Search found 71 matches

by skelo
4 Jun 2023, 6:39pm
Forum: Non-standard, Human Powered Vehicles
Topic: HP Velotechnik introduced new delta trike
Replies: 10
Views: 4043

Re: HP Velotechnik introduced new delta trike

Probably not for the 'purists' but anything that broadens the choice in disability cycling has to be a good thing.

.It looks like a slight 're-engineering' of a Van-Raam or Hase. So hardly ground-breaking

I doubt this helps with the biggest barrier to disability cycling-the price (i guess we don't know details yet?)
by skelo
5 Oct 2021, 9:46pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bavaria
Replies: 25
Views: 1828

Re: Bavaria

borisface wrote: 4 Sep 2021, 9:19pm I wouldn't go if you like beer. Virtually impossible to find drinkable beer in Bavaria.
That's why I stay North of Sheffield! :lol: :lol:
by skelo
13 May 2021, 7:27pm
Forum: Non-standard, Human Powered Vehicles
Topic: leg amputee seeking inspiration
Replies: 14
Views: 4173

Re: leg amputee seeking inspiration

a little different I know, but post-stroke I have triked thousands of miles with a paralysed left arm and leg, including some long European adventures, best idea is to go try one out and have fun!
by skelo
25 Jan 2021, 8:52pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Roads and cyclepaths with appropriate names
Replies: 37
Views: 3066

Re: Roads and cyclepaths with appropriate names

prestavalve wrote:There a housing development around York called "Tandem Place".


there is also Cycle Street, off Hull Road (not the bike shop) :lol:
by skelo
11 Oct 2020, 5:37pm
Forum: Non-standard, Human Powered Vehicles
Topic: Giving up!
Replies: 34
Views: 4590

Re: Giving up!

Trike is the way to go. I have done about 5000 miles with a paralysed left arm & leg. (e-assist required for hills)
by skelo
11 Oct 2020, 3:27pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Hull to Zeebrugge ferry route ends
Replies: 31
Views: 2360

Re: Hull to Zeebrugge ferry route ends

Gutted by this news as the owner of a trike that won't fit on a train, Hull is an easy 50 mile ride from home and my only realistic route to the continent. Last summer we did a low-countries round trip Hull-Rotterdam Zeebrge-Hull a perfect week's round-trip. also a shame for northern beer lovers weekend in Brugge!

Having said that the Zeebrugge ferry was a bit old and tired compared to the Rotterdam ferry and nowhere near as busy. I guess it has been in long term decline and doesn't stack up for a replacement/refit. and Covid is the final nail in it's coffin.

I don't see why people think that Covid is an 'excuse'. I suggest that it is just a hard economic reality for this and many industries, which is likely to be compounded by whatever happens on or before 31st December. Sad times............
by skelo
18 Jul 2020, 11:01am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Great Glen Way
Replies: 7
Views: 642

Re: Great Glen Way

climo wrote:We did the Great Glen Cycle Route last May on recumbent trikes. You'll be fine on a Raven. There's only 1 day on gravel forest road which is tougher on a trike. Inverness to Oban is easier for the sole reason that the pass on the first day is a lot easier on the Inverness side. I'd hate to do to it from the other direction.
It's a great route.


I was about to ask about trike? Thanks for going off-point'!
by skelo
4 Jul 2020, 10:36pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Camino by Trike?
Replies: 18
Views: 1167

Re: Camino by Trike?

[quote="Tilley"]How do people organise the return leg? Especially interested as I too am a trike rider.[/quot

I guess the return leg is always difficult with a trike. Mine is a non-folding Kettweisel so any public transport is a definite no-no.

I am in York so can cycle to the Hull Ferries which is handy.

2019 did a 10-day tour of Holland and Belgium via Hull simple round trip home-home

2017 did York to Lucca one way over 35 days. Lucky to have a best mate who is a Housebuilder who sent a one of his guys in a Transit van on a 3000 mile round to pick my trike up allowing me to drink a lot of wine and then fly home.

Spent a life doing people favours so I'm not embarrassed about calling them in now I need it!
by skelo
4 Jul 2020, 11:58am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Camino by Trike?
Replies: 18
Views: 1167

Re: Camino by Trike?

IanA wrote:If you are able to do the whole thing would the reverse of the second option not be better? Cycle across France and join the main Camino Frances at St John Pied de Port. Once at Santiago hire a vehicle to drive back to Santander for the ferry. This would allow you to join in the full experience of the camino, meeting the other walkers/cyclists, joining up with others for small sections, meeting up with the same group of people at different times as your paths continue to cross and finishing at the cathedral in Santiago. We did this by tandem a few years ago, making up our own route across UK/France. Across Spain we didn't follow the walking route but the closest most appropriate road/track, which in many places was also the walking route so still lots of people about. There were some sections of the walking route that would be only possible on a mountain bike and therefore I suspect not possible on a trike. We met lots of other cyclists doing similar to us and therefore still had the feeling of being on the camino. We picked up a vehicle at Santiago airport which is just out of town, and you pass on the way in, and dropped it off at Santander Airport, again just a short cycle ride from the ferry terminal. There is lots of information and web sites on the net if you do some searching, including camino discussion forums with cycling sub-forums. We found a Michelin map of the walking route in a small book format was useful. We met a few Dutch/German cyclists using the Bikeline Jakobs Radweg guide which although in German has detailed maps of what is becoming a well used cyclists version of the camino route. A very comprehensive guide, principally for walkers but with masses of information for anybody travelling the route, is "A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino De Santiago: St. Jean - Roncevalles - Santiago" by John Brierly. This is updated annually so get the latest edition. Accommodation on the route is relatively easy as long as you are not at a busy time. There are very few people who camp with many of the pilgrims staying in dormitory style hostels/Albergues. We avoided these as they have a reputation of being noisy, with walkers leaving very early to make sure they get a place at the next one. There are plenty of small hotels and rooms available along the route mainly meeting the needs of the pilgrims. We mainly used Booking.com to book a few days ahead although there are plenty of lists of accommodation and other facilities available. For food, everywhere offers a cheap 3 course Pilgrim menu which is generally good if a bit repetitive at times.
In conclusion, yes perfectly possible by trike but following a cycling version of the walking route. Have a great time.

