eBay recumbent trike: thoughts needed please

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I just meant for 20 years time

Well at least someone thinks I'll make it in to my 60's!
Thank you

 

[Saluki]

If you do go down the recumbent route, and don't like it for whatever reason, they do seem to have a very decent resale value so you'd likely not lose out financially. We are waiting for the 'summer season' to start with our local recumbent hire place so we can have a wee go.

 

[ufkacbln]

Yep, perfect sense and thank you, it is very helpful. It won't ever be me folding or lifting it. Luckily we have the room outside to store it, assuming I sell my road and mtb or at least the mtb. My spine is now never going to allow me to ride trails again and even if I recover more use of the right leg I can't see how any 2 wheeler is ever going to be suitable for me again sadly.

From the eBay auction, what do you all think re the condition of the bike etc. Of the suspension going to be an issue maintenance wise? Do any of you know if there are things to watch out for with the suspension?

I cant really comment on the condition, as there is insufficient detail, but even if the seat is damaged, it can be resezn by a competent seamstress, or a new one purchased from HP Velotechnik... however there is a difference if this is from handling or "crash damage". Have a look at the seat under the cover for damage, and also look for small cracks at the points where the bolts fix the seat


Suspension is not a problem maintenance wise, and if fairly "fit and forget" for routine maintenance, the ones on teh street machine are about ten years old and apart from a little air, and lubricating the shaft, have had no real maintenance....but setting up can be difficult. The "damping" is dialled by the knurled knob, but the softness is by air pressure and this requires a specialist shock pump, again have alook athe manuals to see the detail

 

[ufkacbln]

.. and as for the motor

One of these has, the other hasn't

It is the Bionx system, which is well integrated and silent in use

 

[CopperBrompton]

I've spotted this recumbent trike on eBay which quite possibly meets my needs to get cycling again but I don't know a lot about them.

I wouldn't pay the Buy It Now price. While that one may be well-specced, the reality is that options rarely have much impact on the secondhand price, they just make them sell faster, so view this a a 7-year-old £2600 machine and thus worth an absolute maximum of £1300.

Given you're not sure it's for you, you need to be buying at a price you can recoup if you decide to sell again. Decent recumbent trikes don't come up everyday, but they aren't amazingly rare either, so unless you're in a tearing hurry, you can afford to wait for one at the right price.

But by all means bid £1300-ish on it – you're unlikely to lose anything if you sell again.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I cant really comment on the condition, as there is insufficient detail, but even if the seat is damaged, it can be resezn by a competent seamstress, or a new one purchased from HP Velotechnik... however there is a difference if this is from handling or "crash damage". Have a look at the seat under the cover for damage, and also look for small cracks at the points where the bolts fix the seat

Thanks
He stays that the seat is not damaged and that the address at the top is where the head rest goes into the seat. I have asked about the headrest give it is not mentioned in the information and not shown in the pictures.

The trike is what 6-7 years old (2008 model) so I'm not expecting mint condition, just needing to know if there are any obvious points regarding wear and year that someone new to recumbents and trikes would not necessarily know about.

 

[ianrauk]

Tell you one thing about trikes.......... they are bloody good fun.

 

[ufkacbln]

To be quite honest it is a bike!

If you go ahead then take it to a good LBS for a cheeckover of all the little things like play inthe suspension, pivot joints, bearings, welds in the frame, and all the other bits that a bike shop can do.

If you then pick up anything major it can be returned with an "expert opinion" as to why

 

[ufkacbln]

Tell you one thing about trikes.......... they are bloody good fun.

I was deliberately avoiding the mention of spending the rest of your life with that smug grin on your face that comes from an experience only recumbent trike riders will understand

 

[Sara_H]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn, I know nothing about recumbent trikes so van be if no help whatsoever.

I just wanted to say how fab it is that you're planning your escape from the sick bed and making it happen.

When I was recovering from serious illness two years ago (eek time flies) I bought an electric bike to get me going.
I only used it for a few months, then dug it out again whilst I was recovering from getting run over in the summer, so some would say that it wasn't really good value for money. But the boost to my morale was immeasurable.

 

[ufkacbln]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn, I know nothing about recumbent trikes so van be if no help whatsoever.

I just wanted to say how fab it is that you're planning your escape from the sick bed and making it happen.

When I was recovering from serious illness two years ago (eek time flies) I bought an electric bike to get me going.
I only used it for a few months, then dug it out again whilst I was recovering from getting run over in the summer, so some would say that it wasn't really good value for money. But the boost to my morale was immeasurable.

... and there will be days for a change.

