I'm new to my tadpole trike bent and it's a moderately laid back one (ICE Sprint X Tour).
My average cadence on rides is around 70 (fairly consistent) but I'm noticing sometimes when pedalling fast my body (waist up) rocking. The bent is new and was setup by the retailer (a ICE dealership specialising in trikes) boom adjusted for me when collecting it. When it happens (which is only occasional when pedalling fast), I've tried sliding forwards a bit so make the apparent boom "shorter" and it still happens and I'm certain the boom is not too short.
Is is a normal thing? It's not a major problem but wondering why and if it indicates something wrong with setup that might cause issues as I build distance.
Thanks
Ian
Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
You say that it happens when you are pedalling fast but is it when you are pedalling hard?
What type of steering control does it have?
When it happens can you consciously relax and stop it?
Jonathan
What type of steering control does it have?
When it happens can you consciously relax and stop it?
Jonathan
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
Steering:
I don't think it's on desperately hard pushing though on pushing a bit. e.g. When accelerating and getting close to changing gear or wondering about changing or sticking spinning (I have "questionable" knees). So pushing but at high cadence. If I ease back or change gear it stops. It's not a horrendous thing and not too disturbing. More related to high cadence than hard pushing.
When it happens bike is going straight not zig-zagging so I don't think it's a steering judder of related. Definitely a body rock in time with pedalling.
One thing I'm still getting used to is uneven roads on a trike cause sideways rocking, something you don't get on a bike and I have a balance issue. I can cope OK so not major. More wondering if it's an indicator of e.g. boom length wrong in a similar way to people can sometimes report a particular leg muscle pain and somebody says it indicates saddle too low.
Ian
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
Try bringing the boom in a little. I believe body rocking is more likely if you are over extending.
- Tigerbiten
- Posts: 2503
- Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
What speed is this happening at ??
On a slight uphill slope so the trike doesn't get away from you, try just resting both your palms on top of the handle bars.
With your hands just resting on the bars then your top half should be more relaxed and do you still rock your shoulder at a high cadence ??
I used to develop a slight rock at high speed due to feedback through the trike.
A trike reacts to a change in you CoG by moving away from it.
Lean right to counteract a camber and a trike automagically tries to turn left into the ditch.
This is not normally noticeable on a bent trike until you hit high speeds and the steering gets very light.
Then a slight rock in my hips due to over spinning set up a slight side to side snake like oscillation on the trike which fed back into a bigger shoulder movements.
Now I've ultra high gears on the trike, I no longer need to over spin to hit +30 mph.
Luck ...........
On a slight uphill slope so the trike doesn't get away from you, try just resting both your palms on top of the handle bars.
With your hands just resting on the bars then your top half should be more relaxed and do you still rock your shoulder at a high cadence ??
I used to develop a slight rock at high speed due to feedback through the trike.
A trike reacts to a change in you CoG by moving away from it.
Lean right to counteract a camber and a trike automagically tries to turn left into the ditch.
This is not normally noticeable on a bent trike until you hit high speeds and the steering gets very light.
Then a slight rock in my hips due to over spinning set up a slight side to side snake like oscillation on the trike which fed back into a bigger shoulder movements.
Now I've ultra high gears on the trike, I no longer need to over spin to hit +30 mph.
Luck ...........
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
Many thanks all. I'll observe a bit more when it happens again to try and narrow it down.
Thanks
Ian
Thanks
Ian
Re: Cadence & Body Rocking Pedalling Fast
Update: After more miles my rocking seems to be reducing - but I've no idea why. It was happening when my cadence got 80'ish or above and pushing a bit. Maybe it's also in part reducing as I get my "bent legs" (still some miles to go but getting there!).
I spoke to manufacturer and they asked how much upright DF 2 wheel cycling I'd done and said how a very well known cyclist (in the upright 2-wheel world) visited them once and had a go on one and he was rocking all over the place. I suppose to do with balance and movement on 2-wheels.
Ian
I spoke to manufacturer and they asked how much upright DF 2 wheel cycling I'd done and said how a very well known cyclist (in the upright 2-wheel world) visited them once and had a go on one and he was rocking all over the place. I suppose to do with balance and movement on 2-wheels.
Ian