Powacycle Windsor gears and gearing.

[T i m]

Hi all,

Firstly I'd like to thank all those who offered help re getting our new / project Windsor wired up.

A length of 6 core black cable was sent to me foc by a reader of a d-i-y newsgroup and I was able to source some matching connetors to the ones used on the controller (from Farnell) after some good leads here. ;-)

So, it works (on the stand indoors) via pedelec and throttle and we are looking forward to some decent weather to get it out for a road test.

Background question though. I notice the rear block is a 6 speed and the shifter one of the old fashioned type click shifters. Now whilst that would probabably be ok for me I'm not sure the Mrs with her arthrithic thumb would find it as easy as the up / down thumbshifter on her Trek MTB. I think I also understand it's not easy to get a rapidfire / thumbshifter for 6 speeds so is it easy / possible / advisable to replace the rear block with something more 'common' (like a 7 / 8 speed)?

I guess there must be some gotchas?

What does the panel think please?

Cheers, T i m

 

[flecc]

The rear block isn't the sort of cassette that most bikes use Tim, since hub motors can't use those due to their thicker spindles. Instead it's a multi-sprocket freewheel, best left as it is since there probably isn't room for a wider one. Also, far from being more common, 7 and 8 speed freewheels are rare and difficult to get hold of, Shimano having discontinued much of their range.

Another solution for the gearchange which might be better for your wife is to fit one of these Shimano-compatible SRAM twistgrip shifters. These are available in six speeds and are very precise and easy to use. I use these six speed shifters on my own bikes:

SRAM twistgrip gear shifter

These are right hand fitting, and I don't know if you have a right hand twistgrip throttle. If so it's possible to get left hand twistgrip throttles to enable both in use, and that's the setup that I have:

One on one of my bikes
.

 

[T i m]

The rear block isn't the sort of cassette that most bikes use Tim, since hub motors can't use those due to their thicker spindles. Instead it's a multi-sprocket freewheel, best left as it is since there probably isn't room for a wider one. Also, far from being more common, 7 and 8 speed freewheels are rare and difficult to get hold of, Shimano having discontinued much of their range.

Ah, cheers, that could have saved me a fair bit of time and money.

Another solution for the gearchange which might be better for your wife is to fit one of these Shimano-compatible SRAM twistgrip shifters. These are available in six speeds and are very precise and easy to use. I use these six speed shifters on my own bikes:

I have the twistgrips on my old Saracen track bike and Thorn Voyager tandem and think they are great. ;-)

SRAM twistgrip gear shifter

Thanks for the link.

These are right hand fitting, and I don't know if you have a right hand twistgrip throttle. If so it's possible to get left hand twistgrip throttles to enable both in use, and that's the setup that I have:

Hmm, I'm not sure how easy or instinctive for the Mrs that solution would be (or any of us come to think of it) as we are all motorcyclists I'm worried what might happen under those odd 'emergency' situations, especially when hopping between the Windsor and the motorbikes etc? I guess you could get used to it? [1] What might be better would be to try and find a better (thumb ideally) shifter and leave the throttle as is? Or ... fit a std grip and thumbshipter and a finger trigger type throttle (assuming they do such a thing and it would be compatible with the controller etc.

One on one of my bikes

Nice. I particularly like the narrow bars. They would make it much easier to get the Windsor in the hall!

Any idea if this would match up with the stock rear block please?

Shimano TX50 Thumb Shifter Plus

At least you can just use yer thumb in the positive ditection (I think she would be ok with that).

Cheers, T i m

[1] I sold my Royal Enfield Bullet 350 because I was riding that and the BMW and whilst I could 'remember' the role of the gearchange and rear brake were reversed between them when things were going smoothly it wasn't always so good when dealing with the off emergency situation (emergency stopping by pressing on the gear lever etc). ;-(