How (not) to ride a trice 2-wheeler

[mrcharly-YHT]

I was taken with the 26" wheeled version of the trice 2wheeler.

They had a little wheel version available to try, so I took it for a turn around the grass. Hmm, not too wobbly.

Round again. Hey, I can ride this no-hands.

Oh woops, I've clipped in.

Unclip left foot before stopping, feeling very smug.

Stop.

Topple gently to the right.

Only 50-60 people watching.

[clarion]

Hehe.  One of my most embarrassing moments was my first try of a recumbent at York Rally.  The test track was a bit bigger then than now, but the previous rider had left the Peer Gynt in top gear, so I really struggled to get moving enough to change down. 

[hulver]

Heh. Wish I'd stopped around to watch.

Did you get the credit card out?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Nope - wife said I needed to buy her one first, lol.

[clarion]

His'n'Hers recumbents - how sweet!

[tom_e]

Very clever.

They had the 26" one out on the Saturday, though t'weather was grim so you did better really.

Had a quick go on 26/20 combination, and when I asked if it was possible to try the B2 he swapped the front wheel for another 26.  Apparently they just tried the B2 with a 20 inch in the front and found the geometry works surprisingly well.

Have to say both configurations felt much easier to handle than I expected, even at very low speed.  I like it, I just don't seem to have the money lying around, phooey.

Other than that there isn't much you can tell going round a little wet grass loop.  Tho it's perfectly friendly if you accidentally skid the rear wheel pushing forwards or lock it under braking either.

Hmm...

[mrcharly-YHT]

Well, ditto.

I'd had a quick ride of an HP Spirit on Wed and there was no comparison.  The spirit required constant steering, weaved all over the place. I could ride the B1 hands-free (in a straight line) almost immediately.

[tom_e]

Oops, I seem to have managed a re-assessment of the monies* and am now enjoying my nice comfy B2...

Went out for a 61km ride on it yesterday, first proper trip.  Deliberately kept spinning lightly for the first 40km at least - I didn't want to discover exactly which muscles need retraining whilst I still had a way to go.  It's always a bit weird deliberately cycling gently and resisting the urge to push.  Overtaken by several roadies, then nearly managed to catch a lady with a childseat, but she turned off down a residential road (presumably to avoid my triumph). 

Great fun and gradually speeding up and looking around me more as I went - I think my eyes were a bit glued to the straight on direction at first without thinking about it.

Commuted in today, and it's now sitting in pride of place in the office, teasing me.  I need to acquire a rackbag; I'm on two half-full panniers today since I didn't think it was a good idea to use my normal monopannier way while still learning to ride again?

I won't attempt a proper review until I've got some experience on it, but right now it feels a very nice and friendly tourer, and it's my bike and it's lovely and you can all bugger off 

Now to acquire the bent legs properly..   



* : half truth - the other half is that my wife actually saw the B2 at York, and thought it looked higher and more like a normal bike than any of the other recumbents she has seen.  Hence she is more convinced.   

[Sigurd Mudtracker]

I'm very jealous.  But I think at 5'7" and with stumpy legs I doubt I'd be able to reach the ground.

BTW, the Radical side bags that hang off the seat are very good and as capacious as a couple of decent saddlebags - and much lighter than a rack + pannier combination.

[tom_e]

Yes, the leg length is fine for me, but if it's too high for your legs then it could be very awkward to handle.  Might gain an inch or more with the 20 inch front wheel, you might be ok then?

The radical bags did look nifty, but right now I wanted to minimise the cost incl. extras, so went for the rack to keep it compatible with the other bike kit.  I can always ask Santa later.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I'm very jealous.  But I think at 5'7" and with stumpy legs I doubt I'd be able to reach the ground.

That's me, too.

They ran the boom in as far as it goes, and it was still nearly too long for me.

[Mr Larrington]

I'm very jealous.  But I think at 5'7" and with stumpy legs I doubt I'd be able to reach the ground.

That's me, too.

They ran the boom in as far as it goes, and it was still nearly too long for me.

Darth Ian had to saw a couple of inches off the boom of Cosimo the Stealth Baron, and I'm 6'3"...