recumbent trying and mapp gas brazing



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On Wed, 11 Jun 2003 17:57:11 +0200, "Mads Hilberg" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> At the moment, what I'd really like is a tourer.
>
>Only 3 words are needed then: StreetMachine Grand Tourismo
>
>See: www.hpvelotechnik.de (the press room has links to some reviews), www.kinetics.org.uk and
>www.wademan.com (for a guy who's taken his to many parts of the world).

Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only rated
to 120kgs. I've tried Bikefix who ummed, aahhed and finally said that they wouldn't honour the
warranty on the frame. If I'm going to spend £1500+ on a bike, I want to be certain that important
parts won't break. I guess this might not be a realistic option, though. :-(

I like the look of the Rainbow Lyra, though. Seems sturdy enough. Good price, too.

--
DG

Bah!
 
> Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only
> rated to 120kgs. I've tried Bikefix who ummed, aahhed and finally said that they wouldn't honour
> the warranty on the frame. If I'm going to spend £1500+ on a bike, I want to be certain that
> important parts won't break. I guess this might not be a realistic option, though. :-(

Well I'm not sure you'll find a much tougher recumbent. And it has specific options for heavier
riders, such as harder suspension for the front forks ("for over 230lbs", which isn't far off
120kg) and various strengths of spring for the rear. Also, HPVelotechnik offer a 10 year warranty
on the bike once you have purchased it - you just have to fill out a form that comes with the bike
and send it to them via snailmail. You should give HPVelotechnik a call directly to hear what their
policy is on big guys like yourself. You could also try calling Ben at Kinetics in Glasgow who is
always very helpful.

Take a look at www.agencefuture.org - go to their kitlist - they appear to be carrying 40kg of kit
each on their bikes. Assuming these people aren't midgets, that and the 20kg bike weight should put
them clearly over 120kg. Also if you're really concerned you could use a trailer for your equipment.

Alternatively you could consider a trike (not that this would be any cheaper of course).

Mads
 
In message <[email protected]>, Jim Price <[email protected]> writes
>Disgruntled Goat wrote:
>> Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only
>> rated to 120kgs.
>
>Earlier you said you were 20 stone. This is less than 120 kgs.

It's 127.0058636 kg.
--
Michael MacClancy
 
Disgruntled Goat wrote:
> Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only
> rated to 120kgs.

Earlier you said you were 20 stone. This is less than 120 kgs. Are your cycling clothes
really heavy?

--
Jim Price

http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:
> In message <[email protected]>, Jim Price <[email protected]> writes
>
>> Disgruntled Goat wrote:
>>
>>> Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only
>>> rated to 120kgs.
>>
>>
>> Earlier you said you were 20 stone. This is less than 120 kgs.
>
>
> It's 127.0058636 kg.

Oops, looks like some finger trouble there.

--
Jim Price

http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.
 
Disgruntled Goat wrote: [Streetmachine GT]
> Love one. However, I haven't found anyone who sells it who'd agree to guarantee it. It's only
> rated to 120kgs.=20

HPVel seem to be *very* conservative with what they print (they say it=20 shouldn't be ridden down
kerbs!, if you did everything according to he=20 manual you'd never be able to ride it round the
block, never mind along=20 the length of Africa...)

> I've tried Bikefix who ummed, aahhed and finally said that they wouldn't honour the warranty on
> the frame. If I'm going to spend =A31500+ on a bike, I want to be certain that important parts
> won't break. I guess this might not be a realistic option, though. :-(

Have a word with Ben at Kinetics. Since the shop has a photo of him=20 getting Big Air on his old
Streetmachine fitted with knobbly tyres he=20 will know how far you can *really* push it. He's a
good egg, and=20 realises people do Silly Things on bikes like, errr, riding them.

http://www.kinetics.org.uk/ has contact details.

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics,
Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
On Wed, 11 Jun 2003 18:37:49 +0200, "Mads Hilberg" <[email protected]> wrote: <on the HPV
StreetMachine GT>

>
>Well I'm not sure you'll find a much tougher recumbent. And it has specific options for heavier
>riders, such as harder suspension for the front forks ("for over 230lbs", which isn't far off
>120kg) and various strengths of spring for the rear. Also, HPVelotechnik offer a 10 year warranty
>on the bike once you have purchased it - you just have to fill out a form that comes with the bike
>and send it to them via snailmail. You should give HPVelotechnik a call directly to hear what their
>policy is on big guys like yourself. You could also try calling Ben at Kinetics in Glasgow who is
>always very helpful.

I have dropped them a e-mail, thanks for that. :) What I'm most concerned about is not just the
sheer weight, but that and the amount of flex on the boom. I'm assuming that a shorter wheelbase
will mean a longer distance between the bottom (front?) bracket and the headset (midset? YKWIM!) and
more flex on the frame. The Rainbow Lyra (along with the Orca) seems to have a longer wheelbase and
a shorter bracket-headset distance. Is this a reasonable concern or am I being overly paranoid?

>Take a look at www.agencefuture.org - go to their kitlist - they appear to be carrying 40kg of kit
>each on their bikes. Assuming these people aren't midgets, that and the 20kg bike weight should put
>them clearly over 120kg. Also if you're really concerned you could use a trailer for your
>equipment.

A trailer is on the cards. Probably the Radical Designs one. SWMBO and I intend to do the car-free
thang after we've moved house. :)

>Alternatively you could consider a trike (not that this would be any cheaper of course).

A bit out of the budget, I'm afraid. But great fun. Took me a week to wipe the grin off my face
after I'd tried a Greenspeed.

> Mads
>

--
DG

Bah!
 
Disgruntled Goat wrote:

> What I'm most concerned about is not just the sheer weight, but that and the amount of flex on
> the boom. I'm assuming that a shorter wheelbase will mean a longer distance between the bottom
> (front?) bracket and the headset (midset? YKWIM!) and more flex on the frame.

There will be more than if it were closer in, but it's built like a tank and since HPV are, as I
suggested before, apparently very conservative about what it can take and it's said to be okay up to
ca. 2.00 m riders (about 6`6.5", note the "ca" is HPV's, not mine) I'd be surprised if it couldn't
take the strain. But again I think the case that Ben will give you a good answer based both on sound
product knowledge and experience as an engineer and framebuilder.

> A trailer is on the cards. Probably the Radical Designs one. SWMBO and I intend to do the car-free
> thang after we've moved house. :)
[Trike]
> A bit out of the budget, I'm afraid. But great fun. Took me a week to wipe the grin off my face
> after I'd tried a Greenspeed.

Probably back *in* the budget once you get rid of the car. If you get a tax and insurance refund you
might have a fair advance on the petrol and maintenance savings.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
Bob Flemming wrote:
> (Failing that I'm going to braze with an arc welder :)

I'm looking forward to the Watford version of the Auroroa Borealis :)

> (looking for a carbon arc torch)

Oh my word, you're serious.

--
Jim Price

http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.
 
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