CTC-100 Experiences?

Vanderwho

Vanderwho

Premier Member
#1
#1
I know this heating/cooling unit received praise in the IBR magazine in 2013 and 2014. I'm wondering if any members have been using this device, and if so, what your experiences have been. How effective is it in extreme heat? Extreme cold? Any problems? How has it held up over time?

With a move from Colorado to Southern California in my future, I foresee a lot more desert riding than I've ever done before...

Thanks!
 
cberry

cberry

Premier Member
#3
#3
My "BikeAir" unit is cumbersome and not very efficient in the cooling mode. I saw the above mentioned system at the Orlando trade show a couple of years ago and chose the BikeAir unit over it. Mainly because it looked as though it was constructed better, and it used conditioned air rather than chilled water.

I've mainly used my unit locally because to use it on a long ride is just to cumbersome. And, what do you do if you decide to not use it? Pack it up and send it home? Then what? It takes too long to unhook from the rig at a fuel stop, and is, frankly, just not worth the aggravation.
 
Vanderwho

Vanderwho

Premier Member
#5
#5
Just for future reference... I contacted a member of our community who had written a positive review about the CTC-100 unit in the IB Magazine a couple of years ago. Evidently, there have been some problems with some of the production units, and the man behind the product is no longer answering inquires or repairing sold units. Too bad... it's a great concept. Interestingly, the website appears still to be accepting orders.

I hope someone is able to bring a reliable implementation of this concept to market, and support the product. $1,000+ for the full kit certainly ain't chump change, but it should offer a number of advantages over pouring an 8-pound bag of ice cubes down your collar (starting with the ability to also provide heat during cold rides).
 
Another_Rider

Another_Rider

Premier Member
#6
#6
I have used the CTC-100 unit for a year or so, travelling across hot areas, e.g., Mohave or I-10 in summer, the unit shines. (Yes, I was intrigued by the artcle in the IBR Magazine.) I rarely get off my bike at fill-ups, so there is no need to disconnect the hoses. I wear the special shirt (or vest) for cooling under my Gerbings liner and jacket. It cools my core if my jacket is sealed. The air under my jacket is very pleasant in temperatures approaching 115F ambient (best guess).
When my route takes me to cooler climes, the CTC kicks in to warm my torso. Not a good solution. Extremities need the heat assist, so warming my core is ineffective. At that time the electric gear comes on and my hands warm and all is right with the world. The special "hosed" shirt stays on and the liner warms it, as well as my skin. The propylene glycol in the shirt reservoir retains the heat longer than the air cavity, so the current power draw is reduced. This system of cooling and heating works for me when temperatures swing.
Above are the pros. The cons include the added the alternator load, one more thing to remember to disconnect when leaving the bike, the control unit is hard-wired on a tether making routing problematic, and an additional item to maintain. The cost is another bit of a concern, but the benefit for me tips the scales.
Prologue: The original contact for the product did move on from the company. Why? Don't know or really care. Nice guy, but he chose to leave. But, recently Mike Kincart (Klim) has taken on championing the product. He is improving the design and has said that he will be testing/introducing a "new and improved" system in a month or so.
It will being interesting to see if the new system performs better.
--Chelsea
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.