I've just phoned one Kevin of D-Tek to see about going to play with some barakta-friendly trikes next week[1], and he recognised me. And I don't mean in the "are you Charlotte?" sense, either. I've only met him once!
Should I fear? Or just bury my credit cards under 6ft of reinforced concrete?
[1] Muhahahaha
What is this doing hiding in this thread? Surely there should be flashing lights, and party poppers, and dancing girls, and a brass band for this is Good_News.
And of course he remembers you - witnessed the purchasing of Priscilla, didn't you?
Tell barakta from me she has to find something that suits, cos going on a WARTY with barakta is one of the things on my little list for 2011.... and I seem to be ticking things off said list relatively efficiently ;)
Mordor Central to
(we're liable to die of old age if we attempt this one by train)
Mordor Central toThe Dead MarshesEly is a direct train, every hour, journey time 2h30. Not R17 speeds, but perfectly serviceable. Then you would need a taxi from Ely station to Thettle Litford.
Have you buried the CC yet?? He is very persuasive....... :thumbsup:
Of course! He was gawping from the sidelines while I got oily with Regulator and his impressive collection of chains.
Well, Kevin called me back this morning to confirm, and I've just booked the hire of a CAR (we're liable to die of old age if we attempt this one by train), so we're officially going to Little Thetford for some trikey goodness next Tuesday :thumbsup:
Be sure to bung a trike in the boot for an emergency in case you break down in the middle ofSkegness rush hour trafficLittle Thetford and need to make a hasty escape for the sake of your poor wallet. ::-) ;D
The two brake levers allowed each brake to be operated by a different finger. The 4 finger lever was needed to reach past the 2 finger lever.
I modified a standard 4 finger brake lever to pull 2 brake cables for a one-armed lady to ride her hybrid. The long barrel adjusters made it easy to balance the brakes and the long lever made it easier to pull for a ladylike grip strength.
I think bar-end gear shifters give you the option of extending the size of the shifter - making it longer and bigger, so B could have the option of using her 'weak' hand for shifting.
Heh. I'd like to get her on one, certainly - her reaction to looking at pictures of the controls is "eew", and I suspect the steering would involve a bit too much wrist/forearm in the position she's likely to be able to work it, but there's only one way to find out :)
Expensive and custom isn't really a sensible option at this point - she's never really cycled due to the lack of an appropriate machine, so this is very much an exercise in getting her something she can actually ride safely and without damaging herself. Expensive and custom can come later if she turns into a Cyclist and has niggly issues that can't resolved by shed-fettle solutions. Keeping things reasonably standard means we can sell it on more easily if it doesn't work out.
Secondly, when I say it's 'light' when moving, I mean that for most normal riding if you 'steer', you'll lift the inside wheel and dump it. 'Steer' kind of means look in the direction you want to go and twisting the stick the tiniest bit will send the trike where you want it.
They're supposed to keep their value, but in some cases, that can also mean 'unsellable.'
I know next to bugger all about trikes, so can offer no useful advice. Nonetheless...
Barakta'sgettingatrikeBarakta'sgettingatrike!!!
*happydance*
It doesn't work very well as a drag brake due to the lack of weight on the back wheel.
It takes a fine balance to stop the back wheel from just skidding while getting any type of braking action.
It will stop me but I need well over 10x the distance of the front brakes.
You can organise the brass band and dancing girls ;)
You can organise the brass band and dancing girls ;)
*gets on the phone*
Hello? (http://www.grimethorpeband.com)
I wonder if you can help me...? (http://www.tillergirls.com/)
:D
You can organise the brass band and dancing girls ;)
*gets on the phone*
Hello? (http://www.grimethorpeband.com)
I wonder if you can help me...? (http://www.tillergirls.com/)
:D
I've never been myself, but I'm imagining that lot turning up in Little Thetford, and smiling....
I'd like to add another vote for bar end levers. Apart from offering the cheap home-fettled 'fatgrip' option, they have one truly great advantage over twist grips. That is being able to tell which gear you are in, just by the angle of the lever. Brilliant when it is dark (and you wouldn't be able to see the gear indicators on twist grips).
Some twist shifters work by rotating the whole grip - the shifter can connect to a sleeve under the grip, so you can twist the whole thing, motorbike-throttle-style.
If that turns out to be a required solution, I think I have some NOS shifters of this type innaboxsumwhereQuoteSome twist shifters work by rotating the whole grip - the shifter can connect to a sleeve under the grip, so you can twist the whole thing, motorbike-throttle-style.
