Chain Idler and Insoles

Chain Idler and Insoles

The weather has been dismal this week and I had a lot to do so I rested.  I went to get my insoles modified somewhat to see if it could further improve my foot comfort.  I have to try them to judge if the small change will bear fruit. 

After I had issues with the rear idler, I contacted Bluevelo and they came back to me with a modification that IntercityBike is considering making on new DF to address the idler accessibility issues.  After the modification is done, the access cover is taped back.  

Idler cover access hole

Some DF riders indicated they had the same issue and were able to move the chain back on the idler by lifting and jiggling the chain under the seat.

It seems that people are going riding at this time and it is slow on the news front.  We are still waiting for updates on many projects, here are a few I’m keeping an eye for:  

There is no news on the Evo-Kx first announced in the spring, the prototype was to make an appearance at Spezi a few weeks ago and there is still nothing to report.  No news also this week from Velomobiel.nl as they are getting ready to roll out the QuatroVelo at CycleVision near the end of the month. The first production Marvelo SKR is running a bit behind schedule, hopefully it will be rolling out soon   Raderwerk still does not have an updated website and very little information on new product development. 

Australian Pedal Prix

Stuart Peterson, a mechanical engineer is looking for old velomobile frames to give entry level teams a chance to participate.  He asks schools who have teams participating in the Australian circuit to check their storage rooms to see if they could donate old frames. 

This is a new strategy since Stuart had tried unsuccessfully to raise funds for his project through Pozible crowd funding site.  He credits the Pedal Prix to single handedly shaped his life in becoming a Mechanical Engineer. It's time to give back such that WA kids can enjoy the greatness that Pedal Prix offers. He feels that it is an event that offers so many positive aspects to student’s development and learning.

He wanted the funds to help schools get a team up and running by subsidizing the cost of the velomobiles that are more than $1,000.  The aim was to support up to 20 teams with $500 each initially and expand to 40 schools beyond that.

The aim of his plans is to reduce the barrier for participation.  This type of support through sponsorship or through the transfer of frames would be a massive increase in participation in the Australian velomobile circuits.

If you can help, contact him through Facebook

Meanwhile, the second race of the series is taking place this weekend. 

Intercitybike

Well things are moving at IntercityBike.  It seems that the original DF shock DT Swiss 212 shock has been replaced by… the DT Swiss M212 200/55 SAB HH SO.  While the original DT Swiss shock did not require additional pressure. They are 200mm long with 55mm stroke the new one will need to be pumped-up to operate properly in the order of 3 to 4 bars according to early users.  Intercitybike secured only 75 of them to meet production demands; hopefully they will have access to more shocks in the next few months.

Meanwhile the construction of the prototype DFs is still underway, this week the rear wheel well was produced.  The first new boom has also been produced. It is a 15% bit heavier but it is approximately 150 to 400% stronger than the original.

Attention small riders, Daniel does not think that the Dfs will make it as a production model; he does not see enough demand.  If you are a small rider and interested in a small DF, get in touch with IntercityBike.