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Date: 01 Feb 2005 10:39:25
From: Zach
Subject: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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A friend took these photos Saturday 29 January 2005 on the San
Francisco Randonneurs 200 km brevet. I am shown in some of the photos
riding my Trice XXL. I rode the trike rather than the Bacchetta Aero I
normally use for long rides for two reasons. One was because I was
staying in San Francisco the night before which happened to be the last
Friday of the month and thus I had an opportunity to ride in the San
Francisco Critical Mass. This is a low speed ride with a high cyclist
density and lots of starts and stops so much easier to do on a trike
than a high bottom bracket SWB recumbent. The other reason for taking
the trike was it was raining Friday with a chance of rain Saturday and
I knew some of the shaded descents would still be wet and slippery.
The brevet started in San Francisco at the south end of the Golden Gate
Bridge and went north through Sausalito, Mill Valley, Corte Madera,
Larkspur, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Olema, Inverness and out to the first
control at Point Reyes lighthouse. Then it went back through Inverness
to Point Reyes Sation to the second control in shall. It returned
back through Nicasio and then on through Fairfax to San Francisco. The
ride was fairly hilly with 2200 metres of climbing including my ride to
and from the start which made it a total of 218 km.
It nice being on the trike on the wet, twisty descent from Mill Valley
to Corte Madera where I hardly had to use the brakes but the rest of
the roads were fairly dry and well into the ride when I was suffering
fatigue and knee pain I was wishing I took my Aero instead. Some guys
in my bike club who I'm normally faster than when I'm on my Aero were
passing me and that was dissapointing but predictable. I was not doing
this ride for speed, more just for the fun of it and sight seeing.
Still greater efficiency is always appreciated. I actually knew many of
the people on the brevet and normally ride with them on club rides. It
was a bit lonely not being able to ride with them because I was on the
slower trike, kind of an interesting roll reversal since some of them I
am significantly faster than when I ride my Aero.
It took me a total of 10 hours, 20 minutes to complete the 200 km
brevet. Last year it took me 7 hours, 16 minutes to complete a 200 km
brevet on the Aero though that was on a less hilly course. For a
lightweight, low powered rider like myself the vehicle weight really
makes a big difference in overall performance and the Aero is much
lighter than the XXL along with having less frontal area and lower
rolling resistance. It is good to do a long ride on a trike every once
in a while for a change of pace and to help me appreciate the greater
efficiency of a bike. My last long trike ride was Seattle To Portland
in one day last year, also on the XXL. Once again I have respect for
those who have the strength and determination to do 600 and 1200 km
brevets on trikes but for rides longer than 200 km. More power to them
(you know who you are).
Here are the photos:
http://www.sonic.net/~bushnell/bike/pictures/point_reyes.2005.01.29/index.html
Or:
http://tinyurl.com/6vxhv
--------------------------------------------
Zach Kaplan Cycles
Alameda, Northern California, North America
510-522-BENT (2368)
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Date: 02 Feb 2005 12:01:10
From: Zach
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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BentJay wrote:
> Zach,
>
> I enjoyed your pictures. Thanks for posting in our "polluted"
> newsgroup. Your tacit support makes me want to keep reading in spite
> of the "noise."
> I have two questions, if you don't mind. Do you think the benefits
of
> the Rotor cranks outweighs the mechanical complexity and commensurate
> possiblity of a breakdown far from home? Also: the Louis G helmet
that
> Bill was wearing has interested me but, is the lack of huge vents an
> overwhelming fault?
>
> Thanks for your good work in the bent world, Zach!
Jay:
The western part of in County (to the north of San Francisco) is one
of my favourite areas to ride in. I actually originally wrote that
report for the trikes list but I thought I would post it here as well
to bring some on topic content for a change.
Regarding Rotor Cranks, I wouldn't sell them and have them on two of my
recumbents if I didn't think the disadvantages outweighed the
advantages. They are one of the few cycling products which actually
live up to the keting hype. I climb at least as fast with them as on
the same bike with much lighter conventional cranks and find I can go
harder before leg fatigue and knee pain sets in. They are particularly
useful on long, hilly rides for this reason. I've always spun in fairly
low gears and still do keep my cadence up with the Rotors but find I
can push harder if I have to with them and don't use the inner
chainring as much. Also starting from a stop is smoother and can be
done in a higher gear. Rotor Cranks are very reliable. I haven't heard
of any failures and the construction is quite rugged, perhaps one
reason they have such a weight penalty. I feel more confident about
taking a Rotor Crank on a long ride out into the middle of nowhere than
something that has a bunch of small gears inside that isn't made by
Rohloff such as a SRAM Dual Drive hub.
I don't have any experience with the Louis G time trial helmet Bill was
wearing but I know he wears it on many rides, particularly if it is
cooler and he loaned it to our friend Ron Bobb for use on his 24-hour
record attempt last summer.
Zach
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Date: 02 Feb 2005 08:42:56
From: BentJay
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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Zach,
I enjoyed your pictures. Thanks for posting in our "polluted"
newsgroup. Your tacit support makes me want to keep reading in spite
of the "noise."
I have two questions, if you don't mind. Do you think the benefits of
the Rotor cranks outweighs the mechanical complexity and commensurate
possiblity of a breakdown far from home? Also: the Louis G helmet that
Bill was wearing has interested me but, is the lack of huge vents an
overwhelming fault?
