# What Tips and Tricks can you give me?



## SatNavSaysStraightOn (12 Mar 2015)

OK

As per the title....

I'm after your advice, experience, tips and tricks on a recumbent.

It can be anything from lights, where the **** to mount a garmin, how to deal with rain, how to keep my knees warmer, how to stay dry... maintenance, cleaning it, dealing with dogs (so far OK) dealing with horses (met one and the rider asked if she could introduce the horse to me)... anything you can think of please because this is a totally new field to me and I'm feeling a little daunted and reckon there must be loads of experience out there that can be put down electronically and conveyed to me! 

I've lost the smilie I wanted... the one that bows down to everyone... where has it gone to. 

Found it...


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## andytheflyer (12 Mar 2015)

Well, as for horses...... 
* https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/horses-and-recumbent-bikes.172708/
*
Lights: you can fit a mount (I like the Minoura spacebar mount) to the FD post and mount lights on that. I also have a largish road bike underseat bag fixed to the back at the top of the seat - that (Topeak) has a tape so you can clip in a rear light - I use a big Smart LED. With a bit of ingenuity you should be able to do similar of the top of your seat. The bag tapes go around the headrest mount.

The Topeak bottle cage mount also allows you to fit a bottle to any tube, and then a pump on the same mount.

Looking at yours, I bet the handrest posts are 25mm dia, so a Minoura would fit on there, and you could mount a Garmin on that, or lights.

Recumbents are a challenge - nothing made for an upright quite fits, but with a bit of creativity you can make the usual kit work. 

I have found it a satisfying challenge to set my bike bent up the way I want it, using my road bike lights and Garmin, using whatever mounts and adaptors I can find on the 'net, or in my bits box.


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## Ganymede (12 Mar 2015)

I've got a good one - don't wear a skirt!! Well I thought I'd give it a go... really, really doesn't work! But I suspect you're not much of a skirt-on-a-bike kinda gal, I only do it occasionally if needed!


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## young Ed (12 Mar 2015)

to keep water bottles dry, clean and sanitary give them a normal wash out be it by hand with hot water and washing up liquid or in the dishwasher etc and then let just flick them out and then for the magic! roll up a piece of kitchen paper and stick it in the bottle length ways and screw the cap on just enough to hold it but not on tight, you may need to change the paper after a day or two if it is properly moist/damp but otherwise just leave it in there until next use and it will keep the bottle bone dry and stop any algae/bacteria etc growing 
Cheers Ed


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## Slioch (12 Mar 2015)

@SatNavSaysStraightOn 
I think I've got an unused spacebar mount kicking around in my box of spares, and you're very welcome to it if you want? I won't have time this evening, but I'll dig it out and post up a picture of it tomorrow for you to see what you think.


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## Tigerbiten (12 Mar 2015)

The best ways I've found to lock it away from home is with a 4 foot cable with loops both ends and a padlock.
The cable goes through one front wheel and then both ends get padlocked to the chain guard.
This makes a big area between the cable and the frame for a post/tree/railings/etc to fit inside to stop the trike going walkabout.
If you need a longer length then just feed the cable through a loop and only padlock one end to the chainguard.
Also if you use the top of the chainguard, you wont need to bend as far to lock it.
I use this all the time plus a D lock in the back wheel as needed.


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## classic33 (12 Mar 2015)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> OK
> I've lost the smilie I wanted... the one that bows down to everyone... where has it gone to.
> 
> Found it...


Better Version.


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## Tim Hall (12 Mar 2015)

An alternative to drinks bottles is a Camelback (or cheap knock off copy) slung in a bag over the back of the seat. @kimble did some magic with strategically placed rare earth magnets to hold the drinking tube in a grabbable place under the seat, but she's clever like that.

A toe strap/rubber band can be used on a brake lever as a parking brake.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (13 Mar 2015)

@Tim Hall the magnets sound like good idea. We had also been thinking about a camalbak rucksack type solution as well but finance being tight, it will have to wait until I've sold some old kit or a few months have passed.

@Slioch that would be fantastic thank you.

Today's project is to see some Velcro onto some trekking pole holders to adapt them to the back of the trike seat to take my crutches which it sadly seems like I'm going to need for some time to come. The trekking pole holders were an entire £3.50 each off eBay. Plus a couple of buckles that were lying around, the pole holders have straps on them already, and some old pipe insulation cable tie onto the bike and jobs sorted. We h
Already had the Velcro, so that it sorted for £7 including postage! I know other options are available but they rely on other people doing it for me, and that other person is exhausted and it's his birthday this Sunday so I don't want to over burden him.


