Charge Plug Single Speed owners

Maybe this is very specific thread but would be interested to share experiences.

Let me start with some questions:

How fast have you taken a descent so far and have you experienced any wobble from the forks at speed? I have probably not gone over 32 miles per hour so far as I am still getting used to the feel of it.

Has anyone employed a solution of where to put a bottle for longer rides? So far I have used the back pocket.

Any recommendations for better brake blocks than the ones standard with the Tektro Calipers these have. Wearing out fast in winter.

So far after a few weeks and 600 miles I am really liking the Plug for all riding except proper hilly Dales country where 42x16 is not low enough. I have replaced the Dicta Freewheel with a Halo Clickster and the chain is now the KMC z510. The revelation to me is a rolling countryside ride of 50-60 miles is absolutely fine on it and not a slow average speed at all. At £150 the least I have ever spent on a bike (for me anyway) but getting so much pleasure from it.

There's lots of solutions for bottles without cage mounts, some attach to the seatpost and some attach to the frame tubes.

You can't really go too wrong with swiss stop or kool stop pads, just make sure they fit, not sure what the tektro compatibility is.

Not really sure why there isn't a thread for charge plugs, they seem an underrated frame imo. The tange ones especially, although the later ones with cantis have bags of tyre clearance

whats the good swiss stop ones? the blue ones? I have the brake shoe they would fit I presume (shimano compatible) off another old bike so hopefully i only need to buy blocks

My plug is a pub bike so I generally don't need a bottle :) however I have used a seat post cage mount with out any problems (this kind of thing https://cyclinguphill.com/rear-mounted-bottle-cages/ ). For brake pads KoolStop salmon are always good. They do wear more than the black ones but braking is more even and they grip much better in the wet.

I´ve used Swiss Stop green pads and various KoolStop. I think the SwissStop was the longest lasting, but the cost more corresponding to that. All pads have been good enough. The KoolStop i normaly buy are various dual and trippel compund, they all seem to be good. The stock Trektro works on the rear, but they offer to littel power for front use.

I'm a recent Charge Plug owner too - also got a 2nd hand one for £150, and having great fun on it as my first intro back into cycling (and as a single speed too). It's a stylish bike too, mine has the blue frame, with the matching brown handlebar tape and spoon seat.

Was bought more as a pub bike but now looking to see what it can do on longer rides, so looking at upgrades. How has the KMC Z510 chain been for you in the long-term?

Also do any Plug owners know the best mudguards to look out for? I have a crappy rear guard that bounces way too much

I have one stashed with my brother
It has a strapped on bottle mount partially secured with a rubber glove and a white industries free hub + Schwable Marathons. basically it cannot be killed by conventional weapons

I am about a year in and have the same one. The dark blue with the brown saddle and bullhorn bars. I have put a lot of undulating Yorkshire miles on it. I like it a lot and for lots of rides don't miss gears. Here are a list of thoughts and learning from it.

1. No bosses for mudguards. So went for the SKS Raceblade Long. But you need to file the part that attaches to the axle as they are designed for quick release axle thickness. These work well except for the little bit of mudguard on the front which over time kept flying off so I don't have it on now. Clearance for 28mm tyres still with them on.
   
2. Tyres schwalbe marathon plus are brilliant. 28mm and bomb proof but surprisingly quite a quick tyre.
   
3. Freewheel halo clickster really good just keep it oiled. Lie bike on its side and seep some oil in the crack as it were.
   
4. Chains. No idea if this is simply the lumpy terrain I ride but i seem to need a new one at around 1000 miles. Strange after my geared bike where a chain can do 4000 miles. Tried various KMC chains and all last the same so now just getting the B1 wide as it is cheap and lasts the same as any others twice the price. I left one chain a little too long and in the winter grime it munched the teeth on my freewheel and turned them into ninja stars even though I clean and relube regularly. So I will probably change chains more routinely from now on as the B1 us only about 6 quid.
   
5. Also have found it hard to keep the chain from going too loose as the wheel is edged forward by pressure on the pedals. So now I am using tensioners combined with halo nuts which hold things just a bit firmer and can keep the chain at the right tension.
   I have piled the miles on it in the last year. Upwards on 5000 miles. Most days a typical ride where I live at lunchtime us 16 miles and 1400 ft of elevation. I can't get over stretches of over 16% without bailing unless they are short. No trips into the Dales on it. I have done 140 miles in a day on the flat in a group ride and kept an 18mph average so it rolls well on its day. Enjoy it.
   

Thanks for the tips - really useful, and fair play you're putting some serious miles on it! Mine will mainly be for cutting around the city, with a longish country ride every couple weeks.

I've got 28mm (Panaracer Pasela I think) tyres on it too so that is good there's clearance for mudguards. Will try out the Halo since it's going well for you - have you kept the chainring that came with yours?

I'm new to working on a bike so will be a good learning project for me (and a good thing for lockdown too). Will update in the near future...

Hi, if you change the freewheel you will need the right tool, plus I found I was only able to get the old one off by putting the tool on, flipping the nut (the built in washer means you can't get the thread to grip, tighten the nut a little to hold it all in place and put the tool and wheel into a vice on a workbench, then turn the wheel to crack it to start undoing it, hope that makes sense. I also got a bit of oil worked into the freewheel in the ports on the reverse before fitting it.

I still have the same chainring/chainset on. that said I do like some you can get that look cool, but would want to be sure I don't change the chainline on the bike so not touching it at this stage.

I also did not mention I changed the bottom bracket which also started to go after I had been using it for a while. After a bit of research I settled on the Genetic Karyotype JIS bottom bracket. Found a good seller of them on ebay, around £30-35. just need to make sure you get the right size, 68x103 for this bike. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genetic-Karyotype-JIS-bottom-bracket/112754983789?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=414403045242&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

this is a good crank extractor for this, I had an old crappy one and bought this its very good, just make sure you have the threads seated nicely:
Park Tool Cotterless Crank Puller
and would need the bottom bracket tool as well.

one last point, although the schwalbe 28mm tyres do seem pretty bomb proof I do always carry a 15mm Spanner just in case I needed to take the rear wheel off if I got a puncture. I do get the occasional sarcastic remark when I was riding with others (when it was allowed anyway!), about my spanner in me back pocket :-)