Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Today’s outing past some murals
Recumbent Rides
- Thread starter a.twiddler
- Start date
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oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
A run up the Bonawe road on New Years Day in I think 2021. My Adventure HD and Loch Etive. Ben Cruachan covered in low cloud. Very cold day but no wind.
Always Cross
Guru
52 miles on Saturday legs are still hurting. One more 52 mile ride to get Eddington number 52 on the trike.
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
I went into the garage this morning and my trike is still under it's dust........ 
so is my kayak, fishing gear, the road bike and the MTB......I think I have got old
so is my kayak, fishing gear, the road bike and the MTB......I think I have got old
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
OP
OP
a.twiddler
Veteran
26/6/24
Recumbent Ride
HP Velo Spirit
Shropshire Union Towpath and Chester Greenway.
Some sunshiny days after all the rain and gloom. A shame to waste it. I got up early with good intentions but there were some jobs which just had to be done. By the time I’d finished pratting around and got going it was 10am. My original plan was to go via the lanes to Nantwich -Wrenbury -Cholmondeley -Bickerton -Tattenhall - Waverton - Guilden Sutton -Mickle Trafford -Stoak then on to the Shropshire Union canal towpath to where it passes under the Chester Greenway. On to the Greenway to Hawarden Bridge, then through Flint to Mostyn. Then back to the Chester Greenway through to Guilden Sutton, Waverton, Huxley, Tiverton and back through the lanes to make it 100 miles.
Due to the late start, within a few miles of setting off I binned the Nantwich to Tattenhall leg and diverted via Hickhurst Lane to Hall Lane en route to Tilstone Fearnall. A bit of a zig zag through the lanes until I came to Brains Lane then a T junction with the A51. I needed to turn right here but the traffic was relentless. After several minutes I managed to run across with the bike to the opposite pavement. It took a few more minutes before a large enough gap appeared so that I could launch, with quite a bit of uphill to hold me back. The traffic was patient and gave me space when overtaking, but despite this it was a deeply unpleasant experience. In this situation speed is your friend, which is something I have not got. Even the fittest cyclist’s speed barely registers on a car speedometer. I’d intended to include this stretch of road on my return journey but I worked out a plan B. It was a relief when a path appeared on the left, separated by a strip of grass from the road, as I neared Four Lane Ends. I hopped back on the road before the lights and turned left. Soon there was a good downhill, but all too soon I had to convince the traffic that I was going to turn right here into Tiverton.
Through Tiverton, which is a neat and pleasant village, and onward to Huxley. Once I’d got settled into a rhythm I found I was averaging around 10 mph which is good going for me. There was an absence of other cyclists, though plenty of motorcyclists. After turning left in Huxley a couple of groups of recreational cyclists appeared, and once I’d turned right again on to Long Lane, NCN 45, the occasional sporty cyclist hummed past. I could hear them before I saw them, a resonant thrumming and whining, with tyre sounds as they bit into the road. The day was warming up, definitely not my thing.
The houses and cottages hereabouts were neat and well kept, with the occasional Conservative sign. There is no escaping from the forthcoming election. One large house had a light aircraft parked in the field behind it. A high wing single engined monoplane with fixed undercarriage, something along the lines of a Piper Cub. Hard to be sure, as it was facing away from me. Cost of living crisis?
One simply can’t get the staff, dontcherknow.
The Shropshire Union canal made its presence felt on the left, then a tall steep canal bridge controlled by traffic lights. The lights were red, some vehicles waiting as I changed down to virtually hover the last few yards but the lights changed and I spun over the top. This bridge is probably the tallest thing for miles around in this flat landscape. I had a speed boost as I flew down the other side past a queue of waiting motorcyclists and hung on to it for a quarter mile until a small uphill spoiled my fun. Soon Long Lane became Waverton Lane and I turned right, taking a break in the shade by Egg Bridge on the Shropshire Union canal.
Back on the road again, across Egg Bridge, left on Brown Heath Road, through some roadworks, left on to Plough lane to Christleton. Right into Village Lane, through a cross roads into Little Heath Lane. Some quaint older suburbs, everything apparently clean and well maintained as I dawdled by in the increasing heat. Soon I was on Bye Pass Lane then Littleton Lane. This terminated at the A51. The traffic was intense here as I waited for a gap to cross over into Hare Lane opposite. There was a pedestrian crossing some way to the right so I wheeled down the pavement and pressed the button. The traffic stopped, I crossed, and was soon rolling on the gradual uphill on Hare Lane. I made a mental note to return this way.