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## Slioch (13 Mar 2015)

@SatNavSaysStraightOn 
Apologies SNSSO, but I've just been through my spares box and can't find the spacebar. Guess I must have already passed it on somewhere along the way. Sorry!


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (13 Mar 2015)

Slioch said:


> @SatNavSaysStraightOn
> Apologies SNSSO, but I've just been through my spares box and can't find the spacebar. Guess I must have already passed it on somewhere along the way. Sorry!


Never mind. Thanks for the offer.


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## Bazzer (13 Mar 2015)

I don't have a recumbent, so feel free to shoot me down, but having read some of your posts about the modifications you required to your 'bent, have you considered speaking with a small engineering company about a purpose made bar/s? You are not too far from Warrington, Chester etc or there could even be one in some of the smaller settlements.
They may have some off cut stainless tubing or bar which they should be able to cut and bend to your specific requirements. With luck the most difficult aspect would be making the brackets to fit to your existing frame.
With finances being tight, a couple of calls may give you some idea of the cost and at least you would have something which suited you and not a compromise or bodge.


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## classic33 (14 Mar 2015)

What size are the poles? Have you considered plastic pipe clips/spacers to hold them.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (14 Mar 2015)

classic33 said:


> What size are the poles? Have you considered plastic pipe clips/spacers to hold them.


They are crutch sized. Sorry! I have considered pipe clips but pipe clips have a little hole in the back of them to be screws into something and I was thinking that may not be my best move screwing 6 clips into the metal frame of the seat 




The trekking pole holders I have found will work really well once I have them attached by Velcro later today and it's something can do rather than rely on others to get for me and do like my husband fitting the long reach derailuer for me...


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## machew (14 Mar 2015)

As I dont like flags on my 'bent I built one of these


I serves as a double purpose, it holds the camera and on the back I have stuck red leds as a rear light

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30cm-LED-...Domain_3&var=510583399215&hash=item4ae59ad918


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## mrandmrspoves (14 Mar 2015)

Handlebar extender as picture -cheap, very light and the T can be moved to be vertical or horizontal. Fits fine on the front derailleur mount.


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## mrandmrspoves (14 Mar 2015)

My drinks bottle is mounted on my steerer with another eBay bargain part. I put it there as U cannot reach behind to get to the seat mounted one. It did tend to get covered in crap so I have a shield made from a plastic box file that is fixed behind the bottle cage.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (15 Mar 2015)

I've put the waterbottle on the helping handle but they are just out of reach. Nothing can go on the steering handles because after the grips and brake lever, there simply isn't room. The mirrors are designed to go on them and were, but I've moved those over to the helping handles as well so I can see them better without constantly having to move my head. The front derailuer mount is in use by the front derailuer, so I have the official ICE bracket to mount the front lights.


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## Tigerbiten (15 Mar 2015)

I use the Radical sidepods.
They are expensive but have a pocket on each which will take a water bottle.
I can get the right hand bottle in/out without reaching/twisting too much.
With the bottle cage on the frame, thats 3x0.75 liters carried in them.
Then behind the seat is a large Camelbak bladder.
Because I use a tailbox on my rack, I cannot use the rack side pieces.
I've found one side piece makes a perfect frame for the Camelbak which is then bolted/zip tied to my hardshell seat.
That gives me a total of around 4.5 liters of water, which I can drink on a hot day.

Lights, I run dynamo lights which I leave on all the time.
It's hard to light the road well off a recumbent trike both due to the height of the light and the fact it's on the boom so it doesn't swing left/right around corners.
If/when you are go fast/far at night then two lights work a lot better as they can be angled out so they light up the road around corners a lot better.

Also put reflectives on the back of your front mudguards.
Drivers from behind will light them up at night and have a lot better/quicker idea of how wide the trike is on the road.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (15 Mar 2015)

Tigerbiten said:


> Also put reflectives on the back of your front mudguards.


I was thinking about this overnight... have you found anywhere that does red reflectives or did you just settle for white?

