Author Topic: Circe Helios Electric Assist  (Read 18600 times)

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #25 on: 08 October, 2016, 03:20:44 pm »
looks fun (and there is a provisional space for the second backup battery on the bottom tube)!

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #26 on: 12 October, 2016, 07:56:31 pm »
We have now done more than 50 miles on this tandem, so some first impressions:-

It does what it is supposed to! Jan and I averaged over 10 mph on Sunday's ride in the very hilly North Downs - we wouldn't have managed 7mph on our old tandem. Today I rode it as a solo machine and rode 13.9 miles at more than 12 mph average. I ascended Brock Hill (renowned amongst WARTIERs as the git of a climb out of Wickford) and a reasonably fit looking roadie passed me near the bottom. I bunged it in High Assist mode and cranked it up. I didn't catch up with him, but I was gaining on him when he got to the top.

I am considering fitting lights. There is a wiring set allowing 6v lights to be powered from the main battery, but given that there is a Brompton luggage block at the front, finding somewhere suitable for the front light is going to be problematic. I'm not keen to put a permanent light on the handlebars, nor on the right fork blade. I might get some sort of fairly high-powered battery effort, but I have asked Richard of Cyclecentric for more advice. It is possible to get really good DC lights for it, and I'm thinking about Supernova, but until I have identified somewhere suitable to mount them I shall wait. Schmidt also do a DC Edelux II, without a switch. The light switch is on the control unit. Both the Supernova and the Edelux are Expensive.

There is a place for a bottle cage above the top tube, but it is exactly where I kick it when I mount the bike, so I have taken it off again. The pilot's and stoker's pedals are not directly linked in that the pilot can stop pedalling and the stoker can carry on. This has the effect of getting the pedals out of synch with one another and today I gave one of the rear pedals a serious grounding when I was going round a corner. I think we might have to link them together with bungees.*

Having said all that, I regard the above purely as teething problems which I will resolve one way or another. It's a lovely bike and we are looking forward to lots of good miles on it.

Edit: there is a trivially simple solution to the pedal strike problem. We have QR pedals! Next time I ride it as a solo, I shall just take the stoker's pedals off.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #27 on: 12 October, 2016, 08:04:26 pm »
There is a wiring set allowing 6v lights to be powered from the main battery, but given that there is a Brompton luggage block at the front, finding somewhere suitable for the front light is going to be problematic.

I know that CrinklyLion and Butterfly have Cyos on handlebar mounts, but is there definitely not room for one under the Brompton block, perhaps using Brompton's custom fork crown bracket?  It works on a Brompton, and there isn't an awful lot of space there:


Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #28 on: 12 October, 2016, 08:22:51 pm »
The distance between the mudguard bolt's centre is only 32mm below the body of the block, compared to about 7cm on my Brompton. The block's bag release trigger is almost on the level with it. There is room for a long bolt with spacer to extend beyond the block, but again that's not ideal as it might easily get bent.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #29 on: 12 October, 2016, 08:35:53 pm »
The distance between the mudguard bolt's centre is only 32mm below the body of the block, compared to about 7cm on my Brompton. The block's bag release trigger is almost on the level with it. There is room for a long bolt with spacer to extend beyond the block, but again that's not ideal as it might easily get bent.

Sounds like a non-starter then.  It wasn't obvious from your photos.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #30 on: 12 October, 2016, 08:53:38 pm »


Not a great photo, because I was working in a dark garage, but I think you can see how close the block is to the bolt.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #31 on: 23 October, 2016, 11:16:33 pm »
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #32 on: 23 October, 2016, 11:41:11 pm »
Ah, a tremendous burst of speed   :thumbsup:

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #33 on: 24 October, 2016, 12:33:52 am »


Not a great photo, because I was working in a dark garage, but I think you can see how close the block is to the bolt.

I don't know how the luggage attaches, but can't you mount something (an upturned light mount perhaps?) off that lug that looks like its there for the job?