I crossed over the roaring M53 and felt my temperature rising as I continued to climb. Soon I was in Pipers Ash where I came to a junction with Guilden Sutton Lane. Here I turned right. A gradual climb, level, then a downhill trend to Guilden Sutton coming to School Lane near the end of which I turned left into what was to become Station Lane as I entered Mickle Trafford. I passed the entrance to the Chester Millennium Greenway on the left then went under two shady railway bridges. The lane came to Warrington Road which I crossed, becoming another School Lane leading to a T junction with The Street where I turned right then at the next junction turned left into Picton Lane. This took me after several miles and several enjoyable undulations, where I rushed the downhills and sailed up the uphills, to Bridge 136 on the Shropshire Union canal near the village of Stoak. Just beforehand, I stopped on the bridge over the M 56 to photograph the distant forest of chimneys in the direction of Ellesmere Port.
I then got onto the towpath where there was a bench in the shade and took a break.
As I sat there, a narrowboat came past, and the boaters said, hi, and I responded. A young chap came by on an electric scooter, and said nothing.
On this, the Chester side of Bridge 136, the towpath is a fine gravel that crunches underfoot (or wheel). On the other side, towards Ellesmere Port, it is tarmac which has become broken and potholed in places, and is not so nice to ride on. My plan was to ride to where the Chester Greenway crosses over the canal, and depending on the time make a decision which way, east or west, to go from there.
I made comfortable, if slow, progress. The towpath was on the shady side of the canal and I met few walkers and cyclists. The undergrowth didn’t encroach on the towpath very much. The bridges went by, and they were easy to get under.
I took another break on a bench by Bridge 131. The local ducks must be used to people stopping at this bench while they eat their sandwiches. Before I knew it I had an audience of floating admirers. As I had nothing that a duck might consider edible, they eventually drifted away in disappointment.
When I came out on the other side of the bridge I saw that the surface was really good tarmac, and expected to make good progress from here on.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t gone far before I realised that the maintenance of the canalside undergrowth hadn’t kept up and being high summer it was taking up a lot of the width. It was better in some places than others. I came across the electric scooter rider stopped in the shrubbery, texting. A little further on, two old chaps fishing. As I reached a more open stretch a mountain biker came the other way. He had a constantly jingling bell, presumably to keep the bears away. It obviously worked, as I hadn’t seen a single bear today. I said hi, he said nothing. Grumpy git.
I heard some squawking from the canal and saw a coot with two chicks, grown beyond the fluffy stage. They might have been the survivors of a bigger brood. The chicks were making a lot of noise swimming about, with the adult clacking its beak. There was an adult moorhen nearby, apparently minding its own business. Maybe that was upsetting the adult coot. I took a photo.
I carried on, wondering if someone might have got the hedge trimmer out as I got a bit closer to Chester.
I briefly saw someone in my mirror, but though I kept looking he didn’t reappear. I thought it might have been the electric scooter rider.
Just as I got to a particularly bushy part of the path I heard a two stroke motor bike behind me. I pulled in as best I could but the rider managed to stall it three times before he got past. He was very polite with, “excuse me”, “sorry”, but there it was, no number plate, an unregistered, uninsured, perhaps stolen, motor vehicle on a footpath/cycle route. His two accomplices, one tall guy on foot with a motorbike helmet, and a very young looking ebike rider, then squeezed past and continued on their way. Somewhat irritated at having the tranquility of my ride disturbed I pressed on. At least the shrubbery diminished soon afterwards.
I was finding it uncomfortably hot now, and pressing on to Flint was losing its appeal. I came to bridge 129, a wide concrete structure, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it acted as a shady wind tunnel. I lingered here for a while.
Feeling better, I carried on. There were signs that I was getting close to Chester. More walkers about, three mountain bikers came the other way, then one on his own.
Unexpectedly soon, I came to my turn off. The Saxon warrior, marking NCN route 45, appeared, together with a sign for NCN 5.
I pedalled up the ramp to the Greenway. So, which way now? It was 2pm. I decided to head for home. It would get hotter before the day started to cool off. Although it was largely shady, the trees cut off any breeze. I found the surface to be smooth tarmac but for a rail trail, it wasn’t particularly flat. Some of the dips and rises were unexpectedly steep. Not normally a problem, but not so good for keeping your temperature down. I tend to run hot.
