Hi all,
First post - I recognise lots of names and some of you might know me from BROL.
For those that don't - I'm based in the Borders just north of Galashiels. I currently have 2 Nazcas (Fuego and Quetzal tandem), an M5 CHR and an ICE Sprint 26. I still ride a standard road bike too although nowhere near as much as my bents. I'm pretty much just mad about bikes in general and spend a lot of my spare time pedalling.
Look forward to chatting with you all!
Hello
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nigelnightmare
- Posts: 709
- Joined: 19 Sep 2016, 10:33pm
Re: Hello
Welcome.
I'm a bit farther north in Buckie, Banffshire.
I'm a bit farther north in Buckie, Banffshire.
Re: Hello
nobrakes wrote:Thanks both. How's your weather for riding at the moment? We had some snow yesterday for the first time this year although it didn't last. Pretty cold and wet out and about but good triking weather!
Main problem here has been gales. 50mph gusts. I would not venture out in that. I don't like rain either but cold I enjoy.
John
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swscotland bentrider
- Posts: 299
- Joined: 3 Aug 2008, 4:38pm
Re: Hello
Hello there from a sunny-ish Dumfries. Ive enjoyed reading your blog.
Things are quiet at the mo - don't like wind and rain!
Current stable is a Fuego (Tiller but might convert) and a Gaucho 28 tour (under development. Started out as a disc braked HR but it has morphed into a 28/26 general purpose bike.)
Things are quiet at the mo - don't like wind and rain!
Current stable is a Fuego (Tiller but might convert) and a Gaucho 28 tour (under development. Started out as a disc braked HR but it has morphed into a 28/26 general purpose bike.)
Re: Hello
swscotland bentrider wrote:Hello there from a sunny-ish Dumfries. Ive enjoyed reading your blog.
Things are quiet at the mo - don't like wind and rain!
Current stable is a Fuego (Tiller but might convert) and a Gaucho 28 tour (under development. Started out as a disc braked HR but it has morphed into a 28/26 general purpose bike.)
I do like my Nazcas too! I've been switching back and forth between tiller and O/C on the Fuego. I had it O/C for a good while but recently I've been riding tiller again - the front view is a lot better. Only problem I now have with the Fuego is that I can't for the life of me stop the brakes screeching like banshees, both front and back. I put a new disc and pads on the front, it's still howling. I wonder if it's a vibration thing or something.
Be interested to hear your opinion on the Gaucho - I've never tried it. I did consider one as a high racer but in the end the speed bug bit me so I went with the CHR. I imagine it to be very comfy and fun to ride if it's anything like the Fuego.
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swscotland bentrider
- Posts: 299
- Joined: 3 Aug 2008, 4:38pm
Re: Hello
I've ridden a Gaucho 26 on tour (a few years ago) and more recently bought a used 28 HR from Laid-back.
As a tourer the handling was outstanding. I ran a four pannier set up so the bike was pretty heavily laden but it never moved off line or felt unstable.
The 28HR was much lighter. It had a carbon disc fork so the brakes were good. Very nice, swift rather than fast, the sort of bike that you would go further on and at a good average. Look what Dave McCraw did on one!
Theres no escaping the fact that the Gaucho is a strong but heavy beast. My new one has a carbon seat and air shock so it loses a bit of weight that way. However, it feels as though the main 'culprit' is the fork. If the bike is not to be a load carrier then substituting a carbon fork would shed a fair amount of weight.
One of the characteristics of the Fuego that I really like is the ease of launch. It is almost like riding a DF, it can be done quickly and instinctively. The Gaucho requires a little more focus before launch because of the higher BB.
What I like about the Gaucho is the bike's comfort, view, stability and versatility. Because of the ride height adjustment you can offer up different wheel sets and more or less maintain the correct geometry. I ended up running my HR in a 28/26 format. It lost nothing in speed and handled perfectly. I've experimented with 28, 26 and 24 wheels. It accepts them all.
I should add that my perspective is that of a recreational rider and tourer. So absolute speed has never been a priority for me.
As a tourer the handling was outstanding. I ran a four pannier set up so the bike was pretty heavily laden but it never moved off line or felt unstable.
The 28HR was much lighter. It had a carbon disc fork so the brakes were good. Very nice, swift rather than fast, the sort of bike that you would go further on and at a good average. Look what Dave McCraw did on one!
Theres no escaping the fact that the Gaucho is a strong but heavy beast. My new one has a carbon seat and air shock so it loses a bit of weight that way. However, it feels as though the main 'culprit' is the fork. If the bike is not to be a load carrier then substituting a carbon fork would shed a fair amount of weight.
One of the characteristics of the Fuego that I really like is the ease of launch. It is almost like riding a DF, it can be done quickly and instinctively. The Gaucho requires a little more focus before launch because of the higher BB.
What I like about the Gaucho is the bike's comfort, view, stability and versatility. Because of the ride height adjustment you can offer up different wheel sets and more or less maintain the correct geometry. I ended up running my HR in a 28/26 format. It lost nothing in speed and handled perfectly. I've experimented with 28, 26 and 24 wheels. It accepts them all.
I should add that my perspective is that of a recreational rider and tourer. So absolute speed has never been a priority for me.
Re: Hello
Hi. Nice to see you here. Of the UK cycling forums with recumbent sections, this one seems to get the most viewing activity but not a lot of posting activity. Now that it seems to better support image attachments perhaps this will change.
Scotland does seem to have a lot of 'bent representation per capita generally. I often seen nice second hand machines advertised located in Scotland but the 800 mile round trip has stopped me grabbing some bargains.
Scotland does seem to have a lot of 'bent representation per capita generally. I often seen nice second hand machines advertised located in Scotland but the 800 mile round trip has stopped me grabbing some bargains.
Re: Hello
swscotland - sounds like a great all round bike. I have flirted with selling the Fuego for something lighter but I know I would regret it at some point, just because it does everything so well.
UpWrong - nice to see you here too, under a different handle!
Cheers
UpWrong - nice to see you here too, under a different handle!
Cheers
Re: Hello
swscotland bentrider wrote:What I like about the Gaucho is the bike's comfort, view, stability and versatility. Because of the ride height adjustment you can offer up different wheel sets and more or less maintain the correct geometry. I ended up running my HR in a 28/26 format. It lost nothing in speed and handled perfectly. I've experimented with 28, 26 and 24 wheels. It accepts them all.
I should add that my perspective is that of a recreational rider and tourer. So absolute speed has never been a priority for me.
Yes, the ride height adjustment on the Nazcas is handy. On my Paseo I have swapped the suspension fork for a lightweight aluminum fork and changed the ride height to compensate for the shorter fork.
Re: Hello
UpWrong if you see any used recumbents trikes for sale in Scotland it would be good if you could repost them here. I am on the lookout for a folding trike for off-road so would need hub gears. There was a nice one for sale recently but the rear gearing would have been mashed immediately off-road. I no longer have my large workshop so am not interested in too much fettling so rebuilding is not an option.