Why it’s a good idea to have a multi-gear bike around here: this road is so steep that it has a handrail for pedestrians to use while they climb the hill. It’s also the bike route through this town. Unfortunately the designer thought cycling meant pootling about on a Sunday afternoon, the route is pretty but horrendously indirect.
There’s no way I’d ride the Bakfiets up this hill. Mind you, there’s no way I can get the Bakfiets this far, there are much bigger hills between here and home.
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December 15, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Kim
So the Bakfiets isn’t good with hills then? I thought they did have gears?
December 15, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Andy in Germany
Hello Kim…
The Bakfiets does have gears: eight of ‘em, thank goodness, but it is still over 20 kilos of steel and wood before you load it. This is no criticism: it’s what makes the bike as solid as it is, but you have to work to get it up hills. Coming down is easy though.
The town in the picture is also about 10 Km away from us on the other side of a pretty deep, steep sided valley which has gradients of 11% and worse in both directions. It’s challenge enough on an empty Xtracycle.
There is a bridge over the valley but of course only cars are allowed over it, otherwise people may start cycle commuting and we wouldn’t want that…
December 15, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Frits B
Not all hills are equal, some are more equal than others. And the ones that are more equal are so steep that no gear is low enough to propel a bakfiets. Even in flat Holland there are a few inclines where only the strongest cyclists manage to ride to the top. Some old bridges across Amsterdam canals in particular come to mind – where last winter even taxi drivers needed a push. Sensible people dismount and walk.
December 15, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Andy in Germany
Hi fritz, good to see you here again… Our hills are certainly more equal than others and they are long as well as steep, in some case up to a kilometre of climb. What with weight and the riding position on the Bakfiets I find myself using it mainly on short, more level trips, not that it’s any less useful for that.
December 15, 2010 at 10:26 pm
travis
thanks for the translation*
December 16, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Andy in Germany
Hello Travis…. Not a problem: I figured you may need it…
December 16, 2010 at 10:12 am
the big smile
Hi Andy!
Yes this hill look not really comfortable to ride, if not going downhill.
For Eisenach has many hills and some them really steep I mounted on my Mundo a cranksset with 22 teeth cog and on the rear wheel a megarange cassette. This enables me, to ride that monsterbike with 30 kilo loaded up to 14% grade.
On the other hand, if I shift to highest gear I have 42 teeth front and 12 rear, wich is more, than I can handle on flat. (Spreading of about 530%)
But I suppose, the bakfiets has a geared hub, so there ist not much chance to change to much about the ratio-range.
December 16, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Andy in Germany
Hello Stefan…
SO you don’t have a shifter (Umwerfer) on the front?
The Xtracycle has a standard 21-gear set which is the same ratio as the original mountain bike, and it manages to get up this one okay (in fact I’m pretty pleased with myself that I don’t have to use the lowest gear).
But as you say the Bakfiets has a hub gear which means it’s less flexible. I still think the sheer weight is the main issue though. On the other hand I don’t have to worry about chain wear or getting dirt in the mech or getting dirty trousers from oil, so it has advantages as well: really.
I’m aware that I’m incredibly fortunate to have an Xtracycle and a Bakfiets…
December 16, 2010 at 11:23 pm
the big smile
No no, I have a front deraileur.
8 speed 34-11 (sorry, not 12 but 11 teeth) on the rear wheel and 22-32-42 Alivio crankset with Alivio deraileur.
But I do admitt, 14% on the Mundo with 30 Kilo load (Chariot with my little daughter) or 12% with 55 Kilo load (Chariot, little daughter, big daughter on the rack) is the steepest I can do. But I can keep this for more than 300 meters.
And you are right abaout geared hubs. Very “service-freundlich”. Almost no troubles with chain wear, no problems with chainguards, etc….
But I preferred the chain shifted solution, for I needed something inexpensive and really robust with a high ratio spreading.
So only a Roloff could have met my demands. But it would be 1200 Euro for the hub with accessories.
No thanks!
December 17, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Andy in Germany
I’m in the same place. Hub systems are wonderful, but when it comes to hills, I’m glad of the extra gears offered on a derailleur system.
(Although I also drool over Rohloff hubs: my boss keeps saying I could get one at wholesale prices , but even that’s pretty expensive.)
December 20, 2010 at 2:51 pm
the big smile
Well, you could try to combine the geared hub with a front deraileur and crank set.
But then you woould have to watch out for the maximum troque, the hub can handle.
And that is why I decided to use no geared hub. I am un the save side, this way.
But I would have had great interest in the Nuvinci hub.