Mechanical Odometer

[Mike Dodds]

>
> Technology is a wonderful thing, why not use it?
>

Indeed it is, but even the cheapest computers are way over the top for what
I need. What I don't want is a gizmo attached to the handlebars, wires, or a
bulky radio transmitter attached to the fork.

I could put a green hat on and say I don't want to pollute the world with
discarded batteries, but I could get a solar powered computer. Thing is they
need even bigger gizmos on the handlebars and wires...

Of course I could pop a small notepad in the frame of the bike and mark a
tick for every day I commute. As I commute 12 miles it'll be just like the
old times, none of this new fangled decimal stuff ;-)

 

[Mike Dodds]

> ...which would make bugger all difference since it still only clicks once
> per revolution and a 16" wheel revolves many more times to cover a given
> distance than a 28" one.

Yeah, I did work that one out about a nano second after I hit send... D'Oh

 

[Dave Larrington]

Also sprach David Martin <[email protected]>:

> I think Avocet used to do one that had a multi sensor arrangement on a
> ring, but that was a bit of a faff to fit to some bikes.

Yebbut that was an electromagical one. And if one had large-flange hubs,
one had to cut the clippy doodah's off and attach it with cable ties. I had
one.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I have a shell collection, have you seen it? I keep it scattered on the
world's beaches.

 

[Dave Larrington]

Also sprach Mike Dodds

> A clickometer is much simpler. I don't need speeds, averages etc on
> my new Brompton. I have computers on my other bikes that do that and
> more. One thing that p*sses me off is those that lose track of
> settings when you change batteries.

They don't document the fact, but on some computers - certainly for the
Cateye Astrale - if one whips the old battery out and the new one in with a
degree of alacrity, the settings /don't/ disappear. I think it's about 30
seconds.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Is it an Audi A4?

 

[Sandy Morton]

>> The clickometer
>> probably didn't need to know wheel size, it would be fitted with the
>> finger at a set distance from the centre of the axle.
>
> ...which would make bugger all difference since it still only clicks once
> per revolution and a 16" wheel revolves many more times to cover a given
> distance than a 28" one.

I used to stock 20", 24" and 26" ones - possibly still have some in a box
somewhere:-(

 

[John Hearns]

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 12:59:11 +0100, Dave wrote:


> Incidentally setting the "finger" at differing distances from the axle
> would have absolutely no effect as the wheel still turns one revolution to
> give a measurement to the unit and whilst the tyre travels faster than the
> hub relative to each other they are still only one revolution. (A bit like
> ice skaters linked together in a line - those in the middle are hardly
> moving but those at the outside are travelling very fast).
>
v = omega x r

 

[Mike Dodds]

> I used to stock 20", 24" and 26" ones - possibly still have some in a box
> somewhere:-(

Sandy,

Let me know if you have a 20" one, please.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Mike Dodds]

> They don't document the fact, but on some computers - certainly for the
> Cateye Astrale - if one whips the old battery out and the new one in with
> a
> degree of alacrity, the settings /don't/ disappear. I think it's about 30
> seconds.

I have a Cateye Astrale on my road bike. It is excellent and as you say does
not lose settings. The tourer and mountain bike share a H*lf*rds computer
that keeps track of two bikes. I discovered after 2 years that it doesn't
store the settings when replacing the battery, and it doesn't allow you to
reenter the odometer settings either...

 

[iakobski]

>>Sandy,

>> Let me know if you have a 20" one, please.

Ooh-err missus! Fnaar, fnaar.

 

[Sandy Morton]

> Sandy,
>
> Let me know if you have a 20" one, please.
>
> Cheers

OK

 

[MartinM]

Mike Dodds wrote:
> >> > Anyone know if it is still possible to get one? I can't be arsed with
> >> > wires, batteries, tyre circumference,
> >> Errr... you would have to bother with tire circumference.
> >> I guess though they were all set to the common 700C wheel size.
> >>
> >> I remember one of these when I were lad also, I think it might have
> >> been on my brothers bike though.
> > When I were a lad 700C was not popular in England, one had to choose
> > between 26" and 27" on such clickometers.
>
> They didn't have 26" wheels then, one rode on the road, not on mountain
> tracks,

not strictly true; there were several common wheel (tyre) sizes;

26 x 1 3/8" used for pretty much everything that wasn't a racer, still
available into the 80's and probably still in India or somewhere

not compatible with current MTB tyres the rims were larger
cincumference and the tyres thinner, a bit like the difference between
Brompton 16" and kid's 16" now.

