Spent last week with my mates riding in Arran and the Kintyre peninsula. Looked at the map, saw more arrows than an archery competition and opted for my DF. Well, I had only ridden it once in the past year but even so! Came back with sore bum, aching shoulders and numb/tingling palms. Climbing the hill between Lochranza and Brodick on the way home I thought 'blow this for a lark this thing is for sale when I get back'. I'm being unfair I know but after 1100 miles on my trike this summer in France and not an ache (other than my legs of course)I realise I'm trapped!!!

Cheers

John

I'm certainly veering more and more towards the trike for long rides. In fact the only things stopping me using it all the time are lack of storage at home (so it lives a little way away), and the fact that I'm not keen to take it to my other work - some of the local yoofs are not the sort I want to see it and associate me (and therefore my workplace) with it.

My uprights therefore, still have their place for day to day shorter rides.

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me wash the car. If I had a car.

Also often found on www.cyclechat.co.uk



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2010 05:20PM by Arch.

I too am veering more towards triking recumbency - particularly as the more miles I do, the less the difference between upright and recumbent speeds. I even passed two cyclists today! That said, the DFs have their place, especially if I'm wanting to be a little incognito or the weather's foul (DFs are easier to clean than trikes, imho).

I had no choice. Medical advice, 30 months ago, to avoid two wheels has seen me selling bikes and buying a second trike.

It broke my heart to sell my Thorn Club Tour and Azub-4.

However I find triking is surprisingly practical for everything from trafic jamming to day rides.

I do miss the anonymity and the ease of parking in town of a DF but only occasionally.

"I thought of that while riding my bike." --Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail.
1951 Engine in need of partial rebuild.

One of the main advantages is that on a trike in hot weather, it is possible to reach down to the side pod, zip it open , extract a cold can of beer and drink it .

There'll be a queue of people along in a moment to tell you not to drink and ride.



You might spill the beer!

"I thought of that while riding my bike." --Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail.
1951 Engine in need of partial rebuild.

Is there a thing like the 'widget' to prevent the shaken beer going everywhere?

Seeing as we are talking about trikes.

I rode about 25 miles on Saturday. My ICE has a shell seat and I get a relly wet back. I got through 2 t-sirts on Saturday.

Are the mesh seats much cooler than the shell seats?

Steve

Replaced the shell seat on my tandem trike with a mesh seat that I got from ICE. This makes a big difference in terms of ventilation and comfort. Even so, I find that when riding the trike, I get warmer than when I ride an upright bike.

FlyingDutchman

I had a hard shell seat on the AZUB and even with a thick open cell pad the seat base would have a puddle after a ride on a cold day. Both my trikes have a mesh seat and 'sweaty back' is not an issue.

"I thought of that while riding my bike." --Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail.
1951 Engine in need of partial rebuild.

Yo,
yep mesh seats are the biz. In winter you can slide a camping mat down the back to keep warm.

When new the straps need tightening until they stay tight. This is important, I forgot after a few rides and wondered what was wrong. A lot of useful pressure goes into the seat from the back and ( sic) buttox.

I am using a thick camping mat and keeps you warm and you have not cold comming from the back or from below !

dieselfuel properties, hydraulicoil filters, coalmine fire

RobH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is there a thing like the 'widget' to prevent the
> shaken beer going everywhere?

In Nick's case he goes slow enough that the beer is unshaken!

I use a ventisit pad on the euromesh seat on my Bacchetta Giro and I have the ICE mesh on the trike. We had some hot days in France this summer but the trike seat felt perfectly comfortable. No more sweaty a back than would be usual. Of course in Scotland sweaty backs are less common!

I wouldn't want to leave my 'bents even if I could! My Thorn Sherpa, much loved as it is, is probably confined to day rides now.