switching to tadpole 26" or 20"?

[squeaker]

I've often toyed with getting a velomobile but am uncertain if I have the power to take advantage of the aerodynamics. Mind you having been out in last nights storm on my Q the additional weather protection is attractive.

Extra weather protection, yes, but extra side-wind sensitivity too, which combined with higher speeds can get too exciting

[squeaker]

Secondly, suspension or not? I have managed without on the kett so instinct says it may be a waste of money. I am 56 now but i hope this big investment will last me a good 10 years and i might want a comfier ride when I am 66 and beyond!

Based on my experiences with a rear suspended 20" ICE 'S', likewise ICE 'T', and unsuspended 26" ICE Sprint, I'd want suspension with a 20" rear wheel, but I've never been convinced by the added complexity of suspended fronts on a tadpole.

[Grldtnr]

As for twanging suzzies, I do try to avoid , holes, or undulations

This is rather dependent on where you want to ride, of course. Pure tarmac is one thing, but personally I'm not averse to a bit of off-road, even fully laden on the 'bent for touring, and avoiding holes and undulations off-road doesn't really work...

Pete.

I'm not averse to a bit of 'pot -holing ' ,myself I've taken my Azub down some rough tracks, having to dismount sometimes,with the 20" wheels in deep ruts,and the rear 26" on the centre,the frame having grounded. ,26" all round I might not have needed, but jolly fun !
It tracks straight and true when on the black top, no squirming about, over much road buzz, thanks to the relatively wide section tyres, it does what I chose it to do.
I am not convinced by Suspension.

[skeltrike]

WOW Thanks all, I didn't expect such a comprehensive series of replies! much food for thought.

in my OP i should have provided a bit more info. Hemiplegia means my left arm is completely paralysed and my left leg has very limited movement and virtually no strength. so all braking, gears, bell, and controls are on the right. i have enough strength to cycle 'manually' on the flat and very small hills, so for any decent length ride I have to rely on e-assist. So its going to be a mid-drive with a single chain ring obviously limited to 25km/h. my long-term touring average is 17km/h but on club rides i run at 18-20km/h

The Shimano Nexus has turned me off hub gears as I am now on my third replacement I have found that it can't take the power from my 'good leg' on a steep hill. A Rolhoff is clearly better but i like the idea of a derailleur as it is all accessible and can easily be fixed on the road or local bike shop. the Di2 makes it easier to push-button shift when i am using the same hand for everything. there is obviously the automatic shift option but I worry that may cross the divide between cycle and mobility scooter (should I actually care?)

ATM my daily distance is limited to 50miles by battery life and terrain. Going for the steps EP8 and 630W/h will probably up that to 75-100miles with the most efficient drivetrain. With either Azub or ICE I can double battery but that adds quite a bit of weight but might double range.

my instinct is still saying 26" rear, I don't think the folded size is an issue as the folded size is not much different- someone suggested 26" all-round but i do think that would be a problem.- the first test is folding/reassembly with one hand sat on the ground! - which i will have a go at when i test ride. I take the point about carrying different tubes. I'm thinking about linear tubes so i can change without removing the rear wheel.

the bottom line is that I love cycling but cant really do it without help (both mechanical and mates). I want to do some more long tours and if I am investing circa £10K in something new it needs to be right.

BTW- I haven't given much thought to HPV as they don't seem to offer anything different for a lot more money.

excited for test rides next week!

thanks
Skel

[[XAP]Bob]

You really want to have a slightly extended chat with Tiger, who also has one sided controls

I've used linear tubes, but only as replacements (tying the circular tube to the frame to keep it out of the way until a more convenient time to work on the wheel - obviously not a problem for front wheels, and now all of my wheels are cantilevered (OK, the castor wheels on my wheelchair aren't, but they're also solid).

A trike is an HPV, as is a unicycle, and a penny farthing, and a velo... But I know what you mean.
Which HPV you choose will depend on what you expect/want to be doing.

[Tigerbiten]

No left arm here so all controls on right hand side.

