Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Geoff.D
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Geoff.D »

The other query I have, Bill, is about the size of the caster wheels. On the Brompton the wheels are very small and are pretty much useless on anything but a smooth surface. In a "real life" situation (rough tarmac surfaces; kerbs; stairs; broken pavement slabs; gravel paths; etc) such small wheels just don't perform. It's almost like dragging the thing. I've often wondered what it would be like to have larger diameter ones - even 75mm would make a great difference to wheeling the machine around.

This forward thinking on my part, Bill. There'll come a time when I'm less mobile than now and the solution to this wheeling around problem will come in handy. If you take the idea further and make a "Mk 2" version I'd be very interested to know how you get on.
Vorpal
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Vorpal »

Bill Reynolds wrote:Hello Un-Normal Cyclists, As my Dahon is built far away and being designed by people with imagination there are some very good extras one can buy for your cycle. There is one item that a lot of people want but cannot get.....its called a 'landing gear'...This item is a shaft that bolts to a special threaded plate welded under the cycle's bottom bracket and has a single wheel at the other end. The idea is that you fold down this item with the Dahon folded so you can push the cycle along...for instance, a railway station platform! The main problem is obtaining the item as stated above. I decided to make one and it works great. The main body is 35mm plastic waste water pipe with a butterfly knobbed jubilee clip at one end to grip the seat tube to hold the item to the seat tube. At the other end is a square of wood with a single castor wheel screwed onto it and brought off Amazon for £1.25p for four. The square of wood is screwed to a 'carved to fit' Willow log off the local hills and that is bolted into the inner of the waste water pipe.....and that's it. I was trying out the two differant folds of my Dahon today and the above gizmo worked great. The real thing costs around £27 or so, mine cost around eight pounds maximum..cannot complain about that can you?.......

can you post some pictures?
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Bill Reynolds
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Bill Reynolds »

Eeeerrrrr, welcome back Geoff, There is a YouTube clip of something like I have knocked up but the trouble is tapping in the right description to recieve the clip from YouTube! The castor on the end of my gizmo is 40mm wide. I have various items added to my Dahon to help me with my problems. I was tonight typing a pre- made list of how to do two types of fold, the list is to consult on a railway platform. I find if I remove the left bar end of my handlebar my Dahon can be pushed along with both of its wheels on the ground plus the gizmo above in a stable manner. The part fold I also do is with my handle bar remaining unfolded but the fold area is the same as the fully folded version. This version is for a train journey in none peak hours!
Bill Reynolds
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Location: North Worcestershire

Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Bill Reynolds »

Uuummm, Geoff, Regarding a Mark 2 item. The basic gizmo wirh a larger square of wood screwed to the Willow trunk inside the drain pipe could take a castor with a much larger diameter wheel. It depends if Amazon stock that size of castor??!
Bill Reynolds
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Bill Reynolds »

Sorry to go off topic but what a surprise to find this topic stuck right out in the 'sticks' of this forum! A pity the new CTC only pays lip service to disabled cyclists and to having a section aimed at being disabled. Just as well I left the CTC when it became a charity. Meanwhile more 'Tips' will appear as they occur to me.
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Si
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Si »

A pity the new CTC only pays lip service to disabled cyclists


I think that you'll find that the CTC is doing more than most in terms of 'inclusive cycling', it's just that that 'more' doesn't include supporting the Inclusive Cycling section of its forum.
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Paulatic
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Paulatic »

Bill Reynolds wrote:Sorry to go off topic but what a surprise to find this topic stuck right out in the 'sticks' of this forum! A pity the new CTC only pays lip service to disabled cyclists and to having a section aimed at being disabled. Just as well I left the CTC when it became a charity. Meanwhile more 'Tips' will appear as they occur to me.

I think it was moved so that some embarrassment to CTC Cycling UK could be removed from immediate history.
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Si
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Re: Tips for the 'un-normal' cyclist!

Post by Si »

I think that you'll find that you are wrong then.

When we were asked to set the inclusive section up we said that we weren't sure but we'd give it a go and see what happened - if it didn't catch on then we'd end the experiment. It didn't catch on so we ended the experiment. Simples.

Head office didn't ask for it to be removed. Ditto the volunteers section that we also removed due to lack of use.
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