Reminder why I have a trike
Reminder why I have a trike
Immense feeling of glee and smugness riding to work on the icy roads this morning.
Last edited by UpWrong on 30 Dec 2020, 11:19am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
When it's icy (or just wet FTM) it's the other idiots that frequently abound on UK roads that trouble me the most.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
My thoughts exactly. I love riding on those icy mornings when I couldn’t walk but I have become too much aware of motons who believe that 4WD, ABS, ESR, and other TLAs mean they can drive as recklessly as before. And in any case it’s not long before a ton of salt gets dumped on the road and transferred onto my precious trike.
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Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Does this require ice tyres or knobbies - or is it a product of being a three-wheeler? On my second ride on the Catrike I had some wheelspin climbing a steep hill with *lots* of fallen wet leaves - as the back wheel has less of the load I wonder whether this would also apply to ice?
For snow/ice I have to decide between my fixed with snow tyres (easier to carry) or the trike (less likely to fall off, but harder to carry and less suited for some of the roads I use).
For snow/ice I have to decide between my fixed with snow tyres (easier to carry) or the trike (less likely to fall off, but harder to carry and less suited for some of the roads I use).
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Had some fun today. Marathon winters all round.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Now that's a great photo. I'm jealous of where you ride.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
belgiangoth- yes traction is an issue on steep slippery slopes. The back of the trike doesn’t have much weight on it. I wouldn’t go out on ice without at least a rear studded tyre, but three is better if you want brakes to work
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Re: Reminder why I have a trike
For that I would need to switch the rear to a 26" and get a snow tyre (I don't believe they do them in 18" for the front). Hopefully this year will feature wfh and school closures when (if, I m in the midlands!) there is snow and I can muddle through with the fixed.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
I've lost traction on slicks to the extent that I had to push exactly once - It was about 50 yards further than any of the motor traffic was getting, and only 15-20 yards from the crest of the hill. Amusingly the grit lorry was stuck in the tailback with the cars at the top of the hill fishtailing.
I have had a complete set of ice tyres available for several years, and have occasionally fitted them - but most of my commutes were on major enough roads that they were well gritted. They were absolute marvels though, you'd be riding along with the traditional gravel sound and suddenly it would go quiet, with no other change. I could slow/stop or change direction on the ice quite happily.
The biggest issue, as suggested above, is that the following car might not be able to, and might assume that your traction means that the road is not icy, when it means nothing of the sort.
I have had a complete set of ice tyres available for several years, and have occasionally fitted them - but most of my commutes were on major enough roads that they were well gritted. They were absolute marvels though, you'd be riding along with the traditional gravel sound and suddenly it would go quiet, with no other change. I could slow/stop or change direction on the ice quite happily.
The biggest issue, as suggested above, is that the following car might not be able to, and might assume that your traction means that the road is not icy, when it means nothing of the sort.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Interesting. My experience of snow/ice tyres on the fixed is generally psychological - as in "it's icy so best fit the tyres" - I still find chunks of road unrideable due to snow or ice. I did think one year I would just not bother and keep the regular tyres, as there is only a narrow range between clear and too icy for snow tyres.
I can see this would be different on a trike, where a small loss of grip wouldn't cause a fall - just a wobble.
I would consider mtb tyres in 18" + snow tyre in 26", but I am not convinced that I will see enough snow to justify it, or that I would trust myself commuting on the trike in those conditions.
I can see this would be different on a trike, where a small loss of grip wouldn't cause a fall - just a wobble.
I would consider mtb tyres in 18" + snow tyre in 26", but I am not convinced that I will see enough snow to justify it, or that I would trust myself commuting on the trike in those conditions.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
To clarify the tyres I have are marathon winters - deep tread and studs, so function on both snow and ice.
Summer tyres are Trykers - no tread at all...
Summer tyres are Trykers - no tread at all...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
nobrakes wrote:belgiangoth- yes traction is an issue on steep slippery slopes. The back of the trike doesn’t have much weight on it. I wouldn’t go out on ice without at least a rear studded tyre, but three is better if you want brakes to work
Check Ebay for the older Schwalbe Marathon Winter (20"/42-406) and Schwalbe Winter (16"/30-349, 18"/42-355). Schwalbe recently discontinued the 16" and 18" sizes, but they are still available at some vendors.
ICE VTX 3x700, ICE Vortex-Leader 3x26", ICE Sprint 26 eTrike, Milan GT
Blog: http://etrike.wordpress.com
Blog: http://etrike.wordpress.com
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Another cracking day on the trike. Pushing the envelope a bit - a full fat would be better. Lots of wheel spin on steeper climbs and riding through several inches of snow in places is slow going. Great fun though!
Re: Reminder why I have a trike
Made a classic error on mine....
Fitted a snow tyre to the rear wheel to add traction and it worked well
Then on the downhill from work applied brakes and realised that the additional grip should have been beneficial as I skidded along
Now have snow tyres all round
Fitted a snow tyre to the rear wheel to add traction and it worked well
Then on the downhill from work applied brakes and realised that the additional grip should have been beneficial as I skidded along
Now have snow tyres all round