27 x 1 1/4" was the "racing" bike size, used by all the cheap Raleigh
Claud Butler etc

28 x 1", the imperial version of 700c used with tubs and proper racers,
I have still seen a few old wheels still available

then various 24, 20, 16, 14 shoppers/folders/kid's racers, mostly 1
3/8"

the first 700c bike I bought was a 1980's Falcon, the first time I had
seen really narrow clincher tyres.

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Mike Dodds wrote:
>> I have a 26" wheel odometer back in the bits cupboard. I can post it to
>> you at cost. I imagine it's a 26 x 1 1/2 style 26" rather than a 26 x 1.5
>> style.
>>
>> Also, it has four or five hundred miles already on it, and it doesn't have
>> a pin. But it's yours for the price of postage.
>
>Thanks Abrose, I may take you up on that . If I can find someone with a
>pin...
>
>Of course it won't be reading miles on 20" wheels, it might be nearer to
>kilometers.

I have a pin, and a clickometer that came off a roughly 20" wheel.
No promises that it reads appropriately, but you can have them for
postage, or someone else can if you take up Ambrose. Assuming I can
find them.

 

[Mike Causer]

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 10:51:08 +0100, Mike Dodds wrote:

> When I were a lad we had black and white telly, a testcard during the day
> and clockwork watches. Posh 5 speed racing bikes often had a mechanical
> odometer. It was attached to the front fork and counted each wheel
> revolution with a 'finger' attached to a spoke.
>
> Anyone know if it is still possible to get one?

I'm fairly sure I've seen them on a stall at a Sunday market. The shop
concerned is definitely a cycle shop, and is in Ipswich. So you've got a
couple of possible routes: go to the next Bank Holiday Market at Fordham
in Cambs (they are always there), or do a bit of Yellow paging, there
can't be all that many cycle shops in Ipswich. (I've just had a look at
YP to see if any names rang a bell, but no. However I know it's _not_
Moons.)

One more thought: Mick Madgett in Diss could be worth a try, his shop is a
real aladdin's cave. 01379 650419


Mike

 

[Peter B]

Someone posted:

"> > They didn't have 26" wheels then, one rode on the road, not on mountain
> > tracks, they were for the plus-fours brigade and sheep. The clickometer
> > probably didn't need to know wheel size, it would be fitted with the
finger
> > at a set distance from the centre of the axle.

Hmm..I'm sure the Raleigh I had about 1962/3 had 26 x 1 3/8 tyres.
Also we used to ride on tracks through woods and suchlike, not
mountainbiking but certainly all-terrain cycling, which is more than a lot
of so-called mountain bikes do nowadays.
--
Pete
http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/P

 

[Al C-F]

Mike Dodds wrote:
> When I were a lad we had black and white telly, a testcard during the day
> and clockwork watches. Posh 5 speed racing bikes often had a mechanical
> odometer. It was attached to the front fork and counted each wheel
> revolution with a 'finger' attached to a spoke.
>
I used to have one of those. Some scrote 'visiting' Bilborough College
liberated it from my bike, but the stupid turd left the finger on the
spoke behind.

 

[MartinM]

Al C-F wrote:
> Mike Dodds wrote:
> > When I were a lad we had black and white telly, a testcard during the day
> > and clockwork watches. Posh 5 speed racing bikes often had a mechanical
> > odometer. It was attached to the front fork and counted each wheel
> > revolution with a 'finger' attached to a spoke.
> >
> I used to have one of those. Some scrote 'visiting' Bilborough College
> liberated it from my bike, but the stupid turd left the finger on the
> spoke behind.

