1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

DIscuss anything relating to non-standard cycles and their equipment.
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squeaker
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by squeaker »

Psamathe wrote:I'm also wavering about brakes. I like my 2-wheel DF mechanical disks but recognise that disks are fragile (easily bent - from experience). It's probably more of a "what you know".
IMO it's nowt to do with 'fragility' but more to do with lack of maintenance: SA hub brakes just work. Discs need adjustment and pad changes, SA brakes just work ;)
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climo
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by climo »

If you're concerned at cost why not buy used. You're unlikely to lose much if you sell it later.
Change the gears if need be. As TB says, you need really low gears on tour.
I'd really go for rear suspension and some form of hub gear. Front suspension is a luxury that you can do without. Mudguards are a must as are SPD's. Brake type is personal choice but drums would be fix and forget on a tour and I think you can get one with a dynamo though I may well be wrong on that.
Psamathe
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Psamathe »

climo wrote:If you're concerned at cost why not buy used. You're unlikely to lose much if you sell it later.
Change the gears if need be. As TB says, you need really low gears on tour.
I'd really go for rear suspension and some form of hub gear. Front suspension is a luxury that you can do without. Mudguards are a must as are SPD's. Brake type is personal choice but drums would be fix and forget on a tour and I think you can get one with a dynamo though I may well be wrong on that.

That was my plan a few weeks ago, maybe if only as a stop gap to getting something better suited to touring. But Tier 4 kind of blocked that path. I did have an appointment with Kevin at D-Tek booked but again Covid lockdowns prevented that from happening and guessing ahead I'm assuming we'll be in severe restrictions for at least several more months. And long delivery times mean if I don't find something suitable 2nd hand when restrictions are relaxed I also be too late to buy something new and another year of inactivity will drift past (and I really desperately don't want another year to drift past).

Ian
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squeaker
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by squeaker »

climo wrote:...but drums would be fix and forget on a tour and I think you can get one with a dynamo though I may well be wrong on that.
SA do two: a 90mm and 70mm but I can't recall what's needed to get them to fit an ICE axle - ah, 'longer bolt' - there's much more info on this CycleChat thread, which also mentions the SON option. Might be worth having a chat with ICE to find out why they don't seem to offer any lighting systems! (I blame the US drive/ride market :roll: )
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Psamathe
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Psamathe »

squeaker wrote:
climo wrote:...but drums would be fix and forget on a tour and I think you can get one with a dynamo though I may well be wrong on that.
SA do two: a 90mm and 70mm but I can't recall what's needed to get them to fit an ICE axle - ah, 'longer bolt' - there's much more info on this CycleChat thread, which also mentions the SON option. Might be worth having a chat with ICE to find out why they don't seem to offer any lighting systems! (I blame the US drive/ride market :roll: )

ICE offer SA 90mm drums as a configuration option on sprint X Tour (not looked at their other models).

Ian
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squeaker
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by squeaker »

Psamathe wrote:
squeaker wrote:
climo wrote:...but drums would be fix and forget on a tour and I think you can get one with a dynamo though I may well be wrong on that.
SA do two: a 90mm and 70mm but I can't recall what's needed to get them to fit an ICE axle - ah, 'longer bolt' - there's much more info on this CycleChat thread, which also mentions the SON option. Might be worth having a chat with ICE to find out why they don't seem to offer any lighting systems! (I blame the US drive/ride market :roll: )

ICE offer SA 90mm drums as a configuration option on sprint X Tour (not looked at their other models).

Ian
Errm, not with a dynohub ;)
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Psamathe
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Psamathe »

squeaker wrote:
Psamathe wrote:
squeaker wrote:SA do two: a 90mm and 70mm but I can't recall what's needed to get them to fit an ICE axle - ah, 'longer bolt' - there's much more info on this CycleChat thread, which also mentions the SON option. Might be worth having a chat with ICE to find out why they don't seem to offer any lighting systems! (I blame the US drive/ride market :roll: )

ICE offer SA 90mm drums as a configuration option on sprint X Tour (not looked at their other models).

Ian
Errm, not with a dynohub ;)

I'd not gone that far through config. given the additional price of the dyno hub. But your CycleChat linked page discussion linked to a German "bottle dynamo" company that looks a cheaper system for daytime running lights (rear at least which I imagine is more important?).

Ian
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squeaker
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by squeaker »

Psamathe wrote:... But your CycleChat linked page discussion linked to a German "bottle dynamo" company that looks a cheaper system for daytime running lights (rear at least which I imagine is more important?).
Bottle or rear hub? This seems hub mounted (and links to a usb charger), but there is/was this spoke driven 6v device; then there is always the old fashioned bottle option, mounted on the left side tab on the rear frame - not that I'd want a tyre driven bottle dynamo that near my ears!

