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Catrike 700 recumbent trike - Now SOLD |
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D.TEK 
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Joined: 08 January 2008 Status: Offline Points: 241 |
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 Posted: 20 September 2017 at 12:38pm |
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Andy G wrote "i dont want to get into trouble with my mum for spending all my pocket money on a tricycle :) " Your Mum probably knows best then  .....I feel a KMX Kart coming on  In fact BHPC encourage junior members so your age (unstated) should not be a barrier .
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D.TEK HPVS purveyors of recumbent trikes and cycles
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 20 September 2017 at 10:13pm |
But you are looking at over £2,000 for the Catrike, so how does that make the Raptobike expensive? I'm not anti Catrike at all, but all the 'fast' trikes are more limited in what you can do with them. So if fun is your priority I'm still not sure the Catrike will suite your needs, except you seem to like it so much that you will overlook it's shortcomings. I ride my trike off road quite happily but I could not do that if it had no suspension. ICE suspension is very simple and works well enough on or off road. My set up is a compromise so I can be reasonable quick on the road and still go off road if I feel like it. To me that is more fun. Increasingly I find when I'm on the road though I want more speed for my efforts so I defiantly feel a recumbent bike or a velomobile is on the cards. One thing I would comment on with my extreme seat angle is that as the sun sinks lower in the sky I get more reflections on my visor and it is becoming a bit difficult to see into shady areas or my cadence and heart rate read out. Now with a Catrike 700 I would be stuck with the angle. Still maybe you don't always ride with an aero helmet like I do. I just picked up a bruise on my cheek on Sunday from hitting a wasp at 31 mph so I like plenty of protection because it's far from being the first time I've been smacked in the face by an insect at speed. One thing to be aware of with the Raptobike is that it is front wheel drive and that does not suit strong lightweight riders. I did around 30,000 miles on my Kingcycle Wasp (FWD) and I did fall off a few times when the front wheel lost traction climbing a hill. And I weigh about 16lb less than when I was racing, so even though I like the design of the Raptobike I know it would not suit me. Don't get too carried away with recumbent porn on YouTube, there is no substitute for sitting, trying and talking about a few of them.  My Sprint FS was originally sold by Kevin (D.TEC) to someone who could not come to terms with the realities of commuting by bike and only did a few miles on it. I can tell you though it was very well prepared so I can recommend Kevin and say he knows his stuff. (I put the hardshell seat on, I'm not happy unless I get maximum power transfer) I can say the ICE carbon seat is the best I've ever ridden with. Good luck with whatever you choose. Roy
Edited by RoyMacdonald - 20 September 2017 at 10:58pm |
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D.TEK
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Joined: 08 January 2008 Status: Offline Points: 241 |
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Posted: 20 September 2017 at 11:13pm |
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Roy I suspect your upgraded ICE VTX seat is probably as comfortable as a Volvo
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D.TEK HPVS purveyors of recumbent trikes and cycles
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 21 September 2017 at 9:24pm |
Very observant of you Kevin. I thought that it would be less comfortable than the original mesh seat and was very surprised to find it more comfortable plus significantly faster uphill. (and down) All the best. Roy  |
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D.TEK
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Posted: 21 September 2017 at 9:49pm |
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Hi Roy found this Volvo design lacking pedals but ............... http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-stuv/Volvo-Extreme-Gravity-Car-Woman-Top-1024x768.jpg you may choose to share the image with BHPC members
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D.TEK HPVS purveyors of recumbent trikes and cycles
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PaulM
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Joined: 12 June 2008 Location: Portsmouth Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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Posted: 21 September 2017 at 11:23pm |
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I'm sure the ICE VTX, Windcheetah, Greenspeed Aero and Carbontrikes are all wonderful machines and all offer something different. Try before you buy is obviously sensible advice, though the only machine I couldn't get on with was actually one which I did try before I bought (an HPV Grasshopper). My experience is that there is quite a lot of tweaking and adaption that goes on after buying a recumbent - but you do want to be in the right ball park when you purchase.
Incidentally, I do occassionally take my 700 slaloming down the grassy slopes of Portsdown Hill when traffic is queuing back up the A3. The 4" of ground clearance really helps. Try that on a VTX. I regularly do the reverse direction up the hill in bottom gear - easier now with the 32mm Pasela, the Durano was no good on wet grass. Catrike have just announced a "revised 700". Basically a thru-axle design, Zipp rear wheel, rear disk and new seat. I'm not sure about any of those changes. Might benefiit some, might disadvantage others. I'm sure they all add weight. A bit odd really. |
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Paul
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 22 September 2017 at 12:53am |
The Zipp wheel looks pretty light weight to me but I don't see the point of the rear disk, that is just unnecessary weight. They say the new seat is for better power transfer. The weight is not in the same class as the Windcheeta though. The new top of the range one weighs 22 lb. That's 11 lb less than the 700. Of course the Windcheeta is a lot lot more expensive. The long wheelbase and my light weight mean I get a lot of wheelspin with the Wincheeta but at least it doesn't make me fall off like a FWD bike would. All the best. Roy Edited by RoyMacdonald - 22 September 2017 at 12:58am |
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PaulM
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Joined: 12 June 2008 Location: Portsmouth Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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Posted: 22 September 2017 at 8:16am |
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I'll have to arrange to meet Karl at one of the BHPC races next year and try one of his Windcheetahs. I intented to this year but things got in the way. Just don't know how I will get on with the steering.
I sold my ICE Sprint 26 because I found it too heavy and too tiring on my commute. It weighed about 41lbs (running) weight. The 700 is probably around 35lbs runninng weight but feels lighter (no rack for a start) and more responsive, probably because of less frame flex. I wish Catrike had gone for a lightened revised 700 -they have large Americans to consider I suppose. I love the looks of the new HPV Scorpion 2 but it looks to be built for large Germans. |
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Paul
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RoyMacdonald
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Joined: 09 March 2007 Location: Rye East Sussex Status: Offline Points: 981 |
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Posted: 22 September 2017 at 7:30pm |
Yes the ICE Sprint is certainly on the heavy side when compared to a Windcheeta. I found the responsiveness jumped to a different level with the VTX seat though. I have a very short boom to match my legs so that seems pretty stiff to me and I feel all the flex came from the mesh seat. Of course I have the 20" wheels all round and the racing trike that ICE built to take the World Multitrack Championship had 20" wheels for increased response. (26mph average speed) Ian Sims also states that as the reason his Greenspeed top of the range trike has the 16" wheels fitted with his Scorcher tyres all round. http://greenspeed-trikes.com/aero.html#ratingI like the aesthetics of a 26" rear wheel though. Giant Dutch and German riders! No wonder so few bikes fit me and I'm not a fan of FWD, for me, at least. At least ICE do give you a choice of seat sizes. All the best. Roy
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Yanto
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Joined: 11 July 2005 Status: Offline Points: 1521 |
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Posted: 23 September 2017 at 7:54am |
<pedant hat on> Junior class and it had a 26" rear wheel<pedant hat off> Edited by Yanto - 23 September 2017 at 7:57am |
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