Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Freewheeling => The Dark Side => Topic started by: rower40 on 03 May, 2008, 04:40:22 pm

Title: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: rower40 on 03 May, 2008, 04:40:22 pm

Take the Handbrake off.   :-[ :-[ :-[

Yup, I left it on after a stop. I'd re-attached my camelbak tube, unwound my spinning flag, and clipped the SPDs in.  I set off down a slight hill.  Only a coupla hundred yards later did I remember.

And now one of the rear rack retaining struts has broken. :( Too much bouncing around on sub-standard surfaces.

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: Valiant on 03 May, 2008, 04:46:36 pm

I had something similar when I relaxed my brake pads so they weren't resting on the discs lol

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: redshift on 03 May, 2008, 04:51:32 pm

Been there, done that.  I think it's the non-injurious equivalent of a clipless moment.  Taking the handbrake right off is apparently the preferred method of avoiding this problem in the future.  I've met people whose parking brake is a big rubber band to hold the hub brakes on while they're stopped.

Windcheetahs break racks for fun.  I'm on my third, and the third variation of mounting struts.  I've practically retired the trike from commuting, as Manchester's roads are just so crap.  When I get round to doing the new rear wheel, I may take the rack off - I just need to work out a method of carrying essentials (pump, tubes, tools) first.

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: rower40 on 03 May, 2008, 05:29:25 pm

Quote from: redshift on 03 May, 2008, 04:51:32 pm

Windcheetahs break racks for fun.

I'm glad it's not just me.  I broke my first one in Wick on the penultimate day of LeJoG in 2002.  But a garage mechanic welded it back together for the princely sum of (if memory serves me right) £15.

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: Becky on 03 May, 2008, 07:42:47 pm

Quote from: redshift on 03 May, 2008, 04:51:32 pm

I've practically retired the trike from commuting, as Manchester's roads are just so crap.  When I get round to doing the new rear wheel, I may take the rack off - I just need to work out a method of carrying essentials (pump, tubes, tools) first.

Mine was certainly heading in the breaking direction, gradually bending at the infamous meeting point of all the tubes.  Can you get away with a single pannier for carrying things, as I did (and still do)?

One other solution I've seen for carrying the minimum is to bolt a small handlebar bag to the back of the top of the seat.

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: TimO on 03 May, 2008, 10:52:00 pm

When I had a Trice, I used to regularly forget to take the handbrake off.  At the time, Peter Ross had a two stage brake lever, that could be locked on lightly or somewhat more solidly.  If you parked on the flat, it was only necessary to lock it lightly, and it was easier to release then.  It was quite possible to cycle off with the brake like that, but definitely a bit harder.  I remember doing it with the shopping once, and initially thinking that the shopping was just a bit heavier than I expected!

Title: Re: Windcheetah: For an almost-magical increase in Speed and Power
Post by: Mr Larrington on 06 May, 2008, 11:52:27 am

After having had three handbrake moments¹ on my Trice, there is now a little sticker reading "BRAKE!!!" atop the front light thing.

1 - distances varying from a few yards to 22 km :-[