Recumbent tricycle learnings#1

One of my front tires would only hold air for an hour ride. I assumed I would just take off the wheel and replace the tube inside my apartment. Nope, the wheel does not come off. So I popped one side off with my plastic tire irons, pulled out the tube and stuffed a replacement in, had to wedge a screwdriver handle under the tube stem so I could get the pump valve far enough on to actually push air into the tube, that only took a half dozen tries. When I used to bike to work in Minneapolis I would have at least 10 flats yearly, bought tubes 4 at a time, got extremely efficient at changing tubes. Biked 9 months a year for 25 years in any weather; rainstorms, snow, cold - down to 25F, that required a headband to keep my ears from freezing, also had to put a rain cover on my helmet to keep the freezing air from my bald head.  All that exercise probably helped me survive the stroke.

Putting the seat on with its' two support tubes at the same time takes at least 15 minutes, then another 10 minutes to get the holes lined up to push the pin clips through. A two handed person would get that whole thing done in 2 minutes. 

You have to get both posts going at the same time. I'm using the most upright position.  You'd practically be lying down at the lowest position. 

The pin clips for the seat posts

 

The biking glove for the right hand requires using my teeth to pull the glove completely on. Taking it off requires each individual stub of the fingers to be pulled by my teeth one at a time in order. 

My ex used to criticize me for using my teeth to accomplish what needs to be done. I never listened to her criticisms of my rehab even though she was a PT. 

Yesterday was 8.43 miles in 1:22. Avg. speed; 6.1 mph. Max speed 13.8 mph. Elevation loss; 231.3 feet. Elevation gain; 145.7(That doesn't make sense since I started and ended at the same place.) 9.8 min/mi.  Zeopoxa cycling app. 

Today was 8.17 miles in 1:05. Avg. speed; 7.5 mph. Max speed 13.9 mph. Elevation loss; 118.8 feet. Elevation gain; 112.5(Just a slightly different route.)8.0 min/mi.

Had to tighten down the two pins holding the seat in place, otherwise in tight turns it feels like tipping over.  At high speed you really have to pay attention, it feels like the trike is kinda floating around you. 

 Not sure how fast I can get this going. On an old bicycle going down a steep hill I hit 39 mph, that was scary.

Haven't quite figured out what I need to do when biking in the rain, the rear wheel might just spray the back of my head in a continuous shower.

This is fun, finally getting a breeze in my face again under human power.