First Off

[Loomis]

Had my first fall today from my month old Giro 20 in a way that I imagine would be a classic for recumbent newcomers. Intending to turn left at a T junction I slowly approached checking traffic from the right. All clear and continue. Unfortunately on looking forwards I realised I had drifted too near the left kerb. My instinctive (panic) reaction from forty years of uprights kicked in and I must have flicked bars right whilst shifting body weight also to the right. This did not happen with the bent, and the result dumped me immediately on the path. I know that I should have probably counter steered but conditioned reaction is hard to change. I thought that I was really getting the hang of the bike but this incident I found quite worrying and has certainly put me off mixing it in heavy traffic for the time being. Will the right course of action (counter steering) happen eventually with more experience, or is this something that just has to be lived with and avoided if possible with more attention and a different technique?

[Richard]

It will come naturally in time. You just think you've got the recumbent thing cracked and something will happen to give you a dose of reality!
I didn't like travelling slowly on the giro - the tendency is to move the steering to balance and if the knees aren't in the right position you'll strike the bars.

The Giro 20 is a good bike. I liked mine very much but it had to go as it was horrible climbing hills.

[Loomis]

Thanks Richard, encouraging to know that I will probably crack it eventually. Being on the small side I don't seem to have the knee problem, so that's in my favour. I must say that despite the counter intuitive aspects of the bike I am really enjoying it. No frightening incidents with cars yet though; that's probably to come. On my upright I used to reckon one frightening incident every three times out was about right.

[[XAP]Bob]

Drivers go "err astonishing is that?"