New (to me) Catrike

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belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

I started posting about this in the photo topic, but then realised that I am less likely to get fitting feedback there.
Image
Proper madness - strangely it's lighter than my Speedmachine and obviously a lot easier to ride. I was a bit thrown by the seat at first - settled in to what I thought was the way to sit in it and found my shoulders against the top bar. Have now sunk right down to the edge of the seat - I almost feel that I am too big for the seat - which is unfortunate as it's part of the frame. Possibly I am just expecting a different type of fit.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
UpWrong
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Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by UpWrong »

Mountain Drive or Speed Drive? I had the 2015 Catrike 700; 20" front wheels, longer wheelbase, lower BB height, higher seat height, more seat recline. So a rather different machine. Sold it becuase it was a bit too reclined and my neck was suffering. The current model has more curvature in the upper seat rails which might have suited me better, and has the seat cross-piece higher up so less likely to dig into the shoulder blades of tall riders.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

Speed Drive? I think.
This one is molder than that - the front wheels have been upgraded to 18"
I expected that I should sit into the bottom of the well formed by the back and the seat, which puts my shoulders level with the cross-bar - a more upright position and the headrest as high as it can go. I then dropped the headrest back to its initial position and sit as far forward as possible in the trike. Very reclined but I find it comfortable to the point that I grumbled at my SPM for not reclining any further). Not tried it for a long ride though.

A real downside to it is that I now look at my SPM and think "heavy", "not sure about all that suspension", "I'm not going to use a tourer anytime soon", "I have a cargo trike for shopping" ... etc. Which means I really should be looking at a lightweight no-suspension faster bike.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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squeaker
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Location: Sussex

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by squeaker »

belgiangoth wrote:A real downside to it is that I now look at my SPM and think "heavy", "not sure about all that suspension", "I'm not going to use a tourer anytime soon", "I have a cargo trike for shopping" ... etc. Which means I really should be looking at a lightweight no-suspension faster bike.
Nice :) Welcome to the treadmill :lol:
"42"
nobrakes
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Joined: 9 Jan 2020, 10:17am

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by nobrakes »

Is this the one that was for sale on the BHPC forum? I was tempted by it myself. I didn’t know 18 inch wheels were a thing. Seemed like a good buy for the price, congrats on a nice trike.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

It is indeed the same. It hit the venn diagram intersection of within my limited budget and local enough to be dropped off.it is indeed very nice, the issues with a trike and a terraced house are not as bad as expected, but it does occupy three bike’s worth of space and it *is* more hassle than a bike.
18” is not that bad, SJS cycles were doing a special on inner tubes and schwalbe make Kojaks, Marathon races and Big Apples in that size.
Surely you don’t need moar bikes, I have read your bike reviews!
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
nobrakes
Posts: 77
Joined: 9 Jan 2020, 10:17am

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by nobrakes »

Definitely don’t need more bikes - nor do I have the cash! I’m still tempted to try stuff out though and sell on something else if I like it. Glad you bought it as now I don’t have to worry about it any more! Catrikes seem rare in the uk so I notice when one pops up.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

Question: I tried to swap rear wheel, fitting a 26" wheel (MTB spacing). It was too tight for me to be able to fit, I faffed for ages and couldn't quite get it to fit; this made me think maybe my model has road hub spacing. But then I tried to re-install the road wheel it came with and that was a huge faff and required much swearing!
I wonder whether there is a "knack" to the rear wheel on a trike. I start from a bad position as I don't normally do rear wheels with gears, but I wonder whether the issue with the trike is that as there is little weight on the back wheel so it doesn't "drop" into place?
What are your thoughts/experience?
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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squeaker
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Location: Sussex

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by squeaker »

belgiangoth wrote:What are your thoughts/experience?
IME a 'bent trike is easier than a 'bent bike... With a trike i usually lift the rear up onto a 5l oil container to get the wheel off the ground to remove; re-fitting in the same way.
"42"
UpWrong
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Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by UpWrong »

The 700 has road spacing and sometimes you still need to spring the chainstays to get the hub to slot in.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

^ There you have it, that absolutely sorts out my issue.

I found that removing the wheel was straightforward it was refitting that was the issue. Found that if I actually sat on the nack of the seat, to put my weight on the back wheel, it sat the wheel straight in good working order.

So, I have an extra 26" wheel and need to build myself a 26" or 650b rear wheel to take Shimano 9-speed.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
UpWrong
Posts: 2409
Joined: 31 May 2009, 12:16pm
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by UpWrong »

belgiangoth wrote:^ There you have it, that absolutely sorts out my issue.

I found that removing the wheel was straightforward it was refitting that was the issue. Found that if I actually sat on the nack of the seat, to put my weight on the back wheel, it sat the wheel straight in good working order.

So, I have an extra 26" wheel and need to build myself a 26" or 650b rear wheel to take Shimano 9-speed.

To refit rear wheel, put drive end axle into dropout then splay the non-drive chain stay using fingers on the stay and thumbs on the end of the hub (not axle). Simple.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by belgiangoth »

So, I saw this:
viewtopic.php?t=70300
Which really makes me want a front fairing. Not sure I could see over the top though.
I think I'll give it a year and then look into front and/or rear fairing. It does look very nice (and stores easier) as is though.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
hercule
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Joined: 5 Feb 2011, 5:18pm

Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by hercule »

The aerodynamics guys (and gals) will tell you a tail fairing adds more speed than a front fairing. I installed a Streamer fairing onto my Trice QNT quite a number of years ago and although it has helped a bit with speed (a bit more than I was led to expect!), a big advantage is when you’re riding into headwinds – it definitely reduces the effect that they have, to the point that there have been occasions in very strong wind. where I have passed roadies going in the same direction as me. That’s not something that happens very often otherwise. The thing to bear in mind is that they tend to only have an effect over 16mph in still air, but ride into a 30mph headwind and you’re in the benefit zone no matter how slow your actual road speed is.

They’re also good at keeping your legs warm in winter and keeping the rain off. And with the wind in the right direction you get a sail effect. I’ve never found it difficult in crosswinds, perhaps because I’m low down. I’m sure some of these things will apply to tail fairings too, but for me the Streamer is lighter and more practical for my uses.

I think the picture you linked to shows a fairing that’s mounted a bit too high to be optimally useful: I contrived to get mine mounted so it was as low as possible at the front and just cleared my knees at the rear. Short cranks (145mm in my case) help a lot in this. This ensures that the majority of first contact with the wind is with the nice smooth fairing and not knobbly trike or body parts.

Of course it depends on the ergonomics of your trike. I haven’t tried it but I don’t think the Streamer fairing would work on my VTX because I’m much more reclined, and I suspect the same is true for the Catrike 700.

I bought my fairing thinking I’d be taking it off in the summer, but it’s actually only been ridden twice without the fairing in about 10 years, and it went straight back on each time. Even on the turbo trainer :D (though it does tend to steam up a bit!)
hercule
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Re: New (to me) Catrike

Post by hercule »

6A49C1C4-2A9B-46D5-832A-F1D7AEF78A23.jpeg


My QNT with second hand Streamer fairing and very solid DIY mounting
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