Peaking Early?
Martin Snelus comments on concerns over oil in A to B 41.When I went to school in the ‘60s I never expected to be able to drive a car – oil was going to run out before I reached driving age. When I was at University in the 1970s and went through the oil shock, I never thought I’d own my own car because the oil was going to run out before I had a job and could afford one.We even had petrol rationing in the ‘70s because the end was so close. All my life there have been pundits predicting the imminent end of the oil age.That oil reserves are ultimately finite and will run out is undeniable and we should therefore husband them wisely. And if the pundits keep predicting the imminent end, eventually one of them will be right and be able to say I told you so.Whether David Goodstein and Paul Roberts are those pundits, or just more joining the long line of failed pundits, I don’t know.The current concerns and the pundits rushing to press seems once more better correlated to Western concerns about Middle Eastern politics than geology.
Meanwhile I will continue to cycle and drive a thrifty car to preserve whatever oil there is left.
Tony Raven
Royston, Hertfordshire
Quite right too, but the situation really is different now, because the supply/demand equation is much more finely balanced than it was in the 1960s or ‘70s. As recent events have shown, the very suspicion that supplies might be reduced is enough to cause global panic.The oil doesn’t need to actually run out, just run down by a few per cent. Like Global Warming, Peak Oil may only be verifiable when it’s too late to do anything about it. (Eds)
Folder Friendly or Noo?
There appears to be some confusion about ScotRail’s carriage of folding bikes.The National Rail Guide sponsored by Brompton states ‘Folding cycles are carried free without restriction’, while A to B’s own website says of ScotRail: ‘There are no special restrictions on folding bikes’. On the other hand, the leaflet displayed at ScotRail’s own stations says: ‘Cycles completely folded down and enclosed in a container or case throughout the journey are carried on all services and do not need a reservation.’ To complicate matters further, when I emailed ScotRail for clarification, a customer care assistant responded that folding bikes were treated exactly the same as other bikes and would need reservations on relevant services – mostly those north of the Central Belt. On a recent trip between Inverness and Aberdeen with my Bike Friday I did not dare put the matter to the test and reserved one of the two bike spaces available per train. Any other readers’ experiences?
Roderick Clyne
London
The ‘must be enclosed in a container or case’ clause dates back many years and has rather annoyingly been kept on the books by a minority of train operators looking for an excuse to evict folding bikes.This restriction is never applied to our knowledge, but do beware – if you attempt to travel on a packed commuter train with a big, oily, uncovered, and nominally folded bike, the guard may quote the rule. However, Scotrail is bound by the wording in the current ATOC/Brompton national leaflet, and if this states no restrictions, there are no restrictions. For a larger machine, such as a part-folded Bike Friday, some sort of cover would be a courtesy on a busy train, but not an obligation. ScotRail has failed to respond to our request for clarification. (Eds)
Planning Permissible?
I am looking for a lockable secure housing for our bikes which can be bolted to the front of our house. I found a company that sold such objects through your advertisements but can no longer locate the company. Could you help?
Manuel Alvarado
London
Perhaps surprisingly, Sustrans does not keep a list of recommended suppliers, but its town planning consultant Chris Dent adds that a front garden bike locker could fall foul of the planning rules if it exceeds a height of one metre. Anyone thinking of doing the same would be well advised to have a friendly chat with their local planning officer before investing in a large structure.
One of the best suppliers is BikeAway Ltd, Bell Close, Newnham Industrial Estate, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon PL7 4JH.Tel: 01752 202116, fax: 01752 202117, web: www.bikeaway.com and email: info@bikeaway.com BikeAway’s individual lockers are widely used by railway companies and local authorities and cost £460 each plus VAT – quite a lot, but it’s a substantial product that should protect your bike(s) for years to come. (Eds)
Some Answers and a lot more Questions
In A to B 41 Malcolm Mort asks if anyone knows of a source of good quality 150mm cranks. Chris Bell of Highpath Engineering will shorten cranks for about £36 including postage.The smallest practicable amount of shortening is 20mm, so 170s can be shortened to 150mm. I noticed Mike Burrows states that he now, ‘runs 150 cranks on all his bikes’. I suspect he has shortened his existing 170s. Regarding the benefit to knees of shorter cranks, what is it that can damage knees? Is it the angle through which the joint moves, or is it the largest angle of bend? Or both! Saddle height is relevant in this matter. If your saddle is low, then the angle of bend – from straight – will be large, even with short cranks.
In The Complete Book of Bicycling, Greg Lemond reckons most people – including professional cyclists – have their saddle too low. He reckons we should position the saddle as high as is comfortable, ride for a while until we are used to it, then raise it a little more, and repeat the process. Another factor affecting the knee joint angular movement is how much, if at all, we ‘ankle’. Using the ankles can make a considerable difference to the effective length of the cranks and consequently how much the knee joint rotates.
