OP
OP
a.twiddler
Veteran
2/1/24
Recumbent Ride
Shopping trip on the Grasshopper.
Last night I fitted the 34T chainring and 160mm crank which came with the Spirit before I raised its gearing, to the Grasshopper. It was a last gasp attempt to make the Grasshopper more suited to myself and the local hills.
I was requested to go to the town centre for some shopping so it was a good opportunity to take the Grasshopper for a test ride.
I slung one pannier on it before wheeling it across the road and launching in the direction of Swanlow Lane uphill traffic lights. I turned right here, then left downhill to the town centre. The lights where I’m usually stopped went green as I reached them, so I easily turned right then on to a painted cycle path, left up the pavement alongside a car park and had enough clear space to do a U turn to a barrier where I locked up. This was the only occasion today when I was aware of my heel contacting the front mudguard.
The ride to the town centre was mostly downhill and quite pleasant. Had my changes to the gearing and cranks been enough to make the Grasshopper more in harmony with my requirements? I pondered this and other things as I went in and did my shopping.
I came out and put a few items in the pannier, then took a stroll around the precinct in pursuit of some other items.
Coming back to the bike, I unlocked it, lined up with the car park between two bollards, and launched. I initially thought I’d come back via the long uphill to Over, and went across the car park, turned left at the exit roundabout, left at the next one then left along a wide pavement which went past the library then to a pedestrian crossing at the town centre lights.
I’d just missed the green so I turned left, intending to go into the next side road, turn round, and come out on to the road and turn right. There was some work going on and the road was barriered off so I followed a nice green cycle path
back to the library, to a service road and back the way I’d just come. I thought I might as well go back the way I’d gone the last time I went shopping on the Grasshopper, to get a direct comparison.
So I got on to Dingle Lane, straight through a roundabout, over the speed humps and then slowed right down as an old lady was walking through the gap ahead where I intended to hop across the pavement. Now that I’d ridden the Grasshopper a few miles today my confidence in its stability had returned and I found it easy to ride at a slow walking pace, do U turns and ride it almost to a standstill. Also I didn’t want to alarm the lady so gave her loads of room before crossing over.
I got on to Queensway, then left on to an estate road. Right on to another road where the road gradually steepened, feeling harder than it ought to be. I kept changing down but didn’t run out of gears on the middle range of the hub gear.
I came to a T junction, turned left on the level and changed up a few gears, then right uphill on Gladstone St and changed back down again. On to Townfields Road, up the last steep bit which still felt like unnecessarily hard work, where I had to change down again. On the bottom gear of the middle range, wondering if I might have to stop, breathing hard, which doesn’t happen here on the other two bikes.
Puffing along as the road levelled, and rolling towards a red light breather at the Swanlow Lane lights. There was the thump thump of a stereo from a car behind me. The lights changed and I dived to the left to gain speed for my uphill turn off. Of course the thump thump overtook me as I was signalling before the junction. I gave them the benefit of a couple of fingers as I turned off.
I got over the hump then took it easy through the lanes to my back gate.
The Grasshopper is definitely harder work on uphills than the other two recumbents, and so far its average speed on the flat is slower too. It’s surprising, as the other two bikes are not noted for speed, and climbing is not fast but is relatively easy on them.
Apart from any of that, all routes from the town centre are uphill, and it’s up and down to get across town. The Grasshopper is sub optimal for this sort of riding. Unless some major revelation occurs soon, It might have to go.
I found the Spirit a bit awkward when I first had it then one day, it just clicked, and it’s been good since. It was never a problem on hills for me though, as the Grasshopper has been.
Distance 3.2 miles. Max 19.2 mph. Average 6.4 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 136 ft. According to Bikehike.
Recumbent Ride
Shopping trip on the Grasshopper.
Last night I fitted the 34T chainring and 160mm crank which came with the Spirit before I raised its gearing, to the Grasshopper. It was a last gasp attempt to make the Grasshopper more suited to myself and the local hills.
I was requested to go to the town centre for some shopping so it was a good opportunity to take the Grasshopper for a test ride.
I slung one pannier on it before wheeling it across the road and launching in the direction of Swanlow Lane uphill traffic lights. I turned right here, then left downhill to the town centre. The lights where I’m usually stopped went green as I reached them, so I easily turned right then on to a painted cycle path, left up the pavement alongside a car park and had enough clear space to do a U turn to a barrier where I locked up. This was the only occasion today when I was aware of my heel contacting the front mudguard.
I came out and put a few items in the pannier, then took a stroll around the precinct in pursuit of some other items.
Coming back to the bike, I unlocked it, lined up with the car park between two bollards, and launched. I initially thought I’d come back via the long uphill to Over, and went across the car park, turned left at the exit roundabout, left at the next one then left along a wide pavement which went past the library then to a pedestrian crossing at the town centre lights.
I’d just missed the green so I turned left, intending to go into the next side road, turn round, and come out on to the road and turn right. There was some work going on and the road was barriered off so I followed a nice green cycle path
So I got on to Dingle Lane, straight through a roundabout, over the speed humps and then slowed right down as an old lady was walking through the gap ahead where I intended to hop across the pavement. Now that I’d ridden the Grasshopper a few miles today my confidence in its stability had returned and I found it easy to ride at a slow walking pace, do U turns and ride it almost to a standstill. Also I didn’t want to alarm the lady so gave her loads of room before crossing over.
I got on to Queensway, then left on to an estate road. Right on to another road where the road gradually steepened, feeling harder than it ought to be. I kept changing down but didn’t run out of gears on the middle range of the hub gear.
I came to a T junction, turned left on the level and changed up a few gears, then right uphill on Gladstone St and changed back down again. On to Townfields Road, up the last steep bit which still felt like unnecessarily hard work, where I had to change down again. On the bottom gear of the middle range, wondering if I might have to stop, breathing hard, which doesn’t happen here on the other two bikes.
Puffing along as the road levelled, and rolling towards a red light breather at the Swanlow Lane lights. There was the thump thump of a stereo from a car behind me. The lights changed and I dived to the left to gain speed for my uphill turn off. Of course the thump thump overtook me as I was signalling before the junction. I gave them the benefit of a couple of fingers as I turned off.
I got over the hump then took it easy through the lanes to my back gate.
The Grasshopper is definitely harder work on uphills than the other two recumbents, and so far its average speed on the flat is slower too. It’s surprising, as the other two bikes are not noted for speed, and climbing is not fast but is relatively easy on them.
Apart from any of that, all routes from the town centre are uphill, and it’s up and down to get across town. The Grasshopper is sub optimal for this sort of riding. Unless some major revelation occurs soon, It might have to go.
I found the Spirit a bit awkward when I first had it then one day, it just clicked, and it’s been good since. It was never a problem on hills for me though, as the Grasshopper has been.
Distance 3.2 miles. Max 19.2 mph. Average 6.4 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 136 ft. According to Bikehike.
