The Ratrike Thread

[Night Train]

OK, this may be a contentious issue.

I added a brake light.

I found a small, but bright, 9 LED torch at Maplins for £3.99. The rubber sleave around it is glow in the dark too.

I drilled a hole in the side and wired a 'switch' circuit and brought out a cable to the brake lever.
To get the red lense I found a bit of broken red lense from an old Volvo lorry tail light I had in stock. The lense was sanded to shape and glued to the torch.

The wire at the front brake lever is connected via a lever microswitch and an on-off-on switch. That allows me to have the switch to off, brake light, tail light depending on conditions and need.

The black tape is just to tidy the cables, both switchs are glued to the brake lever housing.

So, now I have a light that can be a tail light or a brake light and can be switched off when I strap up the brake lever as a parking brake.
At least it saves shouting out 'Stopping!'.

 

[Night Train]

The Ratrike had a airing today, first for a while.

I gave it a service, sorted the 'draggy' brakes, fettled the gears, sorted out the lose oak front mech stem and improved the front light mounting.

I also found the slow puncture in the nearside front wheel to be a bit of dirt in the valve seal.

I then decided to change the chain as it has been a bit too short to get all the gears without binding. I carefully used the old chain to pull through 2 1/2 lengths of 3/32 chain, reconnected it and then found that the chain was too wide to run smoothly!
So the old chain had to go back.

What size chain does the KMX use then?

Oh well, a good clean up later and I had the wooden mudguards off and sprayed satin black and the red rack bag that was on Granville was fitted.

Time for a shake down ride.

I did 6 miles around a few local streets but this thing about drivers giving recumbents a wide berth is rubbish.

Doing 16mph past Salford Royal Hospital I had to indicate to pull out past a badly parked car. Despite being in primary to pass the parked car drivers still felt they had to close pass me against oncoming traffic to get to the right turn traffic lights before me. I was turning left there anyway.

My legs ache now, too much upright riding recently, and my right foot is still going numb on the SPD pedals.
I thought, previously, it might be the shoe being too tight but I have been wearing the SPD shoes all afternoon while servicing the Ratrike and had no problems.

 

[Arch]

My legs ache now, too much upright riding recently, and my right foot is still going numb on the SPD pedals.
I thought, previously, it might be the shoe being too tight but I have been wearing the SPD shoes all afternoon while servicing the Ratrike and had no problems.

I wonder if the thing with shoes is a tipping point. They are fine while you're standing on them, or walking around, because that is naturally wiggling your feet, even if the shoes are tight. But when you put your feet up, so to speak, just the elevation is enough to tip any slight tightness into causing numbness.

I sometimes make an effort to wiggle my feet inside my shoes, and find I only have numbness and pain when it's hot - which makes me think it's tightness brought on by my feet swelling. Walking around in my shoes would be fine, and if the pain comes on, loosening my shoes and putting my feet down generally cures it.

My shoes are snug enough, and my riding style is relaxed enough (not much pulling) that I can have my laces pretty loose, and the shoe stays on. Maybe see how loose you can get away with.

Glad you've been out for a run though!

 

[mickle]

Are you using the stock brakes?

 

[Night Train]

I was wondering if it was my feet just being higher then usual and doing work.
Even now I have been home for a while and with shoes off my right foot is still tingling.

Front lights are two torches wraped in a bit of inner tube and cable tied to a smaller diameter tube.

Are you using the stock brakes?

Errr, yes. The discs are a bit warped too.

 

[byegad]

I had problems with SPDs and no problems with Crank Brothers Mallets or Candys. Somehow the SPDs transfer all the pressure onto the cleat, CBs don't and allow the pressure to transfer to the platforms.