Drawn to the dark side !!!

[teamonster]

I'm currently having an enforced break from cycling, due to a broken scaphoid bone in the wrist, the result of failing to stay upright on a stationary bike - don't ask ! This has led to an unhealthy interest in internet surfing ! I've found myself strangely drawn to the idea of moving to the dark side.

Should I destroy the computer now and seek forgiveness, or continue further down this path ? Several people have warned me that no good will come of it - heavy/expensive etc, but I'm keen to investigate further, not least because I fear my wrist may not be good as new anytime soon !

[rower40]

Do it.  After an accident that put me in hospital with a broken wrist, I couldn't use drop bars for ages, so switched to commuting on my 'bent. Under-seat steering meant no nasty forces on my arms.  Thumbshifters on the ends of the bars are ideal - I still can't use twist-grip gear changers (my wrists were never very strong anyway).

Keep doing the exercises.  In particular, neck flexibility is a bit more "mission-critical" on a 'bent, as you need to turn further round to look behind you.  And fit mirrors etc.

Go for it.  You'll look back on the day you ride away from the shop on a newly-bought 'bent (or a large cardboard box is delivered to your house with spangly new strange-shaped metal inside) as a life-changing one.

[arallsopp]

A ride mate of mine spanked his wrist in a similar fashion (although moving at the time) and has spent the time since hankering after different configurations of drops, butterfly bars, aero bars, twist grips, shifters, et al. None really relieves the weight on his wrist sufficiently to let him ride without concern.

He can ride my 'bents without any kind of pain, except the balance issues that saw him off the first time round continue to plague.

When I tally the money he's put towards trying to sort it on the DF, we both know he might have done better selling up and buying a recumbent trike.

Ymmv, of course. Hopefully you recover fully before you get a test ride in, else its not so much a choice of 'if' but 'when'

[JJ]

I'd love one, but they seem to be so damn expensive.  I've done all my audaxing on a bike that cost me £250, and now that its frame has gone the way of all flesh, I can get a new frame for reasonable money.

The cheapest recumbents of equivalent quality seem to come in at £700 and up, second hand, and I'd still probably want an upright for club runs and rides involving a train trip to get to the start.

But with my back grumbling away again, I find myself yearning after one.

[vorsprung]

You don't have to ride it forever

When your wrist is strong again you could go back to a proper bike

[DrMekon]

JJ - have you spoken to Kevin at D-Tek? The numbers he dropped into conversation regarding s/h 'bents were surprisingly low (less than £700).

I am going for a try out session in June.

[RichForrest]

You can get them on trains also 
Well the 2 wheeled ones you can 

[rwa.martin]

and my Giro 20's still available........

[Jedrik]

You don't have to ride it forever

When your wrist is strong again you could go back to a proper bike

You might not want to.
But if you do, you might find yourself surprisingly strong.

[JJ]

JJ - have you spoken to Kevin at D-Tek? The numbers he dropped into conversation regarding s/h 'bents were surprisingly low (less than £700).

I am going for a try out session in June.

I did speak to him last year when it was bad in the run-up to LEL.  In the end he was forced to cancel, and we never set the try-out up again.  I got through LEL by taking care and being a selfish b***er.   Maybe I should give him another call.

[Quint]

Do not resist the force, The Dark Side beckons, tis useless to resist, if you are local to me you are welcome to try my Q-NT, I will warn you though that after you have tried a good recumbent trike you will leave with a ridiculously large grin on your face and plotting to rob someone to raise the funds.
      I have had mine four years and after about 6 months had a recurrence of vertigo attacks, I had no option but forget all other forms of transport and use my trike, I would never return, the force has claimed me for ever, manic grin down fast hills, wry grin up nasty hills but always a grin, motto now Phuket, try and enjoy

[teamonster]

The trice recumbents had caught my eye - right now I can't try anything out, as a) can't drive anywhere and b) the consultant has warned me not to go near a bike of any kind for fear of b****ring up my wrist further ! Of course I told him the thought of cycling with cast on had never crossed my mind 

[Sigurd Mudtracker]

I frequently ride along on my trike one-handed, free hand tucked under the seat  or fiddling with a camera or something.  Most modern recumbent trikes have fairly minimal brake steer so you can get away with braking on one side only.  Shifting might be more difficult.  However you can get twin-pull brake levers and mount a combination of twistgrips and bar end shifters for one armed use.

