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Date: 22 Aug 2007 20:05:19
From: Artemisia
Subject: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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Just back from a trip to the UK which included, among other things, a
visit to Carol and Rob at Westcountry Recumbents in Derbyshire, to test
their beautiful Greenspeeds.
In London I also talked for a long time with the guy at Bikefix, admired
some hanging Velotechnik bikes, checked out some colour options and had
the opportunity to sit down, although alas nothing more, in a Trice QNT.
Enthusiastic thanks to Carol and Rob, who effected my final conversion
to Dark Side Trikes and established the ground rule that I simply _must
have_ one. Through no fault of their own, I have decided for the
Scorpion rather than any of the Greenspeeds. I really wish I could have
preferred the Greenspeeds for the sheer delight of dealing with them.
Their kindness was immense. They collected me at the Derby train
station, presented me with all their trikes, helped me seat my ponderous
self in those low seats and scramble up again, took me for test rides up
and down hills (something I was particularly keen to try out), rescued
me when I jammed near the top of a hill on too high a gear and couldn't
move further (not so easy to back up on a trike), leant me SPD shoes,
clipped me in, unclipped me out, got out some suitcases to show me how
the GT0 would pack, folded the GT3, brought me color charts for frames
and seats, and gave me a whole afternoon of their time.
Although I loved riding the Greenspeed, I felt that the 1500 € price
difference with the Scorpion at more or less equivalent configuration
(81 gears, suspension, mudguards, luggage racks, hydraulic disc brakes)
was not really justified. That is too big a price jack for what I
suspect is just import duty, rather than a proportional jump in
desirability. I was also disappointed with the looks. It may seem
trivial, but the most expensive purchase in my life second to my
appartment really needs to be a dream-machine. The available colours
were like plastic toys in a kindergarten - ignorant primary hues at the
opposite pole from my childfree idea of sexy. Really I'm not going to
disburse 1500€ extra unless I can have the subtlest, most iridescent
butterfly-wing metallics! What would Galadriel ride? Also, the
Greenspeeds are unsuspended in their basic form. I noticed a very strong
jiggle-and-judder effect on the GT0 as soon as it got up to speed,
reminding me of the hand-held camera that gave me such a headache in
Woody Allen's film HUSBANDS AND WIVES. This may be accentuated for me
personally by the fact that I wear varifocal lenses - my eyes can't
focus fast enough to keep up with the jiggle; my whole field of vision
vibrates and makes it hard for me to actually see. I think on a long
ride this effect could become very irritating. The French say "sonné",
for that feeling that your head has been used as the clapper of a
bell... I have no proof that the same thing does _not_ happen on the
Scorpion, but it does have standard suspension which should mitigate
this effect.
Finally, it would be harder to pay for the Greenspeed. Payment in full
would be due on arrival, and it would have to be in £, and I can foresee
all sorts of problems with the bank transfers and exchange rates and
overdraughts. I don't want to have to take out a loan. I can buy the
Scorpion locally and pay in Euros in monthly installments, up to the end
of the year. That makes budgeting so much easier. I also like the idea
of a German make - so much nearer and more familiar than Australia.
Here's to the Eurozone!
So I'll keep the newsgroups posted on my progress. I'm hoping to have an
offical"birth" on November 3rd at around 6am. I don't quite know how to
decide that this is the "birth" - but if I miss that moment I won't have
such good synsastry with a sporting or transport tool until 2011.
Cheers all,
EFR
Ile de France
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Date: 23 Aug 2007 08:12:31
From: Breton
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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On Aug 22, 3:54 pm, "Bridgemaster" <alar...@bisexualcyclists.cum >
wrote:
> Artemisia wrote:
>
> The available colours
>
> > were like plastic toys in a kindergarten - ignorant primary hues at
> > the opposite pole from my childfree idea of sexy,,,,<<<
>
> I happily admit to not knowing much about these strange contraptions, a
> bizarre amalgam of hospital bed and pedal cycle, in which some people
> apparently like to lie down and play Russian roulette with passing traffic!
>
> However, I *do* know that they are regarded, even amongst other cyclists, as
> one of the last possible public expressions of insanity before being
> confined in a straight-jacket - to which I might add that if you really *do*
> think that these manevolent creations of Heath-Robertson on acid can *ever*
> be 'sexy'!! (the mind boggles!) then you must indulge in some
> extraordinarily peculiar practices!!
Off topic to ATR. Trim your headers please.
Breton
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Date: 23 Aug 2007 03:24:06
From: Artemisia
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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On 22 ao=FBt, 21:54, "Bridgemaster" <alar...@bisexualcyclists.cum >
wrote:
> However, I *do* know that they are regarded, even amongst other cyclists,=
as
> one of the last possible public expressions of insanity before being
> confined in a straight-jacket - to which I might add that if you really *=
do*
> think that these manevolent creations of Heath-Robertson on acid can *eve=
r*
> be 'sexy'!! (the mind boggles!) then you must indulge in some
> extraordinarily peculiar practices!!
All of the above.
