E Z Clutch

[old R90 guy]

Looking for an EZ clutch - both vendors/manufacturers that I know about are out of stock; anyone here know who else makes such a beast? (I've already tried Bench mark works, and Rick in Las Vegas - they're both currently out of stock)

[Rob Frankham]

Can't answer the specific question but this might be of interest if 'official' supplies have dried up.

http://robfrankham.co.uk/bike/ezclutch_page.htm

Rob

[RickR90s]

it's a nice design but wrapping the cable 180 degrees usually doesn't last long, from prior experience.

RickR90s

[Unclviny]

I would rather not bend the cable like that but that is a decent home-brewed-job.
I ordered an EZ Clutch from Vech a couple of months ago and he told me that they were out until they had some more made (about 3 months) so we should be (only) about a month from getting them. I'll wait for Vech.

Vince

[Major Softie]

You could solve most of your worries with Rob's design if you used a significantly larger diameter pulley.

[Kurt in S.A.]

You could solve most of your worries with Rob's design if you used a significantly larger diameter pulley.

But a larger pulley is going to draw the pulley center farther to the front of the bike, reducing the range for actuation. As I understand it, current designs require that the adjustment be spot on or you'll not have full engagement or disengagement.

Kurt in S.A.

[Major Softie]

You could solve most of your worries with Rob's design if you used a significantly larger diameter pulley.

But a larger pulley is going to draw the pulley center farther to the front of the bike, reducing the range for actuation.
Kurt in S.A.

Not necessarily. you could have the exact same pulley center location and change the location of the cable housing mounting. Adjusting both the cable mount and the pulley center would probably be the best solution.

I'm not suggesting that all you do is mount a larger pulley - some other modifications would be necessary, and it would take some experimentation - but it would be much easier on the cable. It would certainly still have enough room to be actuated. It moves very little.

I think the much more likely problem would be: what pulley, from where? I'm sure such a thing exists, but it's not as handy as just picking up a screen door pulley from the hardware store. The chain used on the Easy-Clutch avoids all those issues. Doing the chain setup wouldn't be that hard either. A derailleur pulley would probably work fine. It's a lot easier to just buy one, but, since they aren't going to be available for a while, it would be a way to solve/salve your impatience.

[Kurt in S.A.]

MS -

Increasing the pulley diameter will mean that the exposed cable that we see outside the rubber boot will have to travel a farther distance around the pulley. If you want to leave the pulley center where it is, seems to me there are only two options. One, get a longer cable. Two, increase the length of the aluminum bracket by moving the hook slot closer to the pulley. The net result of that is to effectively reduce the amount of travel that the pulley can go through. I don't think you can give up much of that decrease in distance. Building your own cable from Flanders (?) is probably the simplest if you wanted to make the pulley bigger.

Kurt in S.A.

[Major Softie]

MS -
If you want to leave the pulley center where it is, seems to me there are only two options. One, get a longer cable. Two, increase the length of the aluminum bracket by moving the hook slot closer to the pulley.
Kurt in S.A.

Sorry, Kurt, but you don't seem to have understood me. The third option would be the one I said: change the mounting point of the outer cable. That's not nearly as easy as moving the hook for the cable end, but it would not create the problem (if it really is one) that you bring up.

Still easier to build your own chain one.

[Kurt in S.A.]

You got me..."change the mounting point of the outer cable". No biggee...I'm not doing one of these so I guess I don't really need to understand!!

Kurt in S.A.