automatic

[Rhod]

S and L simply hold the gearbox in the lower gears for slippery conditions.

You sure you'd want to hold the box in L when icy other than maybe downhill to facilitate engine braking? Lower gears increase the likelihood of wheelspin, no? Some bixes have a winter setting (marked with a snowflake" which prevents the box from using 1st gear at all.

Yes..... Once moving, in icy conditions, I have used L to keep the speed right down to a crawl - usually on a slight downhill though. And on narrow singletrack where there's not much margin for error before the roadside ditch arrives. I agree that you want to avoid using 1st to take off in ice though.

[mikeonb4c]

Resist the temptation to play with it on the move can be a bit hairy if you push the hold and your doin' 70mph the Bongo will not thank you

Sparky

If you hit the hold button at 70 the box is designed to be idiot proof and not change down.........

I tried it to make sure & you're right

Hmmm - well mine sure did. Then again, its possible I was only doing 60-65mph (I've not done it since the early days of ownership). Is this a strict 70mph and above thing?

[missfixit70]

Can't remember exact speeds, but I think it may have been around 60/65.

[teenmal]

thanks for that i will probably never use the other gears then live in plymouth not many hills there

Watch out for the.......Drunken Bridge HILL.

Malc