I still need to get the front gears sorted out. Kevin put a road chainring on the trike not a mtb one and I have a 30/42/50 which I am struggling with. At the moment we can only get 1 chainring working at a time. If the middle chain ring is functional, the inner chain ring slips badly still even with the long reach derailleur - though not as badly as before. I think the jump is simply too large personally and I will never need a 50t chainring. I was thinking of (long term) changing it to something like 30/36/44 if that combination is possible - or something vaguely similar but until I can sort the slipping out I don't know where to go. I'm going to get a new 17T Rohloff sprocket to rule that out. The existing one has only done around 3,000 miles (with about 1,000 miles in current direction) but I need to rule it out as cause.

What are you running with front and rear on both teeth and derailleurs please?


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## Pale Rider (15 Mar 2015)

Your Rohloff, as you know, has a famously wide range.

Could you take advantage of that and run a single front ring, possibly a 30 or even a bit smaller, and a rigid chain tensioner?

I don't know enough about long chain runs to be sure if this would work.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (15 Mar 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> Your Rohloff, as you know, has a famously wide range.
> 
> Could you take advantage of that and run a single front ring, possibly a 30 or even a bit smaller, and a rigid chain tensioner?
> 
> I don't know enough about long chain runs to be sure if this would work.



The range is good, but I want to at least get 2 chainrings working at this stage simply because of the paralysis in my legs. I'm managing on the middle chainring which has been the only one working this last week and that is a large 42/17 combination which is actually larger than my Thorn Nomad which was on a 38/17. I was thinking that if I could get something like a 38/17 working for the middle chainring and have something lower available for hills and (long term plans) of touring again, that would be great... so something like 30 or 32 would be great I think.... not sure. I had originally expected Kevin to have gone with a mtb setup of 22/34/44 tbh!


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## Nigel182 (15 Mar 2015)

I've a spare camelback bladder I can let you have if you cover the postage.....maybe fit it into an old rucksack or stuff stack ???


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## Rickshaw Phil (15 Mar 2015)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> I was thinking about this overnight... have you found anywhere that does red reflectives or did you just settle for white?


If it helps, I got my last lot of red reflective tape from a yacht chandlery. The place I used doesn't have an online shop but a search brought up this one: http://www.marinechandlery.com/retro-reflective-tape-31209 and no doubt there are more around.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (15 Mar 2015)

Nigel182 said:


> I've a spare camelback bladder I can let you have if you cover the postage.....maybe fit it into an old rucksack or stuff stack ???


that would be fantastic. I'll PM you. Many thanks.


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## Nigel182 (15 Mar 2015)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> that would be fantastic. I'll PM you. Many thanks.


no worries can send it by My Hermes later in the week due to pain in the Butt Shift Pattern.


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## Tigerbiten (15 Mar 2015)

I used the funny shaped yellow reflectors from Halfords on my mudguards.

I'm running on a 20" wheel.
My back sprocket is the 21 tooth one which you can get from Germany at twice the price of the standard one. I just use a Sora short cage mech as a chain tensioner. I've replaced one of the limit screws with a long one so the mech is locked in place with the two limit screws.
My front chainring are 38/53, the 38 is the smallest chainring I can run in a double due to the Schlumpf HSD. I run a 53 as my big ring but a 55 would be closer to 3 gears up. I just use a bog standard front mech.

The reason Kevin probably picked the 30 tooth small chainring is due to the lowest recommended chainring /sprocket ratio is 2:1 or 34/17.
Your ratio is very similar to mine at around 1.8/1 or 38/21 or 30/17 but I'm using a 20" wheel so my first gear is lower. 9.5" vs 12.2".
A 30t to 50t chainring jump is 66% or almost exactly 4 gears. The ideal middle would be a 39t as it's a 2 gear jump both ways. But getting a modern front mech to work with a 9 tooth jump could be fiddly.

Edit:- I do have a worn chain that I've just taken off my trike.
It may run better on your part worn sprocket.
If you want to try it, I can clean it up and post it to you.
Saves you getting a new sprocket.


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## classic33 (15 Mar 2015)

The Range do self adhesive tape in Red, amongst other colours.
17mm wide.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (16 Mar 2015)

Tigerbiten said:


> Edit:- I do have a worn chain that I've just taken off my trike.
> It may run better on your part worn sprocket.
> If you want to try it, I can clean it up and post it to you.
> Saves you getting a new sprocket.


Thanks, but I personally don't think the sprocket is the cause of the problem tbh. It really shows no signs of use. I'll photo it later and see what you think but compared to a brand new 16t one we happen to have spare it looks identical ... Other than 1 extra tooth that is!


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (16 Mar 2015)

classic33 said:


> The Range do self adhesive tape in Red, amongst other colours.
> 17mm wide.


