tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
After a nasty incident with an angle grinder and my left knee, uprights became increasingly uncomfortable to ride.
After some searching and advice I decided to take the recumbent route to a happier knee and see what a man of small means might get for his groats.
All the bents I looked at were very different in design and mostly about 2k above my budget but by this time I had set my heart on a tadpole trike of some description. And then by fluke, in the same week that I seriously started my search, I found an ad on Gumtree for a KMX-X, used once and for about a quater of the full retail price. I arranged a test ride with the seller who had taken a serious spill while riding it off road and had been too scared to ride it again. I left my friend as deposit and took the KMX round the block several times before I noticed everyone was getting bored waiting for me. So I threw caution to the wind and bought it!
Apart from the school run(a tag-a-long tandem and my trusty old MTB)I go everywhere I can by trike.
It IS heavy, it is on average a noticeable 2-4 mph slower than my MTB(come the spring I intend to upgrade the chain set and get it better set for road riding).
At present, and as from new, the KMX is geared for off roading although the 'granny gears' are great for long hills which you can slowly, if not a bit surrealy, sail up grinning in anticipation of going down the otherside.
It is hilarious fun, I ride it in South London traffic and have found I get much more space and respect from car drivers. Mainly because they haven't got a clue what they're seeing or possibly the bright orange flag leads them to belive it to be a disabled chariot of some kind. Either way it's good to feel noticed on bike, something that doesn't apply to uprights.
Anyway, thats my burble, I'm new to this, I've achieved a lot on a low budget and I love it!
Best Wishes,
Tdr1nka x
After some searching and advice I decided to take the recumbent route to a happier knee and see what a man of small means might get for his groats.
All the bents I looked at were very different in design and mostly about 2k above my budget but by this time I had set my heart on a tadpole trike of some description. And then by fluke, in the same week that I seriously started my search, I found an ad on Gumtree for a KMX-X, used once and for about a quater of the full retail price. I arranged a test ride with the seller who had taken a serious spill while riding it off road and had been too scared to ride it again. I left my friend as deposit and took the KMX round the block several times before I noticed everyone was getting bored waiting for me. So I threw caution to the wind and bought it!
Apart from the school run(a tag-a-long tandem and my trusty old MTB)I go everywhere I can by trike.
It IS heavy, it is on average a noticeable 2-4 mph slower than my MTB(come the spring I intend to upgrade the chain set and get it better set for road riding).
At present, and as from new, the KMX is geared for off roading although the 'granny gears' are great for long hills which you can slowly, if not a bit surrealy, sail up grinning in anticipation of going down the otherside.
It is hilarious fun, I ride it in South London traffic and have found I get much more space and respect from car drivers. Mainly because they haven't got a clue what they're seeing or possibly the bright orange flag leads them to belive it to be a disabled chariot of some kind. Either way it's good to feel noticed on bike, something that doesn't apply to uprights.
Anyway, thats my burble, I'm new to this, I've achieved a lot on a low budget and I love it!
Best Wishes,
Tdr1nka x