Pro Connect S Photos

[Cyclezee]

Some photos of my bike

Kalkhoff Pro Connect Shttp://www.flickr.com/photos/30274699@N08/sets/72157618945900919/show/

J hn

 

[flecc]

Thanks for the photos John. One query, can you say what the top motor assisted speed is of your S model with that gearset? I suspect it's around 20 mph.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

Thanks for the photos John. One query, can you say what the top motor assisted speed is of your S model with that gearset? I suspect it's around 20 mph.
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Your very close Flecc, I think it is about 21 mph, but need to confirm that. I do find myself looking for 10th gear on some faster routes.

J hn

 

[cruiser]

Great photos of a great bike, John... thanks!

One question if I may... how comfortable - or not! - do you find the seat and the riding position in general? Subjective I know, but I'd be interested in your opinion.

Mike

 

[flecc]

Your very close Flecc, I think it is about 21 mph, but need to confirm that. I do find myself looking for 10th gear on some faster routes.

J hn

Close enough for me John, I calculated 20.9 mph!

The top end Biketech Flyers do 26-27 mph assisted with the same system using either the Rohloff gearhub or the SRAM DualDrive, both with a much wider gear range.

An interesting thought, the standard Pro Connect with a 17 tooth rear sprocket exactly matches the S performance, the high power mode different with 1.3 instead of 1.5 times ratio but the bike lighter to compensate. From a couple of Pro Connect members who commute with a 16 tooth sprocket I know those speeds are viable too. Of course there isn't the comfort of the sprung forks, or the image of the S model.
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[Cyclezee]

Great photos of a great bike, John... thanks!

One question if I may... how comfortable - or not! - do you find the seat and the riding position in general? Subjective I know, but I'd be interested in your opinion.

Mike

Mike,

I personally find the non suspension saddle reasonably comfortable and feel no urge to add a suspension post or change the saddle. The handlebars were a bit low for my liking, so I have raised them upwards and backwards which suits me better.

Regards,

J hn

 

[Cyclezee]

Close enough for me John, I calculated 20.9 mph!

The top end Biketech Flyers do 26-27 mph assisted with the same system using either the Rohloff gearhub or the SRAM DualDrive, both with a much wider gear range.

I have just been just for a ride this evening and I have to say it is really difficult to say at what speed assistance stops when you get over 20 mph.
At that speed and above there is considerable wind noise, so the quiet motor is inaudible and pedalling on the flat at up 29 mph, I could not tell when the motor cuts in or out.

The battery has completed 3 complete discharges, so I am assuming it is now giving peak performance.

J hn

 

[flecc]

It's true the phase down of power on all these units is so gradual the point where it ends is imperceptible, but I don't think there's going to be a lot of useful assist above about 21 mph with that gearing though.

Plenty fast enough though, and enough to give club riders a good workout to keep up.
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[musicbooks]

I have just been just for a ride this evening and I have to say it is really difficult to say at what speed assistance stops when you get over 20 mph.
At that speed and above there is considerable wind noise, so the quiet motor is inaudible and pedalling on the flat at up 29 mph, I could not tell when the motor cuts in or out.

The battery has completed 3 complete discharges, so I am assuming it is now giving peak performance.

J hn

Great looking bike, John. Thanks for the photos. Interesting to compare the design with the Agattu. How does it compare?

You mentioned 3 complete discharges of battery. Is this the recommended number?( I thought it was 2 max??)

Also, I noticed that you are parked outside the panasonic factory.. If you work for them, could you do us a cheap deal on batteries.. no questions asked!!!

Happy e-cycling and I look forward to your comprehensive review
bw
musicbooks

 

[Cyclezee]

Great looking bike, John. Thanks for the photos. Interesting to compare the design with the Agattu. How does it compare?

You mentioned 3 complete discharges of battery. Is this the recommended number?( I thought it was 2 max??)

Also, I noticed that you are parked outside the panasonic factory.. If you work for them, could you do us a cheap deal on batteries.. no questions asked!!!

