A RECUMBENT TRICYCLE EXPERIENCE

My Inspired Cycle Engineering (www.ice.hpv.co.uk)'T' recumbent was purchased in April 2005 and went on the road for the first time in early May. The build up had been straightforward and took about three hours. A quick spin around the block, in pouring rain (this is Scotland after all) proved that I had not made a complete botch of it with a loose mudguard bolt being the only issue that arose.

Prior to my purchase and, I suspect, in common with many first timers, I had had concerns regarding riding in traffic, progress up hills, physical capability (I am an OAP) and just “would I like it” - I had not ridden any demonstrators. So 2500 miles later how has it worked out?

Well it has proved to be everything that I could have hoped for. My longest journey to date has been 50 miles with an fair average of 35-40 miles. On level ground and without wind assistance I seem to be comfortable at 11-12mph or so. The 50 mile trip to which I referred earlier was at an average speed of 9.6mph with my best effort being a journey of 35 miles at 10.6mph. Hill climbing, VERY common in this part of the world, I have found to be significantly slower than on a racing cycle I recently owned but, I don’t really know how to explain this, less tiring. Maybe I just don’t work hard enough. With “side” bag, spare tubes, tools, mudguards all round (the front ones being particularly heavy), full water bottle, camera etc. the all up weight must be around 45 lbs or about twice that of the aforementioned cycle.

Everything on the trike has worked perfectly. Maintenance has been minimal with the chain, with it's covering plastic tubes, seeming to stay well lubricated for hundreds of miles, really! All that has been done by way of maintenance has been to spray the transmission, gear changers, derailleur, brake pivots etc. with a water repellent lubricant every 500 miles or so. I have cleaned the machine only three times.  Having initially set the seat to it’s highest position it was not long before it was dropped to it’s lowest setting. This was not as simple as the Instruction Manual suggested since, in my case at least, the bolt holes for the seat back, carrier and frame did not line up without adjusting the rear boom.

I have always disliked the customary method of braking on a cycle. The sound of the rims being worn away, especially in the wet, makes me squirm and is very definitely low technology no matter what Messrs. Campagnolo and Shimano say. The Sturmey Archer hub brakes with which the 'T' comes equipped are a model of simplicity and ease of use. There is a little brake steer, which I find I can use to my advantage, but hardly any fall off (no pun intended) in performance in the wet. I understand that brake shoe replacement is almost unheard of.

The twist grip gear changers work reliably and well though I find I need a lightweight pair of leather gloves in warm weather. The gear range is late teens to early nineties with a lower bottom or higher top available as a factory extra. I think that I may well experiment at some point with shorter cranks, probably 150's.
 
Comfort has proved to be extraordinary. Now my rather ancient bones have adjusted themselves to their new demands I am NEVER uncomfortable during a ride or afterwards. It amazes me that whereas after 2 hours in a car I begin to fidget  4 to 5 hours on the trike are commonplace. A recent change of tyres (not because the Kendas were worn out but we are in the hedge flailing season around here) to Schwalbe Marathons with a Kevlar insert was an eye opener. It’s rather akin to having suspension after what I now see as the rather wooden feel of their predecessors.

Several people, including some cyclists, have commented that I should make myself more visible, especially from the rear. I do, more often than not, sport my ICE flag, wear a reflective jacket in the rain and use a flashing rear light in poor light conditions. Recently whilst sitting at the traffic lights in down town Annan a well meaning police person or traffic warden suggested that I could probably do with a BIGGER flag. In truth no one on any occasion and in every possible traffic and weather condition has not seen me and in plenty of time. In fact I feel much safer on my recumbent than I ever felt on my cycle or my Longstaff trike. I had quite a few close shaves with the Longstaff, presumably because drivers saw a cyclist and didn't actually notice the third wheel. The perception seems to be that something so close to the ground MUST be less noticeable, the reality is just the opposite. By the by, I had not realised what an essential accessory a rear view mirror is. I have never used one before and now I would never ride without one.

In my experience recumbent tricycles are slower overall than  'conventional'  tricycles, probably by about the same margin that tricycles are slower than bicycles but, and it's a big but, they are significantly safer and oh, so much more comfortable.  I would recommend that you try one.

Neil Gillott