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Windcheetah Idlers |
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mark aldridge 
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Joined: 29 October 2015 Location: surrey Status: Offline Points: 129 |
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 Topic: Windcheetah IdlersPosted: 14 August 2023 at 4:18pm |
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After 15+ years my Windcheetah chain idlers are on there last legs.
It looks like I can just replace the bearings as they are held in by a circlip (maybe). I think I might just replace the whole unit as they do not owe me anything. Has anyone replaced theirs and can point me in the direction of a source Thanks Mark
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 14 August 2023 at 8:16pm |
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Titanium and ceramic bearings or Alloy and regular? https://t-cycle.com/en-gb/products/windcheetah-idler-kit
All the best. Roy  Edited by RoyMacdonald - 14 August 2023 at 8:17pm |
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mark aldridge
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Joined: 29 October 2015 Location: surrey Status: Offline Points: 129 |
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Posted: 14 August 2023 at 9:23pm |
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Hello Roy
Many thanks for the prompt reply. Gulp $$$$$$$$ I think I might chase up replacement bearings for the original pulleys first. It will mean the chain is still rattling through the black plastic block guide but I have taken a grinding wheel to open up and round off the exit and entry openings which will help. If bodging does not work it will be putting the Terra Cycle on my list for Santa. Bye Mark
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 14 August 2023 at 10:01pm |
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Divide the cost by 15 and the per annum cost is worth it for an item that saves weight and friction and will never wear out in your lifetime. Just my view, but then I always buy the best for my bikes regardless of cost.The pedals on my After 7 have titanium axles and ceramic bearings in a carbon fiber body and had to be sent from New Zealand. Do I have any regrets about spending the cash? No way. Divide the cost by per km and it will seem even more of a no brainer.
All the best. Roy  Edited by RoyMacdonald - 14 August 2023 at 10:02pm |
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mark aldridge
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Joined: 29 October 2015 Location: surrey Status: Offline Points: 129 |
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Posted: 15 September 2023 at 6:42pm |
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Hello Roy
I have bitten the bullet and just fitted the Terracycle idlers. A nice bit of kit, well worth the money even though I had to buy new bolts to fit them to my Windcheetah. The only question I have is that Terracycle show the return chain passing over the toothed cog and then between the seat and the carbon leaf spring. I only have 1cm clearance between the seat and spring and no way will the chain go through. This means the sprocket sits a little low to get the chain run under the leaf spring. Have you or anyone had this issue. Is it a case of raising the seat on thicker spacers or running as is. The roads round here mean the more clearance the better. Thanks Mark
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 15 September 2023 at 8:26pm |
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As you are asking if you should run as is, I'm assuming the chain is not binding so I would say it's OK and that Terracycle intend it to be like that as it's a toothed sprocket so should be running on it closely, otherwise it would not run properly. I'm guessing that the seat bottom acts as a deflector in the case of the chain bouncing when you go over a bump. You can always put some stick on Velcro (soft side) if it is too noisy for you.
I would ask Terracycle if that's how they intend it to run if you want more advice. All the best. Roy Edited by RoyMacdonald - 15 September 2023 at 8:26pm |
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Arellcat
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Joined: 23 March 2005 Location: Edinburghish Status: Offline Points: 95 |
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Posted: 16 September 2023 at 1:01pm |
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I've seen Windcheetahs with the Terracycle idlers and the return run of the chain routed on top or below. Here's one with it on top of the rear idler:
 and one below:  I assume the intention is to increase the tension on the return run, but a decent rear mech with a clutch could probably achieve the same result. I don't recall chain slap being that much of a problem on my old Speedy though. Edited by Arellcat - 16 September 2023 at 1:05pm |
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carbon Quest, Lightning P-38, RANS Sequoia, Kona Sutra, Orange Five, Elephant Bike, Brompton, Stumpjumper
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mark aldridge
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Joined: 29 October 2015 Location: surrey Status: Offline Points: 129 |
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Posted: 18 September 2023 at 9:47pm |
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Thanks to you all.
Idlers now fitted and tinkered with to get everything running smoothly. It was rather fiddly and took a lot of stop start riding to achieve it. I had to run the chain under the seat leaf springs, there was no way the chain would ever fit between the seat and the leaf spring. This means the rear sprockets sit a little low and are vulnerable on rough roads but nothing to worry too much about. The front sprockets took a lot of playing around with washers to get the chain centred but I run a narrow bb. Different bb's and chain sets would need different shim/washer/spacer combination.
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ega
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Joined: 17 March 2024 Location: Medway, Kent Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Posted: 18 March 2024 at 11:37am |
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The Terracycle idlers are no doubt very good but are they actually lighter than the standard kit? If they are, then it would be easier to justify their enormous cost.
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mark aldridge
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Posted: 18 March 2024 at 1:40pm |
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I got the horrendously expensive Terracycle idler set for my Windcheetah and within a month had binned the idlers and replaced them with Ice ones. The problem was the incessant rattling of the Terracycle metal idlers. the plastic ones from ICE are very smooth and silent. The Allight idlers are almost as good and come in a larger range of sizes.
No doubt Amazon could provide a cheap alternative but it is a bit hit and miss. One thing I must point out though is the Terracycle idler mounting brackets are a great bit of engineering and are multi adjustable if you have an difficult mounting position. Good luck.
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