I have ordered some silver and some red off eBay. I needed some for my crutches as well! My evening physio walk takes me down our lane which gets a touch of traffic at certain times of day and it's narrow, single track with distant lights and plenty of dark areas plus we get lots of night time cyclists and I wear dark clothing and usually don't bother with a light because I like my night vision!


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## byegad (16 Mar 2015)

The widest gear ratio possible is always the way to go. My three trikes all use 11-34 rear cassettes and have variously 22-34-48, 24-40-50 and 26-40-53 triples up front, all with a 20" drive wheel.

Ignore those who suggest you can get away without a triple up front, the weight of a tadpole trike makes going up hill slow work and having a gear low enough to do this without too much heaving and straining is well worth the extra weight and complication of setting it up. It also saves your knees! The riding position on a recumbent allows you to press much harder on the pedal than you would on a DF which is not good in the long term for your knees, so learn to change down early and spin rather than heave up hills. Running out of a gear low enough for this too often is a bad thing! Having as high a gear as you can get as well as the lowest you need means you can power down hills in rolling countryside and use the speed you gain to help you part way up the next rise.
As for setting up the triple, it is exactly the same process as a normal bike so any half way decent bike shop should be able to do it for you.


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## Encephrich (16 Mar 2015)

Bit late to this but I have been remiss in logging in lately 

The advice for ideas and things to do I found by seeking out blogs and a few groups on social media. 
Much of it I probably will not do due to costs but they give rise to alternate ideas that may be less expensive and could be done.

one such blog is http://liegeradmann.de/ Its in German but the PC will translate for me. Down on the right hand side is a link to the technical section, which may be of interest!

Not sure if this will help *probably just posting to say I'm still alive*


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## Tigerbiten (16 Mar 2015)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> Thanks, but I personally don't think the sprocket is the cause of the problem tbh. It really shows no signs of use. I'll photo it later and see what you think but compared to a brand new 16t one we happen to have spare it looks identical ... Other than 1 extra tooth that is!


Do you have the sprocket removal block or can you get your hands on one ??
If you can then try the 16t sprocket.
This will prove if you need a new 17t sprocket or not.

Even after 8k miles my 21 tooth sprocket didn't look at all worn but the chain just started to jump.
They were surprised at ICE when the new chain started to jump under load.
I don't think it takes much wear at all on the sprocket before a new chain starts jumping on a Rohloff sprocket with a derailleur.


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## starhawk (16 Mar 2015)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> I've put the waterbottle on the helping handle but they are just out of reach. Nothing can go on the steering handles because after the grips and brake lever, there simply isn't room. The mirrors are designed to go on them and were, but I've moved those over to the helping handles as well so I can see them better without constantly having to move my head. The front derailuer mount is in use by the front derailuer, so I have the official ICE bracket to mount the front lights.



I have mounted my waterbottle on the original place on the frame just in front of the seat. ICE have this wonderful* bottle cage riser* which turn this mount into a very good place to have the bottle. I also plan to move my mirrors to the helping handles, as I have Mirrycles mirrors I plan to use my two* Mirror mounts* also a good mount from ICE. My front lightmount from ICE is used by a home-made bracket which holds the front unit of Bicygnals so I have got an adjustable T-mount for the front light which I mount on that home-made bracket


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## jayjay (16 Mar 2015)

Rain - anything with a zip in the front tends to let in water because it puddles, and even a good zip and flap aren't going to work well submerged. I use a sailing type top which pulls on over the head. Too sweaty for athletic pedalling but keeps out the sleet 'n' stuff completely. Regrettably expensive unless you find a bargain somewhere, as it's that type of market. Has anyone found a good buy?


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## Encephrich (17 Mar 2015)

Now I think of it here's a tip I was given when I first went recumbent:

'Dont try any serious gradients for the first 150Kms.'

I was told that the body (muscles, circulation etc) has to get used to pedaling in a recumbent position and needed time to adjust, if one tried serious gradients you would run out of steam pretty fast and suffer, psychologically as well asphysically.
Apparently some have given up bents because of this mistake, believing bents were not for them.
Some of the more experienced riders on the forum would be able to confirm/deny this advice as I just went with it and haven't had probs


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## Ganymede (17 Mar 2015)

Encephrich said:


> Now I think of it here's a tip I was given when I first went recumbent:
> 
> 'Dont try any serious gradients for the first 150Kms.'
> 
> ...


