Greenspeed recumbent trike

March 2011, with the help of the BT benevolent fund I finally ordered A Greenspeed recumbent trike From Australia, Please see the link to their web site. The reason for such a change from solo Cycling to a Tandem is to reseeding eye sight , I am registered as blind as I have lost over 80% of my eye sight mostly from the centre of my eyes. I am still managing to ride solo with my Club the west Middlesex CTC see links. However it’s getting near the end and I’m getting ready for the time it will be too dangerous for the solo bike witch I will miss greatly as losing the independence just to go and get lost for a few hours on my own, or go touring with a tent around the UK. The Tandem will give me the tool to keep my cycling passion alive and my social life ticking over. My good Friend Adrian is the main Pilot / captain However it’s been modified by Greenspeed to take a large range of riding sizes for whoever wishes to take me out. I could not have achieved obtaining this tandem without BT and the charities BT contacted on my behalf. And I had one member of BT staff donate towards it thank you. And a big thanks you to the guys and girls at Greenspeed. This is a web site of its birth and journeys, of what I call my Thunderbird 2, in photos.

Friday 19 August 2011

Tyres Experiment

Had some advice from Rob at West Country Recumbent about tyres I have been using for some years Marathon Plus tyres on other cycles and I have one on my rear on the ICE spring a 20 175 47 406. I have settled on trying them on the Tandem a 20 175 50 406 for the rear and the front I will try a 20 175 35 406 there a lot thinner than what i have on there at the moment there 50 406 and there somewhat heavy on the steering, well its worth trying and I can always put on a wider if it does not work out as I think and use them on the sprint fronts.
Plus we will have to work out the PSI to give comfort but sound grip looking for the balance.
I am going to try a smart Tube in the back may sound like over kill but worth it i think as most of our punchers have been thorns and the smart tubes handle that sort of puncher well, it turns out to work I will fit one on the ICE spring rear. Time will tell and will let you know how we get on.



Brought the tyres from West Country Recumbent thay have a good selection of tyres.
Hope to have them all fitted for the sky ride on Sep 4 London see you there.

By the way my pilot is getting married on the 27th August I do hope his wife lets him out to play on the tandem after they tie the knot.
Congratulations I hope you both have a great day and a great life together.     




Subday 21st

OK all tyre’s fitted and a smart tube in the back all three marathon plus so all set for the sky ride London, the tandem will be flying some flags this time out just for fun, see you there.
Will be interesting to see how it handless and runs Back Mare then plus 47 406 20” 175 with smart Tube fitted  
Runts Mare then plus 35 406 20” 175 normal tubing 175 1.5








Monday 15 August 2011

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August

65.9 mph Bloody hell

This week end has been nice hot and dry so two great days out on the Tandem.
Saturday set off for breakfast in Hackney at our favorite cafĂ© in London and to have a ride around London it’s self,  However as to a front puncher second one it turns  out that I had put the incorrect tube in! So it made it a bit late to do the normal root to the cafe so we just had a run around the centre of London and had a bite to eat at another watering hall we no on the south bank, London is always great fun with lots of attention and comments and photos taken of us.


The Tires fitted although of good quality are not really suited for the use we put it to punchers are a pain, and we do get a few just lately so looking to changing them this week. We surpassed our photo record with having 14 photos taken of us that we knew of that is.

We have had some funny moments like the oriental guy that had stopped behind us at traffic lights I heard the door open and he got out and run in front of us to take a photo.

Sunday was a great day got the thunderbird out into the country for a long run, suffered one rear Puncher! But I am and expert at it now LOL.

The root.

 
Out west from Hayes, through West Drayton and onto Slough and Windsor, coffee and Eccles cake by the river then out into the country lanes, to Touchen End then Moss End, for lunch. Back via Bray and a Tea stop at Burnham Beeches, Tried to max out on our downhill speed into Uxbridge, highest gear in everything, rear cassette, Schlump and on the SRAM hub gear. Powered in to it Speedo registered
65.9 mph. Bloody hell certainly felt fast!

However the Pilot was screaming loudly and struggling, complaining bike was unstable at that point; “it’s braking up (admiral thats me I do not like stoker) like Scottiein star trek   it can’t take any more!!! and the brakes went on, sensible as I had a bit more to give but would we have lived to tell the story?

Sunday 7 August 2011

West Middlesex run 7th August 2011

42.7 miles - Out from Hayes to Ickenham Pump to meet the rest of West Middlesex Group. Up to Harefield, then nice descent, before more climbs then down along the valley into Chesham. A Return via Stoney Lane where we needed the lowest gear and back via the Chalfonts and Denham. Final Tea and Cake at Denham Country Park then home.  
Rather wet 



Recommend the Ginger ice slice at Denham Country Park However we consumed the last two slices! O dear well hard luck! J

Saturday 6 August 2011

August 6th Today’s Ride 50.1 miles

August 6th Today’s Ride 50.1 miles
Out from Hayes past Heathrow Terminal and on to Staines, then out through Runnymede into Windsor for a tea and cake stop by the river. Out south then past Lego land through Winkfield and Maidens Green towards Maidenhead, turning at Bird Hill golf course and heading back via Bray to Downey for another tea and cake stop at the "Walled Garden", then onto to Windsor and Eton. Met "Cycleman" from the YACF forum on the wooden bridge at Eton with his 700c ICE adventure, had a good chat about Tries then off again via Slough and Uxbridge to home.
Slow Puncher front left bramble thorn, first front puncher.