Bosco15
Education is important. Motorbikes are importanter
(Note. I have no affiliation or interests with this company. Not being paid, just very impressed and thought that I would share.)
I have been playing with my bikes for 35 years. One of the things that always seems to be a pita is wheel changes.
We've all been there. Sitting on your ar$e with your feet trying to hold up the rear wheel, thongs squeezing the tyre, trying to line up that spacer to accept axle and then jiggling the caliper whilst trying to hold both vertical and fore/aft alignment to find the hole on the other side, simultaneously pushing and twisting the axle, preying that you hit paydirt before you bust your foofer valve.
I just accepted it as one of those jobs that takes the right amount of swearing.
On my last visit to Pheasant Wood Raceway, I met the inventor and CEO of Chuqy.
After a demonstration, I bought one on the spot.
Simple, effective and very well designed and engineered, I would rate it as the number one tool that I have ever bought for my bikes.
Swapping the rubber on my R3R was the first time that I have used Chuqy and it made the job so easy that a six year old could do it.
The wheel/tyre combo of the R3 are not light, but that's not an issue if you have the right tool.
Chuqy is such a simple design, that works so well, I'm amazed that it hasn't been done before.
Light but strong, the two side plates are held either side or the tyre by threaded rods. The design is ingenious. The threaded Rod has a + shaped cross section. This allows a captive nut to lock it in place or with a quarter turn, the rod slides through the nut. Fine adjustment is achieved with a full nut on the other side.
The assembly can then be raised to support the tyre, again with ingenious quick thread adjusters. You don't have to spend time turning the height adjustment legs, just click and lift.
Once Chuqy is roughly in position, fine adjustment is done by turning threads, if needed.
Remove axle and roll wheel assembly out. If mudguard is in the way a couple of clicks and the whole assembly is lowered for clearance.
Installation is where this tool shines. You can align the axle hole so well that the axle pushes through in one smooth motion.
I nearly cried.
Bolt everything up and drop Chuqy out of the way.
The rear 240 section is a heavy unit. The five stud car wheel design makes it easier to fit, but you still have to lift and jiggle and align, then hold it straight until you get a nut or two on.
With Chuqy, I just raised the wheel to the required height, turned the hub to align the studs with the wheel holes and rolled the assembly sideways. The wheel sits there, vertical, allowing me to put on two nuts at a time. Heaven!
The design is so well thought out. Initially, I thought that I had an issue with the threaded rods not being long enough for the 240 section. But I just turned the side plate around and with the captive nuts on the inside there was enough Rod to span the distance. The Rod went through the nut and into the side plate gallery, which gives it torsional support.
I contacted Martin Laing, via email, to give him feedback on his product and he generously offered to send me some extended rods, which they have developed for larger section tyres. As I am happy with the way Chuqy worked with the side plate reversed, I really don't need the longer rods. But Kudos to Martin for responding to his market and for his kind offer.
I picked my Chuqy up at an introductory price of $100 Australian. Martin said that their planned retail price was going to be $150. Believe me, it is worth every penny if you do your own tyres.
www.chuqy.com
I have been playing with my bikes for 35 years. One of the things that always seems to be a pita is wheel changes.
We've all been there. Sitting on your ar$e with your feet trying to hold up the rear wheel, thongs squeezing the tyre, trying to line up that spacer to accept axle and then jiggling the caliper whilst trying to hold both vertical and fore/aft alignment to find the hole on the other side, simultaneously pushing and twisting the axle, preying that you hit paydirt before you bust your foofer valve.
I just accepted it as one of those jobs that takes the right amount of swearing.
On my last visit to Pheasant Wood Raceway, I met the inventor and CEO of Chuqy.
After a demonstration, I bought one on the spot.
Simple, effective and very well designed and engineered, I would rate it as the number one tool that I have ever bought for my bikes.
Swapping the rubber on my R3R was the first time that I have used Chuqy and it made the job so easy that a six year old could do it.
The wheel/tyre combo of the R3 are not light, but that's not an issue if you have the right tool.
Chuqy is such a simple design, that works so well, I'm amazed that it hasn't been done before.
Light but strong, the two side plates are held either side or the tyre by threaded rods. The design is ingenious. The threaded Rod has a + shaped cross section. This allows a captive nut to lock it in place or with a quarter turn, the rod slides through the nut. Fine adjustment is achieved with a full nut on the other side.
The assembly can then be raised to support the tyre, again with ingenious quick thread adjusters. You don't have to spend time turning the height adjustment legs, just click and lift.
Once Chuqy is roughly in position, fine adjustment is done by turning threads, if needed.
Remove axle and roll wheel assembly out. If mudguard is in the way a couple of clicks and the whole assembly is lowered for clearance.
Installation is where this tool shines. You can align the axle hole so well that the axle pushes through in one smooth motion.
I nearly cried.
Bolt everything up and drop Chuqy out of the way.
The rear 240 section is a heavy unit. The five stud car wheel design makes it easier to fit, but you still have to lift and jiggle and align, then hold it straight until you get a nut or two on.
With Chuqy, I just raised the wheel to the required height, turned the hub to align the studs with the wheel holes and rolled the assembly sideways. The wheel sits there, vertical, allowing me to put on two nuts at a time. Heaven!
The design is so well thought out. Initially, I thought that I had an issue with the threaded rods not being long enough for the 240 section. But I just turned the side plate around and with the captive nuts on the inside there was enough Rod to span the distance. The Rod went through the nut and into the side plate gallery, which gives it torsional support.
I contacted Martin Laing, via email, to give him feedback on his product and he generously offered to send me some extended rods, which they have developed for larger section tyres. As I am happy with the way Chuqy worked with the side plate reversed, I really don't need the longer rods. But Kudos to Martin for responding to his market and for his kind offer.
I picked my Chuqy up at an introductory price of $100 Australian. Martin said that their planned retail price was going to be $150. Believe me, it is worth every penny if you do your own tyres.
www.chuqy.com
