The man who cycled the world - now on iPlayer

[Mekon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b009w0tn/

Very watchable. Been lusting after those Koga Miyatas for a while. Not a good advert for their wheelbuilding skills, mind.

[neil_bolton]

Nice one watching now

[neil_bolton]

Mekon said:

Not a good advert for their wheelbuilding skills, mind.

I don't know whats worse, some spanner deciding to cut down spokes rather than buying properly made quality spokes, or choosing only to take 3 spokes!

There's some serious dodgy/ill advised choices of kit going on there - aluminium frame for round the world riding - what if it snaps and needs welding?

[Mekon]

I suspect there were some sponsorship pressures at work in terms of the frame choice.

[carter711]

neil_bolton said:

Mekon said:

Not a good advert for their wheelbuilding skills, mind.

I don't know whats worse, some spanner deciding to cut down spokes rather than buying properly made quality spokes, or choosing only to take 3 spokes!

There's some serious dodgy/ill advised choices of kit going on there - aluminium frame for round the world riding - what if it snaps and needs welding?

Very true, also that internally geared hub would seriously halt proceedings if it faultered. Couldn't/shouldn't he have seriously considered using some kind of puncture protection??

I've got some slime type innertubes on my bike and i haven't had a puncture in over a year with them.

I hear some people have had bad experinces with them but they have been great for me.

[neil_bolton]

carter711 said:

neil_bolton said:

Mekon said:

Not a good advert for their wheelbuilding skills, mind.

I don't know whats worse, some spanner deciding to cut down spokes rather than buying properly made quality spokes, or choosing only to take 3 spokes!

There's some serious dodgy/ill advised choices of kit going on there - aluminium frame for round the world riding - what if it snaps and needs welding?

Very true, also that internally geared hub would seriously halt proceedings if it faultered. Couldn't/shouldn't he have seriously considered using some kind of puncture protection??

I've got some slime type innertubes on my bike and i haven't had a puncture in over a year with them.

I hear some people have had bad experinces with them but they have been great for me.

Granted Rohlhoff's are very well regarding for being utterly reliable, but its not something that some Russian chap will have in the back of his workshop nor have experience with - not like a Shimano/Campag rear mech...

[londonbabe]

Sturmey Archer AW 3 speed for the win ;-)

[SystemParanoia]

is his front hub a dynamo ?

and is ther rear hub only 3 speed? surely that doesnt give hime the best range of gears to circle the world! ?

[neil_bolton]

SystemParanoia said:

is his front hub a dynamo ?

and is ther rear hub only 3 speed? surely that doesnt give hime the best range of gears to circle the world! ?

Not sure on the front hub, but the rear Rohlhoff's IIRC are 14 speed.

[SystemParanoia]

why does he have a deraulier when he has internal hub gears?

is that just to help reduce the need to keep adjusting the wheel due to chain stretch? ( even though it looked like he took the wheel off every 5 mins )

[neil_bolton]

SystemParanoia said:

why does he have a deraulier when he has internal hub gears?

is that just to help reduce the need to keep adjusting the wheel due to chain stretch? ( even though it looked like he took the wheel off every 5 mins )

He doesn't. What he has is a chain guide tensioner thingy - I think the frame is a traditional deraillier frame and because it doesn't have the fore-aft adjustment for the chain on the dropout, he needs the chain guide tensioner thingy (they have a name, but it illudes me now).

Chain stretch cannot be alliviated by tightening the tension - chain stretch manifests itself in skipping teeth instead which cannot be allievated without a full replacement of chain, freewheel and chainring...

The more I think about the bike, the more it seems a weird set up to me.

Edited by neil_bolton on Thursday 21st August 13:22

Edited by neil_bolton on Thursday 21st August 13:23

[Mekon]

He has a SON dynohub

http://www.pedallingaround.com/equipment/?page_id=...