Next bike trend

[zigzag]

talking about hub gears, i'd like to have a 5-7 speed hub with widely spaced gears, oil lubricated, small (say like sturmey archer 3-speed) and weighing under 1kg. it should be silent, efficient, reliable and not too expensive (~ £200). current hub gear systems are flawed in one way or another.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Unless you're talking the Nuvinci CVT(continuous variable transmission), tis a heavy beast, the earlier version being mainly used in electric carts etc:-

http://www.fallbrooktech.com/home.asp

The concept is really quite spiffy and they've got a lighter version out, the N360, with a 360% range but can be run with a double up front. The N360 weighs 2.5kg, which is a lot lighter than the earlier models, still heavy but I'd expect to see further improvements. I don't know the efficiency data for this hub but I suspect it's shy of the rest of the field at the moment.

If they get the efficiency up, the weight to 2kg(or less), the range above 400% and a reliability/strength factor akin to a Rohloff, then you're really talking a threat to deraillers.

Some if's there. The efficiency is relatively poor for these generic devices and it's unclear how that can be bettered.
Me - I'm a close ratio Deraileur man (3 rings on the front for range). I've ridden wider ratio things and would never go back.

 

[MacB]

Some if's there. The efficiency is relatively poor for these generic devices and it's unclear how that can be bettered.
Me - I'm a close ratio Deraileur man (3 rings on the front for range). I've ridden wider ratio things and would never go back.

Well this was a thread about the future, efficiency isn't released at all for the N360 so I suspect that is a lot lower than others, probably between 80-90%.

As for ratios, this is a CVT, there are no gear steps, you have a twist shifter that will take you from 0.5 to 1.8 continuously. There are no gear changes the hub is always in gear, so you can feather to suit your cadence, the only limitation being clumsy fingers. The recommended min ration is 1.8:1(chainring to cog) so that gives you about 25 to 90 gear inches, whereas there is no upper limit. No matter how close your derailler ratios are this would be closer, you could never be in the wrong gear.

As I say they need to shave 500g, publish efficiency figures and get that efficiency above 90%, offer alternative shifters to the twist one and try to get rid of the two cable shift system. A single cable with an easy release/attach mechanism and a variety of shifters with option to fit on drop bars. Get the range up from 360 to 400% and you've got a hub that would decimate all the other IGHs out there.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Less emphasis on 'bling'? If cycling truly becomes a moving force in cities, it makes sense for wheels to be cheaper and able to accomodate everyday things like bags, papers and all the other detritus we lug around.
Interestingly, while perusing a furniture gift last night, I found this offering from 'made'...Is the price right?

I like that offering, except I don't like bottle dynamos. This offering, though, seems like pretty good value for money.

Cargo bikes and the custom/handmade sector will continue to see very strong growth but represent only a tiny percentage of the market so their growth will have little effect on the overall.

I like cargo bikes, and since I don't have a car I would be tempted. Unfortunately, I doubt I could lug one up the stairs to my flat.

The Dutch bike and vintage roadster trend is in full swing right now.

Mixtes are getting very popular. and I think the next trend after than will be beach cruisers.

I like mixtes too. There still seem to be quite a few old 10-speed Raleigh and Peugeot mixtes from the 70s and 80s around, often equipped with drop handlebars and suicide brake levers. They still seem popular with the ladies. The only mixte frame bike I've seen being sold at the moment is this from Charge, and that's a single speed.

Here's another interesting bike. I think it's too expensive, but it has some interesting features that may take off. It has a kevlar belt and a two speed hub combined with back brake. It could also be classified as a mini-bike, which are pretty popular in the far east, so I've heard. Another interesting feature (not present on the Moulton) are integrated cycle lamps that fit into the ends of the main horizontal tube.

Fast commuter bikes with disk brakes and alfine hub gears seem to be a trend too.

 

[mr_hippo]

Interestingly, while perusing a furniture gift last night, I found this offering from 'made'...Is the price right?

The price may be right but the main photo is not - it's been flipped horizontally. The photo of the man on the bike has not. If they cannot get advertising copy right, can they get their bikes right?

 

[Bikeabit]

I have a deposit on one of these - Kalkhoff 27 speed battery assist. I am not sure if it is 'the future' but it will be the future of my commute from March.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Shops in Oxford supply a 'Raleigh Oxford' for £169, old-fashioned sit-up-and-beg Dutch style ss bikes, trad. steel frames, alloy wheels, guards. Perfect for flat-city commutes and whizzing about. A 3 speed is available for round £230 IIRC.

