Posts by James Butler

  • Hard News: Up with the Pacer: embracing…,

    "Regen" in electric vehicles usually refers to regenerative braking - if you want to slow down, you use it instead of the friction brakes and the energy that would have been dissipated goes back into the battery instead. Modern electric cars all have it integrated with the brake; it also kicks in when you lift the throttle to mimic engine braking. Not sure how you'd control it on an e bike...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Up Front: Wonder Bi, in reply to BenWilson,

    I've been seeing a fair few openly bi women in TV series recently

    And this is a thing too, right - that if you have a bi character it has to be a woman, because something something consumption by het men?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Up Front: Wonder Bi, in reply to BenWilson,

    "all bis must die"

    Jack Harkness is the ultimate inversion of this trope.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I have to admit I haven't tried hydraulic discs. And I've never claimed to be a normal person - I like knowing I could repair/replace every bit of my bike armed with only a bottle opener and a toothpick.

    That said - if e-bikes had been more of a thing when I was riding from Mt Eden to East Tamaki and back every day, I probably would have bought one, discs and all.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Compared to a regular bike, removing a driving wheel with a hub motor has one extra level of complexity - somewhere there'll be a cable connector, ideally weatherproofed, which you'll pull apart and later reconnect.

    Surely there must be a torque reaction arm somewhere which needs to be detached?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…, in reply to Moz,

    like you say, why wouldn't you have them?

    Feel, aesthetics, serviceability and weight, in roughly that order. With full acknowledgement that those aren't everyone's priorities (:

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    As each e-bike brand, and often each model, tends to have its own peculiar battery configuration, you hope they'll still be around when you need a replacement.

    OTOH Li-ion tech gets better every year, and it shouldn't be difficult with the right know-how to match the electrical characteristics of an old battery pack with a new replacement. I can see this being a growth industry for all kinds of electric transport.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    $2549 is quite an alarming price.

    Bicycles are like computers, cars, musical instruments - however much money you pay, you could always have paid more. $2k+ is perfectly reasonable even for a new entirely-leg-powered bike if you can afford it, and you're going to use it a lot, *and* you expect it to last for some years without trouble.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There in half the time:…,

    Any other Aucklanders seen the new (as in, not open yet) e-bike specialist shop on the corner of South and East streets in town? Also hanging in the window are a bevy of Bromptons and a nice-looking Rohloff-equipped tourer of some sort...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Waterview: The giant up the road,

    Is the Waterview shared path going to join up with the one through Mount Roskill (War Memorial/Walmsley/Underwood parks)? I haven't seen any mention of cycle facilities around the tunnel mouth...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 86 Older→ First