OP
OP
a.twiddler
Veteran
Some Tiny Recumbent Rides
You might all now be eagerly looking forward to reading about some escapades on a tiny recumbent. Well, the Spirit is tiny compared to the Rans Stratus XP (but what isn't?) and possibly it's a bit shorter than your average SWB but it's not actually tiny despite being in some interpretations a "Compact LWB recumbent". Nope. It's about tiny rides.
6/5/26
Small Shopping on the Spirit
A trip to the shops for a few items, the quick way down the long hill to the town centre supermarket then back via a longer route. A pleasant ride.
For those that like it snappy!
Distance 4.95 miles. Max speed 21.1 mph. Average 7.1 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 143 ft. According to Bikehike.
20/5/26
Small but heavy shop on the Spirit.
A couple of days ago I’d removed, rubbed down and repainted the sidestand, a job that I’d been putting off for some time. In contrast to the quality of the finish of the rest of the bike, the side stand had developed a lot of powdery white aluminium corrosion which was causing the black paint to lift and flake off. This isn’t some Far Eastern item as far as I can tell. It has Esge and Plescher embossed on it. Anyway, after giving it 24 hours to harden up I refitted it and this was the test ride. I wanted to see if there was any vibration or strange noises, or contact with anything as the suspension moved.
The quick way again, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane. A random youth on a bright red MTB coming uphill on the opposite pavement said, “That ride is sick as f---!” in a laughing voice. I lifted a hand, and down the long hill to the town centre supermarket I went. After loading up, with a bit of ingenuity to cram everything into the seat back bag, I got going. After getting up the hill on the path alongside the A54 dual carriageway I took a zig zag route through various estate roads. I passed a woman at one point, and a voice from behind said, “Just want to say, that bike is so cool!” Perhaps it is. A morale boost today, making the rider feel a bit less old and boring, anyway.
I got my load of shopping home without drama, and unloaded.
The sidestand didn’t vibrate loose or fall off, and didn’t make any untoward contact with anything so presumably, that was a success.
Distance 3.11 miles. Max Speed 23.3 mph. Average 7.8 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 126 ft.According to Bikehike.
21/5/26
Library and Haircut Ride, Return via prickly path on the Spirit.
I needed to return a library book so as it hadn’t rained for a while today I decided to go on the Spirit. The quick route again today, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane then straight downhill towards the town centre lights. I sailed through a mini roundabout and the intermediate traffic lights remained obligingly green so I barely had to push a pedal from turning left downhill to the point where I had to turn right just before the town centre lights. Then, on to a cycle path which took me to the library. Locked up to a lamp post, into the library, dropped off my book then after a mooch round set off back the way I came.
Feeling a somewhat hairy round the ears I wondered if I could book a haircut for later on the way home.
I went up the long hill much more slowly than I came down. I turned right near the top to get on a short cut to Swanlow Lane. Left then, and left again once I reached The Townfields Road lights.
Soon afterwards I bumped up the pavement to the hairdressers. Conveniently, they could squeeze me in straight away so I soon came out less hairy than I went in.
I took a long way round to get home including a path which was unexpectedly festooned with prickly and stinging plants.
I was glad that I hadn’t given in to the temptation to wear shorts today. The path ended in front of a house where two cars were parked leaving just enough space to squeeze through then the path continued as a similarly prickly test of fortitude.
Finally, out on to a road, left to reach Swanlow Lane then across to a barriered lane and out on to an estate road. Following it round, left on to a path leading to another road, right then left at a T junction to swoop about a bit before reaching my back gate.
Distance 3.69 miles. Max Speed 21.4 mph. Average7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 122 ft. According to Bikehike.
I have the same feeling as of this time last year - most of the way through May and no decently long rides yet. Last year it was painting fences, this year mostly the weather.
You might all now be eagerly looking forward to reading about some escapades on a tiny recumbent. Well, the Spirit is tiny compared to the Rans Stratus XP (but what isn't?) and possibly it's a bit shorter than your average SWB but it's not actually tiny despite being in some interpretations a "Compact LWB recumbent". Nope. It's about tiny rides.
6/5/26
Small Shopping on the Spirit
A trip to the shops for a few items, the quick way down the long hill to the town centre supermarket then back via a longer route. A pleasant ride.
For those that like it snappy!
Distance 4.95 miles. Max speed 21.1 mph. Average 7.1 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 143 ft. According to Bikehike.
20/5/26
Small but heavy shop on the Spirit.
A couple of days ago I’d removed, rubbed down and repainted the sidestand, a job that I’d been putting off for some time. In contrast to the quality of the finish of the rest of the bike, the side stand had developed a lot of powdery white aluminium corrosion which was causing the black paint to lift and flake off. This isn’t some Far Eastern item as far as I can tell. It has Esge and Plescher embossed on it. Anyway, after giving it 24 hours to harden up I refitted it and this was the test ride. I wanted to see if there was any vibration or strange noises, or contact with anything as the suspension moved.
The quick way again, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane. A random youth on a bright red MTB coming uphill on the opposite pavement said, “That ride is sick as f---!” in a laughing voice. I lifted a hand, and down the long hill to the town centre supermarket I went. After loading up, with a bit of ingenuity to cram everything into the seat back bag, I got going. After getting up the hill on the path alongside the A54 dual carriageway I took a zig zag route through various estate roads. I passed a woman at one point, and a voice from behind said, “Just want to say, that bike is so cool!” Perhaps it is. A morale boost today, making the rider feel a bit less old and boring, anyway.
I got my load of shopping home without drama, and unloaded.
The sidestand didn’t vibrate loose or fall off, and didn’t make any untoward contact with anything so presumably, that was a success.
Distance 3.11 miles. Max Speed 23.3 mph. Average 7.8 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 126 ft.According to Bikehike.
21/5/26
Library and Haircut Ride, Return via prickly path on the Spirit.
I needed to return a library book so as it hadn’t rained for a while today I decided to go on the Spirit. The quick route again today, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane then straight downhill towards the town centre lights. I sailed through a mini roundabout and the intermediate traffic lights remained obligingly green so I barely had to push a pedal from turning left downhill to the point where I had to turn right just before the town centre lights. Then, on to a cycle path which took me to the library. Locked up to a lamp post, into the library, dropped off my book then after a mooch round set off back the way I came.
Feeling a somewhat hairy round the ears I wondered if I could book a haircut for later on the way home.
I went up the long hill much more slowly than I came down. I turned right near the top to get on a short cut to Swanlow Lane. Left then, and left again once I reached The Townfields Road lights.
Soon afterwards I bumped up the pavement to the hairdressers. Conveniently, they could squeeze me in straight away so I soon came out less hairy than I went in.
I took a long way round to get home including a path which was unexpectedly festooned with prickly and stinging plants.
I was glad that I hadn’t given in to the temptation to wear shorts today. The path ended in front of a house where two cars were parked leaving just enough space to squeeze through then the path continued as a similarly prickly test of fortitude.
Finally, out on to a road, left to reach Swanlow Lane then across to a barriered lane and out on to an estate road. Following it round, left on to a path leading to another road, right then left at a T junction to swoop about a bit before reaching my back gate.
Distance 3.69 miles. Max Speed 21.4 mph. Average7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 122 ft. According to Bikehike.
I have the same feeling as of this time last year - most of the way through May and no decently long rides yet. Last year it was painting fences, this year mostly the weather.
