Author Topic: [HAMR] Steve's Kit  (Read 54370 times)

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #50 on: 13 January, 2015, 11:13:41 am »
Any pictures?

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #51 on: 13 January, 2015, 11:48:54 am »
Outside shots at night are a waste of time, due to glare from reflective tape, etc. so HK didn't bother. While his bike was inside the house, I got caught up in getting Steve's stuff sorted and him either asleep or back on the bike.

No doubt the next host will do better with photos.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

redfalo

  • known as Olaf in the real world
    • Cycling Intelligence
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #52 on: 13 January, 2015, 12:32:56 pm »
Interesting discussion about the pros and cons of a dyno hub. I’m sure Steve has put a lot of thinking in this.
On weight terms, I’d argue that the case for battery lights is not easy to make. The differences are minor, as the following comparison shows. I exclude rear lights, which for convenience reasons may be battery lights anyway.

A Tune MIG 45 road front hub – one of the lightest available on the market - weights 45 gram. A Hope Vision one weights 110g without batteries. Assuming Steve carries a set of spare batteries per lamp, batteries add 216 gram (one Eneloop weights 27 gramm, the Vision one uses 4 batteries). Assuming he is carrying two Vision One, total weight of headlights and batteries is 652 grams. The 45 grams for the hub brings this to 697 grams,

A SON deluxe weights 392 grams, the Edelux II weights 85 grams. Throw in 20 grams for cabling and the mounting bracket, and the total weight is 500 grams. Carrying one Hope Vision One with one set of batteries as a backup (218 grams) lifts the total weight to 715 grams.

The point that a damaged dyno hub front wheel may be harder to replace is not too compelling either. In emergencies, Steve could always switch back to battery lights. Moreover, a spare dynamo hub wheel does not cost the earth, relative to the overall costs attached to the whole project.

The drag may be an issue – according to Schmidt’s website, the SON deluxe consumes about 5.5 watt at 25kpm when the lights are running (first graph: http://www.nabendynamo.de/produkte/SONdelux.html). That may be 3 to 5 percent of Steve’s total energy. When the lights are off, however, it consumes less than 1 watt.

According to Schmidt’s, the difference to a high quality front hub without a dynamo is very small (lower green line in 1st graph in link labeled “hochwertige Vorderradnabe”). According to the chart, a non-dynamo hub consumes about 0.5 watt.

From my point of view, the big advantage of a hub dynamo is that its one less issue you have to think about. It’s basically “fit and forget”. Throw in that Steve seems to have issues with battery lights playing up in the wet, and the case for a hub dynamo becomes even stronger, at least for the time of year with limited hours of day light.

If you can't convince, confuse.

https://cycling-intelligence.com/ - my blog on cycling, long distances and short ones

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #53 on: 13 January, 2015, 01:17:41 pm »
I know Steve had three bikes to use. Does anyone know if he's just used one so far for everything or if he's changed about?
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #54 on: 13 January, 2015, 01:19:59 pm »
As far as I know, just the one bike used by last weekend. I think he was planning to switch over sometime this week.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #55 on: 13 January, 2015, 03:30:14 pm »
The point that a damaged dyno hub front wheel may be harder to replace is not too compelling either. In emergencies, Steve could always switch back to battery lights. Moreover, a spare dynamo hub wheel does not cost the earth, relative to the overall costs attached to the whole project.
Surely the point is that if he's stranded out in the wilderness with a broken bike, normal wheels and battery lights are both a lot easier to come by than dynohub wheels.

Quote
The drag may be an issue – according to Schmidt’s website, the SON deluxe consumes about 5.5 watt at 25kpm when the lights are running (first graph: http://www.nabendynamo.de/produkte/SONdelux.html). That may be 3 to 5 percent of Steve’s total energy. When the lights are off, however, it consumes less than 1 watt.

According to Schmidt’s, the difference to a high quality front hub without a dynamo is very small (lower green line in 1st graph in link labeled “hochwertige Vorderradnabe”). According to the chart, a non-dynamo hub consumes about 0.5 watt.

