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Bicycle-Fi!
Jul 23, 2008 at 5:21 PM Post #91 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Kevin, what kind of turning radius do they have? Can you maneuver well through crowded bike paths, or are you bobbing from side to side?


They can turn much more sharply than a bicycle. You only need about 4"-6" of side to side motion for cruising. Going all out with reckless abandon, you can swing side to side over a few feet, but side to side motion can be moderated pretty much however much conditions dictate. You need more side to side room when going up hills. The steeper the hill, the more room you'll want to use.

There are a bunch of videos of them in use at the web site:
Trikke USA - drive your fitness machine
 
Jul 23, 2008 at 6:15 PM Post #92 of 4,419
I was recently given a Brooklyn Machine Works Park Bike. I'm saving some dough to build it up as a streety trials bike (again).

It's funny, cause the frame belonged to a guy, who the only reason we met, was he came into another location of the bike shop I worked at with it needing a tube. Not many people own Brooklyns. Infact, it was just me and him in town that do, and I had no idea somebody else did. So we met, and I actually got him a job at the shop as a store manager. I meet a friend who is GNARLY at BMX and hired him as a rep, and because of my job after I left the company, I drop out of the loop, and about 3 years later, Dave sells the Brooklyn to my buddy. My buddy then dismantles it after riding it for a couple weeks, and it sits collecting dust. Me and my buddy meet up again, and he decides to GIVE me the frame and a couple components....pretty sick of him. I would never be getting back onto a bike because of this hobby and procrastinating if it weren't for him.

So this frame has history...and I feel pretty happy to be throwing my leg over it soon!!!
 
Jul 23, 2008 at 6:25 PM Post #93 of 4,419
For anyone living in the Toronto area, there's bound to be some good deals coming up in future police auctions .... courtesy of the felon who owns (owned) the bike shop at 1927 Queen Street West near Capsule Music. The guy's apparently been paying low-lifes to steal selected bikes for over a decade, which he would then chop and sell in his store.

Wanted: owners for 1,500 stolen Toronto bicycles - Yahoo! News
 
Jul 23, 2008 at 6:33 PM Post #94 of 4,419
Quote:

But figures from lockmaker Kryptonite, cited by the Toronto Sun newspaper last week, says Toronto, unlike Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, is not even in North America's Top 10.


It's funny....because that can be the most MISLEADING quote ever. The only reason those places are so high theft are because of sheer volume of people/bikes. The theft there is no more "intuitive" or crazy than it is anywhere else. Also, if you look, those are also cities where bicycles are a fairly staple source of transport, and for some businesses (couriers).

My city has has the highest bike theft rate. My bike was stolen, and I have the only bicycle in the city. That amounts to 100% theft rate figures. But that's still only 1 bike. Too bad I live in Antarctica.
 
Jul 23, 2008 at 7:36 PM Post #95 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif
They can turn much more sharply than a bicycle. You only need about 4"-6" of side to side motion for cruising. Going all out with reckless abandon, you can swing side to side over a few feet, but side to side motion can be moderated pretty much however much conditions dictate. You need more side to side room when going up hills. The steeper the hill, the more room you'll want to use.

There are a bunch of videos of them in use at the web site:
Trikke USA - drive your fitness machine


SWMBO and I just returned from another riding/carving session. We went to a park and rode around the pond then we went back to the elementary school where we started and rode around there some more.

My observations for this trip:
It seems that the larger the diameter of the tires, the higher the speed attainable. Likewise, the harder it is to get started. My wife's T78 has 8" diameter tires, my T12 has 12" diameter tires. Also, the width of the path one carves in order to create forward motion, seems to be wider with the larger diameter tires. It all sort of makes sense.

In retrospect, it seems like the 8" wheels are best all around for "city" conditions, and the 12" best for long distance/higher speed runs.

I might change my mind as I get better at this.

Three things currently need to improve.

1. My overall level of cardiovascular fitness.
2. My overall muscle strength/tone.
3. My overall coordination.

If you can't chew gum and walk at the same time, you'll never successfully ride a Trikke.

Even in my current pitiful condition, riding these things is a blast, and daily improvement is observable.
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Jul 23, 2008 at 7:54 PM Post #96 of 4,419
I ride a Norco Mountineer, I was looking at moving up to a Norco Bigfoot or one of the Shore Hardtails, or the Cove Stiffee, but I decided to buy headphones.
 
Jul 24, 2008 at 1:00 AM Post #98 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Kevin: How stable are they? What are the chances of wiping out? Has you or your wife fallen?


They're very stable, but it is possible to wipe out if you do not pay attention to what you're doing. Neither my wife nor I have fallen, but we do wear helmets just in case. The best thing to do is to take your time getting used to them.

They're not suitable for commuting as far as I'm concerned, but I've never seen anything better for whole body exercise. They require too much energy for commuting, but that's exactly what you want for exercise. Since it's possible to burn 1000 cal per hour, you can really get your heart rate up to where you want it in a hurry and keep it there very easily. All the while you're working your little butt off, you're having a blast. Time flies by really fast. The T78-Air is the ticket for most people.
 
Jul 24, 2008 at 8:14 AM Post #99 of 4,419
Sort of thinking about picking up a bike myself now. I had a few when i was younger (Trek hardtails without front suspension, I don't they'd even been marketed in the "normal people" market when I was riding), and I need to pick one up not to start working off the deskjob gut.

Looking at the Trek 3700 hardtail, or an 820. I think the old Trek I had was an 800 series. I'm rather poor at the moment, so I'm thinking the 820 would be in my range and still allow me to get some extra stuff - helmet, fenders, new saddle, under-saddle pack and basic tool kit, stuff like that - without causing undue wallet anguish.

It'd be primarily for city riding, but there's plenty of rough pavement and the like around here, and I think having front fork shocks would be a benefit when riding over that stuff.
 
Jul 24, 2008 at 7:22 PM Post #101 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif
BTW, they claim you can burn 1000 cal per hour on a TRIKKE.


Riding hard on your bike is around that as well.
 
Jul 26, 2008 at 12:27 AM Post #104 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by RedLeader /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Riding hard on your bike is around that as well.


specially when you're thrashing uphill on a rocky trail!
 
Jul 26, 2008 at 12:53 AM Post #105 of 4,419
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif
specially when you're thrashing uphill on a rocky trail!


I can get into tachycardia fastest with a road bike, but that's just me. No crashing to slow me down.

But, Kevin, the day after you first posted with this trikke fad, I was going around Lake Harriet and saw two old boys proudly riding theirs.
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I'll check with SWMBO to see if they all ready have a nick name for them in the E.R.
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