That sounds ideal, yes.
Bar-ends can be operated using one's whole hand, which is what I do when I'm feeling lazy.
or a bit of pipe, some araldite to pot it, and a comfy grip to cover
Cable ties, that's teh way to go.
What could possibly go wrong?
Ain't no spack-handles on that bitch! FUCK YEAH!!!
The YACF department of Bastard Disability Mods From Hell proudly presents:
Spork'n'Shift™Quote from: British Journal of Occupational TherapyWhat could possibly go wrong?Quote from: Applied ErgonomicsAin't no spack-handles on that bitch! FUCK YEAH!!!
;D :demon:
*giggles* at Kim's latest fettleage.
I'd like to say how lovely it has been to see people's kind comments, generosity and sharing of ideas. I'm full of the ill so haven't had much coherent to say other than I hope I'm better enough to make the most of my visit to DTek on Tuesday.
I'd like to say how lovely it has been to see people's kind comments, generosity and sharing of ideas. I'm full of the ill so haven't had much coherent to say other than I hope I'm better enough to make the most of my visit to DTek on Tuesday.
That's beautiful, but it needs little tiny corks on the tines. Health and safety! Think of the children!
If you are going for the full length grip shifter, tehn there is no need to invert, which keeps the top of the handlebar free for easier griping and releasing. I was looking at this solution for the Grasshopper,, but in the end went for the cheap and messy option of inversion.
I'm leaning towards a possibly inverted, possibly full-length (indexed) grip shifter for the rear mech and an extended bar-end (friction) for the front, but we'll see how it goes on Tuesday when she actually tries to ride something.
If your going for a twist grip, then a twin bar setup like mine won't work.
There's not enough room between the twin bars to hold the twist grip and twist it at the same time.
The back of your hand will hit the second bar to often.
What time are you planning to get to Kevin's ??
I'll bring my Trice Q over so you can see/study the setup.
I don't understand the need to drill the bars, thought cable from bar end went down outside of bar (as does of course the twistgrip cable
OK, so we have a prototype. Now what we need is a dismantled Shimano shifter for the mount pattern, some nice light Ti bar, one of Mr Gates' friend Jarkman's kitchen table Proxxon CNC millers, a gas torch to do the pretty colours, and some ordinary household bleach*, and we have a plan! :D
Seriously though, I really have to get the workshop built, don't I? Custom length machined bar end shifters can't be that hard, can they?
*OK, I lied about the bleach, it's a Young Ones reference.
This may sound silly but bear with me.....
On recumbents the standard twist shifter tends to be operated by the heel an palm ofvthe hand. it is possible to fit them the other way up so the thumb grip is used tomtwist.
Is gonna need bigger servos than those generally used for R/C modelling though I would think (*thinks about force needed to pull mech cable compared with R/C aircraft elevator*).
OK, I am wrong
Servo Shop (http://www.servoshop.co.uk/index.php?pid=HITHS805BB&area=Servo) (19Kg.cm)
And that is a comparative baby.
EDIT: however, curent draw for such servos would seem to rule that sort of system out. (2A)
I suspect that an inverted twist-grip shifter is going to make a bar-end shifter on the same bar rather tricky, though (well, it's going to need an inch or so of bar for its cable to disappear into a hole above the shifter). The cable issue can probably be handled by a nice wide loop - which will have to clear the brake lever - secured with cable ties lower down the bar. Nasty-looking, but might work.
You could probably take the cable out of a bar end lever the wrong way around, with a little bit of creativity. It would look a little odd, but assuming that the upward loop didn't foul on anything, it would allow you to mount a twist grip almost immediately below a bar end.
Problem is (at least the way I was thinking of it) I had the servo pulling the cable of a standard mech. Trouble is it must maintain the pull indefinately against the mech spring. So 2A continuous. Needs a big battery.
Hydraulic shifting has popped up several times over the last three decades but it has never taken off. I suspect that electronic shifting will become widespread within the next decade.
Of course electronic shifting would also have massive benefits to recumbent and tandem cyclists, where the long cable runs often make their changers even less reliable than those on more conventional bikes.
Servoising a friction shift would work if servo has enough torque, but you have to overcome the spring force, and friction force. I thought about servoing an indexing thumb shifter. Should be possible to come up with an arrangemement where servo in one derection shifts up (and then back to center). Other direction shifts down.
As with all these things, the electronics is relatively easy. The mechanical coupling less so.
