Dennis, I’m pretty new to my ICE Sprint too, having clocked up my first 700 miles on a recumbent after many years on DF bikes.
Kim’s advice was very helpful to me too, and here are a few extra pointers from my own r cent ‘growing pains’ in case it helps you....
Like you, I started off with the 170mm cranks ICE supply as standard, but having met the guys from ICE at the York Rally, two of them (both over 6’) have apparently switched to 152.5mm cranks and their average speeds have improved as a result they tell me. I changed to 155mm cranks (TA Carmina) with twin AbsoluteBlack oval chainrings. I increased cadence and got much smoother in my pedalling action.
My knee trouble has greatly reduced and it’s getting easier to increase speeds and mileages. I have no doubt at all that some of it is just down to putting in the miles, but the combination of shorter cranks, upping the cadence, tweaking boom length and switching to oval chainrings made a noticeable difference for me too. Reclining the seat to the max may have helped somewhat too, as I seem to have less pressure on my lumbar spine when pedalling hard now.
It’s been a difficult transition for me from DF to recumbent. I’ve had to start off with much shorter mileages at lower speeds than I used to do just to build up slowly as my fully specked trike weighs in at 29kg without luggage and liquids. On hilly rides like a recent weekend bash of the Peak District with 2,000’ a day climbing ive found it very tough.
I wish there were more recumbents around York to ride out with as its been tough keeping up with some of my friends who still ride DF. Maybe an ICE VTX one day for that sort of thing....if I win the lottery!
Best of luck, relax and enjoy!
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