Cycling UK Forum

Joe.B wrote:Ice are terrific, customer service hero's.

In case anyone from ICE reads this thread it is seeing so many posts like this that helped tip me in favour of buying a Vortex recently !!

Every LBS has them here in Germany !!

Maybe you can find a UK importer of German (or Dutch...) bikes, or buy mailorder, or get a cheap day ferry trip to Holland and bring one back !!

I have commuted by trike for years, but mine is a Kett, so somewhat "cheaper" than your wife's.

I think theft risk depends a lot on your location: I live in a smallish German town and park in a cycle rack near my office, overlooked only slightly by other offices but I never felt it was at risk (also there are several very shiny mountain bikes in the same racks !).
Also I feel my Kett is not that desirable to thieves: I am not sure I would be happy locking my shiny new Vortex in the same place !!

ukdodger wrote:The download site wants to instal a toolbar as part of the download

Ohh: OK. Can I assume you are on Windows ? (I have only used it on Linux, and did not know there was a toolbar !) I guess there is no way of disabling it/preventing it downloading ? (AFAIK auto-installing toolbars etc is usually considered 'bad form' for a GNU licensed project !)

ukdodger wrote:

zoxed wrote:I use http://www.qlandkarte.org/...

Thanks but I dont want yet another toolbar I cant delete. You can switch views on Gpsies.

Not sure what you mean about the toolbar ? Qlandkarte is a program that you install, and can connect to online services, and/or use offline/cached maps.

I use http://www.qlandkarte.org/ for route planning: one thing I love about is that you can link it to any on-line maps or any offline maps you may have. And you can switch the views whilst you are planning your route: e.g. I often switch between OSM, OSM bike and Google satellite to refine my route. And the route planning supports whole raft of optimizations, eg: shortest, fastest, road bike, mtn bike, safest, ...

Real Men (tm) do not care what others think: they use the equipment that best suits them !!

[XAP]Bob wrote:Ended at 1040, I think the BiN was 550 to start

Wow: I think the seller did very well to get that much for such an old Kett: especially with those Franken-brakes !! (That was one of the main reasons for my buying a new Kett a few years back: to get to disc brakes !)

BlackPanther wrote:...That's what the side supports are for on my Trice.

I guess if you have a leaning trike, then side supports are not needed !

- IIRC ICE can supply 150mm cranks: they of course can tell you what will fit a trike you have bought from them.

- SJSC cranks: you would need these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/thorn-110-74 ... -prod1673/ (assuming that your trike has a square shaped hole in the cranks (you should be able to see by looking at the inside edge of the existing cranks)).
I use these cranks on 2 recumbents (140mm) and am very happy with them.
You can use them with 1, 2 or 3 chainrings. SJSC have a good reputation: give them a phone and they will also provide you with the correct rings and fitting bolts without you worrying about BCD etc.

- I would not assume that a bike shop would be a better bet: many will not know what you are talking about, and try to tell you that shorts cranks are a) not available or b) only for kiddies bikes !!

- When choosing chainrings I found that reducing them by the same ratio as the crank reduction to allow for a higher cadence suited me, but YMMV !

- crank shortening yourself needs a certain level of engineering skill, and both left and right handed taps. The last thing you want is wonky pedal axles !!

[XAP]Bob wrote:Depends which competition you enter...

Except that HPV racing rules (AFAIK) do not *exclude* UCI legal bikes

(they would just probably arrive somewhere near the back of the field !!)

hercule wrote:Out of interest, what do you short crank guys do about chainring sizes?...

I found the same percentage reduction worked for me.

(as this thread has migrated to a what-people-say thread !)

I was once overtaken whilst riding my (delta trike) Kett: the rider of the (tadpole trike) Scorpion asked "Why are you cycling backwards"

meic wrote:...Including mine. I wonder why?...

I am guessing that you consider it proof that trailers can not be seen without a flag ?

Alternative hypothesis (as I guess no-one here has any hard data !!)
- flags are demanded by the manufacture's lawyers
- people *think* they flags, so the manufactures supply them
- they are dirt cheap, little hassle so why not ? (this is the reason I used a flag on our trailer every day for many years)

I am a smidgen under 6foot, but I love my 140mm Thorn cranks, on all my bents !
Great for the knees, for clearances and an instant cadence lift and I have not noticed any speed lose.
Of course YMMV !