Just got a new trike after much thought. Durability and price were a deciding factor, so I ended up with the Sun Tadpole. I got it from a local retailer, but he had to special order and that I suppose should of been the warning. I have had it a few days and already have had a few issues. I know a $1000.00 is not a lot for a recumbent, but for me it was and I would like it right. The first issue was when I picked it up, the front two tires seemed slightly worn. I asked about it and they said that is what to expect on a trike tadpole. After only 2 hours of riding, I noticed the wear getting worse, brought it back and got the response I must be rounding corners too fast. I then took it home and checked the tire pressure. It seems they never filled the tires to 100 PSI as they are rated for. They were delivered to me at about half that. I now have tires that look like a cheese grater was ran over them, only after a few hours use. I also noted that although I have the high pressure tires in the front, the rear tire is a 65 PSI tire. Is this normal or do you think the manufacturer mixed and matched. Will this mess with performance? The other issues is that when shifting to get the chain on the largest sprocket, it is not alligned with the derailer and sometimes causes the chain to bind and one time jam up on me. I guess I need to go back for that now.
Could anyone with knowledge on these bikes, let me know there thoughts and what I should advise the place where I purchased it............Thanks for any input!!!!!!
countersTrike
12-02-07, 11:14 PM
The first issue was when I picked it up, the front two tires seemed slightly worn. I asked about it and they said that is what to expect on a trike tadpole. After only 2 hours of riding, I noticed the wear getting worse, brought it back and got the response I must be rounding corners too fast. I then took it home and checked the tire pressure. It seems they never filled the tires to 100 PSI as they are rated for. They were delivered to me at about half that. I now have tires that look like a cheese grater was ran over them, only after a few hours use. I also noted that although I have the high pressure tires in the front, the rear tire is a 65 PSI tire. Is this normal or do you think the manufacturer mixed and matched. Will this mess with performance? The other issues is that when shifting to get the chain on the largest sprocket, it is not alligned with the derailer and sometimes causes the chain to bind and one time jam up on me. I guess I need to go back for that now!
I have a EZ Tad SX- upgraded to the hilt, and those heavy trikes accept changes better than any trike I have had (lost count). Sounds like front wheel alignment is way off on yours. Has to be aligned with you (or your weight) on it for frame movement. Mine is an old prototype model, but tie rod adjustment is pretty standard difference for adjusting toe in/out.
I changed from 3 Kenda Kwests to 3 thinner Primo Comets @ 120 psi but I didn't have alignment problems.
Nothing worked right mechanically, chain would fall off or bind- so I had everything changed for the gear shifting. Try adjusting the little screw blocks that I assume it has. That might avoid the change.
Good luck!
countersTrike
sunnytadlad
12-03-07, 08:54 AM
Thanks for your reply. I knew when I picked it up, that it was strange they made no attempts to adjust it to my height and weight. Before I got it I read that it should be alligned, toed in. In fact, thinking about it now when they said it was set at the factory, I noticed one tire pointing in slightly more than the other. My big concern now is that the tires have heavy abrasions on them with little use. The two fronts have lateral abrasions go from sidewall to sidewall. Do you think I should push them for new tires? The other issue is one front tire is put on backwards, with the brand and tire info facing out and the other tire facing in. Is that a problem? As far as the derailer, I am sure they need to adjust that as well......I suppose I will be making another trip back.
BlazingPedals
12-03-07, 09:29 AM
You can try to get the tires replaced, but I doubt the shop will go for it. They are going to blame that on you. The problem sounds like the shop - they were happy to take your money, but they don't know scheisse about the product they sold you. If it's any consolation, any brand you'd gotten from them would have similar support.
As I see it, the tire pressure is still your fault, because you should always check that before every ride; but the effects of low pressure are probably that the wear pattern extends to the sidewalls, not that the wear pattern exists.
If the tires have a direction, they will show the label out on one and in on the other. What matters is the tread orientation - sipes should be oriented so that they are at the center of the tire when they first hit the pavement, and go outward toward the edges of the tire from there. Theoretically, that lets the tread channel water to the edges, but in the real world it doesn't make any difference for something with a round cross-section like a bike tire.
| \ / | view from top of tire
| \ / | direction of travel
| \ / | |
| \ / | |
| \ / | V
countersTrike
12-03-07, 11:39 AM
If the tires have a direction, they will show the label out on one and in on the other.