Twist shifter for the Rohloff. I went for the Rohloff mostly for the range but partly because of changing gear at a stand still after an emergency stop.
Twin hydraulic disks off a single lever. Works better than the cable ones I started with. Never tried drums.
Front derailleur shifter is stuck in the bottom of the handle bar vertical section. It only has to shift twin rings so it's up for small ring or down for big, no trimming needed. I stuck the shifter there as the top of the bar plus bar end used as a mirror arm makes a good hand rest as your idling along.
Handbrake on back wheel worked off a friction shifter where the handle bar turns horizonal. Because the handbrake is independent of the front brakes the trike is road legal. But not in the dark because I've no pedal reflectors.
My other control is for the Schlumpf HSD in the bottom bracket.

So it's easily possible to set a bent trike up to be legal on the road, just not at night.

[Squirrel chaser]

I have a 26" sprint
Originally set up to tour I have refitted it for fast road work.
Now running 700c rear and different ratios on gearing it's fast. Fully rigid has always been my preference but the suspension models are very good.
I run slick tyres at high pressures and still remain comfortable.
The ICE trike is definitely the best..... It's not my first machine.
Definitely would suggest getting full mudgards front and rear .
Setting them up for one sided control is simple and they respond just fine to input regarding steering.
Good luck.

[Tigerbiten]

Steering is easy for me.
I just clip my "hand" (socket from a ball and socket joint) to the handle bar that ends in the ball part of the joint.
The joint may/will come unclipped in the event of a crash but holds together under most loads.
I just need to keep the elbow joint unlocked and full control comes from my shoulder muscles.
I only feel the shoulder working if I'm riding across the likes of a high camber slope on a seawall and that's more to brace myself against the slope.

But ICE are very good setting a trike up if you're disabled.

[Squirrel chaser]

Steering is easy for me.
I just clip my "hand" (socket from a ball and socket joint) to the handle bar that ends in the ball part of the joint.
The joint may/will come unclipped in the event of a crash but holds together under most loads.
I just need to keep the elbow joint unlocked and full control comes from my shoulder muscles.
I only feel the shoulder working if I'm riding across the likes of a high camber slope on a seawall and that's more to brace myself against the slope.

But ICE are very good setting a trike up if you're disabled.

Yes Indeed.
If I ever need anything they are extremely easy to deal with and always go the extra miles to help.
I would imagine that contacting them to arrange an appointment for fitting and discussion of such modification to suit is easy.

PATRICK is the man you need to email at ICE for this.

[Skids]

ATM my daily distance is limited to 50miles by battery life and terrain.

I recently fitted a Tongsheng TSDZ2 to my ICE Q NT. The kit came with a 48volt battery of 704 W hours and on the flat of North Lincolnshire I managed over one hundred miles on a charge and that included some light off road. Unfortunately I was forced to remove the kit as it suffers from a wide and off centre Q factor (tread in old parlance) which hurt my knees.

HPV may mean Human Powered Vehicle or above, I believe the OP was referring to HP Velotechnik https://www.hpvelotechnik.com/en/

I considered one of their Scorpion trikes but read that while effective, their front suspension is complex and repairs often require searching for the bits that have all sprung apart during dismantling. Whereas the suspension that ICE supplies is far simpler plus I already own an ICE.

[skeltrike]

You really want to have a slightly extended chat with Tiger, who also has one sided controls

I've used linear tubes, but only as replacements (tying the circular tube to the frame to keep it out of the way until a more convenient time to work on the wheel - obviously not a problem for front wheels, and now all of my wheels are cantilevered (OK, the castor wheels on my wheelchair aren't, but they're also solid).

A trike is an HPV, as is a unicycle, and a penny farthing, and a velo... But I know what you mean.
Which HPV you choose will depend on what you expect/want to be doing.

yes, on the kett I have perfected one-hand tyre change on the rear - luckily the front has never punctured, probably because I can see where it is going, changing to a tadpole I am sure that I will get punctures in the rear - yes I think linear on the road for a quick change and replace with a 'proper' one back home. good tyres to try and avoid it in the first place!

