Hi I think this might help with the problem I have a customer with Balance problems fitted with similar

 

Why buy Adjustabilisers from Good Designs?

 

This is meant in good spirit not a rude or inferior comment

 

 

Frank

Hi I think this might help with the problem I have a customer with Balance problems fitted with similar

 

Why buy Adjustabilisers from Good Designs?

 

This is meant in good spirit not a rude or inferior comment

 

 

Frank

 

Hi Frank,

 

I know that you mean well and also being very thoughtful,but i'm just worried about what those silly ingnorant onlookers would think or say at the sametime with a smirk on their face even a laugh combined with the point of a finger.

 

Mountainsport.

That's not true. Jeremy Clarkson told me when I visited Clarkson Island for advice on how to hotrod my Vespa 90.

You can go and ask him yourself if you don't believe me. Here's some details with a map of how to get there:

 

OK I'll accept the "concept" of a ladies bike, but not the need. The step-through frame WAS originally designed to solve the problem of riding in a hobble skirt, but times have moved on, thank God.

 

The hobble skirt is gone, but the frame style is still popular, particularly in Europe, and amongst those less hung-up about their machismo, instead seeking comfort and practicality.

While out for a ride today, I started thinking about this problem of falling off when the bike leans over, and I tried it out - riding a bike is so instinctive that I really had to try hard to put myself in the position where I would fall off.

I came to two conclusions, firstly, I would fall off if I had no real concept of balancing a bike and secondly, I would fall off if I couldn't turn the handlebars quickly enough to regain the balance.

I really can't see any other reason if the bike is adequately designed.

So favourite reason would seems to be stiff steering.

My wife is fit, not petite and a lot younger then the 70+ year old wife of the OP..and she used to drop our cross bar bikes all the time..Not while riding? but when stopped. if it leaned she simply let it drop..used to do my head in.....

Oh well, dropping it when stopped is different, I've done that with my motorbike!

 

I've also done when I couldn't get my feet out of the toe clips!

Edited January 6, 201313 yr by BAH48

Maybe the saddle needs to be set to a lower position ?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Many thanks for all the interesting answers.

My wife fell off whilst almost stationary.

She let go of the handlebars which swung round, as they do, tipping her sideways.

I think stabilizers are not such a bad idea, but worry that on cornering they might tip you over.

We did have a smaller folder she rode. As in the comments above, the low position meant pedaling for any distance was inefficient, and ruts and pebbles tended to push her off track.

I have just repaired the battery on her Windsor (blown fuse) and been out riding it. We live in Torquay, which has very steep hills and a sea-front one can not cycle along as the Council say they could lose their Blue Flag status.

It seems a cycle track would be deemed a hazard to pedestrians. ( Insane rules ! ).

The Windsor felt perfectly stable, but not very powerful.

I did let the handle bars swing round to feel the effect and it does encourage a tumble if there is a steep camber.

I weighed the bike and it is around twenty kilos without the battery, hence pretty light as the average bike goes.

Hardly seems worth changing to gain just one or two K.

I do keep telling my better half it was her own fault she fell over, but she is hard to convince.

I feel sure the first dealer to sell a smaller framed ladies bike will do very well.

Pre-electric, my wife rode a nice light Dawes Red Feather. Should have bought the electric wheel for that one, but I really am not much of a mechanic and fear it could be beyond my capabilities to install.

Again, many thanks.

She let go of the handlebars which swung round, as they do, tipping her sideways.

 

Errrr ... they do ?

 

Anyway.. fudge number 1, damp the steering possibly

 

http://yubaride.com/yubashop/31-188-medium/deflopilator.jpg

 

from http://yubaride.com/yubashop/utility-bicycle-accessories/31-deflopilator.html

 

I'm sure that a spring and a jubilee kinda clip would work out a lot cheaper

 

However.... holding on to the bars untill dismounted may be a cunning plan

Edited January 7, 201313 yr by Old_Dave

the supplier can fit the kit for you...Wisper fitted mine.

I feel sure the first dealer to sell a smaller framed ladies bike will do very well.

