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#1
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for
motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"). I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards." With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it for less than $20. |
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#2
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
On Jul 28, 6:17*pm, SMS wrote:
. . . there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? My first ignorant guess is that the number falls in the myriads, rather than the tens-of-. (Of the bicycle shops I know, they don't seem to move more than four or five a year, if that) Some beginning cyclists would buy a series of them until they either found one that worked or decided that it was a fool's errand. Specious and obfuscatory articles in the major publications seems to be the best method for flogging largely useless items. I don't know what an editor costs In These Tough Economic Times. |
#3
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
Or how may cyclist/mechanics numbskulls are there who fail to realise that there are use once paint brushes that do the job well at a fraction of the cost. |
#4
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
On Jul 28, 5:17*pm, SMS wrote:
I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"). I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards." With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it for less than $20. If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted. |
#5
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
Mike A Schwab wrote: On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote: I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"). I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards." With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it for less than $20. If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted. http://www.scottoiler.com/ ? -- Colin N. Lincolnshire is mostly flat ... But the wind is mostly in your face |
#6
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
Phil W Lee wrote: "Colin Nelson" considered Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:50:09 +0100 the perfect time to write: Mike A Schwab wrote: On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote: I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"). I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards." With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it for less than $20. If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to need a chain guard. That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted. http://www.scottoiler.com/ ? That design rather depends on knowing which sprocket the chain is going to be on. OK for hubgear or singlespeed bikes, but not much use for derailer. I'd think that a replacement jockey wheel for the rear mech with an oilway centre fed through the bolt might work for the applicator, but the scottoiler relies on engine vacuum to actuate it, which is going to need thinking about on a bicycle. Gravity feed would work ok, but you need some way to stop it when the bike is stationary. Sorry, wrong link ... http://www.scottoiler.com/cycle/ This gadget seems not to be viewed with much 'enthusiasm' (in the U.K.) judjing by the comments I have seen in several cycling fora (did fit a similar thing to an AJS 250 many years ago, but thought that the hot grease treatment worked better). -- Colin N. Lincolnshire is mostly flat ... But the wind is mostly in your face |
#7
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How many bicycle chain cleaning machines are sold in a year?
On 30 July, 17:02, "Colin Nelson" wrote:
Phil W Lee wrote: "Colin Nelson" considered Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:50:09 +0100 the perfect time to write: Mike A Schwab wrote: On Jul 28, 5:17 pm, SMS wrote: I got a call today from a manufacturer of chain cleaning machines for motorcycles, asking if I had any idea what the yearly sales of chain cleaning machines for bicycles are. He tracked me down through the bicycle chain cleaning and lubrication web site (type "bicycle chain cleaning" into Google then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"). I have _no_ idea what the sales of these are. I like them very much, but I know many people hate them. I've found Sheldon's statement to be true, where he writes "The on-the-bike system has the advantage that the cleaning machine flexes the links and spins the rollers. This scrubbing action may do a better job of cleaning the innards." With all the different models of these cleaners, including ones being sold through bike shops, sporting good shops, mail-order, and even Harbor Freight stores, there must be a big market for them, but is it 500,000 a year, or 10,000 a year, or more or less? In any case, this is not meant to be a debate on the merits of these machines versus removing and cleaning. This company has (they claim) a better designed machine, that can also serve as a lubrication system for motorcycles, and is thinking of doing a version for bicycles. He got kind of discouraged when I explained to him the whole bicycle parts and accessories distribution system, where shops are reluctant to order from a lot of different suppliers and prefer to buy everything through QBP, J&B, and other such distributors. With the distributor margins, and the dealers keystone margins, it may not even be feasible to do a product for bicycles and sell it for less than $20. If you are going to have a wet lubed chain moving, you are going to need a chain guard. *That is going to limit you to fixed gear, single speed, or internal hub gears, or a wide cover for derailer gears. *The bottom jockey / tensioner cog would be a good place on a derailer system, but the oil spray without a chain guard won't be wanted. http://www.scottoiler.com/ ? That design rather depends on knowing which sprocket the chain is going to be on. *OK for hubgear or singlespeed bikes, but not much use for derailer. I'd think that a replacement jockey wheel for the rear mech with an oilway centre fed through the bolt might work for the applicator, but the scottoiler relies on engine vacuum to actuate it, which is going to need thinking about on a bicycle. *Gravity feed would work ok, but you need some way to stop it when the bike is stationary. Sorry, wrong link ...http://www.scottoiler.com/cycle/ This gadget seems not to be viewed with much 'enthusiasm' (in the U.K.) judjing by the comments I have seen in several cycling fora (did fit a similar thing to an AJS 250 many years ago, but thought that the hot grease treatment worked better). Being. wash chain in paraffin oil. Dry. Immerse in heated graphite grease. let cool. remove excess grease. Grease gets pushed out as it is used. Engine oil may be added before retreatment. Lasts 4000 miles on motorcycle iirc. Hot oil soaking also works although the trearment requires 48 hours for full effect. |
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