ICE Sprint X Tour FS experience

[UpWrong]

Single sided rear mudguard fitted. Original mudguard weighed 400g, this weighs 230g. And more aero! Not that I expect it will make much difference. I might glue some short extension pieces on to extend the coverage. It's very rigid.

[UpWrong]

I've been mulling over luggage options with a view to reducing weight and/or improving aerodynamics. Removing the rack would help. I guess it weighs around 1Kg with the mounting bolts. I use a small Ortlieb bag with it at the moment which is 800g, capacity 15L. A couple of frame bags zip tied to the back of the seat would weigh around 400g with 9L capacity potentially saving 1.4Kg, about 3lbs.

[UpWrong]

After going round in circles on this I decided to order a couple of Osprey Escapist 4 litre frame bags which have double ended zippers, so I can open them at either the top or the bottom if mounted on the back of the seat. Another possibility would be to mount them hanging horizontally from the rack. They are slim so won't protrude into the airflow as much as the Ortlieb panner and are lighter, even if using both.

[UpWrong]

As described in the technical section, I have a problem with the right wheel pulsing and juddering under braking. This explains much of the poor handling. At times it's like having ABS with the wheel momentarily locking up. This is caused by the internal drum not being adequately round. I have seen posts by ICE that this can be fixed by using a dial indicator to identify the low spots and adjusting the spoke tension to pull the hub into round. The problem is that adjusting the spoke tension will also affect rim trueness. Greenspeed recommended sanding the internal drum by putting emery cloth on the shoes and turning the wheel to sand the low spots.

However, since it's a new trike I ought to return to the dealer. The easiest fix for all concerned is probably a new wheel from ICE.

[UpWrong]

The Osprey bags came today. They'll make a great tail fairing

[UpWrong]

Two attempts to correct the ovality of the drum by adjusting spoke tensions failed. The dealer has provided me with a replacement wheel.

I have replaced the middle and outer steel chainrings with alloy ones. The steel rings weighed a total of 250g, the alloy ones 140g so a weight reduction of 110g. What else? I haven't tried removing the rack and using the two Osprey bags on the back of the seat. They are a bit small though. I could save 450g by getting some ginkgo wheels with 70mm drums. Maybe not a good idea if touring, but I'd keep the original wheels.

[UpWrong]

I decided to go-ahead with a pair of wheels from ginkgo-veloteile. 70 mm drums, 32 spokes, Kinlin 21mm aero rims. Unlike ICE they check and report the roundness of the drums before dispatch. I can't understand why ICE don't do the quality checks and get replacements from SA for those that fail.

Since I was migrating from 90 mm drums I had to get new back-plates (which includes the shoes). By default you only get the hub shells and bearings from Ginkgo in their wheel builds.They offer 36, 32 or 28 spoke hubs. I decided on 32 which came with a 2-cross spoke pattern. The original wheels with 36 hole 90mm drums used 1-cross. 32-spokes will make it easier to attach a pump.

Now fitted and looks good with the 32mm Conti Contact Urban tyres.

[UpWrong]

I rode 16 miles with the new wheels yesterday. The trike felt a bit more sprightly. I was focused on bedding in the 70mm drums, so on downhills was applying them and releasing repeatedly. Braking was smooth but no bite to the brakes yet. Will give it a while then remove any brake dust. I expect they will sharpen up then.

I was grateful for the 15" bottom gear on 3 climbs.

I am uhhming and ahhing about removing the rear rack. Have to say the single pannier I currently put on the rack is convenient. The one bag can be moved between my 3 'bents which all have the same wheel sizes and valve types. Handy to carry the one bag into a cafe or pub. Soft luggage will be less secure and less convenient.

I need to test if the trike can be loaded into the car without folding it. With the seat removed it's quite easy to lift the frame up, put the wheels into the boot then roll the trike forwards,

[Tigerbiten]

I have an ICE sprint with a hard shell seat at max recline. 20" wheels all around. To get this seat angle I need to pull the back boom out a few inches so my trike is slightly longer then the standard length.
My car is a Peugeot Partner Tepee small SUV. With the backseats out and the passenger seat folded down my trike goes in back wheel first and the back wheel goes so far forward that it ends up on the folded front seat. Back brake on and a couple of straps to tie it down to stop it moving worked fine when I used the car to go to meets.
Without the rack on the trike and with the front seat fully forward and folded, the back wheel will drop into the backseat footwell. I used that trick when I had a Q.

[UpWrong]

Interesting idea. I'm not sure if the front passenger seat folds down much in my MG4 but will take a look.

[UpWrong]

Interesting idea. I'm not sure if the front passenger seat folds down much in my MG4 but will take a look.

A tape measure indicated that the Sprint was not going to fit behind the front passenger seat, even with the seat pushed forward and the seat back angled forwards. I reckon the boom could go between the front seats with the pedals removed and the crankset covered, but that would be a faff. So I tried folding it:

1. Remove seat
2. Remove the quick-detached monoblade rear mudguard
3. Lift front wheels into the hatchback and rest with the rear end sticking out of the back.
4. Rotate the handlebars backwards.
5. Undo the frame clamp and fold the wheel over the cruciform.
6. Roll the trike further into the car until the frame clamp clears the boot lip.
7. Put a bit of padding around and under the frame clamp

(EDIT: Looking at the photos, I reckon I could leave the rear mudguard on.)

The front wheels are resting against the rear of the folded back seats, but I'd secure the trike further just in case an emergency stop was necessary.

Oh yes, I have removed the rear rack. With the bolts it weighs around 1070g.

[UpWrong]

I think I've gone as far as I reasonably can with weight saving. I reckon:

rear rack removal 1070g
new wheels with smaller drum brakes 500g
changed rear mudguard 170g
titanium bottom bracket 130g
alloy chain rings 110g

Total weight saving 1980g. I haven't tried weighing the trike. With its full suspension probably still north of 40lbs.

[UpWrong]

Added the soft luggage. Three frame bags. I've used rear light brackets to stop the seat mounted ones from swaying inwards towards the idler and swing arm. Price paid was comparable to the ICE sidepods and total capacity is about the same, which begs the question why not the sidepods which are quick on/off?

[UpWrong]

I recorded my fastest ride on the trike over a regular urban route today. So the new wheels have quickened the trike and have solved the handling problems I was getting with the ovalised drum on the original right wheel. I think I'll put the large frame bag behind the seat, then one of the small ones can go on the swingarm when I need it but will be left off otherwise.

I still need to think about lights and reflectors with winter coming on. These may be harder to mount without the rack.

[Grldtnr]

Upwrong,I think changing to 70mm drums from 90mm will be a retrograde step, sacrificing braking power for weight, i'm not sure is a good idea, maybe swapping for disc might have been better, but then info t favour them either!
As for loading into a car, depends what you have , I load my AZUB, whole into the back of my Skoda Octavia, ( s bit of delicious irony , both are Czech!)
I only need to lower and move the trike seat fwd, the boom does intrude into the front cockpit, but I put up with that.
If I travel any distance then I will fold it, and put it in the boot area s bit of a faff, but not too Inconvenient, it then allows me to carry passengers, and upwtongs on the rear rack.