Newbie 2W/3W Bent Blog

[Falco Frank]

MANY THANKS ANDY!

Just the sensible & encouraging words I hoped to read

Two fold reason currently for not using my granny ring up front, 1) darn thing WONT drop into it, must get THAT sorted 2) At really high cadence I can feel the side to side motion through the bike.

Ive started changing seat positions around, which I know is going to take some time to get right & im hoping it will help with the steering as well.

You are SO right that I NEED to do some rides on the flat - time to move house I think

Thanks again - FF

 

[arallsopp]

Although hills can be joy sapping, I'm really grateful for having a couple of good-uns real close to my house.

Firstly, I find that spinning up on my commute each morning almost immediately after leaving the house means that my legs pretty much assume that as soon as I'm awake, I might be calling upon them to do some fairly heroic levels of effort. That means my base climbing ability seems to stick around nervously, even if I'm off the bike for a while.

Secondly, as you get your 'bent legs and mindset developed, an immediate hill can be a shortcut to getting 'into the zone'. There's no science behind this other than my experience, but I seem to get a real training benefit by crowbarring a climb onto the start of my ride. Broadly, it seems that if I ride for 90 minutes on flat land, I have to travel impracticably fast to put demands on my breathing. My suspicion is that the fitter I get, the less demand it puts on me, and so things reach a low equilibrium.

By putting a hill in the middle of the ride, I can push my heart-rate up and keep it elevated for the remaining distance without really having to increase my speed that much. As I get fitter, the hill gets faster (but no easier), and I learn to recover whilst still putting out a fair amount of power. That's great for social rides and raising base fitness.

If I can get my lungs clawing for air in the first few minutes, I can keep them like that for the next hour and a half, and that seems to cause my body to react by building all new materials. I'm pretty sure the asthmatic lungs that kept me firmly in the 'last to be picked for the netball team' * camp through school have been replaced by an aftermarket performance model, and these little stumpy legs that give me the stance of a meerkat now give me the stance of a meerkat that can go really fast

* This, only after both sides and all the boys had rejected me for their football teams. To be fair, if I kick a ball I probably will fall over

 

[andytheflyer]

MANY THANKS ANDY!

Just the sensible & encouraging words I hoped to read

Two fold reason currently for not using my granny ring up front, 1) darn thing WONT drop into it, must get THAT sorted 2) At really high cadence I can feel the side to side motion through the bike.

Ive started changing seat positions around, which I know is going to take some time to get right & im hoping it will help with the steering as well.

You are SO right that I NEED to do some rides on the flat - time to move house I think

Thanks again - FF

Just what I hoped then! Get the granny ring sorted - it's my 2nd most used ring - don't worry about the big ring too much - I spin out around 25mph, way slower than on my DF bike - you just have to accept that - or at least I don't think I can go bigger (30-42-52 on the front, 11-34 at the back and long cage rear mech).

I had to move the seat about +/- half an inch to get my knees at 7 degrees bend at full extension - the boom was struck in the frame front tube (it isn't now!). The expert 'bent riders will say that moving the seat upsets the weight distribution - but not found that a problem yet - it's really a matter of fettling, trying and fettling some more. Not sure I actually sit in exactly the same position even during a ride let alone ride by ride - so the weight distribution is not going to be the same every ride anyway. Eventually you get it where you want it to be - took me at least 500 miles to begin to feel happy with the setup.

 

[Falco Frank]

FINALLY, a ride that came together with few mechanical issues & just felt good!

Only 13 miles but all climbs done in the middle ring and car drivers giving LOTS of room - not sure if my new addition helped in that department.

Todays destination: Hartlepool Headland Lighthouse.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

not sure if my new addition helped in that department.

An independent friend, I.e. not my husband, has told me that my flag in both hi viz orange and yellow with some reflective stuff in there for good measure, is very visible and is what she looks for when following me when we have separated for whatever reason. I do know it is also what has stopped several pedestrians from walking out between parked bricks straight into my path as well. Mine stays though I will confess to having had to remove it yesterday for a really skittish horse than even 50m away would not move at its riders repeated attempts to get it to. But that was me trying the obvious rather than the riders request.

 

[Falco Frank]

Yes, @SatNavSaysStraightOn Horses are a worry to me as well, thankfully most are away from the busier roads here but some "Trotters" (Horse and carridge), owners will let their poor animals suffer on the very busiest roads and in any circumstances. At least the flag comes apart easily if a problem arises...