Happy e-cycling and I look forward to your comprehensive review
bw
musicbooks

Hi Musicbooks,

Sounds fairly obvious, but the Pro Connect S is a sportier, lighter and faster bike than the Agattu which I consider to be a more relaxed and leisurely bike with an upright riding position. Both excellent bikes in all respects.

As for the complete discharges, I'm sure 2 would be adequate, but I just had to go one better. Doubt if I gained anything from that.

As for the Panasonic factory, I don't work for them and I'm pretty sure it isn't a factory, maybe a distribution centre. I only discovered it yesterday when I was out for a ride around Milton Keynes, so I took the photos........with my Panasonic camera.

J hn

 

[randolph59]

Hi - did the mirror come with the Bike?

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi - did the mirror come with the Bike?

No, I fitted the mirror. It's a Cateye 300g.

J hn

 

[tillson]

Hi John

Are you able to say how the front light performs? I am interested to know how the power is supplied to the front light. As you probably know, on the standard Pro Connect the lighting power is delivered as a series of high voltage spikes with a mean value of about 6 volts, making replacement of the lights with LED type not very straightforward.

I assume the Pro Connect S is fitted with Led lights. Do you know how it is done?

Regards

Tom

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Tom,

I haven't ridden the bike in the dark as yet, so I can't really comment on it. However, I upgraded my Agattu some time ago with an almost identical B&M LED LUMOTEC IQ Cyo R senso plus . This is powered by the dyno hub, whereas the ProConnect S is powered by the main battery. I know my Agattu light produces 40 LUX and is very good, the S has the 24v 40 LUX version.
Busch & Müller KG

Hope that is helpful,

J hn

 

[flecc]

The 2009 standard Pro Connect also has the upgraded Lux front lamp version now.

These are the two published specs Tom, top one Pro Connect S, you can see they are identical, so I suspect the voltage is derived in the same way:

Front lamp Busch & Muller LUMOTEC IQ Fly Lux
Rear light Busch & Muller TOPLIGHT flat
Lighting current supplied by main battery

Front lamp 2009 Model: Busch & Muller Lumotec Fly IQ Lux
Rear light 2009 Model: Busch & Muller Toplight Flat
Lighting current supplied by main battery
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[tillson]

I know my Agattu light produces 40 LUX and is very good, the S has the 24v 40 LUX version.
Busch & Müller KG

Thanks for the replies John and Flecc. This digresses off the thread title a bit, but I am interested in upgrading the fixed lights on my Pro C to LED. The present bulb versions are OK but they can be a bit unreliable and I often ride in the dark, so I think an LED upgrade would be worthwhile.

I can’t find the 24V 40 Lux version of the B&M light you refer to. Was that a typo or do 24 V versions of these lights exist?

The only other way that I can think of for delivering a power supply for LED lights from the main battery is to use one of these DC to DC converters. (I saw this on another thread and it was suggested by Haku for powering a GPS from the bike battery).

Do you know how the new Pro Connects supply the correct voltage to the lights, or are they in fact, a 24 volt version that operate directly from battery voltage?

Thanks

Tom

 

[flecc]

Since the 2009 standard Pro Connect has been upgraded to the same spec, it may well use the 24 volt bulbs direct now. Maybe 50cycles can confirm that.
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[Mattyduk]

No, I fitted the mirror. It's a Cateye 300g.

J hn

did you have to cut away any of the existing handle to fit it ? I have a pro connect and want to fix a wing mirror, but don't want to take screwdriver or knife to the nice rubber handle

Mat

 

[Mattyduk]

Since the 2009 standard Pro Connect has been upgraded to the same spec, it may well use the 24 volt bulbs direct now. Maybe 50cycles can confirm that.
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the built on lights of my December 2008 purchased proconnect are very poor, infact it would be better if I just lit candles and threw them ahead ! Added some bycygnals in the end - a bit rattlely but do the job.

 

[tillson]

did you have to cut away any of the existing handle to fit it ? I have a pro connect and want to fix a wing mirror, but don't want to take screwdriver or knife to the nice rubber handle

Mat

No, just pull out the bung in the bar end, push the mirror mount in the hole and tighten it up. I fitted a Cateye 300 to my Pro Connect and it works very well.