Danneaux's Nomad

[jags]

yes it will be interisting to hear how good that light is,
i was going to buy one few weeks back but though i had better hang on until it was reviewed by some one who know a lot more on lights than me.

[ianshearin]

Will get back with a review as soon as I can test it, trouble is it's way past my bedtime when it gets dark.....
I have a iPhone holder being delivered on Tuesday so I can test how it is with charging, I will do a long run on Thur/Fri and make a point of waiting for the dark to test the light itself so I can get back to you guys with a field test.

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

Today, I wired-up my Tout Terrain The Plug2 with ExtraPower Power Amplification Technology Cord (TTTP2EPPAT or The Plug2Plus -- whew! Many acronyms there...) to the Nomad. Some of you have been asking for photos when it finished, so here they are.

The lot terminates in cross-matched pairs of Deans #1225 gold-plated R/C connectors, as described here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4523.msg38847#msg38847

The reason for the separate hub connectors is to spare stress on the hub's electrical lugs. The spade connectors fit pretty firmly on thelugs and are hard to attach and remove; moving the connection a few centimeters away with the Dean's connectors spares the hub leads and makes wheel changes much easier and more convenient.

I used separate zip-ties and wired the lights and the charging system independently so I can replace or upgrade components in either system as needed or desired without disturbing the other. I was sore tempted to use only one wire from the dynohub and split it at the fork crown, but decided to wire everything in parallel using piggyback connectors at the hub. This makes for two completely separate systems and makes it possible to cannibalize one for the other in the field if needed. It's all about system independence and redundancy.

Everything works well, and as noted in a post elsewhere ( http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3802.msg39009#msg39009 ), the PAT cord does indeed lower the speed at which The Plug2 produces full power under load -- from 7.5mph/12kph instead of 10.3mph/16.58kph with the plain cord.

Best,

Dan.

[Andybg]

It looks fantastically neat as always Dan. If the postage was not so expensive I would send my bike to you to be worked on as the quality of your work is exemplary. You must get such joy from owning such a high quality machine.

When does the first tour begin? It must be soon?

Andy

[Danneaux]

Aw, Andy! Thanks so much for the kind words; they mean a lot.

Yep, part of the fun for me is thinking of new ways to solve bicycle problems elegantly, and it is enjoyable to spend the time executing the solutions. Doing things neatly with more work up front usually results in greater reliability and less work later if something goes wrong or changes -- and it will; part of Life and touring, so I sometimes thank myself later.

When does the first tour begin? It must be soon?

Indeed, though the departure date is flexible depending on LifeStuff™ and weather. I'm still awaiting arrival of some international shipments, I need to stick around till some of my father's immediate health issues are resolved, and the weather is a factor. Sitting here in the Willamette Valley, I am glued to the weather radar watching what is happening on the Oregon-Idaho and Oregon-Nevada borders. This has been an unusually dry year here in the Willamette Valley and in the Cascades, and fire danger is high as a result. The snow is all melting early (good for me), but there's still enough rain on the Eastern side I have to make sure the Alvord Desert's playa is dried-out or I really can't ride it. Too soft near the "margins" and I sink. If I'm out there when it is wet, I'll sink in well over my knees; the stuff turns to pudding, and it would not be good to be mid-transit when it all goes pear-shaped: 

• Too Early: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aQYEj8tugVU/TQQS6rBFX1I/AAAAAAAAGkA/7ONfUmYZRCM/s1600/Alvord-Desert-1-0229-web1-720-CR.jpg
• This is Very Bad (the stuff of Danneaux's nightmares): http://annieinoregon.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/dscf8599_22.jpg
• This is Bad: http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/64/6466/RSNH100Z/posters/marli-miller-tire-tracks-on-a-fragile-and-wet-playa-in-the-alvord-desert-of-southeastern-oregon-usa.jpg
...or... http://hqworld.net/gallery/details.php?image_id=24359&sessionid=435a6bcada96897740f28d4de46f1dd3
...or like Lake Ivanpah here: http://popeyethewelder.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lake-Ivanpah_Final090312-590x393.jpg
• This is Iffy: http://www.marlimillerphoto.com/images/Dep-17.jpg ...or... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aQYEj8tugVU/TQQW0Cm6S-I/AAAAAAAAGlQ/nFpKW-EkvnQ/s1600/Alvord-Desert-1-0498-web1-600-CR.jpg
• This is Ideal ("Just Right"): http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3352/4633680788_8d178b96e6_z.jpg

At the same time, the snow gates on Steens Mountain (overlooking the Alvord) are still locked and made a recent search for a missing man much more difficult. Similarly, the serious desert heat turns on with a vengeance if I wait too late. Attached below are a couple composite photos from my last go-'round at Steens.

