Author Topic: Ready the flashing lights, party poppers, dancing girls and brass band... (Read 88150 times)

Quint · « **Reply #225 on:** 20 April, 2011, 01:59:41 pm »

My Q-NT (original rigid model) was Candy Apple Red, I will love no other I declared from the battlements (ok, ok, the shed door then).
Because I made a verbal error talking to Kevin about upgrading my Q-NT I was sent a (new style) black end just before Christmas, oh God I said, Ooh that's nice said Barbara

To cut a long story short (makes a change for me) and after driving Kevin nuts I am now the proud owner of a Black 26" NT Sprint, I love the colour so much that I declare from the battlements - - - -

CrinklyLion · « **Reply #226 on:** 20 April, 2011, 05:19:34 pm »

Red btrikes go fastest

[sings, slightly tunelessly]
I wanna WARTY with barakta, I wanna WARTY with barakta
[/sings]

easyracer · « **Reply #227 on:** 01 May, 2011, 09:01:42 pm »

Sorry I may have come to the party quite late, but have you considered using the side mounted handlebar bag as an arm rest (see below), maybe with the addition of a time-trial "arm cushion" thing?

http://www.icetrikes.co/image/overlay/side-handlebar-bag-and-altura-arran-bag.jpg

You could even completely remove the unwanted handlebar section you didn't want and go for a single-sided approach.
Or if extra leverage is the only thing required maybe a mod like this one below would be better?

Utah Trikes - Zoomer Horizontal Handlebar Upgrade Kit

My old QNT is one of the few things that always give me a huge grin on my face, every time I sit on it...

No sniggering?!

I think it is a very good idea to consider shorter cranks as, I personally think on a recumbent, anything as long as 170mm is a bad idea especially for yours knee's sake.

Good luck, and happy triking,

andy

Cunobelin · « **Reply #228 on:** 02 May, 2011, 09:57:05 am »

***WARNING***

Do not look at the Sogreni website

Arch · « **Reply #229 on:** 02 May, 2011, 10:06:05 pm »

I met Kevin today, belatedly for the first time.

He was telling us all about the charming young lady who came for a test ride, and it was cool to be able to say "Oh, yes, Barakta!"

I also heard about the box of kitchen implements...

barakta · « **Reply #230 on:** 02 May, 2011, 11:21:53 pm »

*grins*

I shall be phoning Kevin on Wednesday by TextRelay to find out what's going on trikewise as I'd like to purchase trike ASAP to make most of the summer. Especially after meeting lots of YACFers this weekend in Wales.

clarion · « **Reply #231 on:** 03 May, 2011, 11:02:16 am »

We didn't put you off, then?

barakta · « **Reply #232 on:** 03 May, 2011, 12:01:17 pm »

Nope, you were all lovely and fun to be around

Quint · « **Reply #233 on:** 03 May, 2011, 12:17:32 pm »

Barakta, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine (although as I may have said before, it brings out the hooligan in me

)

tonycollinet · « **Reply #234 on:** 03 May, 2011, 12:32:15 pm »

Quote from: Quint on 03 May, 2011, 12:17:32 pm

Barakta, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine (although as I may have said before, it brings out the hooligan in me )

Agreed - lifting a front wheel, or sliding the rear wheel in the piles of grit down the center of a little used lane.....=.......FUN.

Quint · « **Reply #235 on:** 03 May, 2011, 01:12:25 pm »

Also the downhill twisty bits, onlookers must think "ooh, there's a large grin on a trike"

Kim · « **Reply #236 on:** 03 May, 2011, 01:49:47 pm »

Quote from: easyracer on 01 May, 2011, 09:01:42 pm

Sorry I may have come to the party quite late, but have you considered using the side mounted handlebar bag as an arm rest (see below), maybe with the addition of a time-trial "arm cushion" thing?

http://www.icetrikes.co/image/overlay/side-handlebar-bag-and-altura-arran-bag.jpg

Not a bad idea, though probably won't be necessary, at least in the short term. Has the handy feature of doubling as a bar bag.

Quote

You could even completely remove the unwanted handlebar section you didn't want and go for a single-sided approach.
Or if extra leverage is the only thing required maybe a mod like this one below would be better?

Utah Trikes - Zoomer Horizontal Handlebar Upgrade Kit

I've thought about single-sided. You really do want two bars, though, even if you only hold one most of the time. Eventually you're going to want to move between shifters / scratch your nose / unzip your jacket / adjust your hearing aid / make some sort of hand signal, and if you've got a spare hand to keep the trike on course while you do it, it makes things a lot easier.

Horizontal handlebars - or at least avoiding them - is one of the main reasons for wanting a recumbent trike in the first place. Completely unsuitable for barakta's wrists. A carefully selected mixture of stock ICE parts is pretty much ideal.

Quote

I think it is a very good idea to consider shorter cranks as, I personally think on a recumbent, anything as long as 170mm is a bad idea especially for yours knee's sake.

Agreed. I reckon that anything more than 160mm is a bit too long for my leg length on any bike. 170mm always make me feel like I'm flapping about. I have recently switched to 155mm on my 'bent, and it's made things a lot more comfortable. Barakta's legs are about the same length as mine (maybe a tiny bit shorter), so the sort cranks are a no-brainer.