I found mine very hard going at first, and ended up not using it for years. I only re-instated it last summer and have had a lot of fun on it, but it's been a learning experience!


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## stuee147 (17 Mar 2015)

iv said it before and i belive there is no real differance between riding a bent or riding a standard bike. the thing you have to remember it dont matter if you can do 50 miles a day on a standard bike you wont be able to keep up on a bent. at least to start with. you use different mussels on a bent to a standard bike.
its a bit like walking on your hands you can do it with practice but it will show you mussels you didnt know you had but if you keep it up and start from scratch you can eisily build the right mussles up and you will soo be keeping up with your old standard bike times.


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## Scoosh (17 Mar 2015)

^ ^ ^ ^ and getting-started-balance on a 2-wheeled 'bent is about the same as walking on your hands to start with !   
IMHE !


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## Scoosh (17 Mar 2015)

A possible future addition, to help with both the rain and cold could be a fairing - Calling @BlackPanther !


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## Ganymede (17 Mar 2015)

Scoosh said:


> ^ ^ ^ ^ and getting-started-balance on a 2-wheeled 'bent is about the same as walking on your hands to start with !
> IMHE !


I always feel this is a really strong protection against bike thieves. They just wouldn't be able to ride it away....


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## classic33 (18 Mar 2015)

Encephrich said:


> Now I think of it here's a tip I was given when I first went recumbent:
> 
> 'Dont try any serious gradients for the first 150Kms.'
> 
> ...


Had no real choice when it came to starting out with regards hills.
I go down to get out, I've a 30° slope to get up. Head up and I've a 40° one way & a 50° the other.


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## machew (18 Mar 2015)

Trikes will roll if you corner to fast without shifting your weight over the inside wheel. (I speak from having rolled mine twice)


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## Tigerbiten (18 Mar 2015)

machew said:


> Trikes will roll if you corner to fast without shifting your weight over the inside wheel. (I speak from having rolled mine twice)


It's not the big fast corners that get you as you tend to expect a wheel to lift and lean to compensate.
I find it's the odd corner with an adverse camber that catches you by surprise and you suddenly find yourself up on two wheels.
The other classic one is misjudging the angle of a slope you are going across.


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## starhawk (18 Mar 2015)

Old myths die slowly, I have read on a number of places that there are no new muscle groups in play when you ride a recumbent compared to a DF. My own experience confirms this, I had no problem changing from my Mountainbike to my lovely trike


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## Tigerbiten (19 Mar 2015)

My understanding of "bent legs" is ........
Because you are not as bent over, your Gluteal don't work as much/as well compared to a DF. So you have rely more on your Quads. This causes your max power to be down a little.
Also it's also harder to change how the muscle groups work by changing position, you cannot get out of the saddle to honk up a hill. This causes you to become fatigued slightly faster.
Put those two points together and it takes a few hundred miles on a new bent to get fully fit.

But I could be completely wrong ......


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## stuee147 (19 Mar 2015)

iv found that i seem to use my hips more on a trike than i ever did on an upright and i find it work my chest more as i breath deeper but i think thats just because on a standard bike your mre bent over so deep breathes are harder to take but thats just me maybe i ride funny but i honestly belive you do use different mussle groups on a trike but thats just me lol


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## Scoosh (19 Mar 2015)

It was my hamstrings that used to cramp up in my early 'bent days.




Not nearly as bad now but I'm still wary ...


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## Pale Rider (25 Mar 2015)

Scoosh said:


> It was my hamstrings that used to cramp up in my early 'bent days.
> 
> 
> 
> Not nearly as bad now but I'm still wary ...



You may know this, but quinine alleviates cramp.

I believe the pro roadies take tablets, but slurping tonic water is just as good for the likes of us.


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## Scoosh (25 Mar 2015)

Didn't know that - thanks !  I like tonic too - and I thought I read somewhere that it's a good recovery drink - maybe for that reason (so maybe I did know it )

Does it work as well with a little gin in the tonic ?


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (26 Mar 2015)

Scoosh said:


> Didn't know that - thanks !  I like tonic too - and I thought I read somewhere that it's a good recovery drink - maybe for that reason (so maybe I did know it )
> 
> Does it work as well with a little gin in the tonic ?


only if you include lemon and don't mix it with morphine*...


*luckily I don't like gin, just tonic....


PS - Look at the label - not all tonic waters have quinine in them - Scweps do


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