Introduction - Road Test - Visibility - Gearing and Hills - Practicality - Maintenance & Accident Record - Production & "Commercials"
Introduction - Road Test - Visibility - Gearing and Hills - Practicality - Maintenance & Accident Record - Production & "Commercials"
| Gearing and Hills | |||||
| What kind of gear ranges are standard? | Rohloff Hub | Any, including combination of deraileurs and hub | Any | Rohloff Hub | |
| Low: | 1.82 metre (71.65 inch) | low as you like | around 30" | Any | |
| High: | 9.58? metre (377.2 inch) | high as you like | around 120" | Any | |
| Absolute ratios (L/H) | 5.25 | large | 4:1 | Could be anything e.g. 32,42,52 chain rings to a 11.34 megarange block for UK use or 39,52 chain rings to 11,24 for Low Country use | Although the cab bike uses the same gearing system as the Versatile the gearing system is set much lower -- the overall ratio is of course 5.25 |
| What options are possible? | Some changes possible in ratio -- for example replacing the 16 tooth rear sprocket with 18 for more hilly areas. In general the machine is more highly geared than the Cab-bike. | almost any | Currently somewhat restricted -- but see note | Any options are possible, including SRAM hub gears etc. | Not known -- but as the entire transmission system is hidden away behind fixed mouldings there must only be a few changes possible. |
| Versatile | Mango | Quest | WAW | Cab-Bike | |
| What weight distribution is intended between the three wheels? | 33% all wheels | 33% all wheels | 33% all wheels | 33% all wheels | 33% all wheels |
| How long is the wheelbase - will it climb steep hills? | Same limits for all vehicles tested. | Same limits for all vehicles tested. | Same limits for all vehicles tested. | Same limits for all vehicles tested. | Same limits for all vehicles tested. |
| What tyre choices and pressures are available - has space has been left for bigger tyres? | Test vehicle had quite wide tyres. | Relies on Big-Apple rear tyre for rear suspension. | Yes. (Mary's note: wheel-well clearance is too tight for larger tyres on front.) | ||
| Weight: what does the vehicle weigh? | 40 kg. | 33-34Kg | 33-34Kg | Somewhat undetermined -- certainly not excessive -- seemed less than Cab-bike that was tested at the same time (we carried both down a flight of stairs) | Published on web site - the tested example had many extras and was presumably heavier |