EFR
Ile de France
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Date: 22 Aug 2007 20:54:05
From: Bridgemaster
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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Artemisia wrote:
The available colours
> were like plastic toys in a kindergarten - ignorant primary hues at
> the opposite pole from my childfree idea of sexy,,,,<<<
I happily admit to not knowing much about these strange contraptions, a
bizarre amalgam of hospital bed and pedal cycle, in which some people
apparently like to lie down and play Russian roulette with passing traffic!
However, I *do* know that they are regarded, even amongst other cyclists, as
one of the last possible public expressions of insanity before being
confined in a straight-jacket - to which I might add that if you really *do*
think that these manevolent creations of Heath-Robertson on acid can *ever*
be 'sexy'!! (the mind boggles!) then you must indulge in some
extraordinarily peculiar practices!!
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Date: 22 Aug 2007 21:24:24
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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Bridgemaster wrote:
> Artemisia wrote:
>
>
> The available colours
>> were like plastic toys in a kindergarten - ignorant primary hues at
>> the opposite pole from my childfree idea of sexy,,,,<<<
>
>
> I happily admit to not knowing much about these strange contraptions, a
> bizarre amalgam of hospital bed and pedal cycle, in which some people
> apparently like to lie down and play Russian roulette with passing traffic!
Oh Bosh! Another "expert" with no experience.
I have ridden (as have several others) trikes and lowracers in Chicago.
The only issue is that you may have to proceed with greater caution/less
speed where higher obstructions block your view of potential
cross-traffic. But this is merely an inconvenience and not a safety
issue (if handled properly).
The other safety issue with a trike is that it is practically impossible
(when ridden reasonably) to fall over. Falling in front of traffic on a
bicycle can be a death sentence.
> However, I *do* know that they are regarded, even amongst other cyclists, as
> one of the last possible public expressions of insanity before being
> confined in a straight-jacket - to which I might add that if you really *do*
> think that these manevolent creations of Heath-Robertson on acid can *ever*
> be 'sexy'!! (the mind boggles!) then you must indulge in some
> extraordinarily peculiar practices!!
[Yawn]
This is not attractive: <http://www.liegeradinfo.de/windchee.jpg >? Sheesh!
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Date: 23 Aug 2007 14:13:02
From: Mary Fisher Is Never Wrong
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman wrote:
> Bridgemaster wrote:
>> Artemisia wrote:
>>
>>
>> The available colours
>>> were like plastic toys in a kindergarten - ignorant primary hues at
>>> the opposite pole from my childfree idea of sexy,,,,<<<
>>
>>
>> I happily admit to not knowing much about these strange
>> contraptions, a bizarre amalgam of hospital bed and pedal cycle, in
>> which some people apparently like to lie down and play Russian
>> roulette with passing traffic!
>
> Oh Bosh! Another "expert" with no experience.
>
> I have ridden (as have several others) trikes and lowracers in
> Chicago. The only issue is that you may have to proceed with greater
> caution/less speed where higher obstructions block your view of
> potential cross-traffic. But this is merely an inconvenience and not
> a safety issue (if handled properly).
>
> The other safety issue with a trike is that it is practically
> impossible (when ridden reasonably) to fall over. Falling in front of
> traffic on a bicycle can be a death sentence.
>
>> However, I *do* know that they are regarded, even amongst other
>> cyclists, as one of the last possible public expressions of insanity
>> before being confined in a straight-jacket - to which I might add
>> that if you really *do* think that these manevolent creations of
>> Heath-Robertson on acid can *ever* be 'sexy'!! (the mind boggles!)
>> then you must indulge in some extraordinarily peculiar practices!!
>
> [Yawn]
>
> This is not attractive: <http://www.liegeradinfo.de/windchee.jpg>?
> Sheesh! <<
I can certainly see one advantage - it is very unlikely to be taken from you
at knife-point (or, in view of the rise in food-related youth crime referred
to in another thread, sausage-point) by the marauding gangs of hooded youths
who roam Britain's vibrantly multi-cultural streets looking for cycles to
steal.
They would, however, be quite likely to give you a thoroughly good kicking
if you suggested to them that they should at least *consider* stealing it
;)
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Date: 23 Aug 2007 03:39:42
From: Clive George
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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"Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman" <sunsetss0003@iinvalid.com > wrote in message
news:46cce3ca$0$16353$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
> Bridgemaster wrote:
Worth checking the ngs you're posting to if you don't want to get suckered
in by such an obvious (and obnoxious) troll...
cheers,
clive
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Date: 22 Aug 2007 21:46:03
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: Dark Side Trikes - Test Results and Thanks
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Clive George wrote:
> "Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman" <sunsetss0003@iinvalid.com> wrote in
> message news:46cce3ca$0$16353$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
>> Bridgemaster wrote:
>
> Worth checking the ngs you're posting to if you don't want to get
> suckered in by such an obvious (and obnoxious) troll...
I thought the other groups could use some proper trike information.
P.S. Trice are nice, but oh what a price! (Especially in the "colonies"
with the exchange rate and shipping across the pond.)
--
Tom "Lusting after a Trice Micro" Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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