I use hooks attached to the rear seat head restraints to hold the bags upright. Something like this will allow you to adjust the length so the bag’s not hanging (if that bothers you): Hidden Car Seat Headrest Hooks Adjustable Car Storage Organizer | eBay

Or just use a bit of string and a carabiner to make your own.

Drying in the airing cupboard probably doesn’t help – the heat will speed up the growth of the smelly bacteria.

I dry shoes by stuffing them with scrunched up newspaper, changed 2 or 3 times to get the shoe dry-ish before air drying.  This usual avoids smelliness for me, although I realised that stinky-shoes is a very individual thing…

In traditional STW manner, I’ll answer a completely different question, and suggest a wide-brimmed hat. :-)

Something in waxed cotton for the artisanal look (eg: original_the-wilderness-waxed-cotton-hat.jpg (1024×808) (notonthehighstreet.com)) or a Seattle Sombrero for the more niche approach (Outdoor Research Hat Mens Small Seattle Sombrero Sahale Gore-Tex Rain USA Made | eBay)

There’s also the option of: Home – Brompton Subscription 

 I have thought of just putting flats on for winter, I’ve got normal boots that’d do the job then.

Is pretty much what I did after several years of searching for decent SPD shoes.  In fact, after the revelation of wearing comfortable foot-shaped shoes, I stuck with flat pedals year round.

Why oh why do shoe manufacturers in general, and sports shoe manufacturers in particular, insist on modelling their product on pointy feet? :-(

Yes, if it’s a disc braked wheel. No if you need to rely on rim brakes.

OTOH, if you do need to use rim brakes then building a new 622 rim onto the swytch hub shouldn’t be too difficult. And with a sensible size tyre on it the wheel diameter won’t be much different from a 26″ wheel with a chunky tyre, so top speed should stay within an acceptable margin.

MBT is another brand: https://uk.mbt.com/men/fitness-walking.html. I’ve no personal experience – in fact the last looks too pointy-toed for me, but if that suits your foot shape they might be worth a try.

They look like EAV E-cargos to me.

Electric Assisted Vehicles Limited (eavcargo.com)

Chain drive from the pedals visible in photo at bottom left. 15mph top speed.  Looks like an E-assist cargo quadracycle to me. :-)

I approve.

*Googles*

EAV 2Cubed e-Cargo Short Review (youtube.com)

More succinct video: Experiences of a FedEx Express e-cargo bike courier (youtube.com)

The Thinking AND Stopping Distance when driving at 20mph is shorter than just the Thinking Distance at 30mph.

Nope

T&S D @ 20mph = 12 metres

TD @ 30mph =  9 metres

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f97642aa9b760011fbda4e/the-highway-code-stopping-distances.pdf

It’s not far off, though.

A better way to think of it is that if a child steps off the kerb at a distance that allows to to just stop at 20mph, then at 30mph you’ll barely get your foot on the brake before impact.

In reality, though, people don’t drive around at exactly the speed limit; so the ’20’ car is likely to be really doing, say, 23mph and the ’30’ car maybe 35mph. And that’s the difference between gently bumping said child vs hitting them at over 30mph.

I’m a big fan of the approach used in the Say Something In Welsh course. I think they also do Spanish…

[Checks]

Yes, they do: SaySomethingin – The Natural Way To Learn A Language 

Fair point, well made. :-) I got around this by removing the casing from a cheap 12V pump (it’s amazing how much is for show/wasted space!) and carrying it in a little pouch for protection. On reflection, the cable and plug probably take up as much space as the battery in the self-contained unit…

Shirley carrying a pump with an on-board rechargeable battery is a bit pointless when you could just plug a 12V pump into the vehicle’s electrical system? :-/

I’m sure it has its uses, but I’m struggling to thing of one where you don’t have another power source or a mini-pump would suffice.

Re: the above comments about ‘full-fat’ motors. Does that mean >250W (off road use only)? If so, that would constitute an uninsured etc motorbike so not a good idea – particularly in these circumstances. If ‘full-fat’ means something else, though, feel free to ignore me…

After years of struggling with various prodding tools, I now use one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363055974403?itmmeta=01HXXM92KB0SE53DMCCW4YEXM1&hash=item5487d28803:g:cZAAAOSwVgxgnabZ&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwCsMMY6kOA%2BG2r84TdOr9PljZqLHfoOxgfKJYleUgEYWJQh5kl3gRSlkVNEqGzUTNomXGn3Mpt0P%2BwQV8gD0NaQS7zjU2O7j1qOsyGIRcEESy6gbH6spOGpFZbBQ%2BUAB08kcGDZI5GslIHRDYdC102pjzPOjdhTL3mQdiyaKud93xhBoFRps38mcgkWzJsdDwAmbLHtX5Rphm58pt3KwK7iKCdczZy4b%2FndzIW36EDiEdnLhLSCH47k1yhp2EvX8Qw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4aqpLTvYw as per Klunk’s response above.