There is a slight problem for human power fundamentalists with it though. In most recumbent/human power races you are not allowed to use them, because they're obviously not human powered :P
Maybe if you can make it work with the power of a dynamo...
I've done a (very bad) sketch. The trick is in fixing shifter and servo together securly, and allowing the pull wires to go slack without becoming misplaced. (and having sufficient torque)
(http://www.collinet.plus.com/photos/gearshift.jpg)
I have just been to the shops and obtained various forms of barakta-overclocking fuel. Just need to charge some batteries and work out where my driving licence went, and we're all set. :thumbsup::thumbsup: :D :thumbsup: :D :thumbsup:
What about the Shimano Di2?
I have not seen it, but it is supposed to work with buttons - one up, the other for downshift and the battery serving it should be ok for quite a few miles.
We talked a bit about Di2 a few pages back, and the Di2 groupset is around £1500, which is a mite expensive for something that you're going to start taking apart immediately. For a test of a Baraktamobile, it's probably an unrealistic expenditure.
I've done a (very bad) sketch. The trick is in fixing shifter and servo together securly, and allowing the pull wires to go slack without becoming misplaced. (and having sufficient torque)
(http://www.collinet.plus.com/photos/gearshift.jpg)
A trigger shifter set up like that would avoid the need for the electronics to understand more than "shift up" and "shift down", but as has been repeatedly said, electronics are easy.
I was thinking a traditional thumb shifter like we had in the 80s would be a lot simpler to interface mechanically. If the torque was sufficient you could probably even couple it directly to the servo arm. Intuitively, a non-indexed shifter should require less torque?
If you're going for that, why not go the whole hog and use a leadscrew/ballscrew and stepper motor?
And off the shelf - not cheap at $90 (around £55 before postage etc) per mechanism.
However, possibly a ready built solution - linear actuator with up to 50N force over 30mm stroke. Built in position control - tell it where to go, and it goes there. Remove power and it holds up to a certain force limit). Does anyone know what the pull force is required for a gear mech?
http://www.firgelli.com/pdf/L12_datasheet.pdf
[/batedbreath]
What's taking them so long, did they decide to cycle back home afterwards?
What's taking them so long, did they decide to cycle back home afterwards?
I wish! Motorways are now officially worse than Sustrans routes.
I'll do a proper report in the morning after I've had some sleep and returned the car-shaped object, but for now, I present "Teh Grin":
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/dtek/IMG_2607.sized.jpg)
:o ;D
Is that the actual new trike?
Nooooo!!!!! I want it now! >:( ...
Nooooo!!!!! I want it now! >:(
*stamps foot*
*rolls on floor in tantrum*
Now! Now! Now! Now! Now!!!!
Nooooo!!!!! I want it now! >:( ...
Are you going to scweam and scweam and scweam, until you're sick? ;D
If you want it that badly then maybe you should tell Butterfly ;D
:o ;D
Is that the actual new trike?
I think it is a D-Tek test machine and I'm guessing that the eponymous Girl B has found she can hop on one and go have teh fun.
It the wrong side of the wrong 12 o'clock, you can't be expecting Kim, who has a most sensible attitude towards sensible times to be up at night and what mornings are for, to feed your insatiable curiosity yet.
I wonder if one of the elbow supports from aero-bars, munged on the handlebar so it forms a wrist support, would help with saving B's shoulder?
I wonder if one of the elbow supports from aero-bars, munged on the handlebar so it forms a wrist support, would help with saving B's shoulder?
That's not a bad idea, actually, though might be problematic for steering range given the short reach. While I'm sure a bar-end will be sufficient (it's more about not having to actively grip the bar the whole time, in the way one would normally rest a finger or two in the crook of the brake lever, than providing much in the way of support for the shoulder), that could be rather elegant if it would fit.
Some of them can rotate - even the basic ones on the Profile Century bars could be adapted so they can rotate. Might need a bit of munging, but the older model brackets are nice bits of drilled Al, so lend themselves to creative fitting.
:o ;D
Is that the actual new trike?
I think it is a D-Tek test machine and I'm guessing that the eponymous Girl B has found she can hop on one and go have teh fun.
Correct.
We haven't yet bought a trike. We're not quite that impulsive (read: Kevin was a force for common sense). This sort of thing takes a bit more time and contemplation, and isn't like selling trailer tents to fenlanders... :P
I think the sprint is the best choice, mainly for lower COG, but also just looks better. It is also surprisingly usable offroad. I think only the roughest tracks would be a problem.