I am trying 157.5mm cranks and have noticed that I do not ankle as much as I do with 170s. Is there any evidence that long cranks can cause knee joint damage? I know from experience that long cranks can be uncomfortable and make it impossible to get a smooth pedalling action, but whether this would cause damage is another matter.Where do the figures come from in the published inside leg/crank length tables? Perhaps none of this matters now that it has been demonstrated that crank length does not affect power output?
Mike Lenton Kirby-in-Furness, Cumbria
Holy Matrimony
We were rather chuffed to find a handy padlock that fits snugly on the ever-faithful Brompton, disappearing inside the frame when the bike is unfolded. It is called Wedlock and is made by Specialized. We bought it here in Switzerland from a mail-order shop called Véloplus (www.veloplus.ch), but it may well be available elsewhere now. It obviously adds a bit of weight to the bike, but we have found it rather nifty. It folds out like a concertina and is great for securing the bike to likely-looking poles when it is not feasible to carry the bike inside (although I am getting quite shameless – my Brompton enjoyed its first trip to the cinema recently, as well as happily shopping in supermarket trolleys, on the strength of A to B’s advice!)
Juliet Fall
Geneva, Switzerland
Our advice is to avoid locking up your Brompton at all costs, particularly in London and the southeast of England, where thieves are aware of the secondhand value of the bikes. A kindly bike shop will generally agree to put the machine behind the counter for a small remuneration, and if your local shop refuses, let us know! However, for those who cannot avoid parking in town, a fitted lock seems a worthwhile investment.The Wedlock is available from a number of UK mail-order outlets for around £50. (Eds)
Thanks Ken!
This winter I have been using the Brompton and bus to get to work. At £1, it’s a lot cheaper than the £3.80 rail fare from Redhill to Croydon. The luggage rack could be almost purpose-built for a Brompton. Another advantage is there are no steps up and down from the platform.
The bus is slower, but overall the time is much the same because the route is more suitable and stops near(ish) to my destination. I use the route 405 which is a London bus, hence the £1 fare for cash.
Andrew J Holland
Redhill, Surrey
Modern low-floor buses are a great advance, with plenty of flexible space for luggage, including folding bikes. As a general rule, we still recommend covering your bike on the bus (at least, until you get to know the drivers) because a bus driver has the right to arbitrarily refuse luggage he doesn’t like the look of.Thanks are also due, once again, to His Holiness Ken Livingstone for revitalising London’s transport. (Eds)
GoBike Gone?
I am looking for a good folding bike in the 20-inch size for longer trips (I commute 14 miles every day, plus train, with a Brompton, but the ride is a bit too far some days… I read about a folding bike today that I haven ìt seen or heard about before. It does not appear to be listed in your website Buyer’s Guide or Price List? So, I am wondering if it’s a brand new thing, or is there really nothing new in the biking world? It looks really cool and it is called GoBike. It seems to be Canadian, and can be found at www.legroupego.com
Nils Hoglund
Sweden
Similar in many respects to the Birdy, the GoBike is indeed made in Canada.The manufacturers agreed to let us have a test sample when European sales commenced.We were told this would be happen when a cheap manufacturing deal had been struck in the Far East, but the GoBike project has since gone strangely quiet. Anyone know more? (Eds)
On the Case
My wife bought a Dahon Helios last year on your recommendation. She is pleased with it and would like to buy a hardcase for it, primarily to protect it from rough handling when travelling by air. Do you know of any firms who market a suitable case? The folded size of the Helios is quoted as 32cm x 66cm x 84cm.
John K T Fyfe
Edinburgh
You’ll be delighted to hear that Dahon UK has recently sourced the ‘Airporter’, a hardcase with internal padding and ‘bomb-proof ’ in-line skate wheels.They claim it fits all 16″ and 20″ wheel Dahon bikes, and will carry their 26″ machines with the wheels removed.The Airporter costs £169.99 from www.world-wheels.co.uk (Eds)
Small Point
One very small point. Moles eat worms not insects.They are therefore carnivores.
Stephen Slaughter
Horley, Surrey
Our proof-reading team points out that ‘Mammals in Britain & Europe’ classifies the mole as an insectivore. If mistaken, they will be fed to a family of weasels. (Eds)
Better in Germany
After reading your article on the Puky child bike (A to B 41), we thought you might be interested to know about the child’s bike we bought in Germany for our daughter Jasmine, now six years old.The bike is a copy of the Puky Z8, but cheaper (it cost us the Euro equivalent of £75) with slightly cheaper components. However, it comes with a bell, propstand, rack, front and rear reflectors (not lights), comfortable saddle, enclosed chain case, ‘crash pad’ on the handlebars, etc. It also has a back-pedal brake – Jasmine took a few minutes to get used to this, but now seems OK.The make is indeterminate, but it’s definitely manufactured in Germany and not Taiwan! The only name on it is ‘ErlKonig’.
