Author Topic: Counting down to the switch  (Read 1857 times)

Counting down to the switch
« on: 21 May, 2018, 04:07:42 pm »
After many years of riding DFs on tours, club runs etc. I’m making the switch to a recumbent trike. To a fair extent this was brought on by a recent diagnosis of arthritis in wrists and thumbs. Riding a drop bar bike over our pot holed roads was becoming a bit grim.

I’ve ordered an ICE Sprint which should arrive late next week. Having read several posts on this forum, I get the general gist is to keep the upper body relaxed, don’t press back into the seat or pull on the bars too hard and expect a fair period of adjustment whilst different muscles get used to it during which I’ll probably be a fair bit slower, especially on hills.

Any other advice would be welcome, as would the pleasure of some company if any of you hail from York or in relatively easy reach?

Paul.


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Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #1 on: 21 May, 2018, 05:52:37 pm »
There are many here with much more experience than I, but since I got here first I'll give you some thoughts.
Trikes are great fun, and ICE make really nice ones so you are off to a great start. You are correct about keeping your upper body relaxed. I think there is a tendency initially to tense up a bit so just remember consciously to relax your shoulders and arms for the first few rides. then it will be second nature. You can ride a trike with fingertips and I would recommend you do this every now and again to help stop you gripping too tight. No point introducing tension anywhere in your upper body when you ride a trike!
It does take a bit of time to get the legs accustomed to recumbent riding. I found initially that it was the very tops of my thighs and over the front of my hips that struggled. Indeed, I pushed it too far too soon and then had trouble walking for a few days! Just take it easy and build up gradually. Far better to get home and realise then, and the next day, that you could have ridden further/harder than to realise you went too far/hard!
Don't be afraid of experimenting with bar position, seat angle, boom length etc. Then you will get to learn what suits you best.
Practice braking somewhere safe. The first time you lift the rear wheel can be an eye opener or a pant filler. If you practice building up braking effort somewhere safe it's more likely to be the former than the latter.
Watch out for cambers on corners. Fast cornering requires leaning but even maximum lean isn't enough at slow speeds if the camber is wrong. There are videos out there where you can learn from others mistakes, probably on youtube.
Low gears and spinning are your friends on hills. You can push into the seat back if required but I wouldn't rely on that too much. Remember if it gets too much you can just stop. Take a breather, enjoy the view. No struggling to re-mount on a steep hill, just increase pressure on the pedals, release the brakes and off you go again. It's a revelation.
And finally, enjoy.  8)

Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #2 on: 21 May, 2018, 06:45:18 pm »
Cheers Firedfromthecircus, I’ll take that advice and try it as you suggest. I’m intrigued about the camber issue at lower speeds, I’ll try to find something on YouTube because I’m not sure I’m clear about that or what to do about it.


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Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #3 on: 21 May, 2018, 07:30:22 pm »
I've had a quick look but I can't find the video I remember watching. However, here is a thread on BROL that covers some of the issues.
 http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=62634&highlight=trike+overturn

Basically think turning into an up-sloping driveway. the turn un-weights the inside wheel and the camber/slope does the same. Net result could be painful. Just something to be aware of.

Remembered another tip. SPDs or some other secure foot retention system is a must on a tadpole trike. Foot suck doesn't bear thinking about.  :o

Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #4 on: 22 May, 2018, 01:14:44 pm »
Cheers for the link, that helps. Spuds are already part of the spec, but after reading the link I may now splash out on elbow pads too. Could become a new trend, elbow sliders......getting your elbow down as the triking equivalent of getting your knee down on a motorbike !


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Kim

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Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #5 on: 22 May, 2018, 02:26:02 pm »
In real life it's hard to lift a wheel, let alone roll the trike, unless you overcook a corner or otherwise take the piss (emergency swerving to avoid something is how you're most likely to do it).  If you keep to the sort of speeds and turn radius you'd use on an upwrong, you'll be fine.  I've only managed it once, while comedy off-roading on a muddy canal bank with a ludicrous camber.

Practising lifting a wheel by doing tight low-speed turns in a car park is probably worthwhile, though, if only to get a feel for how it behaves.  The Sprint is reasonable graceful about the difference between one wheel lifted and flipping over.

It's mostly the standard recumbent newbie stuff like seat and bar adjustment and pedalling technique, you have to get used to having to consciously tell it where to go with the handlebars, rather than just looking where you want to be as you would when riding a bike, but the process is intuitive, especially if you're used to driving a car.  The most important newbie skill is getting a feel for where the wheels are with regard to pothole-avoidance (top tip: if the hazard passes under your foot, it will avoid both wheels), and n-point turns around Silly Sustrans Gates™.

Other non-riding things to get used to are how much of a drop you can safely roll down without grounding the frame; it's something less than a typical kerb height, on a Sprint (a bit of helicopter tape on the bottom of the cruciform is a good idea).  Also, pulling the trike around backward by lifting the back wheel, rather than attempting to push it.  And - as is standard for recumbents - if doing a more-than-one-person lift, as soon as someone supports the front of the boom (which is something well-meaning people always try to do[1] when you've got to carry one over some obstacle), be aware the whole thing will immediately try to tip sideways.  This can be used to good effect to carry the trike through a standard doorway: apply the rear parking brake, one person lifts by the chainring guard, the other grabs the back wheel / luggage rack and controls the rotation.

Standing the trike sideways on one of the front wheels doesn't normally hurt anything (the mudguard might bend a little), and greatly simplifies puncture repair on the opposite wheel.


[1] If they're non-cyclists, expect them to grab it by something inappropriate like a light.

Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #6 on: 22 May, 2018, 07:22:36 pm »
Thanks Kim, I really appreciate the insights. The advice about potholes passing under a foot makes perfect sense, though given how many there are on some of the roads round here (hundreds of yards of joined up holes and failed repairs on some popular routes) I’ve opted for Big Apples and full suspension, but will use the avoidance technique whenever I can - thank you.

I’ve already had to manhandle a demo trike backwards through a York council gate on a main cycle path just 200 yards from Get Cycling (York’s cycling mobility specialist where I’m getting the trike from).....you’d have thought.....then again maybe not!

All the best.


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Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #7 on: 31 May, 2018, 08:23:36 pm »
The trike has arrived! First ride today, a gentle 30 miler on local roads and Sustrans trails to start getting the legs used to the change from DF to recumbent. It seemed to cope well, not sure my knees did though!



Not sure the Rohloff is set up quite right, so an excuse to fettle!

Now I need to part with my TI Burls audax bike and steel single-speed. Was thinking of auctioning them at the York cycle show in June, but may try on YACF if that sort of thing is likely to sell?


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ElyDave

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Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #8 on: 31 May, 2018, 08:30:45 pm »
That looks great Spooner, hope you enjoy it.

I must find someone local who's willing to let me have a try of their trike, see if I want to go down that route or not.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #9 on: 31 May, 2018, 09:18:26 pm »

I must find someone local who's willing to let me have a try of their trike, see if I want to go down that route or not.

You'll never reach the pedals on mine...   :P
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: Counting down to the switch
« Reply #10 on: 31 May, 2018, 10:07:14 pm »
As for knees the secret is to avoid pushing hard on the pedals and spinning as much as possible.  The position allows you to put a lot of force through your knees.   :)
the slower you go the more you see