New gear option?

[T.]

http://pinion.eu/en/discover-pinion/pinion-p1-18/

I still haven't quite found the optimal spot for the front derailleur on Silvio.
Am still tinkering and I can see from various posts that I am not the only one.

i stumbled on this system, and would appreciate your thoughts on the potential to have this on a cruzbike.



Merry Christmas

Thomas

 

[Drew]

It would take a lot of custom

It would take a lot of custom work to fit that to a Cruzbike frame (if it was even possible). It is a lot of weight to have on the crank of a MBB FWD bike. This system is best suited to mountain bikes IMO.

 

[T.]

Sure

Agreed- wasnt taking that approach.
Dont Think that the gear is available at all as a separate part.
and the combination of two products that each does not have a huge mass market makes it a challenge.
One of the nice things about cruz and the Silvio is exactly the opportunity to use standard parts.
I was merely dreaming of a maintenance free system where you would just be enjoying riding and getting rid of the fun of cleaning.
I enjoyed building the bike, but am less into the continuous tinkering than some.
yes, there is a weight penalty, but you get rid of some weight too.

I am also interested in the engineering opinion of the system as compared to the existing drive chain systems.

ahh, I see your point about the weight out front...exactly kind of point that would be fun to hear the builder's opinion about.

 

[Eric Winn]

Pinion on a stick recumbent

There is a stick recumbent using a Pinion:

http://pinion.eu/en/discover-pinion/news/#post-362

This looks kind of intruiging but in addition to the question of weight is the aspect of the unique geometry. In other words, it would not be a one-for-one swap for a bottom bracket, it would require a Pinion specific frame for the Cruzbike and would hinder changing to another drive system.

I can see where you could have multiple boom options in this example - one option would be a Pinion drive, another a standard bottom bracket, etc. You could presumably do something similar for a Cruzbike but it would be more complicated, require more pieces, and probably be a lot more expensive will low demand...

Intriguing to ponder along the lines of hydroforming a nacelle into the frame that would take the Pinion internals...

-Eric

 

[Eric Winn]

MBB-RWD?

I found this article informative:

http://cyclingabout.com/index.php/2012/09/pinion-18s-gearbox-the-future-for-bike-touring/

A lot of details about weight, frame construction considerations, Rohloff comparison, etc.

Good summary in the Does It Add Weight section of the above article.

Note the comments in this article on pinkbike about the belt drive and the unified rear triangle. Sort of a Moving Bottom Bracket (MBB) Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) - MBB-RWD, in contrast to the Cruzbike MBB-FWD. A bit different kind of movement , however... Lots of photos for those of us who like eye candy.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Pinion-Gearbox-Production-Version-Eurobike-2012.html

Fthills seemed to really like the Rohloff on his Vendetta. Maybe John and Doug can get one to play with for a proof of concept Cruzbike Pinion option/model...

-Eric

 

[Doug Burton]

I think the big issue...

... is that the frame section has to be built around the gearbox assembly. I suspect that these folks will want licensing/royalty rights around such things, and I suspect we won't be going there.

It's unsuitable for the Silvio because belt drives load the chainstays something fierce, in order to assure the drive belt doesn't skip. This is incompatible with the flexible Carboyoke stays we use as part of our suspension, as the belt tension would change as the suspension operated.

It's tough to beat a good ol' chain drive system, IMHO.

 

[John Tolhurst]

There is an opportunity for

There is an opportunity for someone to make the boom/BB sleeve for RWD bents, constructed for pinion.

 

[T.]

Licensing issues aside...
the

Licensing issues aside...
the suspension and the flexibility of the carbon stays on the Silvio (or any other bike with suspension or flexibility in the wrong place) are prohibitive for a drive belt operated drivetrain?
As a non-mechanic I guess I don't appreciate the blessings of non-fixed chain length in daily use...
The Vendetta could be a potential target, perhaps. The, as yet, relatively low numbers may not make a realistic business plan, but technically t would be possible to design a boom/BB sleeve for the V?