Author Topic: Flags and poles for recumbent trikes (Read 17417 times)

Quint · « **on:** 02 June, 2012, 08:39:03 pm »

Trikeling home in the wee hours this morning (from work) leaving Oxford for my village four yobs ran at me (how amusing they thought) and managed to swipe the top half of my flag pole complete with flag, second time this has happened.
Could anyone recommend an online shop that sells poles preferably one piece to fit my ICE Sprint also flags

tonycollinet · « **Reply #1 on:** 02 June, 2012, 11:15:02 pm »

You can get a replacement pole from ice for around £12. For flags I recommend raindrop kites

http://www.raindropkites.co.uk/banners/bentflags.html

Quint · « **Reply #2 on:** 02 June, 2012, 11:43:05 pm »

Thank you but the new pole from ICE I find rather flimsy (the only fault I can find with the brand) I was using my original Q-NT pole which was quite hardy, I want a one piece one now as having to trikle through the people coming out of the night clubs on my home from work a one piece pole will make it harder for them to snatch as they all leap in front of me gurning etc, alternately a sten gun mounted on the front would solve it

Wobbly John · « **Reply #3 on:** 02 June, 2012, 11:48:41 pm »

Kite shops used to sell fibre-glass and carbon-fibre poles and tubes in a variety of diameters & lenghts (the local one when it was open would cut it to size).

Cunobelin · « **Reply #4 on:** 03 June, 2012, 08:37:33 pm »

As above, local kite shop and Helen at Raindrop Kites.

Do get into correspondence with Helen as she will do individual flags which personalise your machine

Wendy · « **Reply #5 on:** 03 June, 2012, 08:52:31 pm »

Flags? Errr, no.

Kim · « **Reply #6 on:** 03 June, 2012, 09:05:16 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 03 June, 2012, 08:52:31 pm

Flags? Errr, no.

While I'm inclined to agree on general principle, they are quite good as a safety feature to stop you poking your eye out on the shortwave radio aerial while rummaging in panniers. At which point you might as well bling it up a bit.

Quint · « **Reply #7 on:** 04 June, 2012, 10:07:06 am »

Quote from: Kim on 03 June, 2012, 09:05:16 pm

Quote from: Wendy on 03 June, 2012, 08:52:31 pm
Flags? Errr, no.

While I'm inclined to agree on general principle, they are quite good as a safety feature to stop you poking your eye out on the shortwave radio aerial while rummaging in panniers. At which point you might as well bling it up a bit.

I have had a car driver come up to me (at a shop on the main road in Kidlington) and say what a good idea a flag was as he was going to overtake the car in front of him (I was in front of that car) but didn't as he saw my flag through the other guys windscreen and realised there would not be enough room before the traffic island, good enough for me to keep wanting one

Wendy · « **Reply #8 on:** 04 June, 2012, 10:15:04 am »

I hope you also listen when drivers tell you it's dangerous to take the lane past parked cars, and that you should be riding tight to the door zone.

Quint · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 June, 2012, 10:36:49 am »

Quote from: Wendy on 04 June, 2012, 10:15:04 am

I hope you also listen when drivers tell you it's dangerous to take the lane past parked cars, and that you should be riding tight to the door zone.

Was that meant to be as condescending as it does, I try to listen to feedback and feel of adequate intelligence (after 50 + years of cycle/tandem and now recumbent use) to dismiss what is rubbish from the friendly comment that to me (at least) sounds to have an element of "hmmn, might be something in that".
I have also covered if not 1,000,000 driving miles darn near it and found that an unusual movement (esp in the dark) was more easily detectable than the object (a cyclist quite often) itself, a flag can provide that, I am not a helmet wearing flurescent jacketed safety nut, and anyway I was rather fond of that Brittany flag, Doug got it for me to replace another stolen one

Wendy · « **Reply #10 on:** 04 June, 2012, 11:25:21 am »

I don't think drivers have nothing to offer, quite the contrary, but that bit is much the same as suggesting we ride in the door zone.

Quint · « **Reply #11 on:** 04 June, 2012, 12:23:03 pm »

Don't get that, however what I am trying to do is find out where to buy a pole which of us is right as to use a flag or not is completely irrelevant, I do not subscribe to using that useless (according to certain stats) thing called a helmet but usually only voice that opinion when attacked (quite often by fellow cyclists) by adherents.
Any (polite

ideaswhere to buy a pole, flags for the use of

RichForrest · « **Reply #12 on:** 04 June, 2012, 12:27:03 pm »

Quint, I have half a pole you can have if you want it? I don't use them myself.
Is it the one with the metal collar on or the other bit. I'll have a look in the garage for it.

Rich

hubner · « **Reply #13 on:** 04 June, 2012, 12:54:05 pm »

How about using a piece of bamboo or cane?

Quint · « **Reply #14 on:** 04 June, 2012, 01:39:03 pm »

Quote from: RichForrest on 04 June, 2012, 12:27:03 pm

Quint, I have half a pole you can have if you want it? I don't use them myself.
Is it the one with the metal collar on or the other bit. I'll have a look in the garage for it.

