Interesting videos for trike owners

[Roger_the_Dog]

I've just put a foot over to the dark side, but I still have a foot in sanity too. I have become the owner of a trike, my ideal would be to potentially have a nazca feugo or similar but initially the trike lets me experience the laid back position without re-learning to ride.

Anyway along the route to getting the three wheeler I've viewed many reviews, and trike related videos. During this week I've been viewing the recently posted videos by this chap vlogging his way around the globe. His latest videos are from taiwan where he has visited the Performer factory as well as several other taiwanese frame/component manufacturers. These may be of interest to anyone with an ICE, HPV or Performer, the vlogger is at times irritating but overall the factories and the dynamic attitude of the people make up for this( there's even a short cameo from the famous Christine of Performer ).

https://www.youtube.com/user/RogueLifeStudios/videos

A couple of other interesting videos are from a chap in saudi arabia. Worlds apart to us yet demonstrating the problems he see's as a triker/cyclist are exactly those we see too. They are subtitled but stick with them as he has some interesting an sensible views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVyQG2k4UEc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5KvZ91l8sA

As for my first trike ride today I was in a queue of cars at a level crossing. When we all started moving the car behind me went to overtake( safely ) but slowed next to me, tooted, and when I looked across I received a huge beaming smile and a thumbs up! Yikes I'm used to two fingers when on a bike yet here my transport was being praised, a nice gesture. I think I'm the only owner in my area I've seen no others for about 10 years and then it was the same person each time.

[Geoff.D]

Welcome to the Dark Side, Roger. I hope you enjoy the experience.
You're right that a trike allows you to jump on and ride without the period of becoming competent in handling a 2 wheeled 'bent. But, even so, it's still a quite different experience to an upright. And I don't just mean solely in the recumbent position. I find that my attitude to the rides has changed. I'm much more relaxed about time and physical achievement. I've become more laid back (if you'll pardon the pun). And I take pleasure in different types of skill in different contexts (eg fast descents; heavy commuting traffic; etc). I'm not saying it's superior - just different.
Positive recognition from others is my experience too.

[Roger_the_Dog]

I find that my attitude to the rides has changed. I'm much more relaxed about time and physical achievement.

I expect that I'll end off doing similar in respect of realising it's limitations in relation to my power output, inclines slower with more spinning than mashing. Having said that my average speed was only 0.75mph lower than my cross bike and that without "bent" legs and familiarity with it's handling. My first short trip was a surprise with lots of pedal steer due to pulling the bars in reaction to pushing the pedals I must have looked like a small fish wiggling along the road , this has calmed down and it'll be one of those things that should become a subconscious act over time. Also forgetting not to just brake with one lever as in using front brake on upright but use both for balance and steering effect. The viewpoint is new in that I'm looking out and around more. I decided to get it for various reasons but part of that was as a load carrying touring machine..... which I think it should make a good replacement for my defunct tourer. Though not train friendly or should we reverse that and say trains aren't trike friendly. Bring back guards vans.

I shall require to get a decent mirror. The ones that came with it flex on their mounts by the wind force so never stay in place for more than minutes but hey ho it's a small outlay to change. One aspect to be decided is flat or convex..... perhaps others have their favourite perspective here.

I shall still be riding my uprights but this gives me an alternative view of the world, and a rather comfortable one The frame has clearance for up to maybe a 45mm tyre with mudguard, I think the 32mm at present may move to a 37-42mm fast roller i.e voyager hyper, marathon supreme or panaracer equivalent.

[[XAP]Bob]

I like the mirracycle - they are gently convex.
I find some of the convex ones so curved that I can't see enough detail, and the flat ones too narrow...

[Roger_the_Dog]

I like the mirracycle - they are gently convex.

They get fantastic reviews...... but mounting seems to be rather a kludge for many trike bars where the bar-ends are in use for shifters. It seems that you'd need to buy a bar end or extension of sorts to fix the mirrycle into. Or the original( still sold according to there website ) seems to fit into the end of a lever where brake cable comes out.

Hmmmm I'd like to try one out but my easiest option looks to be the B+M 901/902/903 series, 55-80mm convex on a 130mm handlebar mount( theres an £8.95 flat too ). These may well vibrate I'd imagine but look ok and get reasonable reviews.

[[XAP]Bob]

Ah, I have twist shifters, so not an issue - but I have also added bar ends for a different mirror setup... works quite well as an armrest

[Roger_the_Dog]

but I have also added bar ends

Yes I think to add a low cost bar end to the steerer bar would be the approach for mirrycle.... and it may serve other uses computer mount maybe depending on position and visibility.

[Marc]

I love the view of the Mirrcle mirrors, too.
Mounting them to the trike handles isn't that difficult.

You can take 22mm Nylon clamps from Cateye (LBS, Ebay) and screw the Mirrcle to the clamp

I used Amphenol Air clamps from Airbus, but they are unfortunately unobtainable for normal people (they are also the best chain tube clamps available, or rather unavailable)

[Roger_the_Dog]

I may well acquire a mirrycle mirror but I should receive my B+M 903 tomorrow for testing, also some 42mm tyres front and rear. The 903 may vibrate but an online video on a bike showed it to be pretty rigid, its an 80mm shallow/flatter convex I believe.

The main tyre I intend to change on the trike is the 32mm 22 tpi on the rear, this will become a conti contact sport 2( 180tpi.... 3x60 ) as they were £9.99( discontinued in may ). I have acquired some marathon supremes in 42 mm for the front. The current tyres on front( 37mm ) aren't too bad, overall the ride isn't terrible but does crash about on some of the rougher roads I travel on. I think the 42mm on rear at 45-50psi may be better, we'll see but the cost of the full set of three was only £26 so worth keeping as spares.

Changed front calipers from BB5 to Spyre( they were given as part of deal ). What a difference in feel and have not yet put on the compressionless outers which I have. They may not need them on 2ft but I might as well not spoil the ship for a ha'peth of tar.

Did my second test ride today taking in some longer hills......yes it is markedly slower uphill by about 2mph compared to my cyclocross( 32lbs ), but legs will need a lot of these rides to acclimatise to new position. Got a thumbs up from a motorcyclist today, and quite a number of positive smiles too( or laughing at a clown bike perhaps ).