Just looked at the data from last night, not massive I know at 12.6 miles but thats my furthest yet, so I'm pleased with that, PB for avg speed too at 10.6

Finally getting the seat position closer to ideal, but the steering is still SOOOO flighty that I'm going to have to resort the tightening the headset a little I think.

All in all, the best ride yet and 'Toxy' has regained its Enterprise status!

 

[FrankCrank]

......careful with that headset idea, may end up with indexing or notchy steering - now how do I know that one .........

 

[Falco Frank]

GOOD GOD!

I've got a photo of the Grim Reaper in my mirror...

Spoiler

Thankfully, its just the seat and back rest

 

[Falco Frank]

Funniest quote from a 'Youff' the day while on the 'bent: "Oi, mate, I like your flying saucer"

 

[Falco Frank]

Low speed tumble today

Combination of late gear changing and far too sensitive steering. At least it was at very low speed so next to no damage, except to a dented pride.

Last modification was removing the wide USS bar and replacing it with the more swept back affair that was on the OSS Teracycle tiller bar.

USS still seems the 'proper' way to me but I'm nearly having to accept that for someone with a deteriorating hip, OSS is much easier to get on and off the bike AND actually gives overall better control than USS, for me, anyway. A couple of more rides before I revert

 

[Falco Frank]

No more Enterprise.

Terracycle over seat steering refitted yesterday, all the cables re-routed and lots of fiddling about to make sure my knees didnt contact anywhere (again). Cant risk anymore falls or incidents just because of getting on or off the bike.

I'd forgot just how comfy a riding position it is and can imagine (almost) the attraction that chopper riders find in their machines.

The steering is a definite improvement and I can have all my accessories, (bell, mirror and bike computer) all at easy eye level. Thing is, now my speeds are improving I pushed my highest local speed even further tonight to 34.3 mph and things were getting a bit scary at that velocity.

 

[FrankCrank]

....the USS vs OSS steering debate is indeed a hackneyed topic in the 'bent world. I haven't tried USS yet, but may at some point give it a go just to see how it differs.

Seems both types are perfectly valid, depending on personal preference, and both have good and bad points.

On both my trike builds I used DKD (direct knuckle steer), as it's simple to implement and gives me a comfy hand position, and a go-kart feel when riding, which is fun.

On my LWB, I have the 'chopper style' riser bars, and again easy to implement, but most of all give a certain 'look' that USS never can.

Swings and roundabouts, pros & cons, trade-offs, decisions to be made.........

 

[mjr]

On both my trike builds I used DKD (direct knuckle steer), as ...

Is that steering by punching the wheel?

 

[Falco Frank]

Little by Little

With the higher speeds I'm getting to now, I've tried lowering the seat at the front without moving it too far forwards. Ive noticed the bike feels quite stable when pushing to climb hills, so Im thinking rearwards weight might be better.

Tried the H2Bike bottle system shown in the photo, pretty damn good, needs a slightly longer tube but I can rest the bite valve on my shoulder.

Likewise, Ive taken the SPDs off for a test, used my Shimano spinning class hard soled shoes. Quite good but I dont like my feet slipping off the pedals on rough roads or at higher cadence. I think the SPD's will be back on at some point but I'll try a few different shoes on first.

Longest ride EVER, ok, only 16 miles but it feels like progress. I've gelled with the bike a lot more but I know there is a 'need for speed' within me, concerning hills especially. I have a feeling that a 650 wheel bike will be tested..... some day.

Ciao - Frank

 

[andytheflyer]

Keep going Frank. That's a nice bike and the OSS will give you more confidence. Put the cleats back on and keep gradually upping the mileage. I think it's an exponential curve. You don't feel very confident so you don't do many miles, so you don't gain much confidence, so you don't do many miles.....

Suddenly, a switch will flip and you'll find a 100k is a doddle. I gelled with mine much quicker - but it really did take me a couple of hundred miles before I felt marginally confident, and maybe 500 miles before I felt a 'bent was for me. After 1500 miles I now wonder why I ever doubted it. My Performer has had a thorough strip, clean, polish, a few new bits (chain tubes etc (thanks to Laid Back Bikes)) and a rebuild and so riding the Defy at the moment to do a few bigger audaxes. Looking forward to the wetter and darker months to put the Defy back to bed and really get some miles in!

But I fancy trying a USS bike so I'm envious that you can have both!

Andy