New Project '59 Experto Crede

[Jez Nemeth]

Ahhh! So not even 'bike Marmite'..more Heinz 'Green Ketchup'. What a hit!

They disappeared so fast from the shops I thought I'd imagined them...so not going Joe Biden after all.

Initially did seem like an interesting idea, I bought in, seem to remember they were really expensive...I wasn't totally convinced myself, kept checking for honest reviews (couldn't find one while they were still being plugged -then a couple of brave souls piped up that these might not be the cure for all humanity's problems/global warming etc...). There was another similar auto-hub at the time. Shimano/Scam?

An intuitive gear flip at 6 mph or so, another at 12...but you could open them up and bend springs to alter the changes to suit your riding?! -Sounded like a recipe for madness...no 'Undo' key when you've lost yer way with spring bending and testing.

Similarly I just know how predictive txt has fecked me over time and time again, particularly when I didn't even ask for its help with important messages - 'adjusting' words just before hitting the send button... remember commenting on LCC's degree show, which was superb that year -saying "this is really worth noting"...in a millisecond predictive txt had turned Noting, into 'Nothing'...went out to 100K people in an instant . .

There was a back peddlin brake version too? Came with two cog choices, heavy too.

Just noticed while looking for a pic of one there's new versions? 4 spd?

 

[bikeworkshop]

When we are replaced by robots, autochange hubs will sweep the market.
Our mood affects the choice of moment of gear change.

Robots don't have moods.

It's like solid tyres, noseless saddles, oval chainrings - they get marketed strongly about once every 25 years.

Is that how long our memory is, or are we in turn replaced by a new generation of cyclists who think they know better?

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Echo that bro.

Cycling is far more fluid, filled with a multitude of ever varying and changing choices that as a rider you're making -the promise of constant change keeps the focus and interest, the next part of the story for a human brain... a set of auto changes ain't really in the ballpark -yet.

Even if it does happen? Be very odd putting on a helmet and according to speed, gps location, altitude, energy output, heart, breathing, weight, an AI system will set the next appropriate gearchange for you smoothly.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

While out on the Hetchins, knocked into a guy I know by chance on the dirt road across the Magor marshes, nice guy, metallic green top of the range, latest Shimano motor electric bike, been uprated -effectively re-mapped with a little box -talked at me all about it for 1/2 hour. . .he'd had a smoko and become a bit filterless as a result, telling me this is the future, does this & that, what he paid, speed, climb anything...certainly is an amazing machine...

Even when I had a chance to get a word in edgeways, I resisted pointing out why I like old conventional bicycles for simplicity, exercise value and just the experience of it. Some innovations don't necessarily tick all the boxes for everybody ... got a motorbike, prefer the bicycle TBH.

Let him continue using me as a vehicle for his own self-expression for another 15 mins before we went our different directions

Each to their own...

(Besides as fun as it looked can't afford an AI system or Top of the range Electric MTB however much I might want one, which I personally don't, but just saying...)

 

[bikeworkshop]

Sometimes though the e-bike gets a person with poor health out on a bike, and they end up getting a "proper" bike when their fitness improves.

Imagine this:
An E-Curly!

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Laughing at the Hetch-Ebike!!!

Yup, loads of guys n' gals out on the trails with e-bikes, couldn't do it any other way, and they're brilliant by all accounts from my contact with them, makes the inaccessible available, total Magic. Guy in his 70's MTBing with a group of young pups, couldn't keep up with them any other way, see it on his mug, totally stoked at being part of the group as a result, guy was back in his early 20's again - really liked that, what it's about sometimes.

My brother uses one, goes miles on it, gets plenty of exercise...there was also a sign up scheme in Brighton for them -cheap. Mind you he's also bought 5 used mobility scooters so he and his mates can go on 15 mile 'Safari's' ending in a Pub, ride on the pavement, don't need a licence, what's not to like? -or he regularly takes the kids across the South Downs with them as a family -totally hilarious.

I'll be the first to reach for tech to help me carry on doing what I love when my knees finally give out, broke each one twice, so it's in the post . . . but not quite yet. They are marvelous things though!

 

[bikeworkshop]

They are marvelous things though!

One of no doubt many threads:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/i-dont-get-why-some-people-dont-get-ebikes.466222/
They don't all contain
my humble opinion
mind

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Wow! Good reading that forum post -Hornet's nest !!!
Full range of takes there . . . generally positive I'd say, but clearly there's a payoff. I think they're great for many people, but the green argument for them is mis-aligned at present, make ya feel good when buying one though I'd suppose.

If you could find another power source instead of an un-recyclable battery be a win, win... whatabout legs, or is that too simple?

Easier to say -I don't really have an opinion other than they seem pretty good for folx who have chosen to buy and enjoyed their use.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Arrived! 28T
Somat magic about being able to get replacement parts for stuff that's made in the early 60's to keep it going and even upgrade/tune.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

And 'N-old' to me B17 saddle, been broken in, reset with hot water, dried, re-tensioned, proof ride, and ready for rear end shaping.