I’m probably jumping from the frying pan to the fire here but I’ve invested in some (probably only slightly less inferior) Taiwanese tyres, the Kenda Kovert. Although intended for BMX use they were about the only ‘smooth tread” tyre available in a 20″ size.

I’ve just returned from a 5 mile ride with these and they seem fine so far. There was one incident where it felt they started to slide while cornering on a wet manhole cover but that is to be expected on any make really.

These tyres together with the Schwalbe City Jet were supplied by Discount Bicycles Limited who I’m not very pleased with. I ordered on a Thursday, the debit was taken from my bank the next day (Friday), I phoned the following Tuesday to enquire where the order was and was told they were in dispatch. I get a call on the following Friday to say they haven’t got the 26″ x 2″ in stock will I accept the 26″ x 1.5″? They will be dispatched next day (arrive Saturday). They turn up Monday and to top it all they have been subjected to some sort of damage and the tyre beading is bent: (Kenda top, Schwalbe below)

It just means I shop elsewhere next time.

All usable parts were removed prior to disposal.

428 miles later and both tyres are showing signs of deterioration on the side walls. The front (pictured below) is more severe than the rear but both are bad enough to warrant replacing. This picture shows both sides of the front tyre and the two yellow markers show the extremes of the longest split (click to go large).

Normally cracks are caused by excessive sunlight but the only time these tyres see daylight is when I’m riding the bike. My sons bike which I fitted with the same tyres at the same time doesn’t appear to be suffering from the same problem and he’s done around 1,000 miles on his so go figure. Incidentally these tyres haven’t succumbed to any punctures and my son swears by the amount of grip in both wet and dry conditions.

I phoned Vredestein to enquire what sort of mileage/life I should expect from this model but the person I spoke to insisted on directing me to the supplier rather than answer my question.  While the supplier is one with which I have always experienced good service, I don’t think it is their responsibility when a product such as this is obviously out of any possible warranty. Therefore I didn’t bother them.

What I did do though is to tell all here and source a replacement of better quality.

And this is it, the Schwalbe City Jet with puncture protection 26″ x 2.0″ at £14.24 each.  Here’s hoping

Made of steel and with steel wheels they aren’t the lightest of trailers but I don’t intend using it other than locally so that doesn’t bother me too much. The wheels are 14″ but there is room for 20″ wheels so as soon as I get another 20″ alloy wheel to match the one I’ve already got they will get replaced.

The side bars fold in once a couple of spring pins are removed and the wheels are fitted with quick release skewers. The towing bar also fold in after removal of a pin but the pin was a loose fit and the play was noticed when towing. As I don’t need to pack the trailer into a car boot or other small space I have replaced the offending pin with a bolt.

The hitch (cycle side) is a simple short tube that the trailer bar fits into and is secured by a pin. There is an additional safety strap which simply passes round the rear fork and clips back onto the trailer tow arm. While it is intended to keep the trailer attached to the bike much the same on a car, I feel that the speeds here are not going to cause a problem if the hitch breaks and the trailer just drops to the ground. If the arm were still attached with the strap it would send the tow arm straight into the back wheel causing lots of damage and possibly  sending the rider into the path of nearby traffic. So, for me the strap doesn’t get attached.

The picture below shows it fitted to my folding bike over the top of the sidestand bracket.

I’ve made addiional hitches for the Muddy Fox below…

…and also for my latest steed, a Focus Ventura. This bike has a cast rear fork end so the design and fitting was slightly different.

The folding metal bars of the trailer can be removed quite easily so I’ve knocked together a plywood box that is better suited to carrying around 300 newspapers (one of the intended uses).

Today I made a trip to D. Gill Building Supplies in Aldridge to collect a bag of cement and the trailer performed admirably.

]]> http://virtualcyclist.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/cargo-trailer/feed/ 0 hoipoloi http://virtualcyclist.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/new-steed-on-the-scene/ http://virtualcyclist.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/new-steed-on-the-scene/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:23:41 +0000 hoipoloi http://virtualcyclist.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/new-steed-on-the-scene/ ]]> Well the old folding bike has been replaced with a new folding bike The brakes couldn’t hack it and the thought of welding brake spigots to the frame and forks made me look elsewhere.

And so I ended up with this cheap (sorry Tiger but it is) folding bike, a Tiger Foldaway. It cost me less than three figures as well so at least it fits my pocket nicely.

Click to go large

The only trouble was, that it arrived in a box with a wheel reflector broken, a number of scratches, and the handlebar stem (which incorporates a hinge section to allow for folding) way out of line. It wasn’t bent so I can only assume it wasn’t in the jig correctly when it was welded.

Click to go large

The manufacturers wanted me to send the complete bike back, I wanted them to send a replacement part. In the end they sent a new bike out and collected the ‘old’ bike a few days later.

Click to go large

Just as well really as the replacement not only had another wheel reflector broken but was also missing the pedals. I managed to make a good bike out of the two and sent back what was left over.

I’ve done around 120 miles on this bike now and there are only a couple of minor annoyances. The first is the handlebar clamp needs constant tightening as the bars slide out to the side over time. The other is that this bike squeaks. It squeaks constantly and from everywhere. Besides the saddle I haven’t been able to track down where the other squeaks originate. I’ll get them though, in time.

Manufacturers Link: Tiger Cycles

As it happens 62 miles gets me to a village called Esnandes which is north of La Rochelle. The village is just a crossroads (OK, two crossroads and a fortified church) in the middle of nowhere.

An aerial view of nowhere.

The interesting thing to note here is that I’m very nearly half-way down through France and it wont be long before I’m at the Pyranees and I have to decide whether to head east to the Med or cross over the mountains into Spain. I invite your thoughts on this before I get there.

How far does 57 miles get me from St-Nazaire? Well, 57 miles obviously but you know what I mean.

Taking the Route Bleue south out of St-Nazaire I cross the Loire by bridge and am able to keep to the coast rather than having to head inland and go through Nantes. I hate cities.

I arrive at the coast town of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. I’ve stayed here non-virtually in the recent past, September last year as it happens. In fact, keeping in the cycling theme we took a day trip to Commequiers just fifteen – twenty minutes away and spent the day pedalling a velo-rail machine backwards and forwards along several kilometres of closed railway track. Good fun, and very scenic but I’m glad our two children were able to take over the pedalling when SWMBO and myself had become exhausted.

That’s it for October’s contribution to the Virtual European Tour. I’ll be heading further south with next months mileage.

A Roadside Shrine near Lio Piccolo

Still, 25 miles is 25 miles and that brings me (virtually) to St-Nazaire at the entrance to the Loire river. Now, as far as I’m concerned, St-Nazaire is famous for only one thing, the main base for German U-Boats on the Atlantic coast during WWII. Operation Chariot was a seaborne attack on the massive dry docks there.

Click to go large

Here’s hoping for better mileage next month.

So, to keep things in order I will bring the Virtual Tour up to date.
August’s mileage amounted to 41.13 miles which is about the same as the past couple of months. From my last stopping place (end of July) at Monteneuf, I manage to cross the Brittany peninsular and arrive at a small village on the coast (Bay of Biscay) called Penestin.

So, I leave Andouillé-Neuville heading towards Rennes but eventually by-passing the city (I prefer to keep clear of the big towns). While still in Brittany, my mileage allows me to get as far as Monteneuf, a village that has roots to the Neolithic past and boasts Megalithic stones from that period.