So how many recumbent riders have we?

[squeaker]

Lights

Deal with Radical Design directly, I have bought several items from them with brilliant service.

+1: excellent
Rear light: if rack fitted then use Smart Superflash 0.5W (might need to get creative with 'P'-clips) or B&M (or similar) rack light, otherwise through bolt a suitable Cateye bracket to the upper rear of the seat (or use headrest if fitted) again with Smart 0.5W light.
Front: if Challenge fit a lighting tab next to the bottom bracket on the SL models then bolt something like a 16mm socket to it (M6 bolt + suitable washer) so you can attach a handlebar mounting front light to it (B&M Ixon IQ is nice but expensive, Trelock LS730 is nearly as good: both have sensible, i.e. not circular, beam shapes: get both from Germany on-line eg Roseversand). If no lighting tab then mounting a stem off the front mech post if fitted is one way, but if no front mech post then your on your own! IMHO you need the front light as far forward as possible to avoid 'foot flash'.
PM me if you'd like some bracket ideas.

 

[Moby]

+1: excellent
Rear light: if rack fitted then use Smart Superflash 0.5W (might need to get creative with 'P'-clips) or B&M (or similar) rack light, otherwise through bolt a suitable Cateye bracket to the upper rear of the seat (or use headrest if fitted) again with Smart 0.5W light.
Front: if Challenge fit a lighting tab next to the bottom bracket on the SL models then bolt something like a 16mm socket to it (M6 bolt + suitable washer) so you can attach a handlebar mounting front light to it (B&M Ixon IQ is nice but expensive, Trelock LS730 is nearly as good: both have sensible, i.e. not circular, beam shapes: get both from Germany on-line eg Roseversand). If no lighting tab then mounting a stem off the front mech post if fitted is one way, but if no front mech post then your on your own! IMHO you need the front light as far forward as possible to avoid 'foot flash'.
PM me if you'd like some bracket ideas.

Thanks for the offer. Once I take delivery of the bike I'll post some photos if I struggle

 

[arallsopp]

Any hints on setup; lights, luggage, etc would be gratefully received.

I have my cyo held onto the derailleur mast with a stem mount from an old cateye rear reflector. The cable is fed down to a dynohub, through (quelle surprise) zipties

That puts it far enough forwards to be visible, and gives me space to mount a camera underneath.

 

[JohnQNT20]

Hi, just registered although I've been lurking on and off for a long time.

Since last September I've been riding a trice QNT and an elderly bikeE - both purchased second hand although the trike was mint.

Last week I collected a couple of scrapped bikes off freecycle/freegle locally with a view to cutting 'em up and building a 2 wheeler recumbent with 26" wheels - suited to riding cycle tracks which I can't access on the trike and for which the front wheel on the bikeE is a bit small - careful on the cattle grids now !!!

Just finished reading Mike Burrows book on "Bicycle Design" which I found on the shelf in my local library (Chichester). Would recommend this to anyone thinking of building - especially the chapter on handling, front wheel trail etc.

I see there are people in Portsmouth and Gosport - anyone else in the Havant, Chichester, Bognor area on a recumbent?

I'm thinking of doing the Isle of Wight 100k in early May. Anyone else going?
Cheers, John.

 

[ufkacbln]

There are a Group of recumbent tricyclists who do the Randonnee. Last year I was on an upwrong due to a techical problem, but a peleton of 4 or 5 trikes made the trip.

As far as locals - I know of myself in Gosport and someone in Portsmouth on trikes. I also run a Street Machine and Hurricane and the other chap a Bacchetta

 

[PalmerSperry]

Just the one recumbent, a sadly under-utilised Bacchetta Giro 26. Dismantled it to take it to Austria and then had major hassles (particularly with the rear derailleur cable) during the reassembly process, which left me peeved and resulted in the purchase of an upright[1].

Current plans for the Giro involve either bringing it back into the sunlight late next year to "retrain my legs" in preperation for SR series in 2012 & 2013, along with the OberÖsterreich 1000 and LEL 1400. OTOH, I wouldn't mind an upgrade to a Corsa 24[2] but I'm not sure if the budget will run to it.

[1] Which would've been a Thorn Audax Mk3 except I spent so long thinking about it that by the time I'd made my mind up, they'd put the price up beyond what I was willing to pay.
[2] I think the lower seat height could be an advantage towards the end of long audax events, maybe the smaller wheels would make it a little snappier. Also, if I where to get a Corsa24 then I could re-use my existing SON off of the upright which would mean I was really saving money? Right?

 

[currystomper]

Hi
I have one of those funny "cruzbike" recumbent conversions - still learning to ride it !!
I've have lots of fun building it over the winter!!
<----
Currystomp!!

 

[ufkacbln]

Was that from Ian at Wheel N.V.

 

[tongskie01]

I have a raptobike which i got through cycle sheme. got it last january. have done more than 500 miles.....lots of fun.....

 

[currystomper]

Tongskie

The Raptobike and the cruz are from the same family - did you have fun learning to ride it !!

 

[tongskie01]

Tongskie

The Raptobike and the cruz are from the same family - did you have fun learning to ride it !!

Found it to be too reclined so i added a 3 inches thick foam to the seat make it a lil bit more upright. then lots of fun after that. had a few falls when i fitted my clipless pedals.

 

[currystomper]

Yes - the learning curve on the cruz is err a bit steep too start with!! Getting on OK now after ~15 hours on the bike!!

 

[tongskie01]

Yes - the learning curve on the cruz is err a bit steep too start with!! Getting on OK now after ~15 hours on the bike!!

raptobike and cruz bike have different learning curve as mine got a stationary bottom bracket. not much effect on steering. ive read on some forums about cruz owners that they have to counter steer while pedalling. what i mean is you stop the bottom bracket from moving to the left while you push on the right pedal. so you push the handlebar with the left hand while pedaling with your right. i might be wrong....

 

[ufkacbln]

"Pedal Steer" is a known phenomenon on recumbents as a whole and there are lots of ideas such as the length of boom, distance between front wheel and chain ring etc.


Just Google

 

[squeaker]

"Pedal Steer" is a known phenomenon on recumbents as a whole and there are lots of ideas such as the length of boom, distance between front wheel and chain ring etc.
Just Google

IMO the result of unbalanced leg movement creating yaw and roll moments What you need is a counter-rotating pair of legs - wonder if the MicWic suffers from pedal steer? (Looks like the yaw moments cancel, but the roll moment is doubled....)