The downside is that you have to go to Germany to buy it! We bought ours at a little bike shop in Baden Baden while on holiday, and the shop agreed to post it to us for the equivalent of £25, so we didn’t have to wrestle it on and off trains and planes.
There are many similar bikes in Germany, and if travelling as a tourist, you could probably fly home with one. Whether you could pay for your holiday with the saving is another matter – but it might be fun trying!
Fiona Le Ny
Folkestone
Multi-gear Brommies
Thanks for the information on fitting 12/18-tooth sprockets to the Brompton 6-speed (A to B 31).There was an excellent article in the Cyclists Touring Club magazine about a year ago on fitting a front mech to the Brompton, giving a double chainring and a greater range of gears. Perhaps a kit based on this would be useful?
A wider Brompton frame would accommodate the 8-speed Sturmey hub with drum brake – the only snag I can see is the decrease in efficiency (weight is not a big problem for me as I do not carry the bike often). Our local buses are low-floor Optare vehicles and I often wheel the Brompton on without even folding it. It fits well in the wheelchair space.
David Greensmith
Clunbury, Shropshire
A front changer can bring all sorts of chain-tension and clearance problems on the Brompton, so for the small increase in gear range we wouldn’t recommend it. By contrast, a 6-speed rear sprocket swap is easy, cheap and relatively snag-free.The 13/17-tooth option is straightforward but offers a limited range, while 12/17, 13/18 and (best of all) 12/18-tooth upgrades can be fiddly, but are well worth the effort. For parts and advice, we’d recommend contacting London hub gear experts Bicycle Workshop (020 7229 4850). (Eds)
Junior Electrics
My son has just turned 14, and I am thinking of buying an electric bicycle for him to use to get to school (seven miles of country lanes, including a steep hill both ways); to town (four miles of the same); to after-school sports and to visit friends. I know very little about this form of transport and would appreciate some advice.
Our criteria are safety and reliability, along with the capacity (in terms of both power and space) to carry substantial bags of books/files and/or sports kit (including, if possible, racquets/bats).We also need to know about re-charging the batteries (the school run is six days a week and includes late evenings). Oh yes, and if it looked a bit cool, that would be a bonus! What we really need is a Which? magazine type guide to electric bikes.
Diana Birkett
Albury, Surrey
Electric bikes can, indeed, be ridden by children of 14 and over, although this big potential market seems to have been almost entirely ignored. Looking cool is probably the biggest problem though, because that’s one thing most of these bikes will never be. However, there are one or two exceptions, notably the Tornado (£745 from Eco-Bike, tel 020 8839 9700) and the EV range (see page 14 – up to £1,300 from Powerscoots, tel 0870 606 7788).
We’d like to recommend the Giant Lafree Sport, but this sensibly-engineered, cleanly-styled cruiser is not yet available in the UK (although you might consider lobbying Giant UK on 0115 977 5900). An alternative would be to find a suitably cool donor bike and add an electric motor. One of the best kits is the Electro-Drive (£365 from E-go, tel 07974 723996).
For a mini-review of the key machines, visit our (under-utilised) Electric Buyer’s Guide at www.atob.org.uk
Most decent electric bikes should manage up to 20 hilly miles, provided they get a good overnight charge. School and back, plus town and back without an intermediate charge would be marginal for some, but the answer to that would be a school top-up. Even less likely than undercover parking you’d think, but worth asking, nonetheless. (Eds)
Giant Lafree Sport – cool, but sensible
Bolero
Re the ‘Final Word’ item on Brompton wrist strain (A to B 41, page 25), I can heartily recommend the stubby bar ends from Avon Valley Cycles.There is a note in my 1998 End-to-End journal which says, ‘The bar ends are to the Brompton what Bo Derek is to Ravel’s Bolero’.
Bob Hutton
Nailsea, North Somerset
The Final Word
In which you get your say… briefly
Hard hitting but humorous . Better than New Labour! The best magazine I receive! I get very twitchy when A to B is due .Avidly read, totally enjoyed and used for reference. Bizarrely (since I don’t have a folding bike) this is my favourite magazine . Never fails to delight . I like the style! Well balanced . Interesting and readable . Consistently excellent Refreshingly irreverent, independent and bold, yet humble enough to admit when wrong Any chance of going monthly? A compact and competent transport forum . Excellent – less technical stuff at last! I like the technical content . Hold the cynicism and bring back the railway guy [from his partner] . Needs to be bigger with dedicated sections [A to B] deserves a far higher readership and a long-awaited award . Light at the end of a fume-filled tunnel . I can’t live without it . Luv it, luv it, luv it! Keep it quirky!
