Planet X Kaffenback

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  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Asprilla wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Mine will be dismantled this weekend and stuck eBay.

    Ordered a Singular Peregrine frame this morning to replace it.

    That bad?! Glad I didn't just jump in and go with the Roadrat.

    I should have the Kaffenback this time next week.

    It's not that bad, but I want something that's a perfect fit so I can sell a couple of other bikes. Besides the frame was second hand on eBay so it didn't cost much and I won't lose much on it.
    Asprilla wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Mine will be dismantled this weekend and stuck eBay.

    Ordered a Singular Peregrine frame this morning to replace it.

    That bad?! Glad I didn't just jump in and go with the Roadrat.

    I should have the Kaffenback this time next week.

    It's not that bad, but I want something that's a perfect fit so I can sell a couple of other bikes. Besides the frame was second hand on eBay so it didn't cost much and I won't lose much on it.
    If you hadn't already ordered the Singular I would have suggested you wait for the new Cotic frame.

    Rubertoe, how long did you have to wait for delivery?

    I'm thinking about going for a dynamo hub and full lighting system. I told 'er indoors that my budget was £1k, so I've got just under £200 to spend on panniers, rack and dynamo. I'm see a bit of budget creep happening.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    The Peregrine was actually the frame I wanted in the first place, I only looked at the RR because it was cheap on eBay.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Must admit that I didn't get on with my Road Rat at all. I'm still hankering for a Pro 6.
    FCN 3 / 4
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    I waited 2 weeks
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Thats what I was told, but I got an email saying it was being built on Monday.
    I'd think a day to build (if you've got all the parts, all the tools and you do it day-in, day-out you should be pretty speedy) and three days to deliver that should mean I get it in a week.

    Only my second new bike ever. I like building bikes, but I can't wait for that new bike smell. Oops, thats only cars.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Be prepared for the massive box....
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    rubertoe wrote:
    Be prepared for the massive box....
    What?! It won't fit through the letter box?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    After a bit of online research, I've decided against dynamo lighting. For the amount of night-time riding I do the cost is prohibitive, looks like~£200+ for dynamo hub front wheel, tyre & tube and dynamo lights.

    If anyone knows a cheaper route though, let me know.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • jockywilson
    jockywilson Posts: 89
    It's always cheaper ordering dynamo wheels and lights from Germany, so you should be able to get the light and hub for about £110.

    Assuming your using rim brakes:

    Shimano DH-3N80 hub laced to Mavic A319 Rim (£65):
    http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/atb- ... aid:581967

    Busch & Muller Lumotec IQ Cyo 60 Lux (£37)
    http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m ... aid:457434

    Plus postage of around £8.

    Then £20ish for tyre (e.g. Bontrager race lite hardcase for £14), rimtape and innertube .
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Disc brakes (only) on the kaffenback.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • redhanded
    redhanded Posts: 139
    What about the Cotic X?

    I'm surprised the Cotic people didn't mention this as an alternative to the Roadrat.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,692
    I was interested in a Cotic X, I wanted to see a bike in the flesh before I took the plunge. I spoke to Brixton Cycles, who were very nice, but they didn't have one in stock. I spoke to Cotic to see if they would send one to them on SOR, they wouldn't, so asked if they knew anyone in the South East that might have one I can have a look at. They gave me the name of a place in Hereford that might have one. At that point I gave up with them, saw the Kinesis and bought one.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • redhanded
    redhanded Posts: 139
    I have a Roadrat and got it from Freedom Bikes in Brighton but it is problem with Cotic that there aren't many shops stocking their bikes.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,692
    Freedom Bikes were also very helpful when I spoke to them. They had a small X that I could have a look at, but it was for a customer, and I couldn't get there in time to see it. The dealers I spoke to were all helpful, but Cotic really weren't. I wound up ringing round dealers in the South East myself trying to find one to look at.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    I condidered the X, but I wanted disc brakes rather than cantilever rim brakes and didn't want to pay an extra £90 for them.
    I also wanted Tiagra. MrsEKE has Sora and I've GOT to have better than she has, right?

    Cotic REALLY need to sort out their dealer network. No shops seem to stock them and I'm not alone in wanting to at least see the bike before ordering and/or paying for it. They could go the Richer Sounds route and open a shop in a cheap location in London to tap into the large London market for road bikes. I don't know how to maximise their off-road sales.

    Another reason I went for the Kaffenback is the BB7 brakes. Every other manufacturer either offers BB5, or in Cotic's case, Shimano BR515.

    Back to dynamos: My wish list are 32 hole, black hub, front and rear lights (USB charging would be a bonus) all for under £150 inc tyres, tube and rim tape. I think its not going to happen and I'm not overly fussed if it doesn't, but the hive mind can lead to some gems.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    I was going to post this in Anti-rants

    BB7's are amazing. So much better than BB5's (had them on my focus).
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,692
    rubertoe wrote:
    I was going to post this in Anti-rants

    BB7's are amazing. So much better than BB5's (had them on my focus).
    Agreed, had to do an emergency stop on my bike tonight. Stopped very quickly. Then collected the EPO's station hack and rode that home as she's out drinking. Got home and applied the brakes to pull up outside the house. Pulled the brakes a lot harder and cruised passed the back gate. Rim brakes are bad in the wet, chrome rims make them diabolical.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • Origamist
    Origamist Posts: 807
    Tyre clearance was the only reason why I did not get a Kaff2 for winter use. At the moment, the Surly Straggler is at the top of my list.
    Folders
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    What tyres you wanting to put on? 45s? :roll:
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Back to dynamos: My wish list are 32 hole, black hub, front and rear lights (USB charging would be a bonus) all for under £150 inc tyres, tube and rim tape. I think its not going to happen and I'm not overly fussed if it doesn't, but the hive mind can lead to some gems.

