Veteran Patton Bumpers Slim kit by Nylonove

[OliG]

Hello wheeler friends,

A few days before Christmas, we received a new mysterious box, delicately closed with beautiful red scotch tape - yes, another one! 

The inimitable packaging, whose provenance you now know, contained Nylonove accessories to complete the improvements already made to my Patton.

Indeed, I had already customized it with the magnificent Nylonove "Buffy kit" presented here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02og8Wx3ci1uYiVAh5SWo7MyW1aW7qLVwmyR9v9brMDYSxHDW2xYCEqv1E9QSMVdGul&id=100063573820704

 

After sending me this "Buffy kit" for testing, my friend Pawel, who is never short of imagination, released a second kit for the Patton: the "Slim bumpers kit".

This is a second iteration of the Nylonove kit for the Patton, including significative evolutions and improvements over the initial "Buffy kit", some components of which remained prototype.

The advantage of this new version is that each component can be ordered separately, and some of the Slim kit components are perfectly combinable with those of the initial Buffy kit. If, for example, you already have the Patton bumper set, you can upgrade your existing setup without having to replace everything.

 

Here, with a few photo illustrations, is a presentation of this famous Slim Kit for Patton by Nylonove, with details of the complete kit.

Not having installed the complete kit, my feedback focuses on the components I was able to test. In the photos, you'll also see a Patton with the complete kit (photos by Pawel). I also include essential information on how to fit these new accessories on the wheel.

 

 

The complete contents of the Slim kit for Patton :

The complete kit includes:

• High front and rear bumpers with handles
• Low front bumper
• Rear lower bumper/stand
• Bottom bumpers protecting wiring and batteries
• Ergonomic upper shock absorber covers with Patton shock absorber rebound and compression adjustment system
• Ergonomic raised seat

 

To complete the kit - as for the Buffy version:

To complete the kit, you can install:

• A pair of Nylonove footplates with adjustable angle and overlay
• A pair of Kinetic pads v2.0
• Other accessories from a Nylonove compatriot, about which I'll tell you more later.

 

Sim kit components tested

As I'm already equipped with the Buffy kit, I thought after discovering this new Slim kit that some of its components would enable me to make some interesting additional improvements to the Patton. Obviously, for those who know me, if I hadn't already abused Nylonove's kindness with the Buffy kit, I would have tested the whole Slim kit. But hey, you can't go too far

So I asked Pawel to let me test the front low bumpers, the rear low bumpers and the bottom bumpers of the Slim kit. 

My main objective with these new accessories was to be able to replace the Patton's original Jump block system. This Jump block system is not as comfortable and suitable for me as the jump pads integrated into the V2 kinetic pads.

 

Assembly

Assembly of all parts of the kit is very simple. No special tools are required apart from 2 Allen keys (4 and 5 mm).

The process for assembling the kit is as follows:

1. Start by removing the original Jump block system from the front of the wheel. Keep the original screws and bolts in a safe place, as you'll need most of them to fit the Nylonove accessories.
2. Fit the front part of the bottom bumper, which covers the  front bottom of the battery pack. Super-simple, no need to remove the pedals.
3. Then fit the lower front bumper, which replaces the front bumper integrated into the original Jump block system.
4. Do the same on both sides of the Patton (front left and front right, if you follow).
5. Move on to the rear of the wheel, placing it on its front bumpers.
6. Start by removing the wheel's original stand system. As for the front, keep the original screws and bolts.
7. Fit the rear bottom bumper, which covers the rear bottom of the battery pack. Super-simple, as for the front. 
8. Fit the Nylonove stand (left or right). To attach it, start with the screws on the rear of the battery pack. These are the most difficult to align and screw in, especially those hidden under the mudguard. Not easy to access if you don't have a long Allen wrench with a suitable tip for screwing in while tilting the wrench. I wonder who at Leaperkim had the idea of putting a screw there. It's even dumber than the Patton's charging ports. That said, don't worry, if I can do it, you can too. It just takes a little patience, which is not my strong suit.
9. Place the second part of the stand on the other side of the wheel in the same way. Before tightening it, don't forget to replace the original metal tube connecting the left and right parts of the stand.
10. And that's all there is to it.

 

Feedback on improvements thanks to the Slim kit

Once again I'm delighted with the improvements these accessories bring. With Nylonove, I'm not surprised: I was expecting quality, ergonomics and an improvement in the look of the Patton, and I'm not disappointed.

To summarize:

• I can now use full Kinetic 2.0 type pads, including the jump pad part. 
• In combination with the Buffy kit already installed, I have much more choice in positioning the power pads towards the front and rear of the wheel, with an extended surface thanks to the plates and bumpers.
• As I don't position my pads symmetrically, the Patton's jump blocks were an issue. By design, they are symmetrically positioned on the left and right sides of the wheel. By removing the whole jump block system, I can now fine-tune my pads asymmetrically left-right if I wish, and, thanks to Nylonove's front and bottom bumpers, the front and bottom of the Patton remain protected even though I had to remove the original bumper system.
• Regarding the Nylonove rear bumper/stand: the advantage of the version proposed by Nylonove is, on the one hand, wheel protection and, on the other, design. The material used is rigid enough to be used as a handlebar or kickstand, but flexible enough to reduce the risk of breakage and absorb most of the energy in the event of impact - without damaging the wheel. This is obviously not the case with the original part, which is strong but very rigid. In my personal opinion, I find the design nicer than the original, harmonized with the other parts of the Slim kit. The stand is also a little shorter, so less clutter and less risk of snagging something going down stairs.
• Finally, as always with Nylonove, the most subjective aspect: aesthetics. I already loved the new look of the Patton with the Buffy kit. Its aesthetics and quality of finish are on a par with previous accessories designed by Nylonove. Well, I think the look is even better with the Slim kit components! 

I haven't been able to test the other parts of the Slim kit (yet), but their interest is obvious, especially if, unlike me, you haven't already upgraded the original setup.

Don't hesitate if you have any questions, that's what the comments are for. 

Links:

• Veteran Patton Bumpers Slim: https://hulaj.market/veteran-patton/1939-veteran-patton-bumpers-slim.html
• Nylonove Footplates for Patton: https://hulaj.market/nylonove/1616-nylonove-for-veteran-patton-with-angle-adjustment-nylon-feet-for-the-euc.html
• Kinetic pads v2.0: https://hulaj.market/kinetic-pads/309-kinetic-pads-20.html