[LINK] plug-in-hybrid-vehicles and grids

[Karl Auer]

On Sat, 2009-09-12 at 17:53 +0930, Glen Turner wrote:
> We might see more interest from manufacturers in the commuter
> space shortly.

For cycling on roads (i.e., asphalt/concrete rather than dirt/gravel)
the recumbent is the best solution. For commuter cycling on roads, the
recumbent is the best solution by an even larger margin. If track width
is not an issue - as it is not for much commuter cycling - the recumbent
trike is better again.

Recumbents are NOT as good on dirt or for any technical cycling where
weight distribution is a big factor, or where the ability to "lift" the
bike is needed. And obviously a trike is no good for single tracks :-)
For people who travel only short distances or who need to combine
cycling with public transport, uprights may be a better choice, as they
store better and are easier to push along beside you. Uprights are also
cheaper.

> At the moment there are all sorts of rules related to the
> mechanical limitations of the derailleur

The hub gear, which in products like the Rohloff SpeedHub has reached
heights not dreamed of by the original designers of the Sturmey-Archer
three-speed, has none of those limitations. It's 14 linear gears, is
essentially weatherproof and you get a straight chain line, so you can
go for tougher chains with no special computer generated link profiles.

It's sole disadvantage is weight - it does weigh more than derailleurs.
For a weight wienie this is a problem, for anyone else it is not.
Certainly commuters will appreciate being able to change into any gear
while at a standstill or while moving, being able to change under power,
and never having a gear change "go bad".

Regards, K.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karl Auer (kauer at biplane.com.au)                   +61-2-64957160 (h)
http://www.biplane.com.au/~kauer/                  +61-428-957160 (mob)

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