Personally I'd just stick with batteries (should get 25hrs plus out of a rear flasher) :lol: but then I don't do tours...
Last edited by squeaker on 29 Dec 2020, 2:58pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Psamathe
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Psamathe »

squeaker wrote:
Psamathe wrote:... But your CycleChat linked page discussion linked to a German "bottle dynamo" company that looks a cheaper system for daytime running lights (rear at least which I imagine is more important?).
Bottle or rear hub? This seems hub mounted, but there is always the old fashioned bottle option, mounted on the left side tab on the rear frame - not that I'd want a tyre driven bottle dynamo that near my ears!

The ICE SON hub option adds about £600+ to the configuration which I'd thought a bit too expensive for me (unless others said "must have"). But your post above/link made we think more about daytime lights (mainly rear) and thus a dynamo and the cycleChat thread linked to http://www.velogical-engineering.com/velogical-ordering---b2c-b2b which are €150 (expensive but less than £600). But made me think again and SJS sell the ICE SON dynamo for £260 so called LBS (with good wheel-building reputation) but they are half day closing today (to ask about ballpark costs for rebuilding wheel with dynamo hub I provide).

Ian
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Tigerbiten
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Tigerbiten »

Why don't you save yourself the hassle.
If you can get parts (dyno hub, second-hand Rohloff, etc) then just enquire if ICE will build them into a new trike.
If it helps a sale then they just might.

Luck ............ :D
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squeaker
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by squeaker »

Psamathe wrote:But made me think again and SJS sell the ICE SON dynamo for £260 so called LBS (with good wheel-building reputation) but they are half day closing today (to ask about ballpark costs for rebuilding wheel with dynamo hub I provide).
If you're sold on disc brakes then that would seem a sensible option, but you'll need a matching rim (!) and make sure that the correct wheel offset is used. If you haven't found Aunty Helen's blog yet then you'll find a lot about ICE Sprint RS info on there eg how to remove a stuck axle...
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Psamathe
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by Psamathe »

squeaker wrote:
Psamathe wrote:But made me think again and SJS sell the ICE SON dynamo for £260 so called LBS (with good wheel-building reputation) but they are half day closing today (to ask about ballpark costs for rebuilding wheel with dynamo hub I provide).
If you're sold on disc brakes then that would seem a sensible option, but you'll need a matching rim (!) and make sure that the correct wheel offset is used. If you haven't found Aunty Helen's blog yet then you'll find a lot about ICE Sprint RS info on there eg how to remove a stuck axle...

I was thinking of giving LBS the supplied rim (that comes with the trike) plus dyno hub and getting them to re-build the wheel - but I've no idea on wheel re-building costs so still to check if that's a viable route (maybe longer term). Just thinking.

Ian
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by climo »

squeaker wrote:Errm, not with a dynohub ;)

just looked and yes there is a SA drum dyno. Whether it'll fit a trike is another matter
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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by pjclinch »

Daytime running lights, I wouldn't bother. A 'bent trike is a huge "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT" to anyone looking, and if they're not looking you could have Marilyn Monroe doing a striptease on the rack and it wouldn't help get you noticed. Similarly with flags.

I once lent my 'bent to a pal who was having some back trouble, when it came back it had a flag. Pal said the upwrong pals he'd been out with said he had to have one or he'd be "invisible". I've never had one on (aside from that brief point before I took it off), and never seem to have had trouble being noticed. I've had some entertaining conversations about it though, like with a driver I was eye-to-eye to chatting parked through his window. "You must feel very vulnerable down there", "but I'm at the same height as you", "yes, but it must be dangerous being so low" etc.

I run dynohubs but it's easier on a bike, and the only bike I use it for DRLs is the Brom, not because I feel vulnerable but because the switch is awkward to get to. I despise bottle dynamos (ran one on the 8-Freight for a while, dynohub not an option), and with modern LED battery lights I'm not surprised they seem to be disappearing from the market.

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Re: 1st Recumbent Trike Questions & Configuration For Any Thoughts

Post by UpWrong »

squeaker wrote:
Psamathe wrote:I'm also wavering about brakes. I like my 2-wheel DF mechanical disks but recognise that disks are fragile (easily bent - from experience). It's probably more of a "what you know".
IMO it's nowt to do with 'fragility' but more to do with lack of maintenance: SA hub brakes just work. Discs need adjustment and pad changes, SA brakes just work ;)

I had an ICE Sprint 26 with disc brakes. I could never stop them from squealing in the wet. I came to the conclusion the mounting system was not rigid enough.
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