Paddy Wagon or Charge Plug

pepperchips

which one of these is going to be the best for an everyday commute?

overmars

Waiting for reviews. But I like the look of the Charge Plug.

knucklehead

The charge looks lighter and more like a road bike. The Kona is a mountain bike style frame, which is what you would expect and want if buying a bike from Kona, but I think would be a bit slower than the CP. If you buy the charge from a proper cycle shop and anticipate carrying heavy loads on your commute I would try and have them upgrade the wheels to double butted spokes.

overmars

What do you think of the Alf Webb Road/Track Bike?

http://www.webbline.co.uk/completebikes.asp

deadpet

Talking of the Charge Pug...does anyone have any idea when it will be available?

overmars

8th August 2007. That's the date Evans had.

deadpet

Thanks Overmars...time to put an order in then

demmerson

The Charge Plug looks nice but as the smallest size according to their web site is 56.9cm it certainly won't be on my shopping list.

knucklehead

overmars wrote:

What do you think of the Alf Webb Road/Track Bike?

http://www.webbline.co.uk/completebikes.asp

I think their intelegent design probably involves short or long seatposts/stems to bodge a one size fits all bike! Go to a shop and get a bike fitted to your measurements.

pepperchips

I spoke to the nice and helpful evans staff at Nottingham the other morning and they rang Hotwheels their Charge supplier and they said that Charge themselves dont have any Plugs at this point in time, but say that they have been told that they will be able to supply Evans stock for September 1st 2007. Evans have ordered a load of them already apparently.

:-)

Being 6ft 2 its probably going to be a Plug for me. I agree that the Paddy Waggon does look like a mountain bike with different trimmings :?

Why does the Plug look like it will collapse if I put my 14stones on it ? lol

overmars

They had the Charge on their website with the date 8th August 2007. Soon after I enquired they took it off the website.
Now, you're saying that they say that its out 1st September.

Good to know that Evans know what they're doing. :roll:

pepperchips

knucklehead wrote:

overmars wrote:

What do you think of the Alf Webb Road/Track Bike?

http://www.webbline.co.uk/completebikes.asp

I think their intelegent design probably involves short or long seatposts/stems to bodge a one size fits all bike! Go to a shop and get a bike fitted to your measurements.

If you mean the Charge range, the plug comes in small medium and large apparently:

Seat Tube Measurements.
S 56.9cm 22inches
M 59cm 23inches
L 62.6cm 24inches

This compares to the Paddy Wagon:
Smallest 49cm 19inches
Middle sizes 54/56cm 21/22inches
Largest 60cm 23inches


I am used to mountain bike specs where the top tube is not too much of an issue because of the straight bars.

Is it worth paying attention to the top tube length on a road bike because of the type of bars and the extra reach or is it not that important?

virion

Is it just me or does a seat tube length for a "small" of 22 inches/56.9 cm seem a bit much? Are these bikes designed for giants or something? I contacted charge and the standover for a small is 80cm. My OH really fancied the charge, but at 5 foot 7 i don't think she'll have much of a chance.

demmerson

virion wrote:

Is it just me or does a seat tube length for a "small" of 22 inches/56.9 cm seem a bit much? Are these bikes designed for giants or something?.

Exactly the point I was trying to make. At 5 foot 7 the small would be far too big for me too. The frame size options do seem very strange.

knucklehead

pepperchips wrote:

knucklehead wrote:

overmars wrote:

What do you think of the Alf Webb Road/Track Bike?

http://www.webbline.co.uk/completebikes.asp

I think their intelegent design probably involves short or long seatposts/stems to bodge a one size fits all bike! Go to a shop and get a bike fitted to your measurements.

If you mean the Charge range, the plug comes in small medium and large apparently:

Seat Tube Measurements.
S 56.9cm 22inches
M 59cm 23inches
L 62.6cm 24inches

This compares to the Paddy Wagon:
Smallest 49cm 19inches
Middle sizes 54/56cm 21/22inches
Largest 60cm 23inches


I am used to mountain bike specs where the top tube is not too much of an issue because of the straight bars.

Is it worth paying attention to the top tube length on a road bike because of the type of bars and the extra reach or is it not that important?

If I'd meant the charge I wouldn't have quoted the bit about the Alf Webb now would I dopey!)

belgiangoth

pepperchips wrote:

This compares to the Paddy Wagon:

It's "similar to" and "compared with".

I'm not sure, but doesn't the Paddy Wagon have a compact geometry, while the Plug doesn't.
I think the best answer, though, is to ask yourself whether you want mudguards. The Plug won't take them.

pepperchips

Thanks belgiangoth for the grammar lesson. It must have been clear enough, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to correct me.

Does a road bike generally spray more water at your back than a Mountain Bike ? I would have thought that knobbly tyres would hold the water longer and therefore spray more at your back and ankles as you pedal? Does this theory hold any water(!) ?

>.<

(appologies for my not understanding the quoting system on here, it was the first time I have ever used it in a forum)

knucklehead

Big review in Cyling Plus of the charge plug. It sounds like it's slow compared to a road or track bike but the reviewer enjoyed it and it scored pretty well.

overmars

It is available on 8 Aug 2007 from Evans and you can pre-book. The sizes are as reported in this thread.

I'm 5 10" so I'd be a small.

pepperchips

Does anyone know when the new 08 Paddy Wagon will be in the stores?