Photo of parallel walking and cycling route on the way to Leon.


Thanks, really useful info!
Yes would love to meet people on the way, I have now looked at a lot of the route on street view and there is often a walker or cyclist in frame so I don't expect to be alone! Is it normally a one-direction experience? i.e. to Santiago, not from?

Its a long way off so all options are open Including cycling to/from York to Portsmouth, or indeed Hull and then cycling to/from Rotterdam/Zeebrugge.

from the responses it seems like a goer to me as long as i can squeeze it into a month. and work out how to do it at reasonable cost (which I doubt!)
by skelo
4 Jul 2020, 11:44am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Camino by Trike?
Replies: 18
Views: 1167

Re: Camino by Trike?

tatanab wrote:Upright or recumbent?
I have not ridden the Camino in any great distance but have crossed the route several times. However, I have ridden an upright from Bilbao to St Malo when I was attending a tricycle race in the Deux Sevres area. I don't follow any sort of preplanned route. I knew that the coast road north from Bilbao would be very busy, and there is another big road route further inland. In between it is possible to use a minor road route which gets exciting in a few places due to some severe gradients and roads that look like concrete farm tracks with no road signs (days before GPS, but still only about 12 years ago). Having ridden the Raid Pyrenneen about 20 years before this trip, I knew that the coastal roads around Henday are very busy indeed, so I chose to travel a little way inland at that point, crossing the Spanish/French border near Ainhoa. From there I stayed a little inland through Les Landes to cross the Garonne on the ferry to Royan which is a nice 30 minute break. After that - routine riding up to St Malo. While in Les Landes area I did look at some of the cycle routes which were well surfaced being a holiday area, but they were not something I wanted to use since I was not dawdling and like to spend my time on the tiny back roads.


useful info Thanks

Recumbent with a bit of e-assist (necesarry for anyrthing steeper than 10%) happy to go inland and do some hills to avoid busy roads and better scenery. sadly coastal roads always seem to busy.
by skelo
3 Jul 2020, 11:56am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Camino by Trike?
Replies: 18
Views: 1167

Re: Camino by Trike?

simonineaston wrote:been done by donkey...


Donkey on a trike?
by skelo
2 Jul 2020, 9:09pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Camino by Trike?
Replies: 18
Views: 1167

Camino by Trike?

Bit of a Long-shot, just wondered if anyone has done the Camino on a Trike?

I am thinking of having a go at it with a mate on two wheels, probably in April/May 2021, or more likely 2022. being 'limited mobility' and with the restrictions of a trike I like/have to plan well in advance. (as well as saving up and convincing the wife to let me go!)

The Trike won't fit in a car and wont fit on (any) public transport so I pretty much have to cycle 'round trip'. I can't pitch a tent or get in a sleeping bag so its definitely B&B or cheap hotels.

Having done a bit of route planning on Cycle Travel and have come up with a couple of possible options.
1. Ferry to Bilbao. south to Burgos to pick up the Camino route to Santiago de Compostela then return using the North coastal route via Coruna and back to Bilbao 1350km 50% of it looks pretty hilly so will take me about 4 weeks.
2. Ferry to Bilbao, hire a van one-way to take me and trike to Santiago, cycle back across to Burgos, up to Hendaye to cross into France. 'Velodysseye' up to Caen and get the ferry to UK. roughly 1600km, mostly flat but with the odd significant hump. about 4.5 weeks at my pace.

I know that back home through france will be ok obstacle-barrier wise. Any thoughts about northern spain? or general camino/route advice?
by skelo
11 Jun 2020, 11:17am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Several day tour with e-bike
Replies: 64
Views: 2995

Re: Several day tour with e-bike

Apologies if I have replied to this already.

I cycled my e-assist trike from York to Lucca (Italy) roughly 1500 miles avg. 40 miles/day staying in hotels/B&B so re-charging every night. Didn't take a spare battery so had to 'grin and bear it' when it ran out. battery is good for 50 miles on the flat or about 35 in the hills. I guess those stats may be a lot better for an able-bodied cyclist.

I forked out about £500 at Christmas for a second battery to carry and double my range in anticipation of some fun (and quicker) touring but covid seems to have b*llxed that up for now!
by skelo
19 May 2020, 7:48pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Securing your bike
Replies: 8
Views: 682

Re: Securing your bike

Thick cable and hefty padlock that makes a mockery of all the lightweight gear I've spent a fortune on!!
by skelo
21 Mar 2020, 3:37pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Weak leg on ebike
Replies: 6
Views: 672

Re: Weak leg on ebike

I have an imbalance of roughly 90-10 right to left leg, done about 5000 miles to date on e-trike with a bottom bracket torque sensor. haven't noticed any imbalance Other than my own). it may be different on two wheels.