I pressed on and left the signs for the centre behind. I wanted to carry on to the end at Mickle Trafford just for my own satisfaction as I’d then have ridden all of it this year. It would have been simpler to turn off before reaching the end to retrace my original route into Chester. Shortly before the down ramp to Station Lane I came across a shady bench and took a break before taking to the lanes again.
Down the exit ramp, a long cooling freewheel, I passed a tandem coming up. I waved, but I expect they were more concerned with getting going again after getting through the barrier.
Right on Station Lane, a few ups and downs, going well downhill when something sparkled and crunched under my front wheel. My first thought was that some part of my front light had broken and fallen under my wheel. I stopped to have a look. The light was fine. I went back up the road and found some shiny clear plastic bits.. One part had a circle with E11 in it, probably a broken car headlight lens. I went back to the bike and checked the tyres. All OK. I carried on, went left at the next junction but it wasn’t until a few miles further on that I realised that I should have gone right. I came out on the A51 about a mile further away from Chester than I’d intended. On checking the map I only had to turn right then left about a hundred yards up the road to follow a route that would take me to Waverton.
Getting across the road was going to be the tricky part with the howling traffic. Up the road a bit was a traffic island. I crossed there in two stages, then cycled up the pavement the remaining few yards to the turn off. Stamford Lane, becoming Rake Lane before joining Brown Heath Road. A steady but not steep climb, but no wind. I turned right in Waverton and was grateful to be able to stop at Egg Bridge once more for a cooling down session on a convenient shady bench.
I’d been suffering from an occasional pain on the inside of my left knee for some weeks. I’d noticed today that my left foot always seemed to end up splayed outwards by 30 degrees on this bike, no matter how much I’ve tried to keep it straight. Due to the tight space in the garage I’d fitted folding pedals to this bike when I first had it. There’s a little play in the folding mechanism but they’re by no means sloppy. The Linear has some good sized flat pedals with prominent serrations and gives no trouble. Now that the trike has gone I ought to dig out some similar pedals from my bits box to tighten up the pedalling efficiency on this one.
After a chill out session involving fanning myself with a map and lying on a bench I set off on the final leg. No hat, no track mitts. Pedalling sedately down Waverton Lane into a slight breeze I felt OK. On to Long Lane.
Shortly before reaching the lofty bridge over the Shropshire Union canal I spotted two cyclists coming up astern. The traffic lights were at green so I hoped to get over without stopping. One of the cyclists whirred past but the other one, in an orange top, hadn’t reached me by the time I climbed the bridge. I flew down the other side and just kept going. The first cyclist became a speck in the distance far ahead. I caught a glimpse of orange in my mirror once or twice but he seemed a long way away. Even if he’d been stopped by the lights I’d expect him to be catching me by the time I reached my turn off for Huxley. In any case, I was heating up again. I kept it up until I turned left for Huxley then stopped at a lay by to look at my map and drink some water. The cyclist hadn’t gone past the end of the lane or passed me by the time I got going again so I assumed that he wasn’t actually with the first cyclist and might even have turned off somewhere.
I continued through Huxley to Tiverton, then climbed the hill to Four Lane Ends. Not so much traffic about now, so I took the lane to go across on the road to Eaton. This is a narrow road with high hedge banks which undulates, with potentially fast traffic to cause anxiety as you slow down on the summits. I’ve been this way many times in the past in my upright cycling days, and as long as you go for it, it’s mostly down to attitude. After the first uphill, it’s just a case of keeping your speed up. It wouldn’t be my first choice but it’s the least worst option. With a recumbent there's the added bonus that traffic gives you more space anyway.
As I was steaming uphill a short distance before Eaton my phone pinged in my bag. I wasn’t going to stop before the summit, though I expected that it was Mrs T wanting to contact me on some matter of earth shattering importance. I eventually stopped in a gravelly entrance, answered her query and went on my way. Almost immediately something started rhythmically tapping on the rear mudguard. A chipping wedged in the rear tyre? A thorn? There wasn’t anywhere to stop so I continued to my turn off in the village of Eaton. As I turned right the noise stopped. I was able to stop and check the tyre. There was nothing there. It was fully inflated. Very mysterious. I carried on.