I'm sure I remember seeing a whole load in a shop all with different
stickers on the box for wheel diameter; they also sold,
those 9" long "mud"guards
centre pull brakes
Pifco screw in switch front lamps
Solid and I mean solid polythene saddles
little wheels for the brake and gear cables to pivot on
The little Sturdy Armchair chain links for the gear cable
Cotter pins
those nice safety levers for Wienmann brakes
big wing nuts for non QD wheels

anything I've missed?

 

[Tim Downie]

"MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Al C-F wrote:
>> Mike Dodds wrote:
>> > When I were a lad we had black and white telly, a testcard during the
>> > day
>> > and clockwork watches. Posh 5 speed racing bikes often had a mechanical
>> > odometer. It was attached to the front fork and counted each wheel
>> > revolution with a 'finger' attached to a spoke.
>> >
>> I used to have one of those. Some scrote 'visiting' Bilborough College
>> liberated it from my bike, but the stupid turd left the finger on the
>> spoke behind.
>
> I'm sure I remember seeing a whole load in a shop all with different
> stickers on the box for wheel diameter; they also sold,
> those 9" long "mud"guards
> centre pull brakes
> Pifco screw in switch front lamps
> Solid and I mean solid polythene saddles
> little wheels for the brake and gear cables to pivot on
> The little Sturdy Armchair chain links for the gear cable
> Cotter pins
> those nice safety levers for Wienmann brakes
> big wing nuts for non QD wheels
>
> anything I've missed?

Replacement brake blocks for rod brakes, you know, the ones that used to
come flying out if you fitted the block holders the wrong way round

Cotter pins

I suspect this one will run and run ;-)

Tim

 

[Martin Bulmer]

Mike Dodds wrote:
>>>> Anyone know if it is still possible to get one? I can't be arsed
>>>> with wires, batteries, tyre circumference,
>>> Errr... you would have to bother with tire circumference.
>>> I guess though they were all set to the common 700C wheel size.
>>>
>>> I remember one of these when I were lad also, I think it might have
>>> been on my brothers bike though.
>> When I were a lad 700C was not popular in England, one had to choose
>> between 26" and 27" on such clickometers.
>
> They didn't have 26" wheels then, one rode on the road, not on
> mountain tracks, they were for the plus-fours brigade and sheep. The
> clickometer probably didn't need to know wheel size, it would be
> fitted with the finger at a set distance from the centre of the axle.

It counts the revolutions of the wheel. To translate this into mileage, you
have to know the wheel circumference. It doesn't matter how far away from
the axle it is, once round is once round, and a smaller wheel doesn't travel
as far down the road for once round as a larger one does.
--


Martin Bulmer

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

I submit that on or about Fri, 16 Sep 2005 23:43:41 +0100, the person
known to the court as "Tim Downie" <[email protected]>
made a statement (<[email protected]> in Your Honour's
bundle) to the following effect:

>> centre pull brakes
>> Pifco screw in switch front lamps
>> The little Sturdy Armchair chain links for the gear cable
>> Cotter pins
>> big wing nuts for non QD wheels
>Replacement brake blocks for rod brakes, you know, the ones that used to
>come flying out if you fitted the block holders the wrong way round
>Cotter pins

All the above can be found in my spares box!

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

 

[MartinM]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
> I submit that on or about Fri, 16 Sep 2005 23:43:41 +0100, the person
> known to the court as "Tim Downie" <[email protected]>
> made a statement (<[email protected]> in Your Honour's
> bundle) to the following effect:
>
> >> centre pull brakes
> >> Pifco screw in switch front lamps
> >> The little Sturdy Armchair chain links for the gear cable
> >> Cotter pins
> >> big wing nuts for non QD wheels
> >Replacement brake blocks for rod brakes, you know, the ones that used to
> >come flying out if you fitted the block holders the wrong way round
> >Cotter pins
>
> All the above can be found in my spares box!

a few more;

the non sticky transparent coloured polythene bar tape.
The R chrome nuts for Raleighs
not strictly a part but the curl round the top tube bit on posh Raleigh
and Carlton bikes
Large flange hubs
clamp on front light brackets
the little round back lights that took a single U2 (that's D now)
battery
anything with Simplex, Huret or SR written on it
steel painted mudguards with the 50's chrome pointy bit at the front