Kingcycle

[Socks]

Well I'm about to join the dark side.  I've acquired a Kingcycle, made in the early 1990's.  No fairing or luggage pod, but it has the original magura hydraulic brakes, triple chainset, and strange wheel sizes.  I was thinking about:

- changing front forks to 20", maybe using some cheapo suspension forks that I happen to have in the spares box

- changing to standard V brakes, which I suspect will be easier to maintain and find parts for then the maguras

- changing the rear wheel to 540mm rather than 541mm, there seem to be more choice of tyre sizes

Before I start messing about with it, any thoughts or suggestions on these ideas and any potential updates or improvements?

[Mr Larrington]

You can use 540 tyres on a 541 rim without any trouble.  Switching to V-brakes on the front may be a problem as on most Vs the cable comes in from the wrong side and tends to become intimately involved with the chain; I'd stick with the Maguras.  Some Kingcycle forks made for the wanky 390 wheels will accomodate a 406; I knew one chap who was able to use a 406 Conti GP AND a mudguard on the stock fork.

Mine ended up with an aftermarket boingy fork sourced from USAnia, intended for some variety of 16" wheel, in which I was able to continue using the original 369 (Moulton-size) wheel, plus an XTR V-brake modified to bring the cable in from the opposite side.

[Efrogwr]

Magura brakes are far easier to work on than V brakes, and pads are readily available (including KoolStop).

[ElyDave]

Is that the one on e-bay recently?  Looked in sound enough condition for the frame at least.

[Kim]

Yeah, if the Maguras are in working order, I'd stick with them.  They're surprisingly lovely.

[Efrogwr]

Yeah, if the Maguras are in working order, I'd stick with them.  They're surprisingly lovely.

That's one way to desribe them! One that I agree with...

[Socks]

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like sticking with the maguras but maybe changing the front forks might be a good option.  Looks like you may have saved some unnecessary work.

[Socks]

That didn't go quite according to plan.  I wanted to put tougher tyres on, so needed to reduce the wheel size a bit.  Front is a 16" / 349mm with sturmey hub brake.  Rear is a 24" / 507mm.  Giving enough clearance for schwalbe marathons.

Fitted a saddle bag that I had going spare, with a little bracket to lift it a bit higher so that it wasn't pressing down on the mudguard.  There wasn't enough adjustment to keep the magura brake at the back, so I've replace that with a traditional dual pivot side pull.  New chain, cassette and rear hub as well.  Plus toestraps and bottle cage to match the seat and frame colours.

Just been for my first practice ride along the back lane.  Obviously very different to an upright, however I managed to get started and stop OK; and once I relaxed my arms a bit could even steer as well.   More practice required .......  There are some pictures here:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/143770804@N02/3VeM1h
https://www.flickr.com/gp/143770804@N02/6k3641
https://www.flickr.com/gp/143770804@N02/85Ad6H
https://www.flickr.com/gp/143770804@N02/N5nR77

[Phil W]

Great stuff I completed my fourth recumbent ride on Thursday. I'm loving it. Spare inner tubes arrived today so equipped to travel a bit further afield.

[Socks]

In case anyone still has a Kingcycle with the original size wheels, I've just put the wheels from my recumbent and two sets of 3 new old stock tyres (390mm front; 541 mm rear) on eBay.

One of the listings is here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182436986646?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

If anyone on here has a Kingcycle with those original (and rather unusual) wheels and would find these useful send me a message - I'd be happy to pack all these items up and send them on, for a reasonable price plus postage.

[Socks]

My first proper ride on a recumbent today.  I'd done a couple of practice trips along the quiet road outside our house, this was my first attempt with traffic, hills etc.  With apologies to the more experienced dark siders, these are my first impressions:

- Better in a head wind (presumably because I was lower down)
- I need more practice at starting, it's still a bit hit and miss and I'm not ready to try this in heavy traffic
- Relax the shoulders and arms .....
- Managed to turn corners, the mix of balance and steering is a bit different to the uprights
- Going uphill requires a different technique and pulling on the handlebars has no effect on climbing, but may result in steering towards the ditch
- Going downhill is moderately fantastic - even though I used the brakes a bit because I'm not yet confident with steering, it was easy to reach 36mph down Stagshaw bank and felt much more stable than on an upright

So maybe there is something to this recumbent malarkey.

[ElyDave]

 

All good, even after a year or more of it, I still had a false start today.

The advantage in a headwind is great, not so much higher speed, but lower effort

[Phil W]

Relax into the seat and enjoy the ride. For uphills I find it easier to balance if spinning a lower gear at higher cadence. I'm now up to 700km and 2 x 200km audax within that. Enjoy, I've managed a 13% gradient so far.

[Socks]

A late response to previous posts and assistance.  Thanks for the advice chaps.  I've been doing various rides over the last few months, and took part in my first 'official' event today, the Haydon Bridge sportive.  The weather was a bit challenging - rain most of the morning, and strong wind. So was the route, a lot of climbing but at least there were three options (60k, 2,500' of climbing;  100k, 5,000' feet climbing;  140k, 8,000' climbing).  In view of the weather, I took the easiest option and did the 60k route.  I wasn't sure how I would cope with some seriously steep climbs.  On balance:

- climbs were slightly slower than the upright
- head / side winds a lot less difficult, especially across Plenmeller Common where the rain was going sideways
- downhills fantastic, only problem was controlling my speed in the wet conditions
- slower than the fast lads on their carbon racing bikes, but then again I am on the upright as well

Finished the ride at an average of 11.5mph, quite fast by my standards and well within audax limits, although obviously not long enough for a calendar event.