Nespresso Bike

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I'd also rather use a bike frame for decades (come to think of it all mine are at least two decades old already, some getting on for five decades), which is why I avoid the use of aluminium altogether and stick with steel. Nothing wrong with hi-tensile either; it actually has some advantages such as not denting easily if a bike falls over because the walls are not drawn super-thin. For a pure utility bike, hi-tensile is an ideal frame material.

My Aluminium frame is at 11 years of daily commuting so far which is not too bad. Plenty of older ones in daily use.
I know some riders prefer unbutted tubing for better dent resistance. Reynolds 501 was a low cost plain tube a step up from Hi Ten and not so expensive. The biggest problem with hi ten steel is the low quality of build and alignment rather than any inherent fault.
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
When i decided to buy an espresso coffee machine, i specifically bought one that didn't use pods and just had a bowl to put fresh coffee grind in. For the main reason that i think these pods are a rip off.
 
U

User169

Guest
Don't understand - can you explain?

You'll use more coffee in a moka pot, which will have required more water input, more cultivation and transport energy. You'll use a hell of a lot more energy in heating up a moka pot compared with use of a nespresso machine. All that outweighs the environmental cost of nespresso packing.

There's a study somewhere by someone at Bath University which concluded that instant coffee is best for the environment.
 
Location
London
mm

find that questionable DP.
All that "extra" coffee and water ends up in me - which is the general idea - I'm a coffee head.
And I'm not so green that I am going to forsake boiling a small bit of water (more water anyway if more traditional instant)
That nespresso pod will very definitely cost me way more than my ground beans - lots of profit for nestle, which they will then spend on gawd knows what purposes - green or not.
Wasn't aware that universities were in the habit of proactively delving into the universal mysteries of coffee pods.
That research couldn't by any chance have been supported by anyone/any organisation could it?
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
I would have thought that the carbon footprint of manufacturing an electric espresso pod machine, plus the manufacturer of the pods is far more than making a moka pot. A moka pot can be used for years and years, only boiling the small amount of water you need, plus no pods being used and just using coffee.
I also expect there are a huge amount of pods that aren't recycled and just end up in landfill.
 
Location
London
Good points smudge.

Plus the original Bialetti design is a wonderful bit of old fashioned engineering.
Very simple.
Almost indestructible, despite my now and again habit of forgetting it and leaving it on the stove so the handle melts.

Very few parts.

All replaceable. Including the handle.

I replaced a gasket on mine the other day.

I have one that's decades old and I expect it to outlive me.

I'd like to see someone try to fix one of those electric machines.

(Oh and I can take it camping with me - and even on long day rides for a quick espresso behind a church - like to see someone try that with a pod machine)
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
When i decided to buy an espresso coffee machine, i specifically bought one that didn't use pods and just had a bowl to put fresh coffee grind in. For the main reason that i think these pods are a rip off.
Can't you get reusable pods, like the Keurig?
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
itera-plastic-bicycle-FAILURE0417.jpg
 

Randy Butternubs

Über Member
DP makes a fair point - it isn't always obvious what the more environmentally friendly option is. Discarded packaging is obvious but people tend not to think about the environmental impact of the food they consume.

I used to use a moka pot a lot and, although they don't use that much water, they do use a lot of coffee to get the end result. I use an aeropress now which I'd estimate uses a half to a third as much coffee.

What I don't understand with the pods is that, to me, they taste exactly like instant coffee but with a lot more expense and faff. They have the same flat taste without the aromatics.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
DP makes a fair point - it isn't always obvious what the more environmentally friendly option is. Discarded packaging is obvious but people tend not to think about the environmental impact of the food they consume.

I used to use a moka pot a lot and, although they don't use that much water, they do use a lot of coffee to get the end result. I use an aeropress now which I'd estimate uses a half to a third as much coffee.

What I don't understand with the pods is that, to me, they taste exactly like instant coffee but with a lot more expense and faff. They have the same flat taste without the aromatics.
Wow. I'll send some over from Amerika, then. Must be much better here. But you do tea better, I'm sure. Could just be Nestle', I think they make a lot of instant coffee.
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
Can't you get reusable pods, like the Keurig?

If i dont use pods, i dont see any point in buying a machine that would use them, whether they be one use only pods or reusable pods.

I see the Aeropress was mentioned above, this is something i'm interested in trying.
 
U

User169

Guest
I would have thought that the carbon footprint of manufacturing an electric espresso pod machine, plus the manufacturer of the pods is far more than making a moka pot. A moka pot can be used for years and years, only boiling the small amount of water you need, plus no pods being used and just using coffee.
I also expect there are a huge amount of pods that aren't recycled and just end up in landfill.

A lot of the energy you use just heats up the surrounding environment (or melts the handle as Blue Hills points out). Half the energy consumed by commercial barista type expresso machines is lost to the surroundings.

Pod machines are much much more efficient.
 
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