What and Why do you ride?

[honesty]

@ honesty

Yep I keep looking at a trike. I have no other reason to get one apart from they look awfully good fun.

My main reason for looking at them as well, though I am self aware enough to accept that I'm a lazy git, so touring on a bike with a built in recliner definitely has its plus points! Like being able to stop and take photos without having to move means I may actually take more photos when riding.

[peter jenkins]

Maybe on another occasion. I am likely to ride the Salute to Irene Plowman night Audax 200, if it is on again in Feb

That one sounds a lot of fun. Here in Brisbane we have the Midnight Century (160 km) annually. We start at midnight and finish for breakfast. It's on November 24 this year. The nights are generally warm (balmy even) and I've only experienced one wet Midnight Century. Luckily, I was on my Thorn, which is equipped with mudguards.
Contributors in the northern hemisphere would love this ride. Put it on your bucket list!
One day (night) I may get to Melbourne for the Irene Plowman.

Cheers,

pj

[il padrone]

My main reason for looking at them as well, though I am self aware enough to accept that I'm a lazy git, so touring on a bike with a built in recliner definitely has its plus points! Like being able to stop and take photos without having to move means I may actually take more photos when riding.

My bro has a Trisled Rotovelo. He has toured Tasmania and locally here, and at camp sets up a canopy over it and sleeps inside the velomobile   Lazy camping I reckon  





Andre, I loved those balloon tyres too (2.3" Schwalbe Fat Franks) but they were  just too wide for the mudguards. They rubbed on the ends and the stays and, despite all sorts of manipulating and filing, I could not get them running clear. The guards are not nice and adjustable like the ESGEs. So I had to remove the Fat Franks and now run some 2" Schwalbe Returner white-walls. They don't have quite the same style but are still very nice.

[Andybg]

Really really like the look of those velomobiles, especialy the WAW (there is one for sale at the moment on British Human Power for a mere 4000ukp) but I really cannot justify one - even just as a work of art. I quite fancy the HP Scorpion as something a little more sensible. Maybe start saving my pennies for next year.

[jags]

beauti is in the eye of
can't understand those machines at all  built for nothing more than speed on the flat
but each to there own i suppose but it just ain't cycling

[il padrone]

My brother rode across Tasmania. Three days from Hobart to Devonport via Triabunna on the east coast - 350kms. Tassie is not flat!

On undulating terrain these velomobiles carry their speed much better through the dips and up over the next hill, due to the very low air drag. When climbing long hills it is all down to power-weight. Yes they're slower but they are geared low and being a trike, balance is not an issue. On normal flat/undulating roads the smoke along. And downhill...... 

[jags]

nah still not convinced there  built for speed nothing else ,
i toured with a lad last year he was on a recumbent also build for speed,
he was at least 10 mph faster than me on the flat, but he died on hills ,
now what is the point in that, not a very socialable machine 

[Danneaux]

he was at least 10 mph faster than me on the flat, but he died on hills , now what is the point in that

Um, so one can say "Nyah-nyah" when they finally catch up? Been there myself, jags! Nearly died trying to keep up on the flats, but lacked the breath for even one "Nyah" on the first hill. 

All the best,

Dan. (...those funny-looking bikes are much faster than my best 17-21mph/17-34kph average)

[jags]

Dan 17 to 21mph wow very impressed my best on the sherpa and i'm going really really really well is 14.5mph when i used to do group cycling yeah  that kind of average was the norm ,i promised myself this winter would be be for good training  much more miles than i'm doing at the moment, but i'm cycling on my own these days and it's hard to get motivated to do big miles.

but then again 14.5 makes for enjoyable cycling 

[il padrone]

I know my brother tours (day rides and with camping gear at times) for longer distances than I do, and a good bit quicker. For example he rides across town 20-30 kms and then does a 70km day ride, then rides home again. His average on flattish roads is over 40kmh, and while he is slower on climbs he stays with or ahead of most riders on regular bikes overall. He virtually uses the velomobile to replace his car for commuting and social transport.

He was on this ride along Victoria's Great Ocean Road (not flat) and they rode about 110kms with camping gear. I took the earlier photo at Lorne where we had arrived on regular tourers, having ridden about 50kms in the same time

now what is the point in that, not a very socialable machine  

I guess it depends on who you are sociable with  .

[Danneaux]

Goodness, Pete!

Looks like the starting grid for an F-1 race...!

All the best,

Dan. (...Who wouldn't want to be standing where the photographer is when the start-flag drops!)

[il padrone]

Lots of those velos are the Sinner Mango, and they are fairly popular in the Netherlands. They are fully equipped with excellent lights and controls, can even be set up to run a Rohloff

[JWestland]

No, just no 

The landscape looked awfully Dutch...and turns out the bikes are Dutch!

1: Raleigh Elegance AKA The Beast. DT swiss mountainbike rim on 3 speed SA hub gear built by local bike shop as it's the child carrying bike and the spokes kept snapping. Now I can kerb jump with the wee man on the back and it won't give. Good for nipping into town to carry things not so much for uphill/fast rides as it's HEAVY around 18KG at least.

2: Charge Hob 2010 42/16 fixie. SPDs. Can be used to longer rides eg day rides, great fun in busy traffic in town as you can slow down the bike and pedal mega slow until the light goes green. Barely need to use the breaks, and slowing down with the legs is great practice for the hamstrings.

3: Thorn XTC 252L 2002 (?) model. SPDs. Bought on e-bay, plenty of scratches but the frame is sound. Immensely comfortable, had to make some adjustments like a shorter stem and different handlebars, and put the saddle forward. Commuting bike along with the Charge, and went on some day rides unfortunately work/wee man mean not a lot of time to get away.

It was loaded a few weeks ago and it seems "pleased" with weight instead of going wobbly like a lot of bikes it "bites" into the ground. One day, front/back panniers and camping in the forest with eating couscous with tuna I hope!

RE riding, when commuting I try to go as hard as I can in a heavy gear as I can. With all the traffic lights to work this is more like "interval training" eg go full out, then breather at the red light and go again. Good for the lungs/sprint muscles.

During day rides it's more 30-35 km/hour steady eg pace it rather than rip it.

Fixed bike is more for technique as the amount of suicidal pedestrians here means you need to be ready for an emergency stop at all times and I don't want a "donkey kick" from the bike. They are really fun here, cars, lorries just cross no matter what 

[Andre Jute]

but then again 14.5 makes for enjoyable cycling 

Now, if that was in kilometres, I'd be half a klick faster than you! -- Andre Jute

[jags]

Andre i suppose i should change my computer to KM but i'm old school cant get km into my head.

just thinking i was coming home today from Slane village  well known for all the rock concerts bon jovi this year  anyway i was tipping along at exactly 18 mph steady  most of the way except for the drags ,and was thinking Jawine  goes at this speed all the time she certainly is a flying machine