How did you break into recumbents?

[Tangled Metal]

Seat Altea xl, not as big as an elgrand (BTW I rather fancy getting one of those), but it's not that small. I can get my bike (size xl road bike) with front wheel off standing vertically with a medium mtb and 16" kids bike next to it with a child seat in the back with them. Plus kit. If my partner drives I might even get my bike with front wheel still on. With the full back seat down, front passenger seat forward i might get a streetmachine inside the car, just.

[Cyril Haearn]

It's just under a year since we taught our son to ride so I remember what it's like from the adult side. Less than one year and he's moved up a bike size, toured for two weeks in Europe doing most of the riding without being towed, learnt a few stunts and developed a competitive streak a mile wide so that he doesn't like being overtaken by a kid 4 years older bursting his lungs to catch and pass him. I just hope I pick it all up as quickly.

BTW do you own one B.? If not, are you just a little bit recumbent curious? Are you not tempted as well?

No no, I do not have one, but I am interested in everything

[Tangled Metal]

It's just under a year since we taught our son to ride so I remember what it's like from the adult side. Less than one year and he's moved up a bike size, toured for two weeks in Europe doing most of the riding without being towed, learnt a few stunts and developed a competitive streak a mile wide so that he doesn't like being overtaken by a kid 4 years older bursting his lungs to catch and pass him. I just hope I pick it all up as quickly.

BTW do you own one B.? If not, are you just a little bit recumbent curious? Are you not tempted as well?

No no, I do not have one, but I am interested in everything

Dark side calls! Will you heed the call? One day?

[Cyril Haearn]

It's just under a year since we taught our son to ride so I remember what it's like from the adult side. Less than one year and he's moved up a bike size, toured for two weeks in Europe doing most of the riding without being towed, learnt a few stunts and developed a competitive streak a mile wide so that he doesn't like being overtaken by a kid 4 years older bursting his lungs to catch and pass him. I just hope I pick it all up as quickly.

BTW do you own one B.? If not, are you just a little bit recumbent curious? Are you not tempted as well?

No no, I do not have one, but I am interested in everything

Dark side calls! Will you heed the call? One day?

Yes, I started on a trike and I intend to finish on one in 35 years latest
There are several Radreisemessen, cycle touring exhibitions, in Germany in the winter-spring, in Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg (been there many times) where test-rides are possible
Is there not such an event at the NEC or in London?

[Tangled Metal]

Well hopefully I'll have a test ride the coming weekend. On my own recumbent!

[Tangled Metal]

Got the recumbent now. Two wheels of fun. I just need to get the balance of it. That's hard! Balance and steering (USS). Two new things to learn at once. I feel like a 5 year old with the stabilisers taken off!

[[XAP]Bob]

Do it without pedalling...

[squeaker]

Do it without pedalling...

On a gentle (grass) slope

[PDQ Mobile]

I am not sure about grass. Softer to fall on yes, but if it's muddy or bumpy at all that makes things more difficult.
I'd go for traffic free smooth tarmac.

Very slow speeds are the most difficult on account of the body weight being so "fixed".
Try to get up to 8 or 10 mph.

And try to relax the upper body, it really helps.

[pjclinch]

Right now, at least around here, I'd avoid grass because of the Goop Factor.

Learning can follow standard procedure for getting non-riders (child and adult) going for the first time, and that's a case of divide and conquer by isolating the various things.

A gently sloping road, preferably very quiet and quite straight with a safe runout is a good venue, here's one I use to teach folk to ride with my Workplace Cycle Instructor hat on:

https://goo.gl/maps/3oxBXugyS632

With a gentle hill, gravity will provide the power so you don't have to worry about pedalling. Once you're getting happy with straight lines you can use chalk (jumbo pavement chalk from a toy shop is good) to mark some target points for slalom courses. Start easy and step up the difficulty. Other things to add in on a venue like this is practising looking over your shoulder* , signalling, looking over your shoulder and signalling at the same time etc.

I'd agree with the 8-10 mph, a gentle hill and a good start push should get you there. With steering, very much less is more and the less you grip the bars the easier it is. Fingertips is enough, including (or rather, especially!) for starting.

Pete.

* looking behind... a mirror is a Good Thing and assuming you got the Streetmachine, if it doesn't have one the BuM Cyclestar works very well on it. The thing to remember is mirrors can give false negatives, so if you check it and there's a bus there, there really is a bus there, but if you check it and it's clear to make your move, that's when you look over your shoulder to double-check. It's a bit harder on the Streetmachine than most uprights, but there again it's harder on a road bike than an opafiets but that doesn't mean you can't do it on a road bike.

[Alan58]

Being disabled my balance is not great and I have never owned a two wheeler. Recumbents never crossed my mind. I retired in March 2017 and decided to improve my fitness. Started to attend the gym got a personal trainer ( the joys of being retired ) talked about not being able to cycle and a trike was suggested. I take delivery of my Adventure Ice Trike this week. I have lost 20 kg in weight since March and I set off on LEJOG solo with my tent on the 6th May. All advice gratefully received.

[Tangled Metal]

I pushed the recumbent to the car intending to drive to a promenade nearby. Flat and smooth tarmac. However I decided to sit on it, then walk while sitting, then my partner held me while I got going. I was all over the place. Steering felt wrong and my balance wasn't great.

So by that time I was level with a side alley that was a nice slope. A grin passed my lips and I was pushing it up the slope with son and partner running behind trying to keep up. Turned the recumbent and sat waiting for my partner. A short push, lots of wobble. Attempt two, longer push, more wobble, asked partner if she was still holding and a voice far back said no. I was flying. A few more attempts and I couldn't wait to get to that promenade to really give it a try.

Once there I tried setting off alone. It worked! I was riding a recumbent. What a buzz! Scary but fun. As we rode along I relaxed. Except when someone got close to me then I wobbled. Eventually I was slalom in round lampposts and people.

Then a big slope. I nearly made it but the gears need adjusting and my son got very close so I stopped for safety. Pushed 5m to the top, turned and woosh! Not fast but it felt like the times I used to get to 50+mph downhill on my upright. Scary but fun!

My next thing I need to do is get the cables, chain and boom extended. Think I'll use a bike repair but who collects. I need a few more inches on the boom I think. BTW does anyone know how to work out boom length? At the moment my legs are too scrunched up. Should my legs be slightly bent when the foot is on the pedal at its furthest point? Kind of like an upright?

[Tigerbiten]

I have lost 20 kg in weight since March and I set off on LEJOG solo with my tent on the 6th May. All advice gratefully received.

I've done 7x long tours now, LEJOG 3x now.
The first week is easy, weeks 2 & 3 hurt and after that it gets easier as you cycle yourself fitter.

What's your gear range ??
One of the first mods I did with my ICE trike was to drop the inner chainring from 26t to 22t, 15" -> 12.5", you cannot have a too low first gear on a trike.
Doing that did make the silly steep hills in Cornwall and Devon so much easier.

Luck .......

[Alan58]

Dear Tigerbiten - I know this may sound odd but I am not sure what my chainring number is: I have an Alfine 8 on the back and 3 cogs on the front- Kevin from D Tech ( who I am buying it from) tells me it is a granny gear ( 22 I think) .

7 long tours is impressive - I cannot wait for week 4 of my journey, I am going to take a month or so: 28 days 1200 miles according to Sustrans but we will see.

Thank you for your kind wishes

[Alan58]

There you go Tigerbiten: Chainset
SRAM S600 (44/32/22) + X5 front derailleur- Qty: 1