Using a triple ring?

[Vikki]

I've fitted the new boom to my trike and set it up sweet as a nut.

My question relates to the usable ranges. I recall reading somewhere that on the smallest front cog you shouldn't use the smallest rear one (or two) same if on the largest front cog, you shouldn't use the largest rear one (or two). Can someone confirm this for me please.

I did have a little off-load try and the arm doesn't have come a long way forward on largest and largest. Likewise it went back a long way on smallest and smallest. Almost horizontal in both cases.

The front rings are 30-39-52. The rear is a 32-11 MegaRange. original front was a 42T.

Many thanks for any advice.

Vikki.

 

[Dyno]

Heres a link to quite a good explanation on gears. Its true that not all gear combinations are advised as the angle of the chain can cause issues.

How To Shift Your Gears - Bicycle Tutor

 

[Vikki]

Wow! Thanks, Dyno. That told me what I needed to know. So, smallest chainring use 1 to 3 on the back. Largest chainring use 5 to 8 on the back. Middle chainring gives full range on the back. Cool! I'm going to go calculate some gear inches and see where my overlaps are.

Thanks again.

Wow! I'm your first post, too

Vikki.

 

[Andrew harvey]

Using the big front with the big rear and like wise the smaller front with the small rear rings used to be called cross chaining. On mountain bikes it is supposed to cause more wear on the chain by twisting it,which then transfers to the front and rear sprockets shortening their life, I have seen chains were the links have stretched and become very loose much sooner than one would expect,
However on a your trike your using a chain 3 times as long as normal, with guide tubes for most of it's length, cross chaining should not present any maintenance issues as chain deflection from front to back would be at angles far shallower than on a mountain bike, hence you would be twisting it far less, .ect.

How are you finding the trike generally. I have a new toy myself, an ICE Sprint, I liked them so much I've become a dealer. I had intended to fit a motor but now I don't want to spoil my shiny new toy.
I confess hill climbs are slower than I'm used to but only by a couple of mph compared with my non assisted speeds, funnily enough a long climb leaves me far less out of breath on the trike, but boy does it get you in the calf muscles if you try to race uphill.

 

[Vikki]

I'll see you over at your Shiny new toy thread

 

[Vikki]

Been out for a ride to Hayling and, though flat, there are a couple of inclines I can test on. Bottom gear 30/32, fabulous. No problem engaging any of the gears and it went up the incline with no effort. As I was testing this at a criminally low speed of 4mph the expensive racers tore by me with each of them saying 'Thank you'. They thought I'd slowed and moved in to let them pass. I'm happy about that, better than being told recumbents can't climb. Embarrassment spared.

I've noticed that the 39t front ring is better suited to me than the 42t original. My cruising speed is up. At 39/11 I'm nicely moving at 16mph. 52/11 gets me to 22mph (but not for long). So the upshot is - I'm very happy with the new triple at the front

Best regards.

Vikki.

 

[Vikki]

Hi, Andrew.

Just looking down at Trikey I can see that cross-chaining wouldn't occur at all. Silly me, I had completely forgotten the chain tubes but worse than that I'd forgotten the two front power idlers

What about the idler gear arm being pulled almost horizontal in both directions at min and max gear positions? Is the rear idler arm ok with these extremities?

Question open to anyone

Many thanks.

Vikki.

 

[Vikki]

Here is Trikey with his Shark Fin and triple:

Had to spend £78 on the boom because the original had no fixing holes for the gear support. It was easier to buy the whole thing pre-setup. The gears, are and shifter cost extra but it was actually cheaper than getting it all from elsewhere as I got them at near cost price.

Best regards.

Vikki.

 

[Andrew harvey]

Glad your enjoying yourself, the beauty of trikes is the ability to climb at almost zero speed. given a few weeks you should find yourself speeding up as your muscles tune in to the different use. I had to nip out today, took my lad up to his friends house he insisted I brought the trike, his friends had a blast racing around the cul de sac, so did their parents.
Twin disc at the front had one of the boys standing it on it' nose, non of them managed to get it on two wheels though, I've ridden a Greenspeed with 16" wheels that was prone to excitement on bends, but only at silly speeds.

Got home 2 hours later grinning from ear to ear.

Someone's mentioned pedals some where on another thread, what are you using? The best advice I've been given is to use clip less pedals, more comfy but also if your feet slip of the pedals they can hit the ground and be dragged under the cruciform, I'm using half clips, SPD's one side with a pair of toe clips the other for any one who borrows the bike and popping to the shops or what ever. The other thing to wear is a pair of gloves incase you have to put a hand down if you get carried away on the down hills.
Your trike has a rear brake, the ICE trikes only have a parking brake on the rear. It's a good idea to use the front brakes in preference to the rear as the weight shifts forward when you brake hard and the rear wheel can catch up with your front if used hard in emergencies. The front should provide more than enough stopping power.

 

[Vikki]

Andrew, my little lamb, you be teaching granny to suck eggs here

Got me some SPD SL clipless almost as soon as I got Trikey.

I don't take corners too fast and I lean into the turn as well or it's a quick visit to Mr. Tarmac I have lifted my inner wheel out of curiosity, tight turn and a push on the pedal.

Recumbent foot is a bugger, though. Feet go numb after a while so I stretch them or get off and walk around for a minute or two. Usually happens after about 30 mins.

Back brake: Only ever used for parking and as a drag brake when howling downhill There's so little traction on the back wheel that it can lock up easily if used in the same manner as a DF. You can use the front brakes as hard as you like, you're not going to go anywhere. I was most impressed by how fast I can stop - like, on a sixpence.

Triker's grin No known cure I'm afraid.

Vikki.

 

[Andrew harvey]

What we need is a trike run like a sky run with one of those drag lifts back to the top, but we would probably end up looking like Jack Nicholson's Joker.

 

[Vikki]

And if you take a tumble you could end up like an amalgamation of Heath Ledger's Joker and Tommy Lee Jones' Two Face

Vikki.