 

think its probably more than you want to pay but here you go

 

BH Emotion NEO Street electric bike

Like I said before, it's nothing to do with weight. It's the steering geometry, which is different on different bikes. Read about it here:

Bicycle and motorcycle geometry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unfortunately no ebike salesman will be able to tell you what's the bike's trail, castor or head angle. If he does, it'll have a totally different meaning. On a normal bike for leisure, you don't want any steering flop. Old bikes never had it. It seems to have come iin with fast-steering MTBs. We all used to ride no hands when I was a kid, but try doing that on a modern bike.

 

Back to the point. You have to try different bikes to feel the difference in the stability and amount of flop. I was hoping that someone would say, "I've got a stepthrough and it doesn't flop", but I guess we don't have so many forum members with step-thoughs. If you can find a bike with the forks that curve forward at the bottom rather than straight like yours, it'll probably be a lot better.

 

Like this one, but hopefully you can find one less expensive:

Raleigh Leeds Tour 7-Speed Step-thorugh Electric Bike

or this one:

Powacycle Milan 2 Classic Step-Through Electric Bike - Free Delivery

 

Another option might be to change just the forks. The ones from the Milan might fit straight on your bike.

We all used to ride no hands when I was a kid, but try doing that on a modern bike.

 

And I thought it was just me getting frightened with the passing years.

Not riding between 19 and 70, I suppose it should have been obvious that riding dynamics may have altered, but I honestly never gave the balance of the bike a thought, blaming myself for the inability to sit up and let go, as in days of old.

Seems I want to find a good bike tinkerer down here in Devon. Fork-changing sounds daunting.

Brelades,we built the Safari with 43cm frame to suit smaller ladies but it is heavier than your specification,it was built very strong to suit hire usage.

Dave

Kudoscycles

Fork-changing sounds daunting

 

Only the first time....

 

If you get the correct replacment forks and maybe a magnet (if the bearings are loose instead of being an all in one caged type) then its not a technically difficult job

D8veh's mention of curved forks made me check the missus' Powabyke X6 - As I thought, curved forks.

 

[ATTACH]4767.vB[/ATTACH]

 

It's a nice ride - very Mary Poppins and doesn't feel at all heavy. If you could find a 2nd hand one it'd be worth a try. Main disadvantage is the small battery, but plenty of room to put one on the rack.

This option isn't so light Brelades, but it can't fall over and the price is right. Could it solve your problem?:

 

Link to option

and it will be nice to ride...

This option isn't so light Brelades, but it can't fall over and the price is right. Could it solve your problem?:

 

Link to option

 

IMHO not a good suggestion this time. I don't know whether you meant it seriously. OP's wife already rides a bicycle, so thefirst corner she comes to she'll turn the handlebars the wrong way and roll it - probably breaking a shoulder in the process.

and as they primarily ride on trails..maybe not, could not se myself getting on with one it would be a nighmare and probably why they are selling after riding it twice...

 

another thing is it a proper kalkhoff trike or made up from a rear axle trike conversion kit....

Edited January 9, 201313 yr by eddieo

After viewing all the above suggestions and spending hours on line, I think it could be worth going to Southampton for a look and test of the E-Tourer Pro Rider. Weighs 18k., has rear disc brake, 36v. 10 amp battery, costs £579, and the ad. says the RRP is £1500....a claim I find surprising....

They also do a folder for similar money, so my Boss can see if she prefers that.

Your comments, especially if you have one of these models, would be very interesting.

18kg is the weight without the battery!

IMHO not a good suggestion this time. I don't know whether you meant it seriously. OP's wife already rides a bicycle, so thefirst corner she comes to she'll turn the handlebars the wrong way and roll it - probably breaking a shoulder in the process.

 

Yes, it was serious, the intended rider is over 70. Although they have to be adapted to, many elderly people have switched from bikes to trikes and have successfully re-learnt their cornering technique. Indeed it's probably the largest market for upright trikes, very few younger riders on them.

Appreciate the thought of a three wheeler, but our bikes hang on the back of our motorhome.

We take the batteries off and have built a hangmans scaffold on the roof of the motorhome with a pulley system to hoick up the bikes onto the rack.

My Tonaro is around the 28k. mark, too heavy for me to lift that high.

Batteries are re-charged whilst driving.

Normally spend an Autumn and a Spring month touring mainly in France.

Such a pleasure to have motorists treat cyclists with respect.

In Holland, we even found many roundabouts actually gave us priority over motor traffic !

And frequently there are so many wide well-maintained cycle tracks. Makes coming back to the UK like entering a third world country where road courtesy is concerned.