ETA: Also, http://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompton-battery-lighting/2328-mounting-bracket-for-brompton-cateye-front-light.html

ETAF: I see the bit I was on about is the release leaver for the bracket, so scrap that idea!

Perhaps this fella from Schmidt (mounted upside down?)

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/light-mounts.php



https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/schmidt-stainless-steel-headlamp-bracket-for-mounting-schmidt-e6-headlamp-on-a-brompton/
Regards,

Joergen

Vince

  • Can't climb; won't climb
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #34 on: 24 October, 2016, 09:47:02 am »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDvbfEFfo1c

Lovely video, especially the first drone shot.

The independent cranks do look odd, how does that work?
216km from Marsh Gibbon

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #35 on: 24 October, 2016, 01:40:31 pm »
I don't know how the luggage attaches, but can't you mount something (an upturned light mount perhaps?) off that lug that looks like its there for the job?

ETAF: I see the bit I was on about is the release leaver for the bracket, so scrap that idea!

Yeah, you need that hole to attach a cable tie / shoelace looped around the back of the head tube to simplify releasing the luggage.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #36 on: 24 October, 2016, 07:28:24 pm »
Just tow a trailer   :)
the slower you go the more you see

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #37 on: 28 October, 2016, 09:49:49 am »
Just tow a trailer   :)

What, to put the front light on?  :P
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #38 on: 28 October, 2016, 10:31:57 pm »
well just think you could have 2 front lights and 2 rear lights on a trailier  ;D . 9 note to self , read thread properly before replying  ::-) :-[
the slower you go the more you see

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #39 on: 10 February, 2018, 08:55:08 am »
And now an "Oh bugger!" moment.

Jan and I are setting off for Yorkshire this morning to spend a few days doing stuff. We were going to take the Circe but we can't find its charging gubbins anywhere. I have looked back through the rides I have recorded and the last time we seem to have used the tandem was in late August in Wales. We seem to be missing a whole Brompton bag, the tandem's charger and its front light/charger. I suspect that they are all together somewhere.

I have emailed the place we stayed at (almost 6 months ago!) to find out if we left it behind, but I would have thought they would have been in touch if we had.

So we are taking solo machines to Yorkshire.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #40 on: 11 February, 2018, 04:41:16 pm »
Oh no! Hope it all turns up!
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #41 on: 13 February, 2018, 01:34:23 pm »
Half a STEP closer to harnessing wigglies to pull out tandem :thumbsup:
Getting there...

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #42 on: 13 February, 2018, 02:45:58 pm »
And now an "Oh bugger!" moment.
... We seem to be missing a whole Brompton bag, the tandem's charger and its front light/charger.
... So we are taking solo machines to Yorkshire.

Nad luck Wow.  This is the kind of thing I do.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #43 on: 16 February, 2018, 10:27:49 am »
I've made an appointment to take my circe in to have frame transplant surgery over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, I should have the STEPS system by Easter (minus the electronic gears) :thumbsup:

*bounce, bounce, bounce*
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #44 on: 16 February, 2018, 12:00:22 pm »
What happened to the frame?

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #45 on: 16 February, 2018, 12:34:50 pm »
STEPS requires a specific mounting where the bottom bracket shell would normally go.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #46 on: 16 February, 2018, 01:12:36 pm »
What happened to the frame?
The frame is fine. They are doing me a part exchange on a STEPS specific frame. I am very, very, very excited!
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #47 on: 17 February, 2018, 07:04:29 pm »
Matilda the Helios is now in Longstanton for her surgery.  :D
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #48 on: 13 March, 2018, 09:47:16 am »
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Circe Helios Electric Assist
« Reply #49 on: 13 March, 2018, 10:31:44 am »
Towing a trailer full of toy trucks!  :thumbsup: And... I presume the tinsel is a permanent fixture or are you just very, very late with Christmas?!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.