I'm no Fenlander - I have correct number of fingers and toes...
...plus I asked Mr R's permission.
I take it that the red trice is the Sprint, and the blue one is the Adventure?
So, if you go this route, the Sprint can fold up, and presumably just sit on the ground? I was just wondering in terms of train transporting issues, if you've got your recumbent bike hanging up (in some trains), then this doesn't conflict with a folded trike just sat on the ground.
If you are fettling additional bar ends and so on, bear in mind the Terracycles Cockpit set up...
Miva Merchant: Fatal Error (http://www.terracycle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=T&Category_Code=CP)
Really glad it was such fun!
Catrike and Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as "far too stiff" and "inappropriately barmy" respectively.Sigged. ;D
Good luck on finding the funding for n+3/2.
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
He's pushed me uphill you know.
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
He's pushed me uphill you know.
Sideways? :)
... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
Yes - I tried that machine. Inappropriately barmy is a very adequate description.... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
He's pushed me uphill you know.
Sideways? :)
Surely that would be "rolled" rather than "pushed" :)
I'm no planning expert, but I think we should probably wait until after she's actually got a trike... :DSo do you need me to come and hold your coat whilst you rob the bank?
Probably grumbling about how the design of the machine was all wrong ;D... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
Yes - I tried that machine. Inappropriately barmy is a very adequate description.... Windcheetah controls were tried for comparison, and dismissed as ... "inappropriately barmy".
Well that's Mike Burrows all over, really. :)
He's pushed me uphill you know.
Sideways? :)
Surely that would be "rolled" rather than "pushed" :)
So do you need me to come and hold your coat whilst you rob the bank?
- barakta's much more interested in being able to carry a substantial touring load than going fast
I think keeping the vehicle easy-rolling is quite important for someone who is only just getting into things - so maybe avoid Marathon Plus.
I think keeping the vehicle easy-rolling is quite important for someone who is only just getting into things - so maybe avoid Marathon Plus.
Yeah. M+ are also relatively heavy, and avoiding gratuitous extra weight is desirable for making it easier to lift. But obviously puncture resistance is paramount if she's going to struggle to fix it herself. While I expect she'll mostly ride with others, it'll inevitably happen when she's on her own in the pissing rain.
Yeah but he rides everywhere like that ;D.I think keeping the vehicle easy-rolling is quite important for someone who is only just getting into things - so maybe avoid Marathon Plus.
Yeah. M+ are also relatively heavy, and avoiding gratuitous extra weight is desirable for making it easier to lift. But obviously puncture resistance is paramount if she's going to struggle to fix it herself. While I expect she'll mostly ride with others, it'll inevitably happen when she's on her own in the pissing rain.
Good tyres and a can of evil slime in the panniers?
You'd be surprised how far you can manage to ride a trike on flat tyres anyway. I ought to tell you about the time I bumped into Cycleman on the Uxbridge Road. He had two flat tyres and a pile of busted spokes and about 25 miles left to go (he'd ridden from central London already).
His bumping into the only person in the vicinity with a bunch of short spokes in her spares box was rather fortunate...
Good tyres and a can of evil slime in the panniers?
You'd be surprised how far you can manage to ride a trike on flat tyres anyway. I ought to tell you about the time I bumped into Cycleman on the Uxbridge Road. He had two flat tyres and a pile of busted spokes and about 25 miles left to go (he'd ridden from central London already).
His bumping into the only person in the vicinity with a bunch of short spokes in her spares box was rather fortunate...
If inner tube replacement proves to be an insurmountable issue, you may want to consider Solid tyres (http://www.greentyre.co.uk/bike.html), although whether they will stay reliably seated on a trike (with higher side forces) I know not. I imagine you could contact them and ask whether they're suitable for trikes.
Front mudguards are probably a good idea. I remember cycling my old Trice in the rain, when there was no option for mudguards, and the plume of water from the front wheels ended up pooling in my lap!
If puncture repair is not an option (and it doesn't sound like it'll be easy), then you want to be as bullet-proof as possible. Marathon Pluses are likely to be that extra bit more tolerant (and I think even Schwalbe accept that the Supreme isn't quite as abuse proof as the Plus). Slime should help with the occasional exception, and those even rarer events that exceed it's ability to thwart problems should probably be solvable with a telephone. ;D
Get a Var Lever, it's likely to help (even I've had to resort to using it once!), as is a CO2 inflator (although some sort of pump is also a damned good idea).
