My Most Recent Ride 2008 (Part I of series)

Re: My Most Recent Ride

I was wondering if you found a good way to mount them on the bike,and still use the fairing..I have finally found a pretty good head light..Not enough burn time tho.I forgot the name but it is realy small and light and bright.I bought one with the bar mounts and one with both bar and helmet..I hate the helmet light,so I keep it on the bar for back up or extended night time riding.However if i am trying to get thru town or have to make a lot of course changes i sometimes put it on the helmet to light up street signs.
It seems I may have found something..(multi tasking here).
It seems Utah Trikes has a good looking set up that mounts to the upper fairing mount...Hmmmm looks interesting.
Can you not extend or adjust the mounts to clear your feet? I wear 11 1/2 or 12 shoe so i don't want to deal with that myself.

I think i would worry about the velcro adaptation..It seems my trike rides like a donkey cart most time.I have had several lights and water bottles etc. just jump off the bike in patches of uneven pavement or washboard roads...

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

OK. I went riding today. (First time in a WEEK!) It wasn't raining and I didn't have a terrible work schedule so I rode. I started out in 34 degree weather and windy. Rode 15.3 miles when I got back it had warmed up to a balmy 36 degrees.

Had my THREE layers on. Had light thermal underwear on (top & bottom), then my long sleeve riding jersey and long bike pants. Then had a light weight fleece jacket over that. I wore my very fashionable balaclava to keep my face and ears warm. The best benefit of a balaclava is it prewarms the air as you breath and adds moisture to the air. (Note - this is a very light weight polypropylene material. Most balaclavas are way too thick and are far too warm to wear biking.)

Here I am in all my glory...

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Ooh, very fashionable, Jon!

Yesterday here was quite nippy (36 F for a high) and clear. Rain/snow mix today. Our first 'real' snow of the year.

I haven't been cycling though. Been tortured with a migraine for the past two days. Yay, wisdom teeth. Silly teeth don't make me feel any wiser... just miserable.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Not to worry. My neck would let go of my head first. I have two industrial
RayOvac two cell AA loaded with 2 each Lithium batteries. I use one at a time on the helmet. They are mostly for emergency. I don't set out to
ride at night, but have got caught out on the trail when I get carried away
talking or taking pictures etc. Just an idea that works for me.

The fairing is a pain, needed only when racing. I will admit, it is nice
in the rain. It keeps feet and instruments dry. Yes, fabricated longer
mounting arms would help. The ones on the stock Tour Easy brings the
fairing down to where it almost rides on the fork.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

I am needing more pictures of Sweden. When you finally get out with your camera, take some more pictures.

I LOVE it!!!! You can't look any scarier than me!!!!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Yeppers ,those are my two main requirements..I need to be able to see at night,(i love the night rides).. And I ride quite frequently in the rain,but haven't found any really comfortable rain clothes...
I am leaning toward a full fairing with a full body sock...I like your thought about the face sheild tho..I'll need to "figger" out a way to wipe the rain off without getting my gloves soaked at the same time...

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

This brings to mind two questions..Were you comfortable? And more importantly did you have the underwear under or on top of the pants ?

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

I was perfectly warm as long as I rode. When I would stop it got a little bit chilly.

If you asked Buddy, he ALWAYS says I wear my underwear on the outside. No sense breaking tradition!!!

PS Notice I only took a picture of my head and NOT my whole body. Didn't want to show off the underwear too much!!!!

If you want to see for yourself, you will have to come riding with me some winter day. In fact I rode again today. It was a summery 40 degrees!!! The wind was a bit of a bite.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Soon as he cuts me loose from Az. i'll meet you somwher for that ride...

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

OK Gene, that is the ugliest picture I've ever seen. Mary said he
looks familiar. Don't know what she meant by that.

Any way, did the shield on the helmet and it works perfect. Drilled
six holes in the old winter helmet with a 15/64 drill bit. Attached
the shield with heavy automotive type copper stranded wire. Did
that to avoid bolts for safety reasons. It's an AO Safety Faeceshield
found at Lowes and other hardware places. Cost about $15.00.

Rode 2 hours at Warriors Path State Park. Got it up to 29 MPH.
No problems at all. The temps were in the low 30's. Most comfort
I've had at that temperature. Much better than a fairing. I'll
use Rain-X if needed, but fogging was not a problem

Took some pics of the ride. Was going to Steele Creek but time
was short, so opted for Warriors Path....one of my favorites.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Wow i see what you mean ;THAT IS one ugly pich'r!
The red scarf kinda helps tone it down a bit tho....

OH ! You mean me! I resemble that remark....You know you can never help how those drivers lisence photos turn out:....

I wonder if we might use some of that earthquake glue and attach the brow band to the helmet as well so you could utilise the raising and lowering feature with it? I think you may be onto something here.........

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

My most recent ride was on October 12. We hit 70 degrees that day! Since then, let's just say it hasn't been good riding weather and I've been busy with other things anyway. I don't expect to ride on the road again until next April. Anything before that will be gravy.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Well bless your Heart Dennis, just one more reason to go south
forever or at least like the "Snow Birds". Florida is nice this time
of year, but I'm riding every day in east TN. I couldn't live like that.

Gene, I'll let you work on the flip up. This is strickly for cold TN
type weather when it is cold and dry. A flip up might snap your head
back. Notice the mirror mounts to the shield just like on eye glasses,
and works well.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Well Buddy, I have to admit I surely miss that big motor home. Just yesterday it suddenly popped into my head about heading south for the winter! Just a shot out of the blue. But it isn't going to happen and I'm not so sure I could move south permanently. Maybe a little further north I could take, but not south. It isn't all bad here! We have our plusses too. For sure I'd miss the fall and I did miss part of the winter when we were wintering in the south. It's just when we get those stages where it is so cold day after day, but then, you really appreciate it when the warmth begins to return in the Spring. And that wood heat really does make it tolerable! Feels great. Just ask Honeybee! Ask her about snow too. She loves it.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Say Dennis,are you doing the RAAM again this year? I read an article in the e-letter they sent me about a couple of handi capped ladies trying to put together a team,thought now that would be cool to get involved in...Of course I have no ideal what that would entail or how to go about it..Thought you might know... I mean as support not as a rider....