Thunderbolt Lightning and Wide Range Gears

[Doug Goncz]

Lightning Cycle Dynamics's Thunderbolt uses a boom to
adjust rider leg length. The boom extends forward to the
SWB cranks. An accessory chain take up device allows
changing boom length without changing chain length, which
is usually required.

So when my Thunderbolt comes in from my dealer, I will check
on using that take up device to facilitate my wide range
gear set. ( 657% )

It is 24/35/51 x 34/29/23/19/16/13/11, and so:

24+11 = 35, 51+34 = 85, 85 - 35 = 50, well out of my
derailer range.

I don't know yet if it is a spring device or a set and
forget thing. If the latter, it would only provide minor
adjustments of where in the wide range gearing the derailer
failed. If the former, it will provide a fully integrated
system offering all 21 gears, 10 of which are duplicate,
without worry of crashing the drivetrain.

We shall see. Yours,

Doug Goncz ( ftp://users.aol.com/DGoncz/ )

My physics project at NVCC: Google Groups, then
"dgoncz" and some of: ultracapacitor bicycle
fluorescent flywheel inverter

4-1-9 Fraud
http://www.secretservice.gov/electronic_evidence.shtml

 

[Tom Sherman]

Doug Goncz wrote:

> Lightning Cycle Dynamics's Thunderbolt uses a boom to
> adjust rider leg length. The boom extends forward to the
> SWB cranks. An accessory chain take up device allows
> changing boom length without changing chain length, which
> is usually required.
>
> So when my Thunderbolt comes in from my dealer, I will
> check on using that take up device to facilitate my wide
> range gear set. ( 657% )
>
> It is 24/35/51 x 34/29/23/19/16/13/11, and so:
>
> 24+11 = 35, 51+34 = 85, 85 - 35 = 50, well out of my
> derailer range.
>
> I don't know yet if it is a spring device or a set and
> forget thing. If the latter, it would only provide minor
> adjustments of where in the wide range gearing the
> derailer failed. If the former, it will provide a fully
> integrated system offering all 21 gears, 10 of which are
> duplicate, without worry of crashing the drivetrain.

I have a friend who runs a 54/44/24 crank and an 11-32 8-
speed cassette on a Lightning P-38 without any chain "take-
up" device. As long as the chain is not too loose in the
lower gears without it, I would remove the chain take-up
device to reduce drivetrain friction (unless you are
planning to have more than one person ride the bike on a
regular basis).

--
Tom Sherman - Quad Cities (Illinois Side)