NoMoreGears

European Roll Out

Flying back from a couple of hectic days in Holland, Germany and Scandinavia. I am getting really excited about the 2008 model year line up from all the leading bicycle brands in (Northern) Europe. ATC NuVinci will be well represented. Unfortunately I can’t say too much for now. But if you live in a Northern European country, chances are that you can choose a ATC NuVinci equipped bike from several models. Everything should become clear in the next few months. Join the gear-less revolution. Soon on a bicycle close to you.

The youngest NuVinci rider?

Meet Sophie. She is probably the youngest NuVinci rider at the moment and loving it. She also happens to be my niece. For her ninth birthday she needed a bigger bike. The choice was easy with the excellent Batavus Amigo bike. Integrated headlight, big comfy tires, hub dynamo and a nice metallic frame. But why should kids have to do with only a 3 gear hub? Shouldn’t especially kids have more range and smaller ratio gaps? She liked to ride a derailleur bike from an older friend. But like most others did not have a clue about shifting. With her old 3 geared hub bike you could not pedal when shifting, with a derailleur you had to pedal she was told. Confused? So was she. And I am not even talking about the dropped chains and the continuous grinding. The problem was solved by putting a NuVinci hub in the back. Now she has no gaps, can always shift and her bike has the most “gears” of everyone at school. As I mentioned, she is loving it. Always shifting, never hearing a noise. Oh, yes, she things the bike is really fast.

Transportation for a Healthy Planet: Joe Breeze

Joe Breeze gets it big way. Just read the excellent in-depth article in the South West in-flight magazine and you will agree. It has lots of interesting statistics: “according to the 2000 census, of America’s 300 million citizens, a mere 600,000 or so ride bicycles to work rather than use a car, and only about 6 million describe themselves as “enthusiasts,” meaning they ride at least twice a week”. Or “In 1982, the average American spent 16 hours a year stuck in traffic; by 2003 that was up to 47 hours, according to the Texas Transportation Institute”. For the rest it has the story behind Breezer bikes and the man who started it. For me he is a visionary who is becoming more right every day. And yes, that looks like a Breezer bike with a NuVinci hub on the roof of his Saab. With some luck it is getting more miles than his car.

Green with Envy

Always fun walking and looking around in the NuVinci plant in Oklahoma City and see what is cooking. I came across this bike, with the NuVinci hub in the same colour as the bicycle. I thought it was stunning. I loved the colour co-ordination. The fact that the hub can be a visual part of the bike, rather than just a bolt on component. Imagine the design possibilities and opportunities! Credit to my colleague Tony Jungles who made this happen. So does that mean that ATC can do the NuVinci hub in other colours besides Black and Silver? Looks like it. There is a lot of exciting stuff on the boil which should become clear the next few months. So watch this space. Grey and gears is so 1990’s.

Travelling

I know, I know. Haven’t had time to update the blog the last few days. So much to say, so little time. Currently traveling to Chicago and Oklahoma City where I will be in the NuVinci factory for a few days. Will post some interesting stuff later this week. Things are crazy but good.

Extra Dimensional Magic

There is a lively conversation going on at Bike Pirates right now about the NuVinci hub and other drive-trains. “Twinkelfart” set it all off with his summation of the hub. One member says “Planetary gears are basically magic, so this is like… extra dimensional magic”. Some interesting points and perspectives there, although there are some errors about the weight, which is substantial lighter than the 12 Lbs mentioned there. Check it out.

Automatic vs allways in the right gear

Nice -but short- story in the New Your Times about Trek’s beautiful Lime bike. It is great to see some serious design in the bike business. These are great bikes. One interesting feature is that it has an automatic electronic shift system. That must have been done because people think shifting is too difficult. I agree. Hence my love affair as a rider with the NuVinci continuous variable transmission. The downside of an automatic shifter is that you loose control when the shift occurs. But what really got me was that the system only has three gears. Mind the gap as they might say in London. What are the changes that you pedal at your most efficient cadence? It is a bit like having a broken watch: it is still accurate twice a day.

You think BMX or MTB can be extreme?

Just by coincidence I stumbled across this great little video on You Tube. If you thing Extreme is only on two wheels, think again. It is incredible and funny. Enjoy.

NuVinci: It is a family affair

Meet Mr Dekker. 80 years young and an avid cyclist. He told me how he cycled in his younger days from Alkmaar to Heerlen for his vacation. “I always wanted to go to Heerlen in the south of Holland. But in those days we only had a week. So I did it in a day”. Mind you, that was still 250km, on a bike which was nowhere as sophisticated as the Batavus Ouverture NuVinci. His latest bike.
Now, probably 60 years later, he doesn’t mind cycling to his son in Den Helder. Still 42 km’s away. This story actually start with his son. Like his dad, also a fervent cyclists.

Continue reading NuVinci: It is a family affair…

FT: Open letter to David Cameron. Quality of life.

Also in the FT we can read a pro bicycling piece. In an open letter to David Cameron (the (opposition) leader of the UK Conservative party and also an avid cyclist), Harry Eyres, asks about quality of live.

He stated that not so long ago Quality of Live issues in the policy documents translated into airport expansions, house building on flood plains and massive new road building programs. What about giving cyclist decent and safe conditions to cycle? “WIll you do something and not just waffle”? Highly recommended reading.

FT online subscription might be required.