Here we go!!

[trickletreat]

I came across the Trets when I visited Inspired Cycle Engineering in Falmouth. I had initially bought a secondhand trike to see if it would be viable as an alternative to our second car. It did, and decided to look for a more suitable model from ICE. I was asking them for advice re connecting an Islatrailer bike {£200 ish}. The result of our conversation was that it might cause some difficulties re handling and stability, it was then that they suggested the trets.

On returning home and researching the Trets I was blown away by the price, although I do understand the costs of producing low volume items.
I was very fortunate in finding a secondhand one, and believed that it would retain some considerable value if looked after.

It has been perfect, it handles really well and is very well engineered. My daughter loves it as do the kids and parents who see us daily. I have saved a fortune in not running a second car, and as such the outlay has been acceptable.

It would be nice to think that someone would produce something similar in this country at a more affordable price. if anyone fancies attempting to produce a homemade one then I am happy to help.

 

[rustic]

I came across the Trets when I visited Inspired Cycle Engineering in Falmouth. I had initially bought a secondhand trike to see if it would be viable as an alternative to our second car. It did, and decided to look for a more suitable model from ICE. I was asking them for advice re connecting an Islatrailer bike {£200 ish}. The result of our conversation was that it might cause some difficulties re handling and stability, it was then that they suggested the trets.

On returning home and researching the Trets I was blown away by the price, although I do understand the costs of producing low volume items.
I was very fortunate in finding a secondhand one, and believed that it would retain some considerable value if looked after.

It has been perfect, it handles really well and is very well engineered. My daughter loves it as do the kids and parents who see us daily. I have saved a fortune in not running a second car, and as such the outlay has been acceptable.

It would be nice to think that someone would produce something similar in this country at a more affordable price. if anyone fancies attempting to produce a homemade one then I am happy to help.

I think at £800 you clearly got a decent deal, it is after all worth that much to your family for the savings it has given you. The improvement to quality of life in travelling that way is an imeasurable bonus on top of that. After all, if it hadn't worked for you, then it could have easily been sold for the price you paid for it.

Unless I'm mistaken there does seem a gap in the market. There seem to be an abundance of trailers around the hundred pound mark but these are only suitable for transporting children up to the age of 5 or so. I would gladly pay a few quid more than that for a trailer capable of transporting my 6 year old for the next few years, but I am yet to find one at a mid range price that I can afford. Please let me know if I am missing something?

 

[trickletreat]

Yes there is a gap for a suitable two wheel trailer. I know that Islabikes were trying to have her well thought out , rack mounted , trailer bike re manufactured [probably £200-£300 mark], but I wanted the added security of two wheeled trailer for a younger child[5-8yrs]. Allowing the child to relax and enjoy a slightly longer journey, or regular commute, until they could more easily and safely complete them under their own steam.

Ice produce high quality , innovative trikes in the £2-3k range, but other niche manufactures produce trikes in the sub £1k range, so I am surprised no one has done the same with trailers.One such manufacturer is KMX, KMX Karts » Storm. As you can see, there isn't that much of a difference in the bits and pieces involved in making one of their trikes and the Hase Trets, and at a fraction of the price.

There are child trailers in the £200-1000 range, but they do look to much like toddler trailers [Burley,Chariot], and having experienced stability problems as my daughter grew, and moved about a lot more, we had to find an alternative.

 

[Old Timer]

Talk about cold out just too much ice to even walk around let alone cycle.

 

[wurly]

I took a tumble yesterday. The ice had finally thawed outside of my house and the sun was shining, so i thought it safe to get a bit of exercise. The main roads were fine with all the salt and the side roads looked ok. Wet but no ice.
After about 5 miles the road dipped through some wooded area and the camber of the road increased....then splat! The front wheel went from under me with no warning. The bike went one way and i went the other. Dammit! i should have been more careful but up until then my journey was ice free. No injuries and my lifepo4 battery survived (pedal and throttle are scraped up a bit though).
So that is it for me, no more cycling until this cold weather is gone.

 

[flecc]

I sympathise Wurly and OldTimer. I just went flying when stepping onto my very steep hill, caught out by a patch of black ice where water had melted from under a pile of salted snow. Legs flew up from under me and I landed flat on my back full force, back is now bruised, as stiff as a board and very painful.

