Thread: New Downtubes
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Old 10-09-14, 04:43 AM
  #56  
Shahmatt
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 473

Bikes: Cruzbike Flamingo folding conversion, Oyama East Village

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Originally Posted by rhm
Yeah, interesting project! But off topic indeed. Is there a thread on it? If so, send me the link and I'll follow up there. For now, let me say: you already recognize that the real problem is front wheel drive. Just as back wheels don't have much braking power, front wheels don't have much pulling power. You can't solve this problem by changing the gearing. No matter what you do to the gearing, the front drive wheel will slip if you pedal too hard. The only solution will be: don't pedal so hard.
As Charles has mentioned the FWD isn't too much of a problem. It's only when starting off that I sometimes slip. I have never experienced tire slippage in any other situation - even on steep climbs, so it's not a problem really.

I haven't really gotten around to creating a proper thread. It'll be a few months at least as I'm pretty busy these days - the wife and I expect our first kid soon, so all sorts of things to do really and the bike has sort of become low priority.

Originally Posted by cplager
His bike isn't just front wheel drive, it is also a recumbent where his weight is much more evenly distributed between wheels.

I've got a similar bike and can make it up very steep incline s (well, for short distances anyway). FWD isn't a problem.

He's also right that you want low gearing. I use 20" wheels and have a range between 17" and 106".

I'd personally recommend going with a double or triple front crankset, a chain tensioner, and whatever IGH strikes his fancy.
Thanks Charles for the comment. I agree that a FD is the simplest solution. However I've been trying to keep the machinery simple, and the weight and cabling minimum. Singapore is a mostly flat city and the traffic stops are frequent and far too many, so I don't need a very low or very high range really, only just enough that I can match bus speeds of around 35 kmph easily. If I can do that with a single chain ring I would be very happy.
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