And yes, there does appear to be a significant grin factor

easyracer · « **Reply #237 on:** 03 May, 2011, 05:35:36 pm »

Funnily enough, looking for something completely different, I found this picture of a single sided controlled ICE trike here:

ICE QNT single-handed Controls | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Hope that helps to visualise an easier cable routing, than the drilling holes for the cables, as they have just left it coming out from under the grip.

Good Luck,

andy

P.S. If you need some small cranks, Mike Burrows might be a good man to ask as he cut me a nice pair down to 120mm to save my joints. I could PM his details if you want them?

Kim · « **Reply #238 on:** 03 May, 2011, 05:41:06 pm »

Quote from: easyracer on 03 May, 2011, 05:35:36 pm

Funnily enough, looking for something completely different, I found this picture of a single sided controlled ICE trike here:

ICE QNT single-handed Controls | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Hope that helps to visualise an easier cable routing, than the drilling holes for the cables, as they have just left it coming out from under the grip.

Ach, that looks horrible! I hadn't considered fitting the bar-end shifter backwards like that - it does put the cable mostly out of the way. But might make it harder to use. Interesting...

Quote

P.S. If you need some small cranks, Mike Burrows might be a good man to ask as he cut me a nice pair down to 120mm to save my joints. I could PM his details if you want them?

The ICE standard option of 152.5mm cranks should be fine.

Cunobelin · « **Reply #239 on:** 03 May, 2011, 07:55:44 pm »

I have seen the use of a bar end to mount the shifters

Either use the bar end to mount the grip shifter, or insert the bar end shifter into the bar end.

The other option I used was for a parking brake, but could modify, and that was to use an old fashioned friction shifter which fits below the grips. Can be operated by the heel of the hand

easyracer · « **Reply #240 on:** 03 May, 2011, 08:10:08 pm »

It's funny... You mention the bar-ends are back-to-front.
I've put my bar-ends the same way and, to be honest, they don't really make them any harder to use. Though it may make a bit of a difference for Barakta, you never know?

Maybe try it and see.

Good Luck, and happy triking,

andy

P.S. Don't worry, I realise that cranks as short as 120mm for most people are a step too far, but I really wouldn't want to ride anything long distance without them now.

Though I do also have some 150's on my one and only upright, that I seldom use.

tonycollinet · « **Reply #241 on:** 04 May, 2011, 06:48:13 am »

That is the stock ICE arrangement - at least how it is set up on mine.

Much easier to use than if the other way round. Pull back with forefinger - push up with thumbs. If thumbs are weak, then it is possible to push up with web between finger/thumb, or heel of hand.

barakta · « **Reply #242 on:** 04 May, 2011, 04:34:07 pm »

Well I managed to wake up enough to work a textphone on my second attempt so Kevin's got a nice probably Scouse operator relayed message from me on his phone.

Kim · « **Reply #243 on:** 31 October, 2011, 06:01:36 pm »

Change the bulbs in the flashing lights, dust off the party poppers and get the dancing girls and brass band on standby!

After months of getting nowhere with D-Tek (sorry Kevin, if you're reading this), barakta's just paid a deposit for a Sprint RS with the efficient and email-savvy London Recumbents.

We're going to sort out the control mods ourselves, as we've got half a set of bar-end shifters and plenty of cutlery already. A dual brake lever is on order, and we'll work out what to do about handlebar reach after she's ridden it a bit and got a feel for the ergonomics.

Feline · « **Reply #244 on:** 31 October, 2011, 06:18:41 pm »

Yay!

How long will it be until delivery?

TimO · « **Reply #245 on:** 31 October, 2011, 06:24:52 pm »

Yay indeed.

... and in the unlikely event you have a fettling fail, I'm sure there will be plenty of people on here ready to make suggestions^[1] and supply bits.

Footnote [1]: Silly suggestion, they're going to make the suggestions anyway, aren't they.

Kim · « **Reply #246 on:** 31 October, 2011, 06:36:52 pm »

Quote from: Feline on 31 October, 2011, 06:18:41 pm

How long will it be until delivery?

Seems likely that it may arrive before the Marathon Winters become necessary...

TimO · « **Reply #247 on:** 31 October, 2011, 07:01:57 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 31 October, 2011, 06:36:52 pm

Seems likely that it may arrive before the Marathon Winters become necessary...

Hopefully they'll be less necessary on a trike anyway, other than cycling up a steep hill covered in snow and ice!

(...and with 20" wheels, probably impossible to find, which solves that dilemma!)

Kim · « **Reply #248 on:** 31 October, 2011, 07:14:31 pm »

Funnily enoguh, I have already located a source of that particular unobtanium:

http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/40010/Schwalbe_Marathon_Winter_20Inch_Spiked_Tyre

(Consensus seems to be that you only need one on the rear wheel.)

TimO · « **Reply #249 on:** 31 October, 2011, 07:28:04 pm »

Impressive. I think that's about as small as you can get spiked tyres. I had a look once for Brompton sized ones, and 16" studded tyres just don't exist.