 

[Aperitif]

The price may be right but the main photo is not - it's been flipped horizontally. The photo of the man on the bike has not. If they cannot get advertising copy right, can they get their bikes right?

I'll not be buying a photo

 

[CopperBrompton]

I like that offering, except I don't like bottle dynamos.

It's amazing how much they've come on in recent years. I've got a Busch & Muller set that is 70% efficient and incredibly bright. It comes on brightly when moving at little more than walking pace, and has a 4-minute standlight. Rolling resistance is absolutely negligible.

 

[Pottsy]

Great idea for a thread.

I reckon the fixed, hipster thing has only a certain amount of legs.

Functional cycling, commuting and general usage should just grow.

Most my friends aren't cyclists and they are potentially interested in electric and in classic/Dutch, so I have to think they are my prediction.

I, personally, love any growth in cycling - any type - I love it.

Where's my Brompton???

(I do have one).

Port anyone?

Pottsy

 

[brokenbetty]

I like mixtes too. There still seem to be quite a few old 10-speed Raleigh and Peugeot mixtes from the 70s and 80s around, often equipped with drop handlebars and suicide brake levers. They still seem popular with the ladies....

Actually, that's the biggest trend right there. Women are starting to cycle again in significant numbers. I don't know if it's speading yet but it's very noticeable in London.

That really does change everything in terms of what is going to make bikes sell in future. Faffing around with dérailleurs isn't going to cut it any more than topping up your own battery water does for cars.

Come to think about it, anyone looking to start a bike-related business in London could do worse than an AA-style roadside rescue service for commuters. 5 years ago you wouldn't have a market but today I think you will.

 

[Riverman]

I have a deposit on one of these - Kalkhoff 27 speed battery assist. I am not sure if it is 'the future' but it will be the future of my commute from March.

You see that's a lovely electric bike but the main question I have in regards to these bikes is why the heck are they so bloody expensive? The one above is about 2k right? And there are models higher than 3k,
http://www.50cycles....-assisted-bikes


yet most of the electric bikes around look like cheap ass things made in China.

I hope that if one thing 2011 bring it's cheap, light, reliable and efficient electric bikes to the masses but I fear that's a long way off.

Ah I've just realised that Kalkhoff has a BionX kit attached to it. You might be better off going to France or somewhere else in Europe and buying a BionX kit and using it on your current bike rather than buying another bike.

 

[taxing]

The price may be right but the main photo is not - it's been flipped horizontally. The photo of the man on the bike has not. If they cannot get advertising copy right, can they get their bikes right?

A bigger problem for me is the pictures of the models on the bikes. I'm actually speechless.

After having a further look around the site, all of the male models are fully clothed and all of the women are naked. Shocking.

 

[porteous]

August 2011. The triumphant return of the Ordinary, in carbon fibre and titanium, led by Chris Hoy in a stovepipe hat and beard breaking 60 mph.

February 2012. A new law allows bicycle thieves to be led round town on Saturday mornings with a Borisbike frame hung round their neck before being put in the stocks for the afternoon.

May 2012. CTC announce they will introduce stalls near stocks selling rotten vegetable and old eggs.

January 2013. Under draconian new legislation designed to save energy non ownership of at least one bike by all those over 5 years of age is made a punishable offence. Nutters with a shed full of bikes and old bike bits get a 50% income tax rebate.

Mid 2014. I catch the scroat who nicked my Pathfinder in Cambridge in 1967 (You can run, but I'll find you one day!), peace breaks out world wide, the British cyclepath system reaches over 100,000 miles. No house is now more that 100m from an access point and the Dutch stand in awe.

What's that?? Bloody alarm, sod, time to get up and go to work.

 

[Night Train]

You see that's a lovely electric bike but the main question I have in regards to these bikes is why the heck are they so bloody expensive? The one above is about 2k right? And there are models higher than 3k,
http://www.50cycles....-assisted-bikes


yet most of the electric bikes around look like cheap ass things made in China.

Most of the cost is going to be in the batteries, motor and controller I guess. Good, lightweight lithium battery technology isn't cheap yet. Also the motors and controllers are also made in relatively low production numbers, some using costly rare earth magnets.

Prices will come down eventually as take up increases.

Carbon fibre was once very expensive, not so much now.