Pashley PDQ general enquiries..

[Trikeyohreilly]

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone had experience with the PDQ?

I'm looking for a 20/20 wheeled bike that can take at least 2 panniers. Preferably a couple of bags behind the seat as well for cycle camping. Looks like the PDQ might fit the bill.

If anyone has any experience to share or maybe even other bike ideas I would be interested to hear.

Thanks.

[PDQ Mobile]

I had one.
I thought it rather excellent.

I added a smaller double chainwheel (the crank was already threaded) for super low Welsh hill gears; with the Sram 3*7 it gave 42 gears. I just used to change the chain wheel manually. One could with practice do it with the foot on encountering a steep hill. Though up shifts were harder!!
I took it round the "Karrimor" mountain bike trail in Gwydyr forest once- ("you must be doing it for charity mate"), so assured was its handling, though my neck was stiff for a week!

It could be sort of folded! Or at least disguised as a folder.
Seat frame off (super easy) and steerer turned/ twisted and the tiller laid flat. It would then happily pass as a folder on a train. I flew to Majorca with mine no hassle.

It was super quick on downhill descents.
But it really preffered smooth tarmac, especially at speed. Small bumps could throw it off line. Relaxed and good nerves helped!
Given a smooth twisting descent though and nothing could catch it- very thrilling.

I believe there are some potential issues with frame /tube at the steerer. And the tiller could have been stronger and better designed.
Overall though I wish I'd kept it.

[pjclinch]

Main problem with a PDQ is, of course, finding one.

If you want a 20/20 that'll do luggage the HPVel Grasshopper fx does just that, taking up to 4 panniers if needed.

Pete.

[squeaker]

If you want a 20/20 that'll do luggage the HPVel Grasshopper fx does just that, taking up to 4 panniers if needed.

Or use Radical 'bent bags? (Not fully waterproof, though.)

[OldBloke]

Also consider the Azub Mini - https://azub.eu/recumbent-bikes-and-tri ... ents/mini/

I believe that Mini can take wider tyres than its competitors.

OB

[Campag]

There's a PDQ on Ebay at the moment. Looks like it will need a bit of work, but frame / boom OK: https://ebay.us/JLluRU

[pjclinch]

Or use Radical 'bent bags? (Not fully waterproof, though.)

We have some Radicals that Roos uses on her Fiero Tour (a lovely 20/20, but no longer made...)


I think not being waterproof is a bit of a non-issue, particularly on touring luggage. Relying on the outer keeping the contents dry means you can't put e.g. wet tents and jackets in the bag so in practice it makes sense to compartmentalise inside the bag and use waterproof bags if needed at that level. This has been completely normal in backpacking circles for pretty much ever, and every few years someone declares, "finally! a really waterproof rucksack!" and when it's soon discovered this isn't actually a big deal but is more expensive they fall out of favour.
I have nothing against waterproof panniers (my usual Weapons of Choice are Ortliebs, but that's more about the fittings and build quality than keeping the rain out), but aside from commutes (papers/laptops, no great need for separate wet storage) I do feel the benefits are over-stated.

A bigger issue with the Radicals is you use both or none and they tend to work better left on the bike. Not a huge problem touring, but it would be a bit of a faff for more general purpose use.

Pete.

[squeaker]

[quote="pjclinch"]A bigger issue with the Radicals is you use both or none and they tend to work better left on the bike. Not a huge problem touring, but it would be a bit of a faff for more general purpose use./quote]Agree with all you said, but I don't understand the 'left side of the bike', bit? Is that due to potential chain / idler rub? (Only a potential problem with a relatively narrow hardshell seat?)

[pjclinch]

A bigger issue with the Radicals is you use both or none and they tend to work better left on the bike. Not a huge problem touring, but it would be a bit of a faff for more general purpose use.

Agree with all you said, but I don't understand the 'left side of the bike', bit? Is that due to potential chain / idler rub? (Only a potential problem with a relatively narrow hardshell seat?)

Not left as in left/right, but left on rather than taken off

[squeaker]

Not left as in left/right, but left on rather than taken off

Doh! Though, to be fair, I've found the 25l pair can be comfortably slung over a shoulder (provided not muddy!), or stuffed into a rear bag if going on a shopping trip.

[PDQ Mobile]

The PDQ does have quite a reasonable rack.
Though full sized panniers run quite low to the road for fast cornering.
And the weight is pretty far back.
I did a couple of short camping trips ok though.

[pjclinch]

Not left as in left/right, but left on rather than taken off

Doh! Though, to be fair, I've found the 25l pair can be comfortably slung over a shoulder (provided not muddy!), or stuffed into a rear bag if going on a shopping trip.

That seems fair, Roos' are 55s and aside from a bit unwieldy off the bike they don't go on/off particularly easily, certainly compared to the "just lift it up" of a conventional Ort, but being more than twice the size of yours will account for that.

Pete.

[Nigel]

I had a PDQ for a couple of years. Probably about 15 years back when living in Suffolk. It was s/hand when I got it. Thoughts on it are:

1 - fairly heavy, but not so heavy to be silly.
2 - gear system had a bit of drag from the three-speed rear hub, not unacceptable, and normal for those hubs. Mine was 3x7 (single front ring).
3 - seat - that was the weakness, I never got the seat fully to my liking, and found it was giving me minor back issues in the middle of the back (near the upper webbing straps). I think the lack of any rear suspension was also contributing to this.
4 - steering always felt a bit loose, due to the hinge in the column. But never really noticed it when riding.

Other than that, it seemed a reliable simple beast. Had decent pannier capacity on the rear for "day touring" or "B&B touring". I've never been a cycle-camper. Just possible to put in the back of a hatchback without major dismantling.

Riding had the usual 2-wheel recumbent pros/cons. Uphill slower than diamond, faster on flat and downhill once legs/lungs adjusted to new position. Feet tended to get colder in cold weather (probably exposure to weather, and being up above hip), but I didn't ride it much in winter. When riding, head-height isn't much lower than a diamond frame, so visibility around is OK. Generally overtaken much wider than on a diamond frame bike.
Traffic riding through a busy town centre (Ipswich) was very slow compared to any diamond frame as couldn't "stand on pedals", "dodge round cars" or "stand to see over car roofs to judge traffic", plus the issues of foot-up/foot-down transitions being slower than a diamond. Concluded "horrible in town", "enjoyable in countryside".

I sold it as not justifying the shed space - it was fairly incompatible with group riding with other diamond frames (due to speed not matching up and down hills), and the back comfort wasn't great for me (see above). I then bought a Roberts diamond framed bike, and haven't owned a recumbent since, though have ridden a few.


- Nigel

[Brucey]

'other ideas'....



from

http://lefthandedcyclist.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-return-of-recumbent-bicycle.html

If you know what you want, it is not that difficult to make (or adapt) something to suit? IMHO it is not a major engineering exercise to convert a machine with a 26" rear wheel (say) to accept a 20" one?

cheers

[hercule]

I really liked my PDQ and despite the comment above found it very light (well, I did get a Fuego next...). It had a very short wheelbase (shorter than my Brompton) and managed somehow to be both very responsive and stable at the same time. I could almost manage track stands on it but it didn’t spook me on high speed descents. The biggest downside is that the seat was an inch or so too high for me which didn’t help confidence at stops. I tried it with a hard shell seat but that upset the balance considerably. I sold it and replaced it with the Fuego I still have, which is significantly lower.