[ETA: may depend on the model of calliper you have.]

“…large washer that will fit a pallet in … caustic liquids”

Sounds like the plot hook for an episode of CSI! ;-)

I noticed the other day that my rear carrier, replete with top-box, seems to sag towards the rear… :-/ I can’t see any sign of cracking or paint damage that would suggest it’s been overloaded but I can’t help being paranoid. It might have been slightly misaligned from new, but there are a few horror stories out there…

Does anybody have any experience of the various stronger racks that are available? Hitchcocks have a very nice looking one (https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/38756?cont_page=Royal-Enfield-Himalayan-Accessories&year=2020&facet=Frames%20and%20Racks), but it’s eye-wateringly expensive. But so is losing your full top box on the M4, of course… OTOH, if a cheap(er) alternative direct from India (eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196222153608) will do the job then I’m happy to save a bit of money.

Any thoughts?

ETA: The ZANA branded ones look quite nice, but don’t seem to be available in the UK and the manufacturer’s website is a real dog’s-breakfast – which disinclines me from ordering there! https://www.zanamotorcycles.com/sc/royal-enfield-himalayan-2016-2020-accessories

All the above recommendations seem sound (I have a Tongsheng and concur with the earlier comments).

WRT non-flammability, the key is simply to not skimp on the battery & charger quality. With my conversion, which doesn’t need a huge range, I bought the motor separately and added branded Makita power tool batteries + charger. 2-off 18V 5Ah batteries in series is plenty for my commute and IIRC cost me a little over £100.

I’d also consider a front hub motor if your use is surfaced roads in good conditions. It’s a simpler conversion process, allows you to keep existing (or freely upgrade) your gears, and shouldn’t cause wheelspin problems if used sensibly.

***If your long-trip use is only once per year, would it be worth considering something smaller and more efficient for the daily stuff, and hire something for that trip?***

**I looked at this idea briefly – but, at £1,300 for two weeks hire of a big family car for a UK trip, I quickly discounted the thought.**

Fairy ‘Nuff. What is the difference in running costs between the proposed PHEV and a small BEV? It might not be £200/mth, but I bet it would offset a lot of that £1300. I get that the hassle factor needs considering too, though.

If your long-trip use is only once per year, would it be worth considering something smaller and more efficient for the daily stuff, and hire something for that trip?
I’ve no idea what other constraints you have, obviously…

“The CVT element is interesting, I’d like to try one to see how it feels. Can’t see it in the exploded diagram, are they meant to look like two cones?”

You’re thinking of the old ‘laggy band’ design employed by DAF in the ’70s and widely used in scooters/mopeds. Too lossy for a pedal cycle. The exploded diagram shows two sets of motor windings, so I’m going to make an educated guess that it uses differential motor speeds applied at different points in the gear-train to give an effective variable gain ratio.

Quote:
“£9k fees was a shitstorm but did do exactly what was intended in: (a) increasing funding for universities, which was perilously low in the late 00s; and (b) allowing student number caps to be lifted and many more people to access HE, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

You’re going to need to expand on how increasing upfront costs improves access to HE ‘…especially [for people] from disadvantaged backgrounds.’ I would have said that it had exactly the opposite effect – locking disadvantaged people out and reserving HE for the already well-heeled. So yes, a perfectly successful Tory policy.

Possibly a silly thought: Could the chimney be re-used as part of a heat recovery ventilation system?

This was my nursery-hauler a decade or so ago:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxtXaAEo42OmdFRCaFZqSTdVMVk/view?usp=drive_link&resourcekey=0-gCVmPiLWyfAhkH_4QBTaYQ

Replaced with a couple of Burley Piccolo trailer-bikes when they were old enough to sit up and pedal.

Assuming the idea of drugs doesn’t get binned, has a packet of imodium been included in the list yet?

^ Which goes to show how everyone’s different; Personally, I loath GU10s with a passion – they dazzle when in my field of vision, and create harsh shadows. I just use an old anglepoise with the rest of the room lights off, but if I needed more illumination of the desk space itself I would (an have in the past) go for something a bit more diffuse directly above the desk. In years past, that would have been a fluorescent tube, but now I’d probably use an LED panel.

You could always try an uplighter directed at the ceiling above the desk to create an even shadow-free illumination (or just to test the best location for a ceiling fitting).

Water source heat pump? Probably not a goer if the burn ever freezes, of course.

I developed a similar (pain over the kneecap when pedalling) a few years ago, and got a similar diagnosis. Obviously, everyone is different but the biggest single thing that helped me was moving to short cranks – I’m 183cm and using 160mm. I think that having the leg slightly straighter during the power stroke is what makes the difference.