Luckily after being locked in by deep snow since my last shop on Monday 29th November, I'd got out for the first time this morning and fully replenished, so I can stay in and rest the back.
.

 

[wurly]

Best put your feet up and live on food from the freezer. Hibernation would be nice (if we were allowed).
A&E must be really busy right now,it's not a good time to injure yourself.
I got to work today (using the car) and had to make way for an ambulance, someone had fallen from their bike and suffered a fractured shoulder.....

 

[Old Timer]

Wish you better Flecc.

Yeh! I`m gonna get my exercise on my indoor trainer for now. I took my wife up to the coast today for her regular haircut to save her driving in the ice, I intended to walk the cliff path for a bit of fresh air while I waited and had to turn back and had quite a job getting back to the car because everywhere was black ice. I must have looked quite a sight hanging on to railings and walls
On the run back home you have to climb away from the coast and my heart was in my mouth that we would make it because there was just so much black ice everywhere. It really is as bad as I think I`ve seen it in my lifetime. You can walk slowly on it but the moment you forget then like you, you are over.
My first wife had a fall last week just pushing the bin out of the drive and broke her right leg in three places (just from falling over)

Be careful out there everyone.

 

[Mussels]

The Marathon Winters worked a treat last night, they unsurprisingly got a much better grip than the Continental winters or the Schwalbe snow studs. The only problem was the rough snow had frozen solid and it felt like I was riding a cobbled street. Pedalling was a little difficult so I just used throttle for some of the way and I was pleasantly surprised at how strong the new Dapush motor is.

As for walking I tested these out today, they are great for walking across ice.

I also found my hands were warm yesterday despite having a naff pair of gloves on, the difference was the thermals I was wearing under the cycling gear.

 

[trickletreat]

It is getting colder, -12 while clearing the car for my wife today. Sorry to hear a few of you have had some spills over the last few days, hope you are all recovering

I have been caught out after feeling happy sliding around on the trike. All though I was taking it easy on the approach to a downhill sweeping right hand bend, the combination of work vans on my side and an approaching tipper truck, saw me sliding straight on. I was trying to brake and steer, aiming for some wheelie bins [ and having time to wonder if they had been emptied], I found that I was accelerating towards the front of one of the parked vans. In my eagerness to apply the brakes, I had given it full throttle, the studded tyre was doing it's job of keeping traction!

The van had one set of wheels up on the kerb, and I ended up wedged under the front with one foot still clipped in. The BT workers from the van were great, helping to get me and trike out.

Amazingly no damage to the trike and the bottom of the vans bumper had just flexed out of the way. A bit of damage to my leg and neck though.

Before this I had quite a bit of confidence in the trike and had tried to prepare for this sort of situation[by sliding and skidding where safe]. The combination of my loss of control, parked vans, and the tipper truck could have been far worse. I have had to spend time reflecting. I was very lucky.

 

[rustic]

Speedy recovery Flecc & all.

It seems the weather has been catching many out. I rather stupidly took a country lane to West Bergholt a few days ago, I was travelling extremely slowly, but my campervan just spun on a downhill and I ended up wedged in a ditch. On a positive note the offers of help & sympathy I got from all who passed was really fantastic, I was soon towed out of the verge & was back on my way unhurt, but travelling rather gingerly thereafter.

I really will avoid making journeys unless entirely neccessary in these conditions in future .

 

[Pedalo]

My normal commute to work is partly via narrow country lanes. Last Friday about 4 miles out of the 7 were like an ice rink.

Surprisingly the Brompton seems to handle really well on ice. I think the twitchiness associated with small wheels actually provides for finer control on meaning it's generally easier keeping upright. It's just a shame I can't get studded tyres for it.

I did fall off once going down a steepish hill with a number of turns. I simply couldn't control my speed and I lost it. My arm & shoulder took the brunt of the fall but at least the bike came away completely unscathed. I walked (slid) down the rest of the hill but even then felt vulnerable since I imagined any cars using the route would also have trouble keeping control.
In fact about half a mile later on while I was aproaching a bend in the road a car came round the bend in the opposite direction - or at least he tried to but continued on into the hedge before then veering back on to the road and missed me (still out of control) by about 1 metre.

Very very scary and made me realise it's just not worth risking cycling on days like that again.