Charge Plug

Needn't be expensive too, even a Mavic Open Pro laced to System Ex with double butted spokes is more than enough to make it lighter and feel better to ride.

Just got a reply from Charge regarding the size of the XS racer (I emailed before I asked here); they said the XS is 50cm c-t-c and 52cm tt, so the seat tube length is considerably shorter than what we have been discussing here and it would mean it have a totally different geo to other charge models?? I am confused... :-(

You test rode an XS and it fit you didn't it? (the Sink, which is the same as all the Charge Plug).

secondly, the measurment on their website is likely to be centre to top rather than centre to centre.

I did try the sink and it fits apart from the standover height, which we have already disregarded the need of it. But 4cm different between ctc to ctt seems a lot.

Obviously I am not arguing in any forms or shapes, so don't take this the wrong way, Ed. But if it's 50cm ctc, then I should have quite a lot of standover height, whether or not such thing is important.

Charge's own geo on the Racer (2011)

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_document/file/033/549/785/983/charge-plug-racer-geometry-data.pdf

If the Sink fit you fine despite the standover, then the Racer will.

Does anyone know why the new plug is so much cheaper than the old one?

Is it not as well built?

Also - is there a quill stem on the plug?

Quill stem and other own-brand stuff (crankset, tyres), the old Plug have plain gauge tubing, however the newer one have butted tubing (AFAIK), so ironically the frame material have improved.

cost of producing gone done?

I'm not sure I get the reasoning behind the quill stem - it might look a little more retro, but the standard plug isn't really a retro machine - is there something I've missed?

Cheaper?

Quill's for appearance, and nothing else.

Bit of a left-field one but here goes... I own a 2009 plug, I've run it fixed and SS and enjoyed it a lot. Recently I decided I wanted something more solid for off road jaunts so built up an old DMR Trailstar2 frame off flea-bay with a nice mix of new parts. I spent far to much money really and it's not turned out quite how I hoped and I'm realising that urban living and fat muddy bikes don't mix well. I'm seriously looking to split the MTB and sell it on as parts, from this I should be able to pull ~£250. The other option is to sell the plug for a more XC MTB Frame.

As much as I love my Plug my knees complain when I ride fixed (42x17) unless I use brakes and when I ride SS (42x16) I find I want a bit more top end and something to get me up the hills. The solution would seem to be going for a 3 speed Sturmey. Having looked at SJS the AW3 is ~£70, the one that's really interesting though is the X-RD3 which is the same gearing as an AW3 but with a 70mm drum brake for ~£80. This also includes the nicer shifter and pretty much all the mounting HW I'd need. My LBS builds a nice wheel so built up with a decent rim I'm looking at ~£150 for the back end.

My questions:

Is this a totally mad idea?

Will the use of a torsion bar with a track end dropout be more trouble than it's worth?

Are the Sturmey drum brakes canti or v pull? I read canti but that they take a lot of pull. Could I use my Avid SD levers with drums?

Any ideas on gearing for direct drive? 42x17 is good for most things (~62") and I'm not looking for a stupid high end gear, I'd rather have more for the hills at the bottom end.

Has anyone managed to get 35mm cross tyres to fit on the standard Plug frame?

Ultimately if I went this route I'd look to build up a front wheel with the 90mm drum brake. Intended use is urban roads and light trails/towpath so probably looking at 32mm tyres most of the time.

Does anyone know why the new plug is so much cheaper than the old one?
Is it not as well built?

Because it was obscenely overpriced in the first place, and because their costs and what they can get away with charging have both probably come down.

My questions:

Is this a totally mad idea?

*** imo no, not in the slightest. I think tilover built up a 3-speed on a track frame - but I can't remember if it was fixed 3-speed. Maybe drop him a PM.**

Will the use of a torsion bar with a track end dropout be more trouble than it's worth?
**

• do you mean the brake arm for a coaster brake? If so it will be fine. Road dropouts are always going to be easier for wheel changes, but trackends aren't the end of the world.
  **
  Are the Sturmey drum brakes canti or v pull? I read canti but that they take a lot of pull. Could I use my Avid SD levers with drums?
  **
  
• No idea, but I'd use caliper brakes over drums. Plus you've already got the rear drilled. Add some nice neatly lined up cable clips, and it will look nice.
  **
  
  

Thanks for the input. If I'm going for this I'm still tempted by the drum brake option. Clean lines and near zero maintenance appeal but it also seems to add up financially.

The Standard AW3 http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sturmey-archer-3-speed-freewheel-hub-with-gear-control-aw3-36-hole-prod19012/

Comes in at £70 and 1140g. It's supplied with the crappy standard shifter which I can't stand so I'd need to look at either of these:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/3-speed-sturmey-archer-sls30-t-thumbshifter-hsj962-prod24027/

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sturmey-archer-nimbus-3-speed-shifter-hsj823-prod19273/

Of the two I prefer the first. Both of them are £16

With the drum brake kit:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sturmey-archer-3-speed-aluminium-hub-with-70-mm-drum-brake-with-gear-control-x-rd3-36-hole-prod19009/

Which comes in at £80 and a hefty 1400g, but with the nimbus shifter which I could live with.

Going with the AW3 and the same shifter would cost me £6 more to have 260g less weight and no brake solution. I'm on the default Tektro callipers that come with the plug so quite a bit of that is offset, they are not light. Price wise it seems counter logical and I'm having a hard time justifying not going for a rear drum.

In terms of performance I'm not expecting it to be as sharp as the Tektro on a good day, but I am expecting something consistent in all weathers. I've been following the fatbike threads on MBR and a guy there had some interesting results with the 90mm drums on a Pugsley which kind of got me thinking about them and the level of abuse they can take.

Brought my Plug the other day, can't stop riding it!!

Just had my charge plug racer built last night, can't wait to ride it tomorrow. And I think I might have bought the last ever charge plug racer xs 2010 for £320, I think it's a bargain.

hi ive a question, im planning to buy a charge plug 2012 ( regular version not the prestige) and i owuld like to know if someone has already ride that bike.
i don't know also for the size. i m 170 cm and i ve a bianchi pista 55 cm ( wich is a bit big for me ) and a fuji feather 54 cm wich is ok for the size. Should i go for sx or a small.
thanks for your replies ( and sorry for my english)
pierre

I got an xs, which is 52cm tt and 54cm ctt and I am 168. tt length is fine, but the seat tube is very long. I think you'd be fine with both xs and s, but couldn' you not try them in a local bike shop or something? As it is something very personal.

Like extra said, go try it out and go for the one that's the most comfortable.

unfortunally i can't test it here in brussels i can only order the bike...so ive to decide without trying it. it s a bit borin i guess

and do you have the 2012 version?

best thing you can do is follow the sizing chart, if you're ordering from a reputable bicycle shop, why not ask for their help in getting the right size?

bah they say small it just the small have such a big seat tube my bianchi pista wich is 55 cm is too bieg and the small charge has the same seat tube

define too big, as in not enough seatpost showing? or the 'standover height' nonsense?

i converted langster to 3 speed sturmey archer, it's ace!