Cycling UK Forum

Safety? I've never felt so unsafe on a bike in my life!

I enjoy the challenge of learning something different. Don't miss the aching sit bones or neck ache. Don't enjoy climbing like a slug up flypaper though.

I don't fully understand the reason recumbents give more knee pain apart from the extra weight of them. Surely the distance to the bottom bracket is identical to a diamond frame? Is it something to do with KOPS? I've not checked mine.

How short and why?

Also what effect if any do shortened cranks make on performance?

http://www.thesafetysupplycompany.co.uk ... si-rx.html

I reckon something like these might work with prescription inserts.

Just sounds like poor set up to me probably either the cables are too tight and not allowing enough cam movement on the calliper or too slack thus not giving enough movement. When the cable is set correctly then the pad adjustment can be made - as close to the rotor as possible without dragging.

Got a pic? I have the same bike.

Take it back to the shop for them to inspect.

I have discs on my tandem, recumbent and racer. I have a second racing bike with rim brakes that gets used very rarely. In the wet I can hear the rims grinding away - horrible sound of money down the pan. Disc brakes? I love 'em.

My glasses don't mist. It's my eyes that stream, doesn't seem to happen so much on a DF but really is a problem on my recumbent, I guess the air is racing up my chest and under the glasses.

Thanks expensive aren't they

Giro air attack shield could also be a possibility.

Since going to the Darkside my eyes stream badly on the recumbent (wearing spectacles) so bad that at speed I can't see where I'm going. Anyone come across a helmet with visor that doesn't look ridiculous?

Had a quick measure today and I would appear to have about 9cm of trail. I don't know if that's good or bad. Today's ride was cut short by the wind and rain so only got out for a measly seven miles. Also experimenting with some different pedals made me forget about the handling. Probably most of it is down to the diddy hamster bars just in front of my chest. These machines are so different to what I'm used to. Still not had the desire to get the df racer back out yet!

Thanks for your input Stephen, much appreciated. I don't know what the forks are on mine, 26" I guess, they almost take a 700c wheel but not quite. Interesting the combination of a 700c rear and 26" front. Could be a cheap way to experiment. I am very new to bents but just get the feeling that something's not quite right. No handed would be years away for me, I'd have to train with a circus for that. I've scoured the internet for Metabike information and found it surprisingly rare. Tiredness brings on more unstableness, maybe it's a concentration thing or simply not getting centred on the seat I don't know.
Downsides so far are mainly a lack of vision at junctions, relying on club members to shout 'clear!', starting uphill, cycling uphill and trying to signal. Upside is comfort and uniquenes.

Interesting how different the Bacchetta forks are.

Yes one of those but without the carbon forks. It has aluminium forks I believe. Also, fitting a ten speed mountain bike wheel means the dishing appears to be pretty extreme, even so the rear wheel would appear to be offset slightly to one side in the frame. You are right about the wind the first thirty miles were more stable than the last thirty which were more or less into wind. I'm determined to master the thing, I want it to feel as natural as a df bike, I want to be able to ride without deviating from my chosen line. I have improved and so has the bike with adjustments but just pushing a trigger shifter will put it off course.
I did see a Bacchetta coming the other way on Sunday, the rider waving wildly away as we passed ...... unfortunately waving back is nigh on impossible.