The upside of running the gauntlet of the last few miles of narrow road was that the quiet roads ahead were mostly downhill or easy pedalling -Eaton Lane and Hickhurst Lane to the junction with Hall Lane where I turned left for home. By this time my left foot was throbbing (must sort those pedals) so I pressed on a bit before stopping in an entrance. While I was resting my feet the driver of a silver SUV that came by beeped his horn and gave a “thumbs up” through the driver’s window. It occurred to me that I've had acknowledgement from practically every cyclist I've come across today.
Rolling once more I approached the last obstacle before home. The traffic controlled dip and climb out from Darnhall Bridge. Waiting for the green light then giving it the beans to get as far as possible before the grind up the other side in low gear. Before long, on reaching my back gate, I noticed the Garmin was reading a little over 53 miles. Once round the block brought it up to 54miles +.
I didn’t make the mileage or reach the destination I’d originally planned but this was my third 50+ miler on this bike this year. Most of its rides have been much shorter. I’m getting more confidence that, as with the Linear, it can cope with a variety of road and off road conditions and distances, and get me home without too much drama.
54.22 miles. Max 25.5. Average 7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 1131 ft. According to Bikehike.
Recumbent Ride
HP Velo Spirit
Shropshire Union Towpath and Chester Greenway.
Some sunshiny days after all the rain and gloom. A shame to waste it. I got up early with good intentions but there were some jobs which just had to be done. By the time I’d finished pratting around and got going it was 10am. My original plan was to go via the lanes to Nantwich -Wrenbury -Cholmondeley -Bickerton -Tattenhall - Waverton - Guilden Sutton -Mickle Trafford -Stoak then on to the Shropshire Union canal towpath to where it passes under the Chester Greenway. On to the Greenway to Hawarden Bridge, then through Flint to Mostyn. Then back to the Chester Greenway through to Guilden Sutton, Waverton, Huxley, Tiverton and back through the lanes to make it 100 miles.
Due to the late start, within a few miles of setting off I binned the Nantwich to Tattenhall leg and diverted via Hickhurst Lane to Hall Lane en route to Tilstone Fearnall. A bit of a zig zag through the lanes until I came to Brains Lane then a T junction with the A51. I needed to turn right here but the traffic was relentless. After several minutes I managed to run across with the bike to the opposite pavement. It took a few more minutes before a large enough gap appeared so that I could launch, with quite a bit of uphill to hold me back. The traffic was patient and gave me space when overtaking, but despite this it was a deeply unpleasant experience. In this situation speed is your friend, which is something I have not got. Even the fittest cyclist’s speed barely registers on a car speedometer. I’d intended to include this stretch of road on my return journey but I worked out a plan B. It was a relief when a path appeared on the left, separated by a strip of grass from the road, as I neared Four Lane Ends. I hopped back on the road before the lights and turned left. Soon there was a good downhill, but all too soon I had to convince the traffic that I was going to turn right here into Tiverton.
Through Tiverton, which is a neat and pleasant village, and onward to Huxley. Once I’d got settled into a rhythm I found I was averaging around 10 mph which is good going for me. There was an absence of other cyclists, though plenty of motorcyclists. After turning left in Huxley a couple of groups of recreational cyclists appeared, and once I’d turned right again on to Long Lane, NCN 45, the occasional sporty cyclist hummed past. I could hear them before I saw them, a resonant thrumming and whining, with tyre sounds as they bit into the road. The day was warming up, definitely not my thing.
The houses and cottages hereabouts were neat and well kept, with the occasional Conservative sign. There is no escaping from the forthcoming election. One large house had a light aircraft parked in the field behind it. A high wing single engined monoplane with fixed undercarriage, something along the lines of a Piper Cub. Hard to be sure, as it was facing away from me. Cost of living crisis?
One simply can’t get the staff, dontcherknow.
The Shropshire Union canal made its presence felt on the left, then a tall steep canal bridge controlled by traffic lights. The lights were red, some vehicles waiting as I changed down to virtually hover the last few yards but the lights changed and I spun over the top. This bridge is probably the tallest thing for miles around in this flat landscape. I had a speed boost as I flew down the other side past a queue of waiting motorcyclists and hung on to it for a quarter mile until a small uphill spoiled my fun. Soon Long Lane became Waverton Lane and I turned right, taking a break in the shade by Egg Bridge on the Shropshire Union canal.