Counter-intuitively, taking up running also helped by strengthening the muscles around the knee (I think it’s been mentioned above that over-doing one exercise relative to others can cause an imbalance). Running also encouraged me to drop some of my excess weight, which also helps of course!

…but getting matching fronts may be tricky

As NeilNevill notes, drawer fronts aren’t really necessary if you can’t find them. Just hide the drawers behind the existing door. For example: https://www.drawerboxes.co.uk/internal-blum-metabox-3-kitchen-drawer-pack-1-x-shallow-2-x-deep-c2x30835955

Another addition: Upthread I asked if anybody had tried the Rhinowalk pannier base. No one had, so I’ve done the decent thing and tested it for you, you lucky things!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ic7x0p3K5pc_oC7uL06Zy89f7QEfAII6/view?usp=drivesdk

I’d say that fits pretty well. Just need to add bags now.

I think your best bet will be to contact DiBlasi TBH. The front hub looks like it has a very small OLN dimension, so I’d be surprised if a standard front hub motor will fit. That’s the first thing to measure. A Brompton-compatible hub might work, but those are ££££.

As you say, the fold rules out a BB retrofit, and the rear wheels won’t take a hub motor or even a tyre-driving roller. The most likely option would seem to be if DiBlasi can supply either a more powerful motor or a software update to drive the existing one harder*. It seems likely that performance is deliberately limited to reduce the risk of riders tipping the trike over on corners – it’s not really a ‘sporty’ rider’s machine so can be expected to be used by less experienced riders.

Good luck! And please report back – it looks like an interesting project!

*If the motor connections are standard, it might be possible to substitute another controller, but the electronics aspects are well-outside my area of expertise.

Some sort of foot for the underside of an electrical device would be my guess.

Another approach is to use good high-attenuation ear plugs to protect the ears, and bone conduction headphones to bypass the earplugs. I find this works well for me in generally noisy environments (walking along busy roads etc). Sound quality wise it won’t satisfy the audiophiles, but its plenty good enough for my already dodgy hearing (and I generally only listen to podcasts).

Oddly, in the comparatively quiet office where volume isn’t a problem but I find human voices really, really, really distracting I do the opposite – wired earbuds with industrial ear defenders over the top. And playing white noise.

Cwmbran? How dare you, sir?! They’re in Rogerstone (Tydu). Perfectly placed for a swift one on the way home after a ride up towards Cwmcarn or Sirhowey. :-)

I like Cwtch, and Stay Puffed (the latter in smaller quantities, as it’s so rich!) but I’m with the group who dislike fruity beers so tend to stick to those two when I pop in. If only they’d bring back Imperial Stay Puffed…

They also do great firework displays. :-)

I saw the Upcage in the flesh at Bike99 in the NEC. I suspect the real problem was that it was sold as part of a system that used a very clever grip shift to sequentially shift both front and rear mechs in the appropriate order to get the smallest steps in ratio. I imagine that it must have been (a) very difficult to adjust, (b) quite sensitive to mud throwing it out of sync, (c) quite delicate. It was certainly eye-wateringly expensive. :-o

There was a French company, EGS, who tried to market an ‘Upcage’ Derailleur back in the late-90s, but that actually sat horizontally, parallel with the chain stay.

https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/egs_up_cage_derailleur.html

In an effort to provide some variation to the riding position on longer journeys, I’ve added engine bars and ‘highway pegs’:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eQnPA2VFLwqaJKTX7YWAhkElhQrQhfoK/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eV7IN9onvRaMgZGjosO8d4_kEmNekb4o/view?usp=drive_link

Not test-ridden yet, though. Something for the weekend.

It’s just a ‘cigarette lighter’ style socket, so nothing to provide a drain unless it shorts out. I had the same set up on my old F650 (in that case plugged into the factory-fitted Hella socket down the side of the bike) with no problems. I use a separate USB adapter when charging. Although I’ve yet to check if that connects reliably with in-use vibration, and I may need to change the mounting angle of the socket if that’s a problem.

I imagine that having a washing machine in the attic will never be quiet, TBH. You may wish to invest in some sound-deadening feet/matting while you’re moving it.

I finished installing my accessory socket over the weekend. I’ve simply connected it straight to the battery (via a fuse) and run the wire along the top of the frame under the tank. That means it’s permanently live, of course, but I like having a socket I can connect a charger to without removing the seat.

Returning to the subject of the panniers on my crash bars, I still haven’t found any reference to the Carradice ones, but I have found these, which look almost identical save for being made from recycled tarpaulin: https://upsobags.co.uk/product-category/bike-bags/potters-pannier-small/

ETA: And I’ve just twigged that they share Carradice’s address, so that’s probably not a coincidence! :-)