Tiny rides of 2023

[a.twiddler]

28/1/26
Tiny Recumbent Ride
Rans Cheese Run

A mild sunny day for a change. Out through the gate towards Swanlow Lane, straight on through the lights to the A54 roundabout, rolling through to the right without stopping and downhill to the town centre lights. Annoyingly coming to a halt at the red before pressing on again, and another delay at the right filter lane before turning right at the next roundabout and again at a supermarket entrance roundabout. Through the car park and then stopping alongside a barrier to lock up. I went in to round up some cheesy comestibles.

Pondering the frame flex of the Rans Stratus XP compared with the relative stiffness of the Linear once I’d fitted frame stiffening plates. Curious that the Rans feels noticeably speedier than the Linear did despite this. Possibly some characteristic of the stiff underseat steering linkage of the Linear and untriangulated frame, versus the long flexy chopper style bars of the Rans combined with the well triangulated rear end letting more of the pedalling effort get to the rear wheel? I certainly noticed the Garmin showing relatively easy speed for the effort I was putting in today. Perhaps I was just rolling better due to the first relatively fine day for what seems like ages.

Anyhow, once loaded and aboard once more I rolled downhill alongside the car park, right on to a pavement cycle path, right then left across a junction to get into the local surgery car park to drop off a prescription then back out again, left towards the town centre lights and left up a long hill alongside the dual carriageway to a large roundabout at the top. Left on to Swanlow Lane for half a mile or so then right into a traffic free lane.

I stopped in the sunshine to take some photos

before pressing on into a nice estate, coming out on to a road, right then left at a T junction then carrying on round a block just for the fun of it. If I hadn’t had stuff to get done this afternoon I might well have just carried on with a random ride for some more miles.

All too soon I came to my back gate and wheeled the Rans through.

I unloaded my cheesy cargo and settled down for a drink.

Distance 6.23 miles. Max speed 26.6mph. Average speed 8.8 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 224 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

10/2/26
Tiny Recumbent Ride
First Rans Shopping Trip with Front Panniers.

A quick trip to the town centre for some items. I’d done a successful test run of the Rans with the front panniers empty a couple of days ago so I thought I’d try them in earnest today.

By the volume of traffic going past my back gate it seemed that the roadworks and diversion at the Swanlow Lane lights were still ongoing so I took an alternative route left then diagonally right across a junction. I got going pretty quickly until after a good straight the road began to climb to the right then levelled after turning left. I turned right on to Townfields Drive and after puffing up a deceptively steep hump towards the lights remembered why I didn’t usually come this way. I was getting my breath back by the time the lights turned green, telling myself that it’s beneficial to get out of breath sometimes as I rolled on through. I wouldn’t have minded so much if it had looked like a hill.

Downhill from here on, left at a junction with a clear road ahead through the next mini rounbdabout and a short wait at the next traffic lights to turn right along a painted cycle lane, left alongside a car park to lock up at a barrier.

Out again with my goodies. Loaded up and away across the car park after an extravagant 180 degree turn, left at the exit roundabout then right at the next one. Down Dingle Lane with its speed humps, across the pavement to Queens Drive then left up Dene Drive for a change. Right up Townfields Road to the lights at the top. I took a photo of the forbidding traffic signs

before carrying on to a turn off on to an estate path. I took a photo of the bike here then a man with two dogs came by.

“Did you build that yourself?” he asked. “No, it’s an American bike” I replied. “Oh.” he said, as if that explained everything, and went on his way.

I got under way again down Townfields Drive, turned left at a T junction then followed the road as it snaked about and after a few turnings eventually got to my back gate.

Another successful trip. Even loaded, the steering didn’t seem much affected by the weight.

Now waiting for the weather and the opportunity for some good length rides.

Distance 3.36 miles. Max Speed 24.2 mph. Average speed 8.4 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 142 ft. According to Bikehike.