Back on the road again, across Egg Bridge, left on Brown Heath Road, through some roadworks, left on to Plough lane to Christleton. Right into Village Lane, through a cross roads into Little Heath Lane. Some quaint older suburbs, everything apparently clean and well maintained as I dawdled by in the increasing heat. Soon I was on Bye Pass Lane then Littleton Lane. This terminated at the A51. The traffic was intense here as I waited for a gap to cross over into Hare Lane opposite. There was a pedestrian crossing some way to the right so I wheeled down the pavement and pressed the button. The traffic stopped, I crossed, and was soon rolling on the gradual uphill on Hare Lane. I made a mental note to return this way.
I crossed over the roaring M53 and felt my temperature rising as I continued to climb. Soon I was in Pipers Ash where I came to a junction with Guilden Sutton Lane. Here I turned right. A gradual climb, level, then a downhill trend to Guilden Sutton coming to School Lane near the end of which I turned left into what was to become Station Lane as I entered Mickle Trafford. I passed the entrance to the Chester Millennium Greenway on the left then went under two shady railway bridges. The lane came to Warrington Road which I crossed, becoming another School Lane leading to a T junction with The Street where I turned right then at the next junction turned left into Picton Lane. This took me after several miles and several enjoyable undulations, where I rushed the downhills and sailed up the uphills, to Bridge 136 on the Shropshire Union canal near the village of Stoak. Just beforehand, I stopped on the bridge over the M 56 to photograph the distant forest of chimneys in the direction of Ellesmere Port.
I then got onto the towpath where there was a bench in the shade and took a break.
As I sat there, a narrowboat came past, and the boaters said, hi, and I responded. A young chap came by on an electric scooter, and said nothing.
On this, the Chester side of Bridge 136, the towpath is a fine gravel that crunches underfoot (or wheel). On the other side, towards Ellesmere Port, it is tarmac which has become broken and potholed in places, and is not so nice to ride on. My plan was to ride to where the Chester Greenway crosses over the canal, and depending on the time make a decision which way, east or west, to go from there.
I made comfortable, if slow, progress. The towpath was on the shady side of the canal and I met few walkers and cyclists. The undergrowth didn’t encroach on the towpath very much. The bridges went by, and they were easy to get under.
I took another break on a bench by Bridge 131. The local ducks must be used to people stopping at this bench while they eat their sandwiches. Before I knew it I had an audience of floating admirers. As I had nothing that a duck might consider edible, they eventually drifted away in disappointment.
When I came out on the other side of the bridge I saw that the surface was really good tarmac, and expected to make good progress from here on.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t gone far before I realised that the maintenance of the canalside undergrowth hadn’t kept up and being high summer it was taking up a lot of the width. It was better in some places than others. I came across the electric scooter rider stopped in the shrubbery, texting. A little further on, two old chaps fishing. As I reached a more open stretch a mountain biker came the other way. He had a constantly jingling bell, presumably to keep the bears away. It obviously worked, as I hadn’t seen a single bear today. I said hi, he said nothing. Grumpy git.
I heard some squawking from the canal and saw a coot with two chicks, grown beyond the fluffy stage. They might have been the survivors of a bigger brood. The chicks were making a lot of noise swimming about, with the adult clacking its beak. There was an adult moorhen nearby, apparently minding its own business. Maybe that was upsetting the adult coot. I took a photo.
I carried on, wondering if someone might have got the hedge trimmer out as I got a bit closer to Chester.
I briefly saw someone in my mirror, but though I kept looking he didn’t reappear. I thought it might have been the electric scooter rider.
Just as I got to a particularly bushy part of the path I heard a two stroke motor bike behind me. I pulled in as best I could but the rider managed to stall it three times before he got past. He was very polite with, “excuse me”, “sorry”, but there it was, no number plate, an unregistered, uninsured, perhaps stolen, motor vehicle on a footpath/cycle route. His two accomplices, one tall guy on foot with a motorbike helmet, and a very young looking ebike rider, then squeezed past and continued on their way. Somewhat irritated at having the tranquility of my ride disturbed I pressed on. At least the shrubbery diminished soon afterwards.
I was finding it uncomfortably hot now, and pressing on to Flint was losing its appeal. I came to bridge 129, a wide concrete structure, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it acted as a shady wind tunnel. I lingered here for a while.
Feeling better, I carried on. There were signs that I was getting close to Chester. More walkers about, three mountain bikers came the other way, then one on his own.