Rich

Yes please, let me know the postage/whatever and twill be gratefully put to use, when I trikle to work (return around 04-00 so not a lot of traffic) I am going through the centre of Oxford, any movement of the flag as I go in and out of the traffi :facepalm:c may (or indeed may not) helps, I s'pose I shouldn't act like a hooligan but at my age a drop of booze and a nippy trike are good for me

ps: not always together

Soory Rich, I have part of the new style pole and part of the old style pole (the one with the plastic collar) the new style I have has the metal cup on it

Kim · « **Reply #15 on:** 04 June, 2012, 02:18:41 pm »

There's a shop up the road from here that sells power kites and associated gear. Looks like the sort of place that would sell lengths of fibreglass tube. I expect there are places that sell such things online.

RichForrest · « **Reply #16 on:** 04 June, 2012, 05:47:35 pm »

PM me your address Quint and I'll see what I can do.

Rich

Quint · « **Reply #17 on:** 04 June, 2012, 05:59:45 pm »

Quote from: RichForrest on 04 June, 2012, 05:47:35 pm

PM me your address Quint and I'll see what I can do.

Rich

Scholar etc

recumbentpanda · « **Reply #18 on:** 06 June, 2012, 07:57:58 am »

I find kite glass fibre rod a bit brittle. Instead I bought a pack of glass fibre tent rods from Milletts. They sell these packs of tube with metal ferrules, elastic and tool for threading the elastic. If someone were to grab the top of my two-part flagpole one of two things will happen: 1. they let go, and the tube snaps back into place. 2 the elastic breaks and they get the flag and an extremely painful slap to go with it.

Quint · « **Reply #19 on:** 06 June, 2012, 10:40:31 am »

Quote from: recumbentpanda on 06 June, 2012, 07:57:58 am

I find kite glass fibre rod a bit brittle. Instead I bought a pack of glass fibre tent rods from Milletts. They sell these packs of tube with metal ferrules, elastic and tool for threading the elastic. If someone were to grab the top of my two-part flagpole one of two things will happen: 1. they let go, and the tube snaps back into place. 2 the elastic breaks and they get the flag and an extremely painful slap to go with it.

Absolutely brilliant, retention and retribution all in one neat idea, 37th Wedding Anniversary today so off we toddle into Oxford who by sheer coincidence has a Milletts

Tigerrr · « **Reply #20 on:** 07 June, 2012, 09:32:04 pm »

Sorry to see Wendy taking a pop at the flagwavers. I think he has a bit of a thing about it, don't take offense.
I never used to use one but I will admit some of the nasty near passes in town and general driver agression was getting to me. I found myself riding with studded ninja fighting gloves and always feeling ready to take a swipe. I realised that at my age thats probably not such a good idea as I will end up being beaten to a pulp by some yob.
So I hoisted a flag. Cheapo kids type, Halfords. With a 2 metre strip of hi viz gaffer tape in place of flag. (7.00 for about a mile so terrific value). Its very visible indeed.
Result has been a huge increase in road room and reduced driver aggression. It seems to me the flag disarms the enemy and maybe suggests I am not somehow taking the piss which was how they seemed to react to me in the past. I am in the end more intersted in my personal safety than making a point about drivers needing to give vulnerable road users room.
I avoid the hippy flag thing as I think its visibility not eccentricity I want.

Kim · « **Reply #21 on:** 07 June, 2012, 09:39:29 pm »

Actually, this has reminded me, I should probably molish a flag for my trailer (which I think as a species suffer from visibility problems worse than low recumbents, because there's a normal-looking bike just in front of them).

If I were regularly riding a low bent (the Streetmachine is as high as a car, so doesn't qualify) in city traffic or worse, drystone wall country, I'd probably err on the side of caution and opt for a flag of some kind.

Wendy · « **Reply #22 on:** 07 June, 2012, 10:58:58 pm »

Must admit I'm pretty sceptical that a flag would make any difference at all to the way drivers treat you. I don't think I could be treated much better for the most part, it's a vanishingly small minority of drivers who misbehave, and then only usually a little bit.

I suspect any change in driver behaviour was simply a reflection of your own improvement in attitude. Those studded gloves were funny, but I've never felt the need for anything like that.

Quint · « **Reply #23 on:** 08 June, 2012, 12:42:54 pm »

Well, I like my Bretagne flag, it has got me into some interesting conversations not least discovering two of the pubs in a 15 mile radius are run by people from Brittany and one person who was over here on an exchange and turned out to come from one of our favourite towns over there.
Whether or not said flag makes any difference ? Not sure for sure (sorry) the times I have forgotten it I think "argh, I've forgotten me flag" then trundle on and have had no nasties but it has sort of become part of the routine now, what I really cannot go out without is my track mitts, pathetic eh ? (please don't agree, I bleed easily

).
Anyway, got me Millets poles and if I can wade through the floods in my garden shall pop it on and get it to the correct length/height, the thing that keeps me coming to this forum is that while we may not agree on some things we all have a passion about things and are not shy of saying so, good innit

Tigerrr · « **Reply #24 on:** 11 June, 2012, 01:32:26 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 07 June, 2012, 10:58:58 pm

Must admit I'm pretty sceptical that a flag would make any difference at all to the way drivers treat you. I don't think I could be treated much better for the most part, it's a vanishingly small minority of drivers who misbehave, and then only usually a little bit.

I suspect any change in driver behaviour was simply a reflection of your own improvement in attitude. Those studded gloves were funny, but I've never felt the need for anything like that.

I can assure you my attitude stinks as much as ever. I am ready to fight anyone, everyone. I'd fight you. Twice. before breakfast. I would chew your leg off. If you were in a car I would bite the tires. But with a flag I find I dont need to.