Whilst I can see that the Cyclaire may be more suitable for barakta to use, I wasn't that impressed by the one I've got. The valve end was not very rugged. I'd be tempted to try and replace it with something after market if possible, although that may compromise the way that the tube folds against the rest of the pump.
Front wheel mudguards are utterly unnecessary provided you ride in a straight line (adjusted for crosswind) such that the plumes behind the front wheels pass you by on either side. With two front wheels one of them will pass through puddles when the roads are wet.
I've only had one ride onna trice, but it was Reg's little lovely and it was rainy and it was an accidental century (!) so there were *hours* of rain -- and I would have been a very bedraggled badger indeed if it didn't have front mudguards.
If you don't have them, Barakta's going to get very wet in the rain. Water sprays off radially from the tyres, and the rider is very close to the wheels. A slight turn of the weels, will give you a facefull, as will a side wind. I also went for the quick release kit so I can take them off easily if the forecast is dry. Although it is not much quicker than using a hex key - just tool free.
Okay, barakta's just changed the front tyre (replacing no-name cheese with a part-worn regular Marathon) on my folding BSO which I've been failing to get round to for ages. She just barely managed it, needing to use a lever (I don't have a VAR one, unfortunately, but I'm sure that would have helped) to get the final bit of bead onto the rim, and both her hands are now suffering. I don't rate her ability to do that in the cold, with circulation issues compounding the problem.
Looks like Marathon Pluses with slime, then. It's the only way to be sure.
(I'll call you back in a minute :D )
Presumably the whole spare wheel idea would make the 20" rear tyre the best?(I'll call you back in a minute :D )
Lots of good advice there that's broadly in line with our current thoughts on the subject of 26" hardtail vs 20" rear suspension and sensible tyre choice. The only moderately silly suggestion of carrying a whole spare wheel. And some discussion of that money stuff that's best not thought about too hard.
:thumbsup:
What is the puncture situation with trikes, anyway? Much less weight on each tyre...
What is the puncture situation with trikes, anyway? Much less weight on each tyre...
Yeah, but also 50% more tyre, and 300% more tracks to pick up punctury stuff. I hear velomobile riders most often have the roadside front tyre punctured. Which is the right here on the continent, but presumably the front left in your place.
... Plus with the Trice you dont have to take the front wheel off to sort out p*n*t*r*s. :thumbsup:
On the tyre changing with non standard thumbs thing, have a look at this link:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28167.msg511847#msg511847 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28167.msg511847#msg511847)
Thanks for that - useful feedback.
I think barakta would kill me, or at least force me to ride behind at close range, if I even suggested molishing mudguards out of wood :)
Apparently ver few of the candidates had noted the extra one
Live by the wood, die by the wood and all that!
I should point out that the mudguards you saw weren't even wood, they were hardboard!
Hmmm. <ponders leopard print hi-vis coat>
I should point out that the mudguards you saw weren't even wood, they were hardboard!
When your woodwork skills are as poor as mine, hardboard counts!
I should point out that the mudguards you saw weren't even wood, they were hardboard!
When your woodwork skills are as poor as mine, hardboard counts!
Me too, I put screws in with a hammer...
I should point out that the mudguards you saw weren't even wood, they were hardboard!
When your woodwork skills are as poor as mine, hardboard counts!
Me too, I put screws in with a hammer...
And what's wrong with that? The Manchester screwdriver is a very versatile tool :D
Mind you, I do wonder what a set of laminated wooden 'fenders' would look like on the Grasshopper, with fittings in Verdigris copper. (My Gh is that lovely shade of brilliant green :) )
I should point out that the mudguards you saw weren't even wood, they were hardboard!
When your woodwork skills are as poor as mine, hardboard counts!
Me too, I put screws in with a hammer...
And what's wrong with that? The Manchester screwdriver is a very versatile tool :D
Mind you, I do wonder what a set of laminated wooden 'fenders' would look like on the Grasshopper, with fittings in Verdigris copper. (My Gh is that lovely shade of brilliant green :) )
I think the right trike would look very nice in a steampunk style...
(BTW, I skim read Gh as Gf, and wondered why you had a green girlfriend....)
has Barakta decided yet, colour/wheel size etc etc :)
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 ;D)
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 (http://www.utahtrikes.com/PRODINFO-Zoomer_Handlebar_Upgrade_Kit.html)
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.
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! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33668712@N05/3928090677/in/photostream/lightbox/)
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.
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?