Unexpectedly soon, I came to my turn off. The Saxon warrior, marking NCN route 45, appeared, together with a sign for NCN 5.
I pedalled up the ramp to the Greenway. So, which way now? It was 2pm. I decided to head for home. It would get hotter before the day started to cool off. Although it was largely shady, the trees cut off any breeze. I found the surface to be smooth tarmac but for a rail trail, it wasn’t particularly flat. Some of the dips and rises were unexpectedly steep. Not normally a problem, but not so good for keeping your temperature down. I tend to run hot.
I pressed on and left the signs for the centre behind. I wanted to carry on to the end at Mickle Trafford just for my own satisfaction as I’d then have ridden all of it this year. It would have been simpler to turn off before reaching the end to retrace my original route into Chester. Shortly before the down ramp to Station Lane I came across a shady bench and took a break before taking to the lanes again.
Down the exit ramp, a long cooling freewheel, I passed a tandem coming up. I waved, but I expect they were more concerned with getting going again after getting through the barrier.
Right on Station Lane, a few ups and downs, going well downhill when something sparkled and crunched under my front wheel. My first thought was that some part of my front light had broken and fallen under my wheel. I stopped to have a look. The light was fine. I went back up the road and found some shiny clear plastic bits.. One part had a circle with E11 in it, probably a broken car headlight lens. I went back to the bike and checked the tyres. All OK. I carried on, went left at the next junction but it wasn’t until a few miles further on that I realised that I should have gone right. I came out on the A51 about a mile further away from Chester than I’d intended. On checking the map I only had to turn right then left about a hundred yards up the road to follow a route that would take me to Waverton.
Getting across the road was going to be the tricky part with the howling traffic. Up the road a bit was a traffic island. I crossed there in two stages, then cycled up the pavement the remaining few yards to the turn off. Stamford Lane, becoming Rake Lane before joining Brown Heath Road. A steady but not steep climb, but no wind. I turned right in Waverton and was grateful to be able to stop at Egg Bridge once more for a cooling down session on a convenient shady bench.
I’d been suffering from an occasional pain on the inside of my left knee for some weeks. I’d noticed today that my left foot always seemed to end up splayed outwards by 30 degrees on this bike, no matter how much I’ve tried to keep it straight. Due to the tight space in the garage I’d fitted folding pedals to this bike when I first had it. There’s a little play in the folding mechanism but they’re by no means sloppy. The Linear has some good sized flat pedals with prominent serrations and gives no trouble. Now that the trike has gone I ought to dig out some similar pedals from my bits box to tighten up the pedalling efficiency on this one.
After a chill out session involving fanning myself with a map and lying on a bench I set off on the final leg. No hat, no track mitts. Pedalling sedately down Waverton Lane into a slight breeze I felt OK. On to Long Lane.
Shortly before reaching the lofty bridge over the Shropshire Union canal I spotted two cyclists coming up astern. The traffic lights were at green so I hoped to get over without stopping. One of the cyclists whirred past but the other one, in an orange top, hadn’t reached me by the time I climbed the bridge. I flew down the other side and just kept going. The first cyclist became a speck in the distance far ahead. I caught a glimpse of orange in my mirror once or twice but he seemed a long way away. Even if he’d been stopped by the lights I’d expect him to be catching me by the time I reached my turn off for Huxley. In any case, I was heating up again. I kept it up until I turned left for Huxley then stopped at a lay by to look at my map and drink some water. The cyclist hadn’t gone past the end of the lane or passed me by the time I got going again so I assumed that he wasn’t actually with the first cyclist and might even have turned off somewhere.
I continued through Huxley to Tiverton, then climbed the hill to Four Lane Ends. Not so much traffic about now, so I took the lane to go across on the road to Eaton. This is a narrow road with high hedge banks which undulates, with potentially fast traffic to cause anxiety as you slow down on the summits. I’ve been this way many times in the past in my upright cycling days, and as long as you go for it, it’s mostly down to attitude. After the first uphill, it’s just a case of keeping your speed up. It wouldn’t be my first choice but it’s the least worst option. With a recumbent there's the added bonus that traffic gives you more space anyway.
