IOW Randonnee - which bent?

[UpWrong]

I've registed for this 100K ride (again) on 1st May 2016. Previously completed it on an ICE T, Catrike Speed, Bacchetta Giro, ICE Sprint 26 and Thorn Audax. I'm pondering whether to take bike or trike this year. It's hilly so not sure if the Catrike 700 has a low enough gear (bottom around 22.5"). My Metabikes is nicely geared (bottom around 21.5", below that I fall over), not sure how comfy the ride will be on the damaged back roads though.

[firedfromthecircus]

You've completed this 100K ride on 5 different machines which means you've done it at least 5 times, and you have a new trike and a new bike that are not all that common. Certainly the Catrike 700 over here anyway.
I'm not sure there will be many people in a position to give you advice from a more experienced perspective!

That said, I'd recommend the Metabikes and try to get a pb.

[[XAP]Bob]

Time to learn the unicycle?

[UpWrong]

I was interested to know what else participants might be riding this year ?

[deryck]

UpWrong could you let me know which bike made the randonee easiest please? Thanks

[UpWrong]

If you are not in a hurry, then trike is easier than bike - no need to balance up the hills. The ICE T with rear suspension was great. Otherwise the DF is easiest if you can tolerate the stress on neck/shoulders/backside etc. The Giro was a bit of a challenge, I was slower than I was hoping for.

[deryck]

Thanks for letting me know, I've been considering whether to bent or diamond frame around the island - in fact also which one to use on a tour around Europe. The tour with a bent concerns me as I'm not sure how easy it is to secure overnight in b&b.

[UpWrong]

I've done tours of Holland and France using the Giro with an underseat rack. No more difficult to secure than a DF. Most hotels had a store room or garage for bikes.

[hamster]

Where are you starting from? That determines whether you are tackling the bigger climbs at the beginning or end...

[squeaker]

The ICE T with rear suspension was great.

Not to mention the 16" bottom gear (I assume you had the 26T on it then?) 22.5" sounds a bit high for a comfortable climbing gear though
I have enjoyed both Randonnees I've done on the 'T' - not the quickest, though Might ride it again this year, depending upon SWIMBO's wishes.

[[XAP]Bob]

I'm tempted to do something like the WWC again, but wondering whether to go completely insane and try it on the Raptobike

[squeaker]

I'm tempted to do something like the WWC again, but wondering whether to go completely insane and try it on the Raptobike

Did it a few years back on my Raptobike: OK except for one slightly iffy T-junction with free gravel

[[XAP]Bob]

I power slid round a corner on the trike a while back - that was apparently quite impressive. It was a sharp corner, unseen until late (to the extent that there was a signpost there) and I went into it at serious speed, sideways through the corner across amounts of gravel, and exited it, still at speed, with a few inches to spare before the edge of the road.

[UpWrong]

I do have another option - a RANS Stratus XP. Very comfortable for an unsuspended bike, good visibility, easy stopping and starting. Not as easy as the Metabikes when climbing hills though. I'm commuting on it this week, to see if that helps me make up my mind.

[UpWrong]

I did the ride on Sunday - great weather, great scenery. I didn't see any bents and I have to confess I wasn't on one either. I took my Raleigh after fitting it with a pair of Vittoria Voyager Hyper tyres, which have been raved about on this forum. They didn't work, I was only 30 mins quicker over the 6 hours riding than on a trike. Next year I'll be taking the Catrike 700 after lowering the gears