Recumbent questions

[fossala]

I have always had my eye on recumbents over the last few years. Unfortunately with changes at work I've had to cancel my 3 week tour next month. To cheer myself up I'm on the hunt for a recumbent.

Two main questions. One, would you recommend a pre-suspension ICE QNT? Two, how much speed should I look at loosing compared to say a my 14kg fat bike or my 8kg race bike? The commute is only 10 miles but has 1200ft of climbing.

[[XAP]Bob]

QNT is a nice machine... where are you?

[NUKe]

you should give Kevin a ring at DTek. and treat yourself out to a day in Ely on one of his try a trike/ bike days.

[Tigerbiten]

How much speed should I look at loosing compared to say a my 14kg fat bike or my 8kg race bike? The commute is only 10 miles but has 1200ft of climbing.

How long is a piece of string ??

On a recumbent trike you'll have a much greater range of speed.
On my bent trike any bike I can stay with going uphill, I'll leave for dead going down and any bike that can stay with me going down, leaves me for dead going uphill.
So uphill your speed will be more like if you were on the fat bike and downhill you'll be more like on your race bike.
So you will be slower than race bike but how much faster than the fat bike is ??
Plus on a bent, you use your leg muscles slightly differently so it may take you a few miles to get your "bent legs" up to full speed.

Luck ............

[fossala]

Well, I have just got off the phone with a lovely gentleman regarding the trike. https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/ice- ... 1294513237
Do you guys feel this is the right sort of price, It's about £100 more than I was looking at spending but he wouldn't reduce the price, he will however give me a lift home after purchase.

[pjclinch]

I have always had my eye on recumbents over the last few years. Unfortunately with changes at work I've had to cancel my 3 week tour next month. To cheer myself up I'm on the hunt for a recumbent.

Two main questions. One, would you recommend a pre-suspension ICE QNT? Two, how much speed should I look at loosing compared to say a my 14kg fat bike or my 8kg race bike? The commute is only 10 miles but has 1200ft of climbing.

Q1, "well, that depends"... The main point of agreement amongst 'bent riders here is that it's a very good idea to try before you buy. 'Bents that appear notionally similar on paper can be very different in the flesh, even changing the handlebar style can have considerable effects on rider happiness. So try stuff out and see what has the Magic X Factor.

Q2, as noted it's rather about string length. Trikes don't have a minimum speed so as long as you have a sufficiently granneous gear you can get up just about anything the tyres will grip, but at the end of the day weight is weight and trikes usually have more of it. 'Bent bikes tend to be heavier than their upwrong counterparts if all else is equal, but they're typically lighter than trikes and thus typically quicker up the braes. 'Bents tend to be better coming down because the brake setup can be used far more aggressively without sending you on a flying trip and the low centre of mass means their high speed cornering tends to be good. You won't ground out the pedals on bends either.

Pete.

[Tigerbiten]

It's mainly 2 wheel bents that need to be researched due to the learning curve when first getting on one.
Bent trikes have a very small learning curve, ie how fast you can corner before tipping up.
The main difference in trike is handling between direct (Catrike) and indirect (ICE) steering.
Direct can be slightly heavier at slow speeds but your hards area fixed distance from the tyres.

The main difference between the modern Sprint and the old QNT is the QNT is around 4" narrower.
Easier to fit through gaps but slightly less stable on fast corners.
But the hard shell seat on it does make it easier to lean to the inside on corners.
So a good machine if it's sound.
Plus all parts on ICE trikes are interchangeable between models, so new replacement parts will still fit an old model.

Luck ..........

[fossala]

Just bought the trike after a brief test ride. It is in very good condition and I'll make small adjustments too the boom length tomorrow after work.

[Tangled Metal]

So a good machine if it's sound.
Plus all parts on ICE trikes are interchangeable between models, so new replacement parts will still fit an old model.

Luck ..........

Oh I like that bit in bold a lot.

I've got a HPV Streetmachine GT (old model), bought earlier this year. Great bike and I love it but it's out of production and the parts for it aren't made anymore by HPV. The current model (GTe) is great but the parts for it don't fit on the GT model. So I can't just buy the missing lowrider rack I need.

The only brand of after market bent racks is an American brand without retail presence in the UK. Also they don't make for most European bent brands. If I wanted a rack they'd make a best guess for the rack that would fit and sell me that without a guarantee it'll work. Plus they reckon it'll take one whole rack plus the fittings from a second rack. Instead of the current hpv rack for £72 I'm talking nearer £200 than £100!!