As I was steaming uphill a short distance before Eaton my phone pinged in my bag. I wasn’t going to stop before the summit, though I expected that it was Mrs T wanting to contact me on some matter of earth shattering importance. I eventually stopped in a gravelly entrance, answered her query and went on my way. Almost immediately something started rhythmically tapping on the rear mudguard. A chipping wedged in the rear tyre? A thorn? There wasn’t anywhere to stop so I continued to my turn off in the village of Eaton. As I turned right the noise stopped. I was able to stop and check the tyre. There was nothing there. It was fully inflated. Very mysterious. I carried on.
The upside of running the gauntlet of the last few miles of narrow road was that the quiet roads ahead were mostly downhill or easy pedalling -Eaton Lane and Hickhurst Lane to the junction with Hall Lane where I turned left for home. By this time my left foot was throbbing (must sort those pedals) so I pressed on a bit before stopping in an entrance. While I was resting my feet the driver of a silver SUV that came by beeped his horn and gave a “thumbs up” through the driver’s window. It occurred to me that I've had acknowledgement from practically every cyclist I've come across today.
Rolling once more I approached the last obstacle before home. The traffic controlled dip and climb out from Darnhall Bridge. Waiting for the green light then giving it the beans to get as far as possible before the grind up the other side in low gear. Before long, on reaching my back gate, I noticed the Garmin was reading a little over 53 miles. Once round the block brought it up to 54miles +.
I didn’t make the mileage or reach the destination I’d originally planned but this was my third 50+ miler on this bike this year. Most of its rides have been much shorter. I’m getting more confidence that, as with the Linear, it can cope with a variety of road and off road conditions and distances, and get me home without too much drama.
54.22 miles. Max 25.5. Average 7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 1131 ft. According to Bikehike.
Last edited:
404 Not Found Anywhere
Über Member
My Kettwiesel has been languishing in the garage for a few years, my two tadpole trikes getting the lion‘s share of the action largely due to a perception on my part that they are so much faster. The differential seemed to suck power and the cornering didn’t seem quite so lively. I stuck a front wheel motor on with a moderately sized battery and that bizarrely made it only seem more sluggish, though it was capable of a turn of speed uphill to take the odd Audi driver by surprise, beyond 15 mph it was like running into a brick wall. Given I already have my fair share of recumbents I decided it was going to have to go. A bit sad since my first recumbent was an aged steel Kett and this was my second (I wanted a differential and a wider range of gears than the original’s 9).
So off came the ebike motor, controller, battery and other stuff… and a clean up and service for the trike. I discovered a couple of things: a bent return side jockey wheel, the return side chain tensioning system needed a bit of lubrication, one of the BB7 brakes needed some TLC, and I discovered that the chain was 2 links too long (engaging bottom gear had always been a bit hit and miss, and pretty rough at the best of times.
Having attended to these matters a couple of short test rides reminded me why I had liked the Kett concept in the first place:it can turn in its own length, climb virtually anything even if the front wheel isn‘t on the ground, and a completely direct drive from chainrings to sprockets that seems to give quicker acceleration than the Trices, even if it doesn’t quite have the outright speed. And the biggest upgrade has been the ditching of my Garmin mount so I’m not having my efforts continually electronically sneered at. 😄
So today it got it‘s first real ride in several years, short, but up over some forest roads whose gradients and gravelly surfaces have been frustrating to ride on a tadpole trike…
(the big chunk of foam on the seat is due to recumbutt… even after nearly 20 years of riding bents, I still suffer from it on mesh seats. Hard shell seats, no problem… mesh seats have me in agony after 15 minutes if I don’t have a big chunk of foam under my posterior!)
So off came the ebike motor, controller, battery and other stuff… and a clean up and service for the trike. I discovered a couple of things: a bent return side jockey wheel, the return side chain tensioning system needed a bit of lubrication, one of the BB7 brakes needed some TLC, and I discovered that the chain was 2 links too long (engaging bottom gear had always been a bit hit and miss, and pretty rough at the best of times.
Having attended to these matters a couple of short test rides reminded me why I had liked the Kett concept in the first place:it can turn in its own length, climb virtually anything even if the front wheel isn‘t on the ground, and a completely direct drive from chainrings to sprockets that seems to give quicker acceleration than the Trices, even if it doesn’t quite have the outright speed. And the biggest upgrade has been the ditching of my Garmin mount so I’m not having my efforts continually electronically sneered at. 😄
So today it got it‘s first real ride in several years, short, but up over some forest roads whose gradients and gravelly surfaces have been frustrating to ride on a tadpole trike…
(the big chunk of foam on the seat is due to recumbutt… even after nearly 20 years of riding bents, I still suffer from it on mesh seats. Hard shell seats, no problem… mesh seats have me in agony after 15 minutes if I don’t have a big chunk of foam under my posterior!)
oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
It looked like a dry day yesterday so took the Kettwiessel trike out for my standard short run up the road towards the village of Dervaig. Very cold at 1030 with a NE wind which is with me on the outward leg but against on the return. Did not feel very enthusiastic and rain looked like it was approaching so just ploughed on with increasing Sunday drivers in small convoys which are a nuisance on single track roads.