From my point of view, the big advantage of a hub dynamo is that its one less issue you have to think about. It’s basically “fit and forget”. Throw in that Steve seems to have issues with battery lights playing up in the wet, and the case for a hub dynamo becomes even stronger, at least for the time of year with limited hours of day light.

Do you know how much money and effort some time triallists are willing to spend to shed 5 Watts of drag?!

There's also a psychological issue to it.  This is a race, and races hurt.  Deliberately hampering your performance before you start a race is not conducive to giving your all at the point when it gets serious.  Ditching the draggy dynohub for Steve's OYTT is like unscrewing your bottle cages before a hillclimb: you've given yourself every possible advantage so you can't just chicken out and blame your kit.  "Oh yeah, I know I lost the world record by finishing 1 mile behind the other guy, but I'd have done more if I hadn't used a hub dynamo" is not an excuse you want to allow yourself to make. 

On top of this, TG has used both dynohubs and battery lights extensively, so how about we let him be the judge of which is most appropriate for his attempt?

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #56 on: 13 January, 2015, 03:40:51 pm »


On top of this, TG has used both dynohubs and battery lights extensively, so how about we let him be the judge of which is most appropriate for his attempt?

Don't be ridiculous!

Next thing, you'll be suggesting that extrapolating from tangentially related (but much lesser) experience isn't an adequate basis on which to pass judgment. You'll make the interweb collapse with those sorts of radical ideas.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #57 on: 13 January, 2015, 03:44:00 pm »


On top of this, TG has used both dynohubs and battery lights extensively, so how about we let him be the judge of which is most appropriate for his attempt?

Don't be ridiculous!

Next thing, you'll be suggesting that extrapolating from tangentially related (but much lesser) experience isn't an adequate basis on which to pass judgment. You'll make the interweb collapse with those sorts of radical ideas.

I'm sorry, have I Godwinned the thread or something?

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #58 on: 13 January, 2015, 03:56:01 pm »
Probably ...

(I should point out that, as I've said elsewhere, I find the discussion around the issues and possible reasons for Steve's choices really informative. But there does seem to be quite a lot of bringing up matters as though they're radical, new notions that Steve+team simply won't have thought of - because after all, he's just hopped on his bike and started riding, hasn't he?)

redfalo

  • known as Olaf in the real world
    • Cycling Intelligence
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #59 on: 13 January, 2015, 04:06:46 pm »
But there does seem to be quite a lot of bringing up matters as though they're radical, new notions that Steve+team simply won't have thought of - because after all, he's just hopped on his bike and started riding, hasn't he?)

No, he hasn't. That's precisely the reason I'm surprised he's experiencing issues with lights.
If you can't convince, confuse.

https://cycling-intelligence.com/ - my blog on cycling, long distances and short ones

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #60 on: 13 January, 2015, 04:17:08 pm »
From Steve website

By the end of 2012 I had built a proto type bike and had given it a good test ride in the very wet Christmas holiday. A few changes were made. I now believe that I have the best bike set up for the challenge to go along with the best plan on how to do it

Doesn`t that say it all and show his high degree of checking stuff out beforehand---and in the wet too !
....after the `tarte de pommes`, and  fortified by a couple of shots of limoncellos,  I flew up the Col de Bavella whilst thunderstorms rolled around the peaks above

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #61 on: 14 January, 2015, 04:52:22 pm »
I thought he was riding a pretty standard Raleigh touring bike?
Nothing left to prove. http://adenough1.blogspot.co.uk/

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #62 on: 14 January, 2015, 05:05:23 pm »
That matched his requirements, when some components were upgraded e.g. Hope headset, BB, hubs, Stans tubeless rims, etc.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #63 on: 14 January, 2015, 05:10:58 pm »
Raleigh have come on board as a sponsor and provided three frames. However Steve will have accepted those frames in the knowledge that he could fit his desired components and achieve his required riding position.

So:
Frame is disk brake compatible
Handlebars will be Steve's choice
Stem will be to Steve's choice
Saddle will be Steve's preferred Brooks
Wheels are built to Steve's choice of Hub and rims
etc.

For Steve's purpose the frame has to be comfortable for hour after hour and reliable, with the number of miles he will put into them Raleigh will be getting good robustness data out of them.