OH MAN!!! After all these years I find out that one of my white-letter-labels is BACKWARDS??? :( Next thing I know - someone will tell me that bouncing is coming from the backwards radial tire..... :D
countersTrike
Shaman
12-03-07, 07:45 PM
As others have suggested, this is the wrong shop to be buying a tri8ke from, or any bent for that matter. They really liked the fact that someone wanted one and they got to put it together and got to take it for a joy ride... but they wouldn't know a properly adjusted recumbent if their life depended on it. And read the manual?...! you gotta be kiddin'!
If it were me, I'd tell them I want my money back unless they were willing to properly, courtiously, and professionally service the sale they had arranged. ...and I would be willing to back it up with having the local police department's phone number handy to press the issue.
But since you already have the trike and you are likely stuck with it, it is time to learn about trikes and bicycle maintenance in general. Lots of people have made the Sun Tad's work great but it is all about getting it set up properly. Forget the tires, it is the least of your concern. Get the drivetrain adjusted properly and get the cockpit dialed in... and yes, read through alignment procedures. Then start adding your creature comforts.
And then you have all your forum buddies that will help you get through the real issues you might run into as time goes on. Also sign up on Bentrider Online. Lots of Sun Tad owners there.
sunnytadlad
12-04-07, 09:00 PM
Just wanted to say a quick thanks to Shaman, Pprayers,Blazing Pedals and CountersTrike for all your detailed input. This is a great site and I plan on taking what you guys told me and go back to the shop on Wednesday afternoon. I hope they will be receptive to making things right. I will bring up what I learned here and hopefully WOW, them with my new found knowlege! BlazingPedals was right, I should of checked the pressure myself.....live and learn.
dogsridewith
12-12-07, 09:53 AM
Suntad toe-in is not set at the factory. Maximum sidewall pressure shown on the sidewall is usually not the correct operating pressure. That depends on your weight, the weight distribution of the vehicle, and the way it is used. I'm about 145, and pump all 3 Suntad tires to 50 lbs...seem to be able to let them drift down to around 40 lbs without getting pinch flats...but I' not hitting the edges of bad potholes. knock knock. On all skinny tire bikes, pressure is set before every ride.
Ask the shop why the trike came with not-matching tires.
PaPa
12-12-07, 11:33 AM
Unless specifically requested otherwise by the customer, the LBS should automatically assume the customer knows little to nothing about his/her purchase and peform the following:
1. Properly assemble AND adjust the machine, including the tire's inflation pressures BEFORE the machine leaves the shop. (What If your purchase was a $25,000 Toyota? - would worn tread and improper inflation pressures be acceptable?)
2. Make certain the machine is road worthy and functioning properly.
3. Offer basic operating instructions.
I would urge you to return the trike, and politely request that ALL issues be resolved, in a timely manner. If they don't make the necessary corrections (including NEW set of OEM tires), then ask for a FULL refund, or file a small claims action if they refuse.
The EZ owner's manual states:
"This bicycle is partially assembled. It is intended to be sold in fully assembled and fully adjusted condition. Final assembly and adjustment are to be peformed by your SUN BICYCLE dealer."
Further:
On page 18 of the Owner's manual it clearly states:
"Maintain tire pressure at the value indicated on the sidewall of the tire."
This is the factory recommended inflation pressure(s) the dealer MUST assure, prior to delivery. If after delivery, the customer wishes to alter the inflation pressures, then he/she assumes that responsibility.