Really more just an opportunity to keep the legs moving rather than enjoyment but this does not deter me and next dry day I will brave the main A848 for a couple of miles to a forest/ private road I use. Parts of this are very rough but only a couple of hundred yards so they are taken very slowly to avoid tyre dsmage.
Really more just an opportunity to keep the legs moving rather than enjoyment but this does not deter me and next dry day I will brave the main A848 for a couple of miles to a forest/ private road I use. Parts of this are very rough but only a couple of hundred yards so they are taken very slowly to avoid tyre dsmage.
FrankCrank
Old layabout
A pleasant ride along the local canal
Getting back into my routine of doing a recumbent ride of an evening, and a morning ride on one of my 'regular' bikes. I try to get out the door around 06:30 in the morning for a walk along the same canal, in an attempt to beat the heat.
I aim to get around 3 hours exercise a day walking/cycling, plus whatever else doing the chores and such.
Getting back into my routine of doing a recumbent ride of an evening, and a morning ride on one of my 'regular' bikes. I try to get out the door around 06:30 in the morning for a walk along the same canal, in an attempt to beat the heat.
I aim to get around 3 hours exercise a day walking/cycling, plus whatever else doing the chores and such.
DaddyPaddey
Über Member
- Location
- Fareham
grldtnr
Über Member
I have a fair idea which route you were riding , the north coast cycle route through the dunes? I have done it in the past a few times, it's surprisingly undulating, sandy and at the time flooded with some heavy rain at the time, riding my Azub Tri- tris and got exceedingly wet! With no chance of a Mr.Kipling apple pie ( met Slagroom, naturally)
It was so went I had puddles in the pocket of my Goretex slicker !
Did marvel at some Velomobile that wanging through, sadly I don't think I'm d fit in one
DaddyPaddey
Über Member
- Location
- Fareham
You quite correct. We marvelled at the size of some of the dunes. At our second flood I was advised 'its's too deep to ride through' so started to ride around and nearly rolled the trike into the water. Sent my chum with the Brompton through and he proved is was actually quite shallow
404 Not Found Anywhere
Über Member
Another spin through the forest and back by an equally hilly minor road, though fortuantely most of that was downhill so I got home with all my fillings in place! Lots of climbs which the Kett just soars up (well , it would do if someone else was providing the motive power), though I am very careful going downhill on some of the forest roads, looking for the random stray rock which could trash a rear derailleur miles from home. Such caution is not so vital on tarmac. My TrICEs have been stealing the limelight for a few years and I’m glad to have rediscovered the joys of the Kettwiesel (which I might have said was my second trike, following on after an older version)
grldtnr
Über Member
I am curious to give one a go, it might have advantages over my Tadpole Azub, but have concerns over the front wheel all the way out there, I very ridden a couple of LWB Solo recumbents ,Peer Gynt and the Linear, liked the Gynt ,but so much the Linear, sorry Twiddler.
oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
Nice sunny day so had a run on my Kettwiessel up to visit a pal who lives off the beaten track up a dirt road which nearly rattles the fillings out of your teeth.
Normally I avoid our main road but the road this morning was mostly quiet and all overtaking cars gave me plenty of space. A short bit of the off road part is the old main road with a surface still in good condition.
Extended the run beyond his house for a couple of miles all uphill with some steeper bits so good exercise.
Only eight miles but my legs felt like it was a lot more but very pleasant in the sunshine.
The photo below is the part of what was until not that long ago the main road.
Normally I avoid our main road but the road this morning was mostly quiet and all overtaking cars gave me plenty of space. A short bit of the off road part is the old main road with a surface still in good condition.
Extended the run beyond his house for a couple of miles all uphill with some steeper bits so good exercise.
Only eight miles but my legs felt like it was a lot more but very pleasant in the sunshine.
The photo below is the part of what was until not that long ago the main road.