It's probably a big step to take if you don't already have a recumbent trike, but I can see that if I was in your position I'd be out in the garage tinkering with the trike to make it suitable to ride... probably before the cast on my wrist was fully set 

[Cunobelin]

Twin pull brake lever and you are sorted!

[harrumph]

The best reason for trying a recumbent, regardless of whether or not you need to, is that they are:

FUN!! Fun!, Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun...

If you don't try one, you'll never know what you have missed out on. All serious cyclists should at least try a recumbent.

Oh, and a recumbent saved my cycling life. But the main reason I ride one (well, several) is because it's FUN 

[Quint]

The best reason for trying a recumbent, regardless of whether or not you need to, is that they are:

FUN!! Fun!, Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun...

If you don't try one, you'll never know what you have missed out on. All serious cyclists should at least try a recumbent.

Oh, and a recumbent saved my cycling life. But the main reason I ride one (well, several) is because it's FUN 

    Met two "cyclists" in my local after a toddle yesterday, they asked us (Barbara rides a Catrike Road) what recumbent trikes were like and then very rudely used everything they had in their tiny minds to trash them, FUN is of course the one thing that "serious people - cyclists included" don't allow themselves, wouldn't be serious would it. And yes, recumbent trikes are incredible FUN,

[teamonster]

6 weeks and still in plaster (or more accurately fibreglass !) and still thinking of the dark side, what should I spot down in town, but the Ealing LCC group doing their DR Bike session. There were people trying out penny farthings, but it wasn't those that caught my eye. No it was an ice trike sitting all on its own. Having sought out the kind owner, I got my first, if a little short ride on one. I wasn't even on the road, but it was enough to bring a smile to my face. As soon as the cast is off, I'll be off to have a proper test run. In the meantime if anyone knows of any second hand ice trikes - I'm dead keen !

[cycleman]

d tek recumbent little thetford near ely . lot,s of nice 2nd hand machines 

[Quint]

Might be a Catrike Road for sale here, usual spec bar ends etc 1600 miles

[teamonster]

I'm sort of veering towards a Trice as they can fold, but once I get the cast off and I can drive, I'm going to take a look and a ride of a few different models. Ive already convinced my partner that they have such a good re-sale value, I can buy one as temporary measure and get shot once I am 100% again ! (When I say convinced. I think she's already working out what she gets as compensation !)

[teamonster]

Drove up to Derby today to look at some Greenspeed Recumbants. My mate who is losing is sight was keen on the tandem so we had a spin on that, then I took out a GT5, felt like a little kid on a bogey (home made go kart, for the non Northerners on the forum ) just wants to be ridden fast around corners - great ! Need to fix up a trip to Ely next to see a few other models

[jogler]

Did my first proper ride on this

 

today.
30km on the Tissington & High Peak Trails.Dropped it only once
Starting was initially a "danger to others" affair but gradually improved to a not-too-shabby performance.Still lots of room for improvement.
The low c of g makes head-turning a hazardous practice & shoulder shuffling a kamikaze exercise.I was suprised about the effect side wind has on the handling/steering.Double panniers & a rack pack may be having a "sail" effect
I really enjoyed riding without wearing lycra & cycle-specific shoes.
I need a rear-view mirror ( I cannot turn my head to that degree & maintain a straight line) so that I can take it onto the road.
I think it would be wise to fit a larger sprocket & a granny ring to cope with some of the steeper hills in the Peaks &  provide gears low enough to allow the carriage of lightweight camping kit.
Definatley grinfactor riding

[jogler]

Drove up to Derby today to look at some Greenspeed Recumbants.

where was that exactly?

[JonBuoy]

Probably here

[jogler]

I knew they had relocated but didn't know they are that close to my place
I might call there on my way to meet Peli & Wooley on monday.
Thanks very much for that