posting photos of what can only be described as one fugly battery container, even if it IS for the Minnesota winters. If not a box, then maybe a larger ABS pipe and stuff the space with foam for insulation... anything but what looks like something stolen from an HVAC shop. Otherwise, great exposure. Yeah, they should tout its hill-climbing prowess and not just speed.

Although I agree with the battery location (having purchased an experimental, uh… Woodie box from Todd), and while I know that Dave IS building a prototype , he is, in my opinion, doing both Surly and Cleverchimp a bit of disservice by posting photos of what can only be described as one fugly battery container, even if it IS for the Minnesota winters. If not a box, then maybe a larger ABS pipe and stuff the space with foam for insulation… anything but what looks like something stolen from an HVAC shop.

Otherwise, great exposure.

]]> By: Buddy Bonner http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-14821 Buddy Bonner Thu, 09 Nov 2006 01:45:44 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-14821 Fred, Hook us up with some pictures of that Stoked velomobile....would love to see it... Budman Fred,

Hook us up with some pictures of that Stoked velomobile….would love to see it…

Budman

]]> By: fred http://clevercycles.com/2006/11/08/big-dummy-continued-and-a-digression-on-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-14812 fred Thu, 09 Nov 2006 00:53:37 +0000 http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=159#comment-14812 Thanks to Todd and Stokemonkey, I have an assisted Alligt Alleweder velomobile. The tensioning system shown above for this frame is very much like what I used on my velomobile. I don't have any frame tubes on which to attach the very elegant and simple Stokemonkey tensioning cable, so it was long bolts passing through a square tube, braced on my nose bulkhead. Not quite the minimalistic cable, but still pretty simple. Regarding speed and restrictions, I am faster with my assist, of course, but if I remove the motor and batteries, I can still exceed 20 mph, safely, in my opinion. Thanks to Todd and Stokemonkey, I have an assisted Alligt Alleweder velomobile. The tensioning system shown above for this frame is very much like what I used on my velomobile. I don’t have any frame tubes on which to attach the very elegant and simple Stokemonkey tensioning cable, so it was long bolts passing through a square tube, braced on my nose bulkhead. Not quite the minimalistic cable, but still pretty simple.

Regarding speed and restrictions, I am faster with my assist, of course, but if I remove the motor and batteries, I can still exceed 20 mph, safely, in my opinion.

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