So IMHO ICE are a brand that thinks of customers not just their own bottom line. Designing out obsolescence due to difficulty in getting parts / accessories is a good thing for ICE to do. I think if I win the lottery I'll get an ICE trike fully loaded (or two or n+1).

[firedfromthecircus]

Just bought the trike after a brief test ride. It is in very good condition and I'll make small adjustments too the boom length tomorrow after work.

Congrats!

[pjclinch]

The only brand of after market bent racks is an American brand without retail presence in the UK. Also they don't make for most European bent brands. If I wanted a rack they'd make a best guess for the rack that would fit and sell me that without a guarantee it'll work. Plus they reckon it'll take one whole rack plus the fittings from a second rack. Instead of the current hpv rack for £72 I'm talking nearer £200 than £100!!

So IMHO ICE are a brand that thinks of customers not just their own bottom line. Designing out obsolescence due to difficulty in getting parts / accessories is a good thing for ICE to do. I think if I win the lottery I'll get an ICE trike fully loaded (or two or n+1).

Did you ask Ben "Kinetics" Cooper if he'd make you one? He makes frames and racks as his main business, and IIRC he has a SMGT...

There's more to it than only worrying about the bottom line. Had HPVel not changed the design they could still be selling one to you, so I don't really see the decision to change it as much of a money-spinner! If everything always has to be backwards compatible it's harder to move forwards...

Pete.

[hercule]

I think you should be happy with your QNT. Mine is slightly newer than yours (one of the first with rear suspension - the “elephant tusk” rear forks) and I can’t see any convincing reason that I trade it in for anything newer. Indeed after 10 years it’s like an old friend and I wouldn’t want to trade in an old friend!

With the non suspension rear I think you can use any standard rear rack - the Dahon one designed for full size panniers to fit their 20” wheeled bikes might be a good option as it will keep any weight low down (a good thing on the back of a trike). According to DTek's eBay ads the orginal racks for the early suspension trikes are no longer available (glad I got one before they ran out).

As well as the obvious drivetrain, brake and seating components you could easily upgrade your QNT to rear suspension, full suspension, or a 26” rear wheel if you wanted - all the frame parts are compatible. My QNT is now a mini velomobile with front fairing and full suspension.

As to speed, I’m pretty much rolling along at the same average speeds on my trike as on my touring bike these days but don’t get the terrible neck pain that troubles my DF riding. My Fuego is a bit faster but the difference is surprisingly slender - I think the fairing on the trike makes a difference. Into a headwind, either will outperform me on an upright. Indeed there’s been a few occasions riding into howling gales that I’ve passed hardcore roadies on carbon fibre thingies...

[fossala]

As well as the obvious drivetrain, brake and seating components you could easily upgrade your QNT to rear suspension, full suspension, or a 26” rear wheel if you wanted - all the frame parts are compatible. My QNT is now a mini velomobile with front fairing and full suspension.

Hello, mine is the 26" rear version, by 2008 (when mine was made) the 20" ones had suspension but the 26" didn't as far as I can tell. The ride isn't bad at all, climbs well and the although is a little bumpy descending on poor roads it isn't uncomfortable. Here's a pic (taken from the advert).

[hercule]

Ah, I thought it was the older trike that was on eBay. Yours looks a very nice machine!

[Tangled Metal]

Did you ask Ben "Kinetics" Cooper if he'd make you one? He makes frames and racks as his main business, and IIRC he has a SMGT...

There's more to it than only worrying about the bottom line. Had HPVel not changed the design they could still be selling one to you, so I don't really see the decision to change it as much of a money-spinner! If everything always has to be backwards compatible it's harder to move forwards...

Pete.

Yes, I asked him but no joy there.

The thing with backwards compatibility it isn't about that but about aftermarket support. Designing an update then not supporting aftermarket? How much to get a batch of old design racks made? Or to design new racks to fit old? ICE make it a positive with their designs and they're not having difficulty in moving forward with designs.

What about rear racks? Are they much different between GT and GTe? To my inexperienced eye they look very similar.

I just don't think it's good customer service to ignore owners of older designs completely. I work for an automotive components manufacturer. We get oem work which lasts x number of years. Then we often have to keep the abilities to produce them for another 10 years after full series production ends. It's in the contract. It's why we're still making the odd run of 50 parts. They'll last best part of a year once made up into the finished part by our customer. I don't see it's an issue to hold a stock. I bet they can get a batch made up cheap enough (could charge end users more obviously for old model parts) and store. A years supply for example would probably not be that much in quantity and cost I bet.