It is a bit of a balancing act, so I've got a "window" rather than a fixed departure date -- between mid-June and the end of the first week in July. Really looking forward to it....

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

Those photos are stunning thanks for posting Dan,
a man alone with his thoughts not for the faint hearted,
so that rules me out i'm afraid, i can see why you need the perfect timing for such a tour.

the bike looks great as usual.
i went and bought myself asmart phone today no idea how to use it but having fun trying  all the same 
question  for ya Dan would that same charger do to charge my phone.

[Danneaux]

question  for ya Dan would that same charger do to charge my phone.

Ah, jags...that's the million-dollar question of bicycle dyno-charging a phone! Without knowing the specific make, model, and power requirements of the phone -- and some experimentation -- I can't say, but in general, smart phones are a power-hungry bunch and it can be very hard to supply enough power directly to charge them while operating. Most do best if charged when in the "off" state /or/ if charged through a buffer battery: Hub > charger > buffer battery > phone. *If* your phone will charge through a standard USB computer port, then it might well be charged by my setup. Sadly, it depends very much on many factors, which is what makes this bike-charging business very much hit-or-miss. Certain combinations do great...others, not so much and sometimes not at all.

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

ah no worries dan i'm not to bothered to be honest i'll take the charger that came with the phone with me .i have a neck like steel dont mind asking people to plug it in for me.

the lad in the shop was  very helpfull. i explained i was a total idiot when it came to this tech stuff he said his mom was exactly the same so he recommended the samsung galaxy ace ,looks the buisness so i'll keep pressing buttons until i get the hang of it.

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

I'm replacing the socketed (allen-key) button-head M6x1.0 fittings on my Nomad racks with Grade 4 stainless hex-head bolts like these: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/m6-stainless-steel-bolt-hexagon-head-sold-in-packs-prod1842/

Why?

While they sure don't look as pretty, they have the advantage in my use of remaining removable after riding on desert playa. The playa in powdered form is talc-fine and drifts everywhere, including the keyed sockets in button-head bolts. When it gets wet, it concretizes and plugs the sockets, making it terribly hard to fit a hex key for removal. At home, I take a scribe or pick awl and whittle away at the concretions, but on the road that isn't very practical and if the key won't fit to full depth, it can tear out the socket (the 6mm threads use only a 4mm kex key); the remaining button-head is very difficult to twist free even with Vise-Grips (mole grips) and one usually ends up cutting a slot across the bolt with a high-speed die grinder. No fun.

The hex-head bolts will take care of all that, torque up nicely or remove with no hint of stripping, and give me three shots at removal if all I have at hand is a two-jawed wrench.

To improve appearances, I turn and polish the hex heads. Graded bolts come with markings cast in the top. Spin-milling them creates a nice starburst effect that is heightened once the bolts are mirror-polished and the remaining tool marks are removed (see attached pic; the polished sample is Grade 4, the unpolished one is Grade 2).

For the remaining socket/allen fittings (things like the chainring pegs/bolts), I use rubber socket plugs. My prior source in Shenzhen, Guangdong China (via AliBaba.com ) has dried up, but I did manage to get some for 5mm and 6mm plugs that fit nicely on cylinder-head fasteners (they don't work as well on button-heads). These plugs do a dandy job keeping the playa dust from clogging up the hex-socket wells and are easily removed yet remain securely in place between service.

Best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

I'm installing my spare spokes in the Nomad's seatpost using the same plug I made for Sherpa (see: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3896.msg18563#msg18563 ).

Some of you have wondered what size spokes are used on my 2012 Nomad Mk2. The actual lengths of my six Thorn-supplied spare Sapim spokes and Sapim Polyax nipples are:

(3) @ 238mm, butted 1.8/2.0mm, laced cross-2 for the Rohloff hub
(3) @ 260mm, butted 1.8/2.0mm, laced cross-3 for the SON28 (New-style) dynohub

...paired with 26" Rigida Andra 32-hole rims.

There is no "third" spoke length, as one would find with a dished rear wheel on a derailleur-equipped bike. The Rohloff builds into a dishless, centered wheel, so the same length spoke can be used on either side, same as a non-disc front wheel.

Best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

Progress report: My spoke holder has been fitted to the Nomad along with a nitrile o-ring to seal the seat lug/post joint, and I've reversed the shim keyway to better shield the seat tube from dust and water entry in my use. the attached photos and text below will explain why I did this...

