Hi Paul,
Still got the Silgey but got sick of falling off the thing due to the small diameter wheels (accidental malleting) I ride it just for fun and lend it to newby's etc, so come back over and you can ride it ;-).
I am running into pedal strike every now and again but have done the math and I think I would be better off with 165 - 170 mm cranks anyway! and I have the old knees also!
The Carver has an EBB so no chain tensioner required!
Rob's Carver
Freewheel
21 x 33
Front and rear brake
My new polo bike is actually my old mountain bike thanks to Vive!
A carver 96er which is now a 66er so 26" wheels front and rear has quickened up the steering.
Duel mechanical disks so it really stops.
21 x 33 gears but I think I need 165 cranks it currently has 175
Really light and fast.
EBB, nice one. I forget to research those, not that I need a new bike buuuuuut...
By accidental malleting do you mean the "accidental" mallet under the front wheel? Do smaller wheels make that more likely?
I wish you were in Sydney (you might not though), I going to be there in November and hope to take my bike with me so I can get at least a couple of games in while there (and to get around on). But if it costs too much I'll have to beg a loaner off someone there.
But the Silgey was awesome! I'd love one of those things. Have you kept it as the International Traveling Polo Bike? We've had a few 'strayans visit lately, always noice to hear a voice from the home hemisphere.
I was using 165 cranks and low gearing, 30/18, mainly to take the strain off my old knees and to increase acceleration. But I ended up reversing that to 170 cranks with 36/22. Spinning is useful but I seem to be finding the slightly longer cranks and slightly higher gearing is a better balance for the large courts here. I think I was using the previous gearing to compensate for lack of fitness. I'm pretty envious of the double discs. You didn't go the 26" front, 700c rear option? No chain tensioner?