How long will it be until delivery?
Seems likely that it may arrive before the Marathon Winters become necessary...
i am looking forward to coming out on a potter with you soon then :thumbsup:+1
(Consensus seems to be that you only need one on the rear wheel.)
Given the cost of the things, it seems worth trying a single one on the back first.+1
A back wheel brake is usefull as a parking brake and can be used carefully as a drag brake.
But unless you have a lot of weight on the back wheel, don't expect the brake to have a lot of stopping power. ...
On my old Trice, the parking brake lever had two stages, a bit on and fully on. You could cycle it moderately well with the lever in it's "a bit on" location, and just eventually wonder why it was such hard work. It would move with the lever fully on, but that was pretty obvious, so not such an issue.
Last winter when my front brakes cables froze solid,New trike has hydralic brakes so they shouldn't freeze.
I have had this several times, this summer (in readiness for winter) I have fitted Middleburn oilers :)
I just hot I don't boil them keeping the speed down on steep twisty decents when you cannot just let the trike run.
But I only burnt one pair of brake calipers out on my old trike ...... :demon:I just hot I don't boil them keeping the speed down on steep twisty decents when you cannot just let the trike run.
If anyone can... ;D
I've slid about a bit in the snow and ice on my trike and it's a lot of fun. I agree you need ice spikes on the back to make any progress up a snow packed hill, however I reasoned if my front tyres don't adhere to the ice/snow then I'm not going to very good at stopping. Maybe I'm being overcautious.
So, if I'm quick at fettling, you'll be able to ride to Whitstable afterall :thumbsup: :P
So, if I'm quick at fettling, you'll be able to ride to Whitstable afterall :thumbsup: :P
And it appears that n+1.5 has arrived in Dulwich in less time than it's taken me to obtain access to my own savings account. Those ICE people are a bit efficient, aren't they? :thumbsup:I'v found that if its in stock, they post stuff off the next day at the latest.
See, a 70 miler is perfectly sensible. :)They *said* it was going to be a 70 miler too, the big fibbers. :thumbsup:
Got an email from Oliver saying it'd arrivedOooh excellent news! You'll have so much fun...I'm heading out on mine again in a short while.
Last winter when my front brakes cables froze solid:o In all my years I've cycling I'd never realised this was possible! Though maybe that's because as soon as it gets icy I won't venture out on two wheels.... Boy do I have a lot to learn now I've ventured over to the dark side.
Only did 95 miles of the DunRun but still, after just four days of having Alfie...
When's Southend? I might come and meet y'all for breakfast!
Streaming webcam of the assembly process, with sound so we can hear the swearing ;)
See, a 70 miler is perfectly sensible. :)They *said* it was going to be a 70 miler too, the big fibbers. :thumbsup:
We are now fully Simon Legg non-compliant :)
Don't forget to ensure the cables are running underneath the track rods, not above them, to avoid pulling-to-the-right issues (I think ICE now route them this way since the problem was identified).
... It's the wrong tyres Gromit! We specced and paid for Marathon Plus. I assume London Recumbents will sort that out, but I've cunningly stuck the Marathon Winter on the back to reduce faff later (it'll need running in anyway). ...
From the picture, it looks like the frame has a 45° fold, like the Gecko, so that the rear wheel ends up flat against the rear of the seat when folded?
It looks very shin, and is red, which is clearly the best colour, being faster than other colours. ;D
It looks like the clearance between the mudguard and the tyre is pretty small, so you wouldn't want to use it on fresh snow, because I suspect the gap would fill with snow and jam the wheel quite rapidly.
Is it wrong that the first things I noticed were a) the rubber band around the brake lever in the first photo
b) the Babylon 5 box-set in the second?
Did it come red, or have you been sacrificing copiously?
Your home looks about as untidy as mine, and there's only one person living here :-[
QuoteIt looks like the clearance between the mudguard and the tyre is pretty small, so you wouldn't want to use it on fresh snow, because I suspect the gap would fill with snow and jam the wheel quite rapidly.There's some room for adjustment there, but I wasn't anticipating much in the way of fresh snow anyway. Re-frozen ice is far more common.
Your home looks about as untidy as mine, and there's only one person living here :-[
Chez Kim/Barakta is far tidier than Chez TimO/Kai/Zev. I've still got boxes which I haven't unpacked from when I moved in four years ago!
So when's the first West Mids ride? :D
:D I knew I'd find an update on here cos I can't see what Kim's up to on IRC other than the front door open at 13:11.
