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I agree with this, however most people will not. You only have to see what happens when a government has the temerity to suggest that car use should be curbed by measures such as congestion charging, taxing car parking etc. Even where the revenue raised will go to support public transport there...

You will have all heard this before but I have now fitted a 19T sprocket to my Pro Connect. The difference is gratifying; it now performs and feels just right. Not sure if an 18T sprocket would be worth it for that extra but of speed though. Refitting the snap-ring was a right b****r, but...

Yes Flecc, I agree that taking into account the whole life-cycle of power generation, transmission, storage and use of the stored power, then overall this results in an efficiency of 20% to 25%, slightly better than the average 20% efficiency of ic vehicles in urban driving. However these...

I don't think the data supports this at all. An ic engine has hundreds of moving parts generating friction, losing energy by heat and also lost via heat from the exhaust. The best you can hope for is 30 - 40% efficiency. Electric motor efficiency with essentially one moving part is far higher...

That's why a smart grid is needed to make allowances for these factors. One of the features of such a grid is that electricity is costed according to demand, hence the cheap period would be when demand slackens in the later evening. Cycling batteries does reduce their life but a lot of money...

A very good infrastructure is of course already in place. Unlike electricity, there is no other transport fuel currently available which is piped directly into your home. For pedelecs that is really all you need. For larger scale EVs your home electricity supply is more than adequate even if EVs...

Thanks again Beeps. I couldn't find that with my Googling.

Thanks Beeps. I like the sound of that, I couldn't find the Elite miniclips on any websites but I have found some that look similar: Zefal MTB Mini Toe Clips | Toe Clips | Cycle - Cycle Sports UK

My Pro Connect is the first bike I have had that has plain flat pedals, as I've always used toe-clip pedals before. It may be that I'm not used to them but I've had a couple of occasions where my feet slid out and lost contact with the pedals making for a very uncomfortable feeling of losing...

I'm no financial expert Flecc but they appear to have filed for 'Chapter 11' bankruptcy which apparently allows them to transfer to a new corporation called New Vectrix LLC as a means, I think, to leave behind bad debts. Not sure where they stand as of today though. It is a real shame and no...

That's true. I can see a role for them. As you say, it's very expensive for what it is.

It's legally a motorbike. Seems to me if that it would be better to get something that is 100% motorbike, such as these: BRAMMO Enertia powercycle : 100% Electric Motorcycle : Home 50cycles Electric Motorbikes - Zero S Motorcycle Home Page Vectrix DE :: Homepage: Vectrix 100% Personal...

Just noticed via Twitter that 50cycles have opened an online Kalkhoff spares shop, including spare motor sprockets: 50cycles Electric Bikes - Kalkhoff Electric Pedal Cycle Spare Parts

I've had no problem pumping up the tyres on my Pro Connect Woods valves with the Presta setting on my pump.

Batteries are indeed the problem. I do believe that for electric cars necessity is the mother of invention. The necessities being peak oil and climate change requiring a decarbonisation of transport. There are many initiatives going on not only to improve Li batteries but for new technologies...

It does look nice with great Italian flair. Call me cynical but I wonder how much extra they will expect you to pay to have the Ducati label. Not sure how practical the rear rack would be for panniers etc. Looks more like style over substance on that aspect.

Exactly. If you are fully aware of the hazards and risks then wearing a helmet protects you provided you do not take more risks because you delude yourself that you can get away with it by virtue of the helmet.

I agree with all of this Flecc. For myself, I always wear a helmet but I do not consequently take greater risks, thus, overall I am safer. I have never had a head injury on a bicycle but I have come off a motorbike three times in the distant past and know how easily I could have damaged my very...

Plenty of contradictory evidence is presented here: Cycle helmets: A summary of research. An interesting factor mentioned is that using helmets may encourage wearers to take more risks which could negate the benefits of a helmet. Similar arguments have been made regarding air bags in cars which...

I don't think the empirical evidence is definitive either way. I was using first principles of the functionality of a helmet. If a helmet absorbs some of the kinetic energy of a collision there must be less force transmitted to the user's head and hence less injury. How well it does this is...