Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

looks like photoshop, same pic twice definitely, even the spokes/valves are aligned.

They would be almost the same, the only thing you need to change between the first and the second picture is switching the camera's flash on.

Surely the photos just been taken with and without the flash.
Anyway I read about it here http://prollyisnotprobably.com/2008/10/squarebuilt.php

They would be almost the same, the only thing you need to change between the first and the second picture is switching the camera's flash on.

That and That.

They would be almost the same, the only thing you need to change between the first and the second picture is switching the camera's flash on.

Comprehension fail on my behalf, I thought "Its the same bike, powdercoated in 3M reflective paint" was referring to before and after shots, obviously not.

In my defense I'm probably an acid casualty, shiny things freak me out.

The yellow is very well laid out.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/Original/56907.jpg

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=56907

On sale for less than £750 with alfine, tubus rack, hydraulic discs, dynamo hub and lights. I can forgive the boring paint job at that price!

I always wonder why disc brakes are so popular on town bikes. Obviously on a cargo bike you've got a lot of weight, but on a town bike you're not gonna be carrying more than your weight + maybe 10kg.

Considering that disc brakes need servicing/replacement parts relatively often, and that they're quite fragile (discs bent doing the bike rack shuffle), you'd think that more town bikes would have hub brakes - as well as being impervious to weather, they're robust and almost maintenance free.

Plus I think hub brakes are actually lighter.
Shimano Deore XT brake setup (I couldn't find a total weight for everything listed anywhere so I had to add up parts which might not be the exact same combo of parts that you'd buy from a shop, but it should be a reasonably accurate estimate)
lever = 240g
caliper inc lines = 450g
disc = 160g
hub = 260g
total = 1,110g

Sturmey Archer XFD hub
hub = 770g
cable lever = 180g (ish)
total = 950g

I also remember reading about oversize hub brakes that had stopping power comparable to disc brakes. Heavier, for sure, but with some development (remember that disc brakes have already had a head-start in development) I imagine the weight could be shaved down a little, too.

I always wonder why disc brakes are so popular on town bikes. Obviously on a cargo bike you've got a lot of weight, but on a town bike you're not gonna be carrying more than your weight + maybe 10kg.

I run disc brake on my heavy duty bike, the best thing about them is that like hubs brake, they're very reliable with ample stopping power, unlike hubs brake, it's quite powerful, even without heavy load, it's nice to able to modulated the brakes very easily with disc brake than hubs.

Considering that disc brakes need servicing/replacement parts relatively often, and that they're quite fragile (discs bent doing the bike rack shuffle), you'd think that more town bikes would have hub brakes - as well as being impervious to weather, they're robust and almost maintenance free.

The downside is exactly as you said - need pads replacing more often than usual (I need to replaced mine, and it's 3 months overdue!), it take me only 3-4 months for the disc pads to wear out, everything else is fine, even the disc itself (more due to the sheer size of my tyres that prevent it from getting bend on bike rack).

Hubs brakes are excellent if you want a brakes that you don't want to worry about in the future, regardless of the weather (another plus for the hubs - very easy to control your braking in the rain), but it's never going to be as powerful and precise as a disc brake, which is the deal killer for me, and there's not much you can adjust.

Disc are more idea in London where we commute a much longer distance than says, the people of Amsterdam, of whom cycle on average 2 miles a day in comparison to London's 5 miles each way, also the culture difference (London's TT commute and the 'Dam merry go round).

I also remember reading about oversize hub brakes that had stopping power comparable to disc brakes. Heavier, for sure, but with some development (remember that disc brakes have already had a head-start in development) I imagine the weight could be shaved down a little, too.

Quite right, there are possiblities that hubs brakes would've been as powerful and precise as disc brake, hell there's already hydraulic drum brakes designed for those Long John bicycles, I've a feeling it's easier to explore more possiblities of the disc brake than hubs brakes in the future.

Yeah I've been reading about Long Johns and the brakes they used, interesting stuff.

I might test ride a Pashley to see what drum brakes are like. I can't decide whether to have drums or centrepull calipers on my audaxy/tourery bike when I finally get around to building it.

Have you seen this?

**Simple, reliable, low maintenance, and apparently works better in the wet than when dry. I don't suppose you can find the rims any more though. **

I can't decide whether to have drums or centrepull calipers on my audaxy/tourery bike when I finally get around to building it.

If you're going to build it for audax/touring, I highly suggested centrepull calipers.

on that rim braking thing, is there a cable running through the sidewall of the rim?

Looks like a groove in the rim where the braking surface would normally be.

Actually I just read it there and it says exactly that...

Yep. It'd be interesting to ride one. It looks like the perfect low-maintenance brake for cheap utility bicycles. I wonder if it adds much drag or how hard it is to change a puncture.

Some random guys blog: Farm Bike.

Started like this with holes in it.

... and ended up like this:

Hugo, where are you and what are you up to? That blog looks brilliant.

South Dakota.

I decided I'd had enough of London and bought a farm. It's a nice life, but I'm finding it hard to get into the whole incest thing...but I guess it just takes time to adapt to cultural differences.

It's surprisingly sunny here for the middle of Winter.

That's fantastic. How did you deal with the whole visa thing? I tried to move a couple of years back but couldn't get a visa.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4708858515_b6bac97b64_b.jpg

Looks really cool! But no foot clearance at all makes this a shitty porteur..

"How ever will i get these two full kegs of beer to work with just a bike?"

must be so noisy

This thing should be amphibious!!!

Looks really cool! But no foot clearance at all makes this a shitty porteur..

you mean toe overlap?

That porteur bike is porn.

Messy Pic, was too tired to go out and get a clean shot...

Would benefit from stronger wheels I reckon. Was carrying this kit to enthuse kids about inventing stuff:

Close up (the mug isn't mine, neither is the pencil sharpener).

How well does pedal power translate into electricity?

Not bad, it's certainly functional! These guys do ok with it:

http://www.magnificentrevolution.org/