Also, cycle computer - which took a couple of hours as I had to hack into the potting compound and re-wire the bracket for darkside sensor positions and then molish a dérailleur post sensor mount out of a £1 Asda camping stool.
I ended up buying ICE's own cycle computer mount. On the old Trice Q, with drum brakes, there was a handy bar to put the sensor on but with the disks no joy. Still, that extra wasn't tooooo expensive, fortunately!
Is that a spaghetti jar full of cable ties?
Has Jurek seen it?
What cycle computer is that please? Looks big enough to be of mega use to me :)
Okay, I'm calling it a day.10/10 for molishing/mantling/fettling skillz.
:thumbsup:
So they are powered by the dynohub? I don't think Id have been ashamed of using battery lights there (we have battery lights on all the guards if our trike, and ours doesn't fold), but I hugely admire your commitment to doing the job properly.
Random thought: one day, it is my ambition to take a photograph of Kim, holding a popular brand of retractable knife in one hand and a glass of barley water in the other.
...That reminds me, what's the secret for truing trike wheels? There must be some way to get the dishing right ...
...That reminds me, what's the secret for truing trike wheels? There must be some way to get the dishing right ...
By and large trike wheels don't need dishing, so they're easier to build and maintain. :thumbsup:
Well yes, but I include confirming the lack of dish as a flavour of "getting the dishing right". ...
Interesting point about the rear wheel. I'll squint at it in a bit.
Is that a spaghetti jar full of cable ties?
Well it's a spaghetti jar sized tub of cable ties, yes. I seem to have run out of black ones.QuoteHas Jurek seen it?
Seems unlikely.
Congratulations barakta! Sounds like a most promising start. :D
Chain looks a bit ..... oh, hang on, wrong thread ...
Any chance of a few close-up shots of the dual-action brake lever and associated cableage? Or pointer to appropriate pics of same.
Kim, have you wired two dyno-powered Pixeo's together and if so, in parallel or series? I wouldn't mind doing something similar myself with a B&M toplight and a Pixeo or B&M Seculite.
Good luck with the Mirrycle, I find they give up within a few months (something within them cracks so you can't do them up tight enough to stop them flopping). I've still got the one ICE sent me with Alfie.
It was good - very nice not to feel like my shoulders will never go back into joint again which is what upwrongs do to me. Main issue is I have no leg fitness at all so my dodgy leg is complaining a bit - but hopefully improving my fitness will sort that.The studded tyre won't have helped much - they are much harder work than a normal tyre (although I believe you are going for M+s to avoid puncture-fettling).
:D :thumbsup: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (tirednow)
The studded tyre won't have helped much - they are much harder work than a normal tyre (although I believe you are going for M+s to avoid puncture-fettling).
Congrats, that's a lovely bike.
Yay, the Marathon Pluses just arrived :thumbsup:And now you need 3 hands to fit them ......... ;D :P ???
It was good - very nice not to feel like my shoulders will never go back into joint again which is what upwrongs do to me. Main issue is I have no leg fitness at all so my dodgy leg is complaining a bit - but hopefully improving my fitness will sort that.
:D :thumbsup: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (tirednow)
Good luck with the Mirrycle, I find they give up within a few months (something within them cracks so you can't do them up tight enough to stop them flopping). I've still got the one ICE sent me with Alfie.
The pair I have have got 11,000 miles on them including cobbles and the odd bridleway (yes on a Q-NT) and no problems.
(I also have to fold them in to get the trike in the shed - on a daily basis)
Best wishes Barakta, leg strength will come quickly but just go gently until it does
... Needing a larger screen would bump the price up quite a bit though, unless you can find somewhere that will sell a cheap screen for a lot less than £100 (which I haven't after a cursory Google around).
All set for a FNRttC, I reckon! ;D
Have a look at the Terracycle cockpit mounts (http://vhttp://www.terracycle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=T&Category_Code=CP)
Not cheap, but well designed and adaptable.... may give some inspiration
Cunobelin's lnk doesn't work for me :(Try this
Terracycle stuff is VERY good. They would be my preferred solution.
Today's ride was 20k, half of which was on real roads with lumps in. Barakta had a hard time on the climbs, but seems to have got the hang of the front shifter (after an epic chain-suck incident on the first attempt to change out of the granny ring that required the removal of the chainring guard to un-jam), if not actually the use of gears. She seems to be coping with traffic okay, considering that she was barely riding above walking pace for much of the time. If anything her road positioning tends to the overly assertive, which around here is liable to lead to excessive hooting and shouting abuse, but relatively little splatty death. She needs to learn the art of looking like she's making an effort to keep left, while still being far enough out to prevent overtakes at pinch points (thus causing the driver behind to think the road is too narrow, rather than there's a cyclist in the way). It'll come.
