alien8

OK please bear with me, even if you don't _really_ like bikes!
Cycling is booming atm, and bike dealers are already selling 2010 models in 2009.



Yes, that's me in the pic, but enough about that, let's talk about the bike.

*** It is a prototype and not yet in production.***

It has these features:
http://www.moultonbicycles.co.uk/features.html
-minimal maintenance city bike
-front + rear suspension that is road orientated - london streets, no problem! (leading link + dry cone rear)
-20" wheels - they are more efficient than larger wheels and stronger, faster acceleration!
-it's handmade here in .uk - *very* few bikes are nowadays.
-it's made of steel, it will last for a very long time + is very strong.
-it's not heavy (11.something Kg)
-it separates for storage or for travel on a train. It doesn't fold like a brompton - took me about 40 secs to do this at the show but you need to use an allen key. People seemed happy to carry a part in each hand. There are no cables to split with the TSR2.
- it uses a belt drive, there's no oily chain, it lasts longer than a normal chain. very light!
-the hub is a brand new 2 speed (50" & 70") kick change (no gear lever, you just pedal backwards) with rear coast brake and the bike above is a prototype with a prototype version of it.

People are _very_ excited about this hub: see http://road.cc/content/news/10156-cycle-show-2009-sturmey-archers-new-s3x-and-s2c-hubs and http://thebikeshow.net/fixie-killer-sturmey-archer-s2c/

Gear Ratios : 50" and 70" (1:1 1:1.38)

(updated)
The TSR2 will be targeted at urban bike riders of all ages next year. it will be £950 and thus you can get it on cyclescheme for a LOT less than this.

even if you are not a 'bike person' Please please answer some/all/any of these questions:

- do you like it?
- would you like to try it?
- do you like the orange colour? it will be available in (hi viz haha) black as well. :-)
- had you heard of Moulton before?

thankyou+++

(I should have a similar bike with me at WGW in a couple of weeks. a TSR30 - same frame, very different gears tho - Campag Chorus and Centaur)

So, off alien toddled to the Grouse & Claret pub to hear Bruce Sterling speak about Web 2.0 and other fine things courtesy of NTK and New Statesman (blog entry).  A very well run event, thanks Dave & Kathryn of newstatesman & the 'others'.

I didn't take notes but Dave Phelan did and it was recorded so go here to get the podcasts. Dave also took much better pictures of Bruce than me.

All in all a fun evening, ran into hatter met Dave Green (and discovered the mutual friend link system worked yet again).
other things of note: met Andy who did audio streaming whilst most other people were bashing wood into rocks trying to get flames...
and Tim of multiple online music company fame, who I hope got home OK after missing the last train home.

//alien

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu%2C+redhat&ctab=0&date=all&geo=all



Ubuntu = blue
Redhat = red

who'd have thought...

I don't live here, http://alien8.org might have some content.


(or not depending on how I change this round.)