    Should be pretty doable, to be honest. The £37 light posted earlier is a belter, I've been using one for the past three winers and it's great. As for the hub, disc braked Shimano ones range from £26.50:

    http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/shim ... aid:671191

    To £59.30:

    http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/shim ... aid:515917

    If you were to choose a Rigida DP-18 rim (£18 - though perhaps too narrow for CX tyres):

    http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 9s116p2910

    Then I could do you a deal for a set of 32 Sapim Race spokes that are sitting on my desk and would fit just fine. Should be plenty left over for tyres, tubes, hookers and gin.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Back to dynamos: My wish list are 32 hole, black hub, front and rear lights (USB charging would be a bonus) all for under £150 inc tyres, tube and rim tape. I think its not going to happen and I'm not overly fussed if it doesn't, but the hive mind can lead to some gems.

    Should be pretty doable, to be honest. The £37 light posted earlier is a belter, I've been using one for the past three winers and it's great. [...]

    The Axa one at Rosebikes has the USB function that EKE mentions, has a few lux more and is only £25 more.
    If I hadn't fixed the bracket on my Philips SafeRide, I would have bought one.
    Location: ciderspace
  • Origamist
    Origamist Posts: 807
    rubertoe wrote:
    What tyres you wanting to put on? 45s? :roll:

    Marathon Winter - nominally 700c x 35. They are a studded ice tyre. If the Kaff2 could accommodate them with guards I'd have placed my order weeks ago.
    Folders
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    What sort of current output should I be looking for?
    I've seen some el-cheapo dynamos that put out 1.5amps but this seems a bit weedy to me (with all of my experience of using google over the last couple of days) and talking to a client today, she said her dynamo was a bit weak so her lights were dim enough for her to use some Knogs to make sure she can be seen.

    So, pricelist:
    Axa front light ~£63
    Shimano DH-3D37 ~£27
    Mavic Open Pro rim ~£40
    Spokes from UE ~£?
    Tyre and tube ~£50 (two tyres and tubes) so say £25 for this wheel build
    Centrelock to 6 bolt disc adaptor £10
    Thats £165 plus spokes and I'd have to build it myself (which I've never done before) and using a cheaper dynamo hub. There has to be cheaper options.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    This recent article on dynamos may be of interest- most modern units put out enough power to light efficient led lamps; the main issue is flickering at low power & the prudent provision of a capacitor in the front lamp to give standing power to both front & rear when stationary.
    I'd suggest that you up your budget to get what you want, as you've not allowed for the German postage or the rear lamp or perhaps drop the USB option & re-use a S/H rim/tyre/disk combo.
    Location: ciderspace
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Well, I've got a rim which I can't use with rim brakes as it seems to not have been welded perfectly aligned so it judders when braking (leading to a cocked up fork and headset), but it would be fine with disc brakes.

    I'll have to do some more research. Rose seem to mainly do wheelsets but I only need a front.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    OK, so I've had a shandy or two and I'm thinking about what I want/need.
    Hub, spokes, front and rear lights, wheels building skillz.

    I can reuse the rim, rim tape tyre and tube.
    I do want USB charging and after reading the CTC link (which I had read but had lost amongst many other links) I would like the SP-DynamoPV8 hub (~£90 apparently).
    So would I be looking at the hub (~£90), UE spokes (~£?), Axa front light (~£63), rear light (I haven't looked).

    Do I need a dynamo hub?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Do I need a dynamo hub?

    Course you do, they're ace! The amount of hassle that other people have charging their lights, detaching them when you lock up, re-attaching before you leave is all a distant memory. Also, the German lights have a much better beam pattern, mine produces a lovely, even light that stretches all over the road with no hotspots, no dazzling people.

    Spokes are 278 mm, if you're getting a different hub and rim, they may not be the right size. I bought them for a wheel I was making with the Shimano hub and the Rigida rim, but I ended up using some other ones, so they're still sitting on my desk.

    As for the rear light: I never went with a dynamo rear, because I'm a big old tart and I didn't want a thick, black wire running the length of my top-tube and making my Equilibrium marginally less pretty. Even if it is dark.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,692
    So you have all the hassle of charging a light, unclipping it when you lock up and reattaching it before you set off?? But only for your hind quarters because you're a mahoosive tart.
    Fair enough.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    I'm not so bothered about the wires; they run alongside the brake lines on mine. However, I also run a set of Smarts on blink mode to increase visibility & cover risk of failure (not experienced so far).
    Rose's 10% promo ends tonight, so might want to make a decision v. soon!
    Location: ciderspace
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Veronese68 wrote:
    So you have all the hassle of charging a light, unclipping it when you lock up and reattaching it before you set off?? But only for your hind quarters because you're a mahoosive tart.
    Fair enough.

    Well, yes, sort of. But I have a Smart half-watt at the back, so I can just leave it there, and it only needs about two sets of batteries over the winter. The front needed charging almost every day, that's a pain.
    Sun - Rain - Snow

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