I remember when I first got my trike 2 years and ~15k miles ago.
Half the time I was in the granny ring and any hill, not matter how steep, I ended up climbing it in first at ~3 mph.
It took me ~6 hours to cycle the 40 odd miles to Peterborough and thats only 1,400' climbing and nothing much over 5%.
Cunobelin's lnk doesn't work for me :(
Yeah, it's always hard work at first. If she manages to keep things up at the current rate she should find it getting a lot easier fairly soon though.
The controls look quite professional now, although I suspect they'd confuse the blazes out of anyone expecting more traditional recumbent gear controls!
If anything her road positioning tends to the overly assertive, which around here is liable to lead to excessive hooting and shouting abuse, but relatively little splatty death. She needs to learn the art of looking like she's making an effort to keep left, while still being far enough out to prevent overtakes at pinch points (thus causing the driver behind to think the road is too narrow, rather than there's a cyclist in the way). It'll come.
Kim - you appear to have missed your calling as a constructeur. That is some epic fettling.Indeedy.
Today, the dreaded disability mod:
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/sprint/IMG_3217.sized.jpg)
after an epic chain-suck incident on the first attempt to change out of the granny ring that required the removal of the chainring guard to un-jam
i found i had to gently adjust the angle of the lower chain tube at the roller with a pair of pipe grips to stop the chain derailing when back peddling.it would get jammed between the inner chain ring and the chain guard .like you i have moved the chain guard as close to the chain rings as i can and it seems ok at the moment .just to clarify a little , when i back peddled when reversing the the chain tube angle would pull the chain off the middle chain ring then off the inner and jam :)That used to happen to me on the old trike.
it is looking great :thumbsup:. is barakta getting a few rides in despite the weather ? :)
Assuming you'll be carrying the Carradice anyway, I see a nice eye above the rear pocket and suggest some velcro to connect that eye with the D-lock.
Dunno... I probably ought to see the private physio nr work for a proper assessment and so on, my GP would refer me to hospital if the physio recommended it as the GP and physio have a decent professional relationship.
Half the issue is that 'spine issues' are part of my syndrome but I don't officially have them but... And no one ever looks at more than 1 square centimetre of you at once to join the dots even tho the leg bones connect to the spine bones and if my vestibular system is as intermittent (it would be better if it didn't work at all) I could be having balance related musculoskeletal issues mainly...
IANOPhysio but some careful work on the turbo, concentraing on keeping good posture and everything aligned as you would like it should target the muscles that you need to be doing it for you. If your body remembers how to do it on the turbo it will probably remember it on the road when your mind is occupied with other things.
Is there any mileage in considering a wrist support just aft of the left handgrip? I'm thinking tribar forearm rest like this:
A 3 hour ride is not to be sniffed at and more than an awful lot of cyclists ever do.
a not inconsequential amount of cash as well.
Here's the current mirror arrangement we're using on barakta's ICE trike.
[snip details of bracket modification (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=48359.msg1169344#msg1169344)]
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/trike_mirror/IMG_3421.sized.jpg)
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/trike_mirror/IMG_3428.sized.jpg)
Not bad for a fiver a go :thumbsup:
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/sprint/IMG_3449.sized.jpg)You have got to be the most awesome girlfriend ever.
Disaster!
Catastrophic failure of one of the b-Twin mirror (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=48359.msg1169344#msg1169344) stalks, just below the ball joint where the stress is greatest:
(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/trike_mirror/IMG_3585.sized.jpg) (http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery/view_photo.php?full=1&set_albumName=trike_mirror&id=IMG_3585)
Complete arse to photograph, as it's tiny and hard to get the lighting right without proper gear, but the metal has sheared right off. We were proceeding along a perfectly reasonable stretch of smoothish tarmac at the time, and it hadn't been bashed recently or anything. Looks like there might be a manufacturing defect, but it's hard to tell.
In the interests of working mirrors I obtained some 100mm zinc plated steel corner brackets from the local DIY shed, though obviously alloy would be preferable for weight reasons:
You could almost do with making the bracket "T" shaped and bolting the other arm to the mudguard mounting bolt.
It may vibrate less that way.