At long last we can record significant progress in the acquisition of Dougs bike.
We had been doing a lot of internet research over the last couple of months into folding recumbent trikes and Doug has been poring over bike specs most days!!
We had established two primary contacts in Scotland, one called Kinetics in Glasgow and the other, Laid-back Bikes in Edinburgh.
Despite early hopeful signs and helpful telephone conversations with Kinetics, we have since been unable to re-establish contact with them, so it looks like they are out of the running for now.
However Dave Gardner of Laid-Back was brilliant and in one phone call we had set up a demo ride on two of the possible contenders on Sunday 6th.
Despite the weather being a bit iffy and the Festival Fun Fair doing their best to drown out any useful conversation, it was a great afternoon for Doug. For the first time in two years he could truly be in complete control and in a very short space of time he had mastered the basics of the trikes.
With Damien McCutcheon striding out beside him, he was able to ride both trikes for a fair length on the Meadows cycle path, closely monitored by Dave Gardner and watched over by the Oversight Committee (Steve & Annette Irvine, Sheena and I).
After a couple of close encounters with street furniture (joking!) he managed very well indeed.
I have not seen him so stoked in two years!!
In his words "I had forgotten just how much of a thrill riding solo could be."
The trikes tested were both by ICE in Falmouth - the Adventure 2 (2010 model) and the Vortex (older, non folding version). As far as Doug was concerned the biggest difference between them was that of ground clearance and thus height with the Vortex, being the lowest, feeling much more stable. However it was more difficult for him to get into and out of. He managed pretty well regardless and, as he says, its all a matter of practice.
The Vortex range do not have a parking brake in the latest version, so that rules it out for Doug.
It therefore appears that Sprint 3, being only some 6mm higher than the Vortex and having a parking brake fitted is the favourite right now.
Although he has not been able to test the seat options, it is pretty clear that the Hard Shell seat option could offer more lateral support - an important issue - than the mesh version which he rode. However this needs a bit more investigation.
Although he managed the brake levers on left and right bar ends, he did find it tricky to stop in a straight line because of the difference in reaction time between left and right hands. Fortunately it is possible to combine both left and right brake functions on a single lever on the right bar end, so this rates a must have.
After the test rides we spend an interesting half hour playing with the folding side of things, including actually popping the trike into my car boot! Very easy and quick and very interesting .......... !! Still got to work out how to transport a wheelchair as well though! I can see a change of car coming up for discussion!! Or possibly an infaltible wheelchair :-)
Since then Dave Gardner has, true to his word, produced a full quote for Dougs trike plus all options.
This leaves us with a decision to make on the seat and on tyres. Oh ... and on bags as well :-) Doug does like to travel with a toolkit and spare tubes and ,,,, and ....
I cannot think of an adequate way to thank all those who contributed to this appeal.
Dougs own words say it all - when he was wakened up on Monday morning .. "This is the first time for 2 years that I have wakened up with a smile on my face!!!"
Iain
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