Yes, I meant HP Velotechnik!

[skeltrike]

Steering is easy for me.
I just clip my "hand" (socket from a ball and socket joint) to the handle bar that ends in the ball part of the joint.
The joint may/will come unclipped in the event of a crash but holds together under most loads.
I just need to keep the elbow joint unlocked and full control comes from my shoulder muscles.
I only feel the shoulder working if I'm riding across the likes of a high camber slope on a seawall and that's more to brace myself against the slope.

But ICE are very good setting a trike up if you're disabled.

i have an 'active hands' velcro glove that will hold my hand on the bar but my arm doesn't contribute (still working on that with physio) so i just ride one-handed. In a crash - that has happened occasionally! I am stuffed as my feet are velcro-strapped into big sandal pedals. - i once had a seziure and ended up on the floor with feet still attached with contorted legs!! so pedal choice is under review.

TBH I can get basically the same from ICE or Azub for the same price. Dealer will sort the adaptations etc. My quandary is wheel size/gearing. As for e-assist going for the latest /most poerful is a (costly) no-brainer.

[skeltrike]

No left arm here so all controls on right hand side.

Twist shifter for the Rohloff. I went for the Rohloff mostly for the range but partly because of changing gear at a stand still after an emergency stop.
Twin hydraulic disks off a single lever. Works better than the cable ones I started with. Never tried drums.
Front derailleur shifter is stuck in the bottom of the handle bar vertical section. It only has to shift twin rings so it's up for small ring or down for big, no trimming needed. I stuck the shifter there as the top of the bar plus bar end used as a mirror arm makes a good hand rest as your idling along.
Handbrake on back wheel worked off a friction shifter where the handle bar turns horizonal. Because the handbrake is independent of the front brakes the trike is road legal. But not in the dark because I've no pedal reflectors.
My other control is for the Schlumpf HSD in the bottom bracket.

So it's easily possible to set a bent trike up to be legal on the road, just not at night.

Rolhoff is under consideration expensive but I have only heard good things, the demo trike I am trying next week has the Enviolo, so I will see.

never occurred to me that no pedal reflectors makes my kett illegal!

[Squirrel chaser]

No left arm here so all controls on right hand side.

Twist shifter for the Rohloff. I went for the Rohloff mostly for the range but partly because of changing gear at a stand still after an emergency stop.
Twin hydraulic disks off a single lever. Works better than the cable ones I started with. Never tried drums.
Front derailleur shifter is stuck in the bottom of the handle bar vertical section. It only has to shift twin rings so it's up for small ring or down for big, no trimming needed. I stuck the shifter there as the top of the bar plus bar end used as a mirror arm makes a good hand rest as your idling along.
Handbrake on back wheel worked off a friction shifter where the handle bar turns horizonal. Because the handbrake is independent of the front brakes the trike is road legal. But not in the dark because I've no pedal reflectors.
My other control is for the Schlumpf HSD in the bottom bracket.

So it's easily possible to set a bent trike up to be legal on the road, just not at night.

Rolhoff is under consideration expensive but I have only heard good things, the demo trike I am trying next week has the Enviolo, so I will see.

never occurred to me that no pedal reflectors makes my kett illegal!

What demo trike are you trying with hub gears?
Also if you have reflective shoes they count or just stick a bit of reflective tape on each crank

[[XAP]Bob]

Also if you have reflective shoes they count or just stick a bit of reflective tape on each crank

No - they don't count.
Though if you have reflectives on the cranks you could reasonably argue that it's a disability adaptation.

many road bikes are insufficiently lit at night, because pedal reflectors on clipless pedals are like hens teeth (you can get them but basically noone does.

You could reasonably argue (though I don't know how a court would view it) that since panniers, or heels, or any number of other things make pedals not "clearly visible to the front and rear" the law is an ass but you've made every effort to exceed the visibility standard as laid down in law.