Tourezrick
12-14-07, 03:45 PM
Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble with your SX. Once things are dialed in and a few things swapped out, you will have a solid, if somewhat heavy trike. When I had mine, the first thing I did was to upgrade the rear derailleur with a better SRAM unit, then, the wheels and tires (I went with Velocity wheels and Conti GP 1 1/8 tires at 120 lbs. Setting toe is not too difficult, some people try doing it by measuring from the tire to the outside of the boom - a bad idea! Measure from the machined side rim of the wheel to the outside of the boom. On mine, I had to run a straight edge along the boom back as the tube diameters were different. Good toe in should be 2 mm total, or 1 mm on each side, so the front sidewalls of the rims should be 2 mm total closer together than the rears. Use a good steel yardstick to measure, not a tape. I used the struts from my tailsock - two aluminum tubes joined by a tightenable sliding joint for accurate, repeatable measurements. Remember to tighten down on the locking nuts - use a little medium strength Locktite or Permatex on them, as they will work loose from vibration. If you decide you like trikeing, start saving money now, and since you live in Fla., take a drive to Catrike! Ride their - well, any of their trikes will seem like a flying cloud compared to the SX. Me - I bought a HPVelotechnik Scorpion.
Tourezrick
the Scorpion King
sunnytadlad
12-17-07, 07:43 AM
I appreciate everyone that is writing in on this matter. I did bring it back after my last post and they were again nice about it, but seem to be not that competant on these recumbents. They made no explnanation for the different tires from front to back, other saying a factory mix up. they told me I actually got a better deal as I have 2 high pressure tires on the front 100 psi and the low pressure on the rear 65 psi. They said to keep the 100 psi set at about 90 psi and the 65s set at 60. I weigh about 245lbs. I am not sure if that is good or bad, but it seems to roll good. Still have my worn tires, they made no offers of help on that. I am sure they are worn because of improper allignment and improper tire pressure. They claim to adjusted the toe in and without knowing any better, it seems to ride good. The only complaint after getting back is that the right brake cable was rubbing against the tire, causing the casing to get scuffed up. I am trying to find a way of tying it back to keep it from rubbing without keeping it from being flexible.
Thanks again everyone. I am going out next week to a bike path along Hollywood Beach next week. I heard it was nice. Anyone on ideas on a wireless trip computer....sorry but price is a factor. Any of those on E-Bay a good deal. Are they hard to install.
Bye for now!
Dchiefransom
12-17-07, 07:46 PM
The computers are easy to install. I have a Cateye Micro wireless computer. It canb e 27" from the sensor. The problem I do have with it are the instructions are pictures, which I can't follow. Written steps would be nice, but Cateye customer service walked me through it quickly on the phone.
BlazingPedals
12-18-07, 06:08 AM
Sunnytadlad - for the loose cable housing, try a black zip tie or two. Zip ties are almost as universally-useful as duct tape; in fact maybe more so in the cycling world. It's possible the cable is a bit too long, but I'd be reluctant to cut it until you've ridden the trike a while and gotten used to it, to be sure.
You said the front tires were 100psi, but I didn't catch what brand/model. Front tires will wear more than on a 2-wheeler no matter what, so it's usually a good idea to run touring-type tires that presumably have a bit more rubber on them. That, or be prepared to change thin-rubber racing tires a lot!
Tourezrick
12-19-07, 06:37 AM
Again, save your money, buy a GPS - look into the Garmin Edge line or Garmin Map 60 line. Once you have a Garmin GPS, you can log onto "Motion Based Agent" and use their mapping tools. A little more expensive than just a cycling computer, but ever so more useful, and if you get a Map 60, you can use it in the car! Now, I never get lost, just powerfully confused!
sunnytadlad
12-20-07, 09:20 PM
I used the zip tie and it solved the problem. As far as the tires after they adjusted the toe-in, I seem to have a much quicker response from my undermount stearing. The brand name of the tires are what came with the bike. I believe they are "Kwest". The two fronts are 100 PSI and the rear is 65 PSI.
sunnytadlad
12-20-07, 09:25 PM
I will look into the GPS maybe in the future, but for now I think I will be happy with just knowing how many miles I peddled. Thanks for the thought though!
FLYBYU
12-21-07, 06:24 AM
Yeah the alignment is screwed, all the tires should be the same, you should really get them to fix all that. You should have them properly set the derailer up (if the shop is even capable of doing this?). That is the whole point of buying from a dealer, you should get something that isn't crap, bring it back.