Thanks for your good work in the bent world, Zach!
BentJay
GS GTO
See my tour journal at: http://aroundthelake.crazyguyonabike.com
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Date: 02 Feb 2005 03:35:34
From:
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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You have some great photos in that group, Zach (Fortunately Tom Sherman has
taught me how to spell your name correctly just like he did with RANS. It's
easier to spell it correctly than face the consequences and that's the way I
learn best). Again great photos of a lovely area of the country.
skip
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Date: 02 Feb 2005 01:40:06
From: Rocketman
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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Looks like a beautiful ride, Zach. What gorgeous scenery. The Bay Area is
amazing. I need to get back out there soon for more riding.
Your Trice is highly visible with all of that reflective material. I think
I'm going to give my Catrike the same treatment so I'll feel safer on the
road. Looks like it makes a big difference.
R
"Zach" <zakaplan@yahoo.co.uk > wrote in message
news:1107283165.398204.283370@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>A friend took these photos Saturday 29 January 2005 on the San
> Francisco Randonneurs 200 km brevet. I am shown in some of the photos
> riding my Trice XXL. I rode the trike rather than the Bacchetta Aero I
> normally use for long rides for two reasons. One was because I was
> staying in San Francisco the night before which happened to be the last
> Friday of the month and thus I had an opportunity to ride in the San
> Francisco Critical Mass. This is a low speed ride with a high cyclist
> density and lots of starts and stops so much easier to do on a trike
> than a high bottom bracket SWB recumbent. The other reason for taking
> the trike was it was raining Friday with a chance of rain Saturday and
> I knew some of the shaded descents would still be wet and slippery.
>
> The brevet started in San Francisco at the south end of the Golden Gate
> Bridge and went north through Sausalito, Mill Valley, Corte Madera,
> Larkspur, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Olema, Inverness and out to the first
> control at Point Reyes lighthouse. Then it went back through Inverness
> to Point Reyes Sation to the second control in shall. It returned
> back through Nicasio and then on through Fairfax to San Francisco. The
> ride was fairly hilly with 2200 metres of climbing including my ride to
> and from the start which made it a total of 218 km.
>
> It nice being on the trike on the wet, twisty descent from Mill Valley
> to Corte Madera where I hardly had to use the brakes but the rest of
> the roads were fairly dry and well into the ride when I was suffering
> fatigue and knee pain I was wishing I took my Aero instead. Some guys
> in my bike club who I'm normally faster than when I'm on my Aero were
> passing me and that was dissapointing but predictable. I was not doing
> this ride for speed, more just for the fun of it and sight seeing.
> Still greater efficiency is always appreciated. I actually knew many of
> the people on the brevet and normally ride with them on club rides. It
> was a bit lonely not being able to ride with them because I was on the
> slower trike, kind of an interesting roll reversal since some of them I
> am significantly faster than when I ride my Aero.
>
> It took me a total of 10 hours, 20 minutes to complete the 200 km
> brevet. Last year it took me 7 hours, 16 minutes to complete a 200 km
> brevet on the Aero though that was on a less hilly course. For a
> lightweight, low powered rider like myself the vehicle weight really
> makes a big difference in overall performance and the Aero is much
> lighter than the XXL along with having less frontal area and lower
> rolling resistance. It is good to do a long ride on a trike every once
> in a while for a change of pace and to help me appreciate the greater
> efficiency of a bike. My last long trike ride was Seattle To Portland
> in one day last year, also on the XXL. Once again I have respect for
> those who have the strength and determination to do 600 and 1200 km
> brevets on trikes but for rides longer than 200 km. More power to them
> (you know who you are).
>
> Here are the photos:
>
> http://www.sonic.net/~bushnell/bike/pictures/point_reyes.2005.01.29/index.html
>
> Or:
> http://tinyurl.com/6vxhv
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Zach Kaplan Cycles
> Alameda, Northern California, North America
> 510-522-BENT (2368)
>
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Date: 01 Feb 2005 16:46:58
From: Zach
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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Tom Sherman wrote:
> Zach,
>
> What tires and gearing were you using on the XXL?
>
> I rode an XXL briefly once, and it seemed more touring/cruising
oriented
> than performance oriented.
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Earth
My XXL has Schwalbe Stelvio folding 28-406 tyres on all three Velocity
Aeroheat AT rims. The gearing consists of a Rotor Crank RS4 (steel
version, 165mm arms) with 54/42/26 rings and a Shimano Capreo 9-26
cassette. So fairly performance oriented.
Zach
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Date: 01 Feb 2005 17:21:02
From: Tom Sherman
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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Zach wrote:
> A friend took these photos Saturday 29 January 2005 on the San
> Francisco Randonneurs 200 km brevet. I am shown in some of the photos
> riding my Trice XXL....
Zach,
What tires and gearing were you using on the XXL?
I rode an XXL briefly once, and it seemed more touring/cruising oriented
than performance oriented.
--
Tom Sherman - Earth
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Date: 01 Feb 2005 11:22:46
From: BikingBill
Subject: Re: 200 km brevet on Trice XXL
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Zach,
I didn't know you had a Bacchetta Aero? Good machine. I switched to a
Bacchetta Strada ... darn near the perfect bike for me. Time to build
a tailbox.
Bill
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