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #64 on: 16 January, 2015, 01:15:03 pm »
Any idea what jacket he's using to keep all this wind and rain out?
The older you get, the better you get, unless you are a banana.

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #65 on: 19 January, 2015, 01:58:32 pm »
Any idea what jacket he's using to keep all this wind and rain out?
Milltag, I think.

the website says they were his first sponsors.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #66 on: 22 January, 2015, 03:08:17 pm »
Steve's been using the following to keep hands and feet working in the recent arctic conditions:

Trespass gloves - he rates them highly and hasn't used an inner liner:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trespass-Ergon-Thinsulate-Ski-Glove/dp/B00FC4Q9TK

Thick neoprene overshoes:

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Product/Default.aspx?pc=2&pt=77&pg=9280

Chapeau merino socks.

Proven by the mileage monster!

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #67 on: 22 January, 2015, 05:06:41 pm »
As far as I know, just the one bike used by last weekend. I think he was planning to switch over sometime this week.

If Steve has changed bike or is about to change, might it be worth setting up:

Raleigh Sojourn 1
Raleigh Sojourn 2
Raleigh Sojourn 3

On Strava for statistical purposes?

Of course, Steve and team may:

a. Have already done this
b. Don't care about such things

...in which case ignore me  :P
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #68 on: 22 January, 2015, 05:38:17 pm »
Handlebars will be Steve's choice
Stem will be to Steve's choice
Saddle will be Steve's preferred Brooks
Wheels are built to Steve's choice of Hub and rims

Does anyone know which Brooks saddle Steve is using?

Also, I know he's using Hope disc hubs, but any idea which ones? From looking at the Hope website, I'm guessing Pro 2 EVO.

Handlebars, likewise: anyone have any specific information?

And since he's using gears, do we know what groupset he's on? The Sojourn comes with Sora triple as standard but I'd have thought he'd want to go for something a bit more durable.

Do we know which brakes he's using? I presume he has upgraded from the standard Avid BB5 to hydraulics but which ones? And I'm guessing he's using Shimano ST-RS685 levers, but can anyone confirm that?

"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #69 on: 22 January, 2015, 05:43:05 pm »
Cable discs.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #70 on: 22 January, 2015, 06:21:33 pm »
Just checked in the bike room:

Brooks Team Pro

Hope Pro 2 Evo are fitted on the bike Steve has used continuously so far. There is also a spare unused pair of Hope/Stan 400 wheels. The spare bikes are currently fitted with American Classic hubs/rims and Shimano hubs/Ryder 23 rims, these look like std Sojourn spec.

Handlebars not identified as the TransX tri-bar clamps hide the branding.

Sora triple as standard except that bar end levers are fitted to tri-bars.
Sora STI levers operating brakes with BB-7 calipers.



citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #71 on: 22 January, 2015, 06:25:02 pm »
Excellent. Thanks LWaB & Swiss Hat.

I had the idea that he was using hydraulics but no idea where I got that from. And of course I knew he was using bar-end shifters as it has been discussed already. Doh!
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #72 on: 22 January, 2015, 06:30:37 pm »
Just checked in the bike room:

Brooks Team Pro



If there's not a Steve Abraham edition of this by next year I'll eat B17.


citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #73 on: 22 January, 2015, 07:32:56 pm »
The spare bikes are currently fitted with American Classic hubs/rims and Shimano hubs/Ryder 23 rims, these look like std Sojourn spec.

Not familiar with American Classic so looked it up. It's a tubeless rim so presumably that's a genuine spare - for when the Hope hubs eventually drive him mad? ;)

Supplementary question: what size tyres is he using? (afaict the tubeless Ones come in 23, 25 or 28 - if I were a betting man I'd put my money on 28.)
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Steve's Kit
« Reply #74 on: 22 January, 2015, 07:55:41 pm »
Tyres are 25. They measure up as genuine 25mm.

There are 6 off boxes each with 6 tyres in the bike room plus a few loose ones. What's the MRP £50 each? Schwalbe have been a generous sponsor by the looks of things. Steve says he likes the tyres as the roll well and have already saved him time with reduced p* fairy visitations.