CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
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N + 1 - 1 = N.
Got a new bike today. Had to drive to Cambridge to collect. ICE B2 bent with 26 inch mtb wheels and disk brakes. I'm told it will take a 700cc wheel too which is interesting as I may be able to use it on some longer Audaxes.
Thinking of trying it on the commute tomorrow.
N - 1 is the mtb I have for sale.
I have work colleague did ride across Britain on bent. I spotted him at top of hill down to whiteadder reservoir. He looked quite puffed.
Does it count as -1 if it's your wife's bike you're selling?
Only if you share all your bikes and N is the total number of bikes in your house?
Wow. DaveC enters the dark side! You know that will give you a magic cloak of invisibility? Saw an orange bent at the start of yesterday's MPTM audax. Looked similar to the one you have just bought but I know nothing about recuments so...
Can you ride a recumbent? I hear it's tricky.
I don't count my partner's bikes in the equation, even though I occasionally borrow hers for particular errands (almost same leg length, so works quite well, I just ease the saddle up an inch or so).
Dave C - I was going to ask. Did you do a test ride at shop a while back?
It took me weeks to really understand how my first reclined bike worked. That was a Challenge Focus and it was allegedly 'very easy to ride'.
I think the difficulty level increases as riding a 'bent means you have 'broken ranks' with the mainstream of cycling. A lot of societal and commercial pressures do not want people to ride bikes of the 'wrong' sort. Even tandems and load bikes are considered deviant by many.
I'm happy to pass on what I've gleaned. Sure Dave can and maybe has already. I started on cycle paths a bit before mixing it in the midst of traffic.
You will need a mirror and the ability to change to lower gear well before you make a stop etc. i couldn't get safely through Edinburgh without one.
Actually it is easy enough. You either learn very quickly or give up! You'll also enjoy 'witty' comments of the sort heard here - and these are ICE trikes...
@davec enjoy!
@crowriver the recumbent on yesterday's Audax was a Bacchetta (not Tim's though).
DaveC - main safety issue I go on about is dropping stuff from pockets. Zipped pockets or Radical overseat bag is best. Good luck with ride!
The seller very kindly gave me a demo and then let me practice in his big dive. It was a little daunting getting started but once going its relatively easy to ride. We headed off down the Cambridge guided bus route toget me used to it. I'd love to take it in to work tomorrow but have to return the hire car. Tuesday maybe? I guess you're in every weekday Dave G?
Bally rear tyre has a puncture which happened between this morning and this evening. Shall repair tomorrow night and set off early on Tuesday morning.
Dave C
"then let me practice in his big dive"
Hope he lent you a wetsuit.
What is it about people called Dave and the inclination to recumbenteer?
I bought the B2 off a chap on YACF. I hope chdot does not mind me cross posting from another forum.
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=81242.0
Here is a link to some of the photos he provided
Ready for an early start tomorrow.
You got a jolly good deal there Dave, and the ICE workmanship is top notch too.
Looks good! Best of luck on the commute.
That lamp is blinding :-)
Its the reflective off the pannier. Hope they look like that in car headlights!
Well that comute was on the whole good. The 'trombone' section (for want of a better word) is too short. My legs ache slightly in new places but in a good way as I haven't been on a bike in a week due to a bad cold. I found the starting a little easier, but still slightly wobbly. Up hill starts are tricky, and I got of and walked a couple of times to alevel quiet bit of road. Cycling up the dreaded detour of Gamekeepers road I had a few passes too close for comfort but no one hit me (my biggest worry). I did come to an embarressing halt towards the top of Barnton thingy, where a car passed very close and I wobbled into the very rought gutter and slid to a halt dismounting onto my bum nearly! I walked to the top and waited for a non existant gap. Other than that it was fine, the sun was a bit low so I may need sun glasses but Im fine. I did ask a chap who had been tailing me on and off since the Ferrytoll PnR how visible I looked and he said he couldn't miss me which is comforting.
Slow on the up hills but I overtook another upright cyclists going over the FRB so i can't be that slow. The cycle computer is in km so easy to judge my speed compared to an upright but no clock and I couldn't see my watch under my sleives.
I'll roll up to Laidback around 5 for a chinwag if you want to see it.
Trombone = boom?
Well done, Dave. Quite a way to start!
Possibly. Its the front bit which the crank is attached to, and can move in and out to adjust to the riders leg length.
Pretty good then... took me a while before I used SpDs with my bikes.
Don't worry about speed at start - you will be slower until you get tuned in. Better to learn and enjoy (hopefully).
Quite sensible walking anything that you aren' t sure of. Just say it's a borrowed bike and you're looking after it for the owner!
From experience no-one cares anyway as you are not a 'normal' cyclist (not you personally but anyone that rides these).
To set boom length you should sit in seat and move boom out with your heel on the right pedal at full stretch ahead. You can do this leaning against a wall to push whole boom level using both feet. Keep it middle ring of course as you may not have enough chain. You should add enough chain to make the big ring to big sprocket as that can happen in laidback land.
I'm out on bike today and will be at shop at 5 or maybe 10min after. Get a tea at Pastures next door. I will be there though as I am every weekday. Some days I'm there all day on a weekday if I have someone test riding or have a delivery of bikes.
I do have another job plus assorted paperwork for LB as I quote options and answer queries etc!
Well done DaveC. Good to have a new challenge for the summer, eh?
Will you be audaxing on this machine then?
@DaveC if it's any consolation I spotted you from about 400m back...
Probably the most important thing is to be confident and ride in the left tyre track. We know you won't have any issues being seen, after all I used to ride my (much lower) one up and down the A90 in all seasons.
However, if you are riding towards the gutter and let people slip past without doing a proper overtake, the following traffic may not get as much notice as is ideal.
DaveC on his new recliner. Doing pretty well I think. Tyres are Marathon Racers and rolled really well. Think they may be at the end of their life though.
ICE B2 twin 26 folding 'bent by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
I can ask ICE about the chain keeper hook.
Looks like it will shift. Quite short for a bent?
I agree about the tyres. Dunno whether to get an identical pair to replace them with or a cheap set of Marathons from Spa cycles at 11 quid each.
Are punctures more difficult to deal with than a 'normal' bike?
Not really. Both wheels come off quite easily.
Looks good, DaveC! Quite high up for a recumbent (big wheels?), and a fairly upright sitting position too.
Marathon Racers will certainly be faster, but not as robust as standard Marathons. Also a fair bit dearer.
I have plumbed for a pair of Marathon Supremes.
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