I have a couple of electric bikes, and although slower and heavier, it is a pleasant change once in a while

 

[andytheflyer]

Hi SNSSO,

I've been in a similar physical position, but have recovered to about about 50% of where I was before a second episode of spinal surgery. I was paralysed after surgery for a while, and I still have leg control issues and balance is a problem. Whilst I have been able to ride my road bike since the neck op, it's not as comfortable as it was, and I bought a bike bent last autumn to keep up the miles without the downsides of the DF bike.

I know you are looking at a trike (and there's a second one on ebay but I doubt this will do for you as it'll be too low (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261743394687?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT)) I found three issues with a bent.

Firstly, seat position was crucial. It took me a couple of weeks of fettling to get the angle, and the headrest position just right. The HP looks to have a greater range of movement than my Performer bent does, and I had to make some new bracketry to be able to sit more upright. Getting the headrest position right took a lot of trial and error. My neck is now stiff so looking down my nose at the road ahead whilst lying back can be difficult - so a lot of trial and error went into getting the seat angle just right.

Second, suspension. Lying back you feel more of the road bumps. On a DF bike you can anticipate and stand on the pedals to minimise the shock to the body, but lying back it's harder. My bent has coil over rear suspension and a 20" front, 26" rear. I've played about with the tension on the spring until I feel I have it about right. I'm also running the Marathon Pluses now at about 80psi rather than 100 to get me a bit more give.The 20" rear on the trike may be more susceptible to potholes.

Thirdly - getting on and off. You may have less of a problem with a trike. I need to lift a leg to get it over the seat - so a higher seat is more of a challenge. Whilst I'm balancing on one leg, I'm at risk of a fall, but with a trike you'll be able to add posts to support yourself while you get on. But with a seat height at 35cm that's quite low. My seat is at 50cm, and that feels low! Maybe the experienced bent riders on here will laugh at that, but when you come to it new it feels really weird.

Having said all that, after spinal surgery and the consequences, I was concerned that I'd never ride a bike again, I got over that but can't do the miles I used to. Having the bent gives me the ability to keep the miles up and give the body a change in sitting position from the DF position.

At first, I thought I'd made a mistake and would never get the setup right, but after a few weeks it felt natural, and now I just go out without thinking about it. The bike bents are a bit heavier and slower (my average is about 2mph slower than on my DF road bike), and the trike will be more so I expect, and I found that frustrating at the start.

I'm local to you so if you want to talk more, maybe PM me? But that HP will be a very good bit of kit. (I also lived in Turkey for a while, so I've met those Kangal dogs too - horrible things.....)

Andy

 

[Tigerbiten]

I would get in contact with Kevin at Dtek.
Contact info -> Kevin Dunseath, Tel. 01353 648 177, Email dtekhpvs@btconnect.com
He's based in Little Thetford near Ely.
He has the best range of secondhand bents that I know of and if you can get there you can try out a full range.

The trick with a bent trike is to run wide tyres at lowish pressure to smooth out a lot of the road buzz.
I run Marathon Supremes (42-406) on the front and a Big Apple (50-406) on the back of my trike, they are all run at around 65 psi for comfort.
One advantage of the 20" back wheel is it will be easier to gear it down if you have a weak leg.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I would get in contact with Kevin at Dtek.
Contact info -> Kevin Dunseath, Tel. 01353 648 177, Email dtekhpvs@btconnect.com
He's based in Little Thetford near Ely.
He has the best range of secondhand bents that I know of and if you can get there you can try out a full range.

The trick with a bent trike is to run wide tyres at lowish pressure to smooth out a lot of the road buzz.
I run Marathon Supremes (42-406) on the front and a Big Apple (50-406) on the back of my trike, they are all run at around 65 psi for comfort.
One advantage of the 20" back wheel is it will be easier to gear it down if you have a weak leg.

Sadly I'm not even able to get to my doctors let alone to Ely which is a good 4 (?) hours away which is why I am considering this one off eBay. It has been first one that looks like I stand a chance with.

I'll watch it over the week and see what it does. I would probably need to change the crank arm lengths at the very minimum. They are 175mm and I suspect and have read that for someone of my height (which is now slightly shorter than before!) that 170mm is better. All of my other bikes are 172.5's

I have checked the height of the sofa that I can just get up off and it is 33cm height, so I'm optimistic that 39cm height for this trike seat is OK and I need something that takes panniers. Also from what I have read I can if needed even get a bracket that could to the pianist rack and rear of the seat to transport my crutches!

We shall see what happens... Whilst I am desperate to get out cycling again, I won't pay silly money for it but sadly even at being just over an hour away, it is too far for me to travel in a car yet!

 

[ufkacbln]

Crutches is very simple

1. Use "broom / pipe clips of a suitable size, then using jubilee clips, attach to the seat / frame at the top then the bottom then just clip them in
2. There are a number of seat based crutch holders for mobility scooters / wheelchairs that can easliy be adapted
3. Attach two lengths of suitable width PVC pipe to the seat / frame (this can affect the fold)