This is the same spoke holder I made for Sherpa, and it seals the spokes rattle-free yet readily accessible within the seat post where they can't be lost and always be handy when required. The spokes ride in three foam donuts to prevent noise. The little monofilament tether attached to the plug makes it easy to remove them when needed (Attached pic #1)

The Nomad uses a 29.8mm OD shim to size-down the seat tube for a 27.2mm seatpost. Thorn very thoughtfully cut the keyway clamping kerf in the seat clamp/tube so it faces forward -- ideal for preventing the rear tire on a bike without mudguards from throwing water, mud, and debris down the seat tube. For it to work most effectively that way, the keyway in the shim should also face forward. However, my bike uses mudguards and the seat lug is well shielded from above and behind by the nitrile o-ring, Zefal pump peg, alarm, and a grease seal. What concerned me was the possibility for water and dust entering through the front. My solution was to insert the shim so its keyway faced 180° away from the one on the seat tube/lug (Attached pic #2). This makes for a tight, grease-seal-aided fit that should keep talc-fine playa and rain from entering the seat tube from the front. A similar setup has worked very well over the last 22 years on my tandem's forward-facing keyways.

Today's effort puts me a couple steps closer to "tour-prepped".

Best,

Dan.

[NZPeterG]

Hi Dan,
The o-ring idea is OK  But for years Mountain Biking in the Mud and Rain a far better way to seal off and stop dust and water getting in is to use about 1.5" of an Inner Tube!

Pull or roll up the seat post the Inner Tube, Stick your seat post back in, Roll the Inner Tube down over the seat clamp and seat tube.

So it covers's Seatpost, Clamp, and Seat tube  all sealed up and no dirt or water in 

We have to do this in NZ and OZ as we have the finest dust 

Pete       

[Danneaux]

...a far better way to seal off and stop dust and water getting in is to use about 1.5" of an Inner Tube!

Yep! That'll work too, Pete!

Best,

Dan.

[NZPeterG]

Hi Dan,
Thank for reminding me to do it

Pete   

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

A nice, sunny day here, one that felt like summer really is coming! What better for a day like this than riding and working on the bike.

Today's progress saw the Nomad essentially finished except for a "someday" Hebie Chainglider. I'm not holding my breath. My last communique' with them received word they don't plan on making a 36T version and, indeed, remain unaware still of Rohloff's approved lower gearing, though proof of it was in Rohloff's materials they attached and forwarded with their last email. Ah, me. Hope springs eternal, but I think it will be awhile before a 36T version makes it to market. I have an inquiry in to Hesling to see what they can come up with. The chaincase they currently make for Idworx looks promising and adaptable to other uses. Very much like Hebie's Chainglider in general appearance, it is apparently affixed and supported behind the right-side BB cup.

Here's the tally for today's efforts, some of which are permanent versions replacing prototypes or temporary pieces I've made and used till the bike's configuration was fixed and finalized:

• New anti-rub patches applied to the sides of the head tube, using Trim-brite matte black windshield trim tape. It uses a low-creep adhesive and is a perfect match for the Nomad's paint. Durable and protective also. It remains secure, yet can be peeled off and replaced at a later date without leaving sticky residue behind.

• New DIY "pigtail" to power the Garmin Oregon 400T GPS directly from The Plug2+. I have the profile settings adjusted so the screen goes full bright on dyno power, then dims when it reverts to battery. The GPS "wakes up" or "auto-switches" from battery power when my speed is sufficient to power it (roughly 8-11kph or 5-7mph). When I am not charging batteries, this will be a convenient and "free" way to power the GPS. Otherwise, it will run 16 hours continuously on a fully charged pair of Eneloop 2100mAh AA cells, and close to 21 hours on 2700mAh Ni-Mh batteries, depending on settings (dimmed backlight, electronic compass off, which is why I use the compass on the Nomad's bell instead).

• New DIY "pigtail" to (re)charge my Panasonic wet/dry electric shaver. When desert touring, I sometimes just don't have the water, basin, or time to spare to "wet" shave with a disposable safety razor, so the electric gets the job done and a single charge is good for about two weeks' worth of shaves. Trims my eyebrows and moustache as well.

• New DIY "pigtail" to (re)charge my Kyocera SE47 Slider "dumb" 3G CDMA phone with an external antenna. Voice quality for this phone is excellent, standby time exceeds two weeks in urban settings, and it has terrific range to distant cell towers. Due to limited charging opportunities, I've been leaving it off to save power when "searching" for distant cell towers. Now, I can leave it on if I wish, since I can readily recharge from the bike (I still pack spare, charged batteries in reserve).

That's not "electrical tape" you see on the connectors; instead, it is a "self-vulcanizing silicone wrap" that behaves much like heat-shrink tubing to protect and insulate the wires beneath. Very durable.

A good day's work, and nice to have the bike essentially complete ("Oh no" -- that probably means some new gadget or mod is in the works! Is any bike ever truly "finished"?* There may just be a "better" headlight in the Nomad's future)

Best,

Dan. (...who thinks his grandfather was right when he said electrickery is a wonderful thing)

*No. Next up is a fitted "weather cap" for The Plug2+ so the connector is protected from rain and charging can continue on wet days.