Month: July 2018

BRAKE STEER

The two front brakes on a tadpole trike are such an important component. We need them to slow us down at times and to completely stop us. That is a given. But did you know that you can help steer your trike with them? I do it all the time. It is very helpful for those who like to ride a little faster than others. Entering a curve going faster than is recommended the use of one brake applied properly can make a big difference in how the trike handles the curve.  Those who are really skilled at riding fast thru a turn may use a combination of leaning their upper body into the turn as well as braking on the inside wheel of the turn. Using a brake to help the trike turn thru a corner is something one must be careful of as if it is not done correctly it could have bad results. So my suggestion is to learn how to do it slowly … at slower speeds … discovering how it works and becoming skilled at it. Then one can start speeding up a little at a time until they reach their personal potential or the physical limitations … whichever comes first. Be aware that applying the brake too hard in a turn is dangerous and can result in a crash. Like ol’ Dirty Harry said … a man’s gotta know his limits … and the physical limits of the trike. Anyway, by slowing the inside wheel down in a turn the trike will want to turn thru it easier. Too much brake application is not good so as I said practice is needed. I would suggest practicing and honing your initial skills in an empty parking lot where you have plently of room. Then you can move onto streets, roads and trails. Just don’t “hotdog” around others.  Be a good ambassador out there when you are around others. In doing so we can all …

ENJOY THE RIDE!

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

BIRTHDAY RIDES

Birthday rides have been around for awhile. It is not just a matter of going out for a ride on your birthday, but rather riding one mile for each year of one’s age.  I must admit I think they got things messed up. Riding 90 miles at 90 years old seems like a bit much to me. It seems like the mileage needs to be decreasing as one ages rather than increasing.  Hmmm … I think I would rather take a ride on a tilt-a-whirl anyway on my birthday. I wonder if I could still handle it at 90. Although I have not ridden any carnival rides for at least 30 years I like to think that at 71 I could still handle it like I did as a teenager. What? Oh ye of little faith! My birthday is near the end of the year and I live in the northern United States so I won’t be going on any long rides at that time of year. I do good to be able to go out for a short ride. Then there are the New Year Day rides. The weather is seldom very accommodating so I rarely go out for a New Year Day ride. As most of us have learned … in life you can’t always have your cake and eat it too. Hey, that chocolate birthday cake does look pretty good. I can’t ride my trike until I get new wheels for it and I can’t eat any of that cake. I am trying to make the best of it. I really want to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

So have any of you done birthday rides? Sound off in the “COMMENTS”.

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

CENTURY RIDES – ARE YOU UP TO IT?

I have never been much of a goal setter in my life. I reckon I am just too “laid back” in my approach to life. I have never had a bucket list as some do. I just take one day at a time and usually have no anxiety in my life. I truly enjoy inner peace each and every day. Never  the less, I have had one desire of sorts I have wanted to accomplish. I have wanted to complete a “century ride” on my trike. When I was younger I many times rode 100 plus miles in one day on my bicycle. It was very common for me. However in more recent years since I started riding recumbents I have never ridden that kind of distance in one day. About 9 years ago I attempted it and made it to 89 miles when I was forced to stop as it had gotten dark and the batteries in my headlight drained down to where I could no longer see where I was going. I didn’t carry extra batteries with me at that time. (I have since then.) It bummed me out as I was doing well and would not of had any issue getting the remaining 11 miles in. I didn’t have the health issues then that I do now … at least not to the extent I do now.

Century rides are normally a matter of an organized event where numerous bicyclists participate and must complete the 100 miles within 12 hours. That being said, riding 100 miles certainly isn’t limited to  doing so under those conditions.  Part of my riding that day was riding with two friends and part of it was riding my myself. A small part of it was riding on city streets while the rest of it was all on local trails.

The other day a friend of mine told me that he was going to ride 100 miles that day. I knew he wouldn’t do it as he is quite prone to exaggeration and falsehoods. I hear such stuff all the time from him. The fact that he made the boast that day sparked something within me as the day went on. I had not planned to attempt riding 100 miles, but as the day went on I kept riding and by 6:30 PM I had ridden my first century ride on my trike. I started out about 8:30 and stopped for lunch for at least 30 minutes. I rode at a slow pace when I rode with my friends as they ride very slow. So in order to get the 100 miles in in the tme I started actually working on it (about 3:30 PM) I had to ride much faster. I was glad to have finally accomplished it. I am not getting any younger and it is not likely the health issues I have will ever improve. I have done it andno doubt will ever attempt it again. I am sure I could. I just don’t have any desire to do it again. Once is enough. And here is the proof:

my two computers showing the 100 mile distance on the tripometer mode display

I know that some riders have ridden on several centrury rides. I would be interested in reading comments from readers as to whether or not you have ridden on at least one centry ride. If not, have you considered it? Do you have a goal of accomplishing it? Please sound off. And by all means even if it is something you have no hope of ever accomplishing don’t give up. 100 feet in distance is better than nothing. Do whatever you can do to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

and

ENJOY THE RIDE!

A FREE GIFT awaits you!

THE HIGH COST OF IGNORING NEEDED MAINTENANCE

I knew better and I should not have ignored the very clear signs of an impending problem. But I did and now I am dealing with the result … expensive repairs and downtime. Usually both could have been avoided if I would have only taken action sooner. As it turned out this time only the downtime could have been avoided as I have to buy two new front wheels to make the repair. No matter how hard I try I can’t ride my trike on only two wheels. I need all three. However one is out of commission due to frozen and disintegrated bearings and aluminum hub which is chewed up considerably. I did start the ball rolling on getting the needed parts on order, but I didn’t do so soon enough. I kept riding daily as I always do racking up the miles usually riding 50 plus miles each day. Meanwhile my wheel bearings were being destroyed and in only about three days from my visit to the Catrike dealer to order the parts what remained of the failing parts could not hold on. Now I am stuck here at home and hating it. I have thought about getting my wife’s recumbent bike out to ride it, but I really don’t want to. My trike has approximately 60,000 miles on it. These are the original bearings so I guess it did pretty good lasting this long.

So if you hear a strange sound or sense something going on don’t ignore it. You could possibly save yourself a lot of grief and expense by acting quickly. Use your head and don’t be dumb like me. (As I said … I knew better.) It will help you to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

A FREE GIFT awaits you!