Take these chains from my heart and set me free

[pierrino]

According to Harvey Woien, bicycle engineer extraordinary, the whole
notion of 9 speeds on a bike is beanbrains: it advantages the rider
nothing. It only gives shorter "jumps" between the highest, middle and
lowest gears. The highest gears on just a 5 speed remain as high and
the lowest as low; but, the jumps are longer.

These shorter 9 speed jumps, according to Harvey, are of use only in
bicycle racing where you want to maintain a steady cadence but of
little use otherwise. Especially with motor assisted pedaling. But,
and here's the rub, the 9 speeds do necessitate a much thinner, more
delicate chain that will likely break during what he calls a "bad
shift," i.e. a shift made while pedaling up a steep hill; or, perhaps
during throttleling an electric bike? The thinner metal in the 9-or-
above speed chain fatigues and breaks more eaisly and can jam up.
Also, but I'm less clear on Harvey's position on this, the whole
casette is unduly complicated and delicate. The multispeed
arrangements are mere sales tools for fools and cannot but make the
judicious bike rider grieve.
How say you all?
Pierrino

[lowco2]

I'm with you, Pierrino, 9 is too much for something like an e-bike.
That having been said, I love my 9-speed regular bikes and use all
those gears. I have also never in my decades-long riding career broken
a chain. I don't think the current crop of 9-speed chains can be
accurately described as "delicate" in any case.
Regards,
--John

[Keith Felch]

I say this:
I have now ridden the 800 watt motor with my 8 speed transmission, and have
ridden about 15 miles on an 800 with the 9 speed. I like the 9 speed
transmission a lot because the Derivative Power Control seems to really like
the slightly smaller increments. It behaves more like a CVT than my 8 speed.
Very nice.
I don't think Opti would have put on a 9 speed transmission if the chains
were snapping.
Keith

[OptOut]

John, I was thinking exactly the same thing when I read the post about
breaking a chain. I've broken lots of other stuff but never a chain.

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[deerfencer1]

Bottom line: The more speeds the better IMO, as long as the equipment
is durable, and the 9 + 10-speed road bikes have been out there long
enough to be proven as such.

I'm riding a 7-speed cassette on Uma and confess to missing at least
one subtle gear somewhere towards the middle, so 8 speeds would
probably do me fine. But if 10 speeds is achievable, why not? The more
subtlety the better. You really have to put in some miles to
appreciate the nuances here, but they are real.

And, yeah, I agree, chains very rarely break.

LH

[OptOut]

I've seen messengers in NYC use short bike chains to "lock" their
seats to the bike. Light weight and very strong. Difficult to remove
unless you have the right tool.

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[lowco2]

Hey that's a really clever idea! I should try that, I have some old
chains sitting around, a good cleaning and we'd be set.
--John

On Sep 7, 7:38 pm, OptOut <optib...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've seen messengers in NYC use short bike chains to "lock" their  
> seats to the bike.  Light weight and very strong. Difficult to remove  
> unless you have the right tool.
>
> Best,
> Joe (mobile)
>

> >>> Pierrino- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[OptOut]

Ok John,
Here's another - use an old preferably skinny inner tube, cut to
length, slip the chain thru it before you attach and you have a chain
condum to protect your precious bits from the steel. Multi layer for
added protection.
Re cycle your cycle! Innertubes have many uses. They make nice sturdy
rubber bands for example that can be used to mount things like
flashlights on handlebars or helmets.

Best,
Joe (mobile)

[lowco2]

that's another great one. I never throw out old tubes because they
have hundreds of uses, this is just one more.
--J

On Sep 8, 1:45 pm, OptOut <optib...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ok John,
> Here's another - use an old preferably skinny inner tube, cut to  
> length, slip the chain thru it before you attach and you have a chain  
> condum to protect your precious bits from the steel.  Multi layer for  
> added protection.
> Re cycle your cycle!  Innertubes have many uses. They make nice sturdy  
> rubber bands for example that can be used to mount things like  
> flashlights on handlebars or helmets.
>
> Best,
> Joe (mobile)
>

> >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -