Rollerdave's Trike Saga
 

OK, so we established A lot about me but what of this trike I'm waiting for?

It's a Lightfoot Cycles Road Runner Magnum delta recumbent trike with the two-wheel drive option in Laguna blue.

I opted not to get the link steering because it was a possibility there would not be enough room for my not-insubstantial self if the steering were moved closer.

I had initially intended to build myself something else entirely, and even bought two relatively nice BMX bikes for the purpose, but due to the choices I made in the interim I wound up being unable to actually build anything.

House guests tend to fill your space with their junk and I can't even get to my welder or drill press AT ALL!

Having learned to say "no" and "gee, I hope that goes well for you, buh bye" has helped me to tell all the mooching freeloaders I have here to pack up their crap and get the hell out.

But that's another personal journey of realization that is only tangentially relevant in that it served as a roadblock to my building the quad I was thinking about until I realized it would be way too heavy for my current diminished state.

I began shopping for something ready made.

I considered the Worksman PAV3 until I spoke to the sales rep on the phone and he said that "so long as you intend to ride this thing on nice, flat, level surfaces, and don't want to go more than, say... ten miles an hour; You're gonna LOVE this thing!"

He also told me that "once you encounter even the slightest of hills, it's really gonna be a lot of work because this thing's heave. Real heavy."

I had seen the website for Lightfoot, so I asked him what he thought of their work, and he said that there's no way any of their bikes would support me.

I KNEW this to be untrue, but I don't KNOW that he knew it. He was basically honest with me about his product to the point that it dissuaded me from purchasing it even though it is quite a bit less expensive.

I think he's basically a good guy, and I have a positive impression of the company, I just decided that this particular product would not meet my rather specific needs.

On to Lightfoot. I called them up seeking info and encouragement to part with a wheelbarrow of my hard-earned cash and spoke first to Marty Stromberg, who seems to fill a general office role, and then to Rod Miner who does all of the design works and probably a fair bit of the actual fabrication as well.

It was obvious to me that unlike Worksman, Lightfoot is a small company encompassing a handful of people at most; and even though this would undoubtedly make for a busy workload on all of them, they took the time to talk to me for as long as I needed to be sure I understood every detail of their product and made valuable suggestion about what I might want that were plainly intended to be sure I got the best trike for my needs.

There were things they could have tried to sell me on that would have certainly meant more money, but they were more than happy to tell me low-cost or free workarounds I could do instead and save a buck or two. My initial picture of what I wanted was a LOT more expensive than what I finally wound up finalizing, they actually talked me out of a lot of expensive stuff I didn't need, and I love them for it.

So it shipped last Wednesday, it was in Missoula, MT yesterday, it's in Billings today, I expect it to be here Mon, or Tues.

I'm giddy like a wee girl over the prospect!

I'm clearing space in my garage tomorrow, I intend to lay down a nice areal rug to delineate the bike's "space" and then amputate the fingers of anyone who places items within that space that stop me from getting to the bike. This has been a huge problem for me, ass-hatted freeloaders leaving junk in my path.

I went last night and bought a trainer and cycle computer and Erik's Outlet Store in Oakdale. They had a Sun tadpole trike in, I had my girlfriend Becky and me daughter Angie sit in it, suffice it to say the level of enthusiasm went up more than just a tad!

The trainer is a Mag X from, I think, Cycle-ops and I feel pretty good about the deal I got.

I will still need to elevate the front wheel with some sort of climbing block. They had em there, but something in me rails against spending damn near forty bucks on some fancy piece of plastic when I can just touch a chainsaw to a split log to create a slight notch for the wheel.

I also have to elevate the other rear wheel, but it needs to be able to rotate as I opted for two-wheel drive. I'll deal.

The Computer is a Specialized model and I think it's going back because what was intended as a major positive selling point actually works against it in my case. It's wireless and requires no more than 24 inches between the sender and the main unit. For a conventionally configures bicycle, this is a given, but for the trike I am getting, it's anything but!

Picked up a much cheaper one at Wally World that will do the trick nicely, I HOPE.

So now I'm down to obsessively refreshing the shipment tracking page and saying "I can't wait" until everybody throws something at me.

I honestly don't know who's more excited, me or my friend Jordan. He's dating Becky's sister Sarah and has discovered recumbents with a vengeance. He has been rather emphatic that I am to call him the moment it arrives, and he absolutely INSISTS o helping me to uncrate it and set it up. I, for my part, assure him I'll try to remember to give him a call as I tool down the road.... I'm so bad.

Jordan is looking forward to getting MIG welder pinholes in his clothes too as we put a few of my pet bike ideas to the test.

So there's what's up, sound off if you've a mind, and I'll check back in with new developments as they, well... develop.

Thanks so much for your interest and encouragement,

RD

Sounds nice! You know, pics are a MUST!
Action shots, etc :D

Oh yeah, we will be BRUTAL to you if you do not supply photos.

This sounds like the start of a very exciting new chapter in your life, and I for one, am happy to be here to see the beginning!

East Hill

A guy last week at the club ride had a brand new Cat Tryke and that thing was cool. Have fun and good luck.

^^^ I think I told you that I worked for Erik at one time. Do me a favor and punch him in the nose if you see him. ;)

I must admit I have seen a couple trikes in the 'bent' forum that have got my attention so a full report is required.

Also I must say thathttp://www.curevents.com/vb/images/smilies/worth.gif!

Not a fond memory, I take it.

I am only MODERATELY happy with my experience, the guy tried to sell me on a $400 trainer first, then when I tried to leave he acted miffed and told me there were less expensive alternatives.

I have no objection to spending money when it's warranted....

Like a really nice boat, gun, guitar, truck or other truly vital necessity; but to spend $400 to spin in place just doesn't make the cut.

I'll get a damn set of jackstands for a HELL of a lot less before I wipe my ample hiney with money like that!

I got my good deal by being an obnoxious as hell to the guy. I can do that fairly well when I try but that's another story.

Oh, and as a sign of my sincerity and ability to post pictures, I had my Becky snap a shot of my big damn mug.

No need for brutality.... lol.

RD

No, Erik is a smart businessman and had everything set up so that it was easy to work at his stores. He's just a pain in the ass to deal with 1 on 1. Control freak. So much so that I hated the fact that I made him a lot of money.

I liked working there otherwise.

I'm happy for you, and I too need to see pics of the bike when you get it.

The bike left Billings MT today at 4:21 PM central time. The garage space is cleared, all ist klar, herr komissar.

it's almost Ich bein ein recumbeter for crazy ol' uncle roller!

RD

It's inching closer...

East Hill

Pics of the garage, before and after.

All these inane stupid pics, can there be any doubt you will recieve a full report of the trike itself?

All the crap that was in the space belongs to either the freeloading freeloader living upstairs who moves out tomorrow or the ex boyfriend of my girlfriend's sister who moved out two weeks ago.

Gone daddy gone!

Not exactly ideal yet, but there's room for a crate at any rate.

Oh, you'll be hearing from me....

RD

There is one word that strikes absolute fear into freeloaders, whether family, friend or former friend, and that word was the name of a musical.

Just tell the freeloader that effective Sunday you will be charging $100 a week in rent:eek:, to be paid in advance, if they want food that will be EXTRA, trust me, they will be gone by Saturday afternoon.

Of course if they want to leave stuff with you, then they can pay $50 a week in rent for storage space. They and their crap will be long gone by Saturday..:p

Well, under MN law that can get a bit dicey, and although I certainly thank you for the advice, i got this one.

Moochers all = GONE

The garage space is not even MORE empty and clean...

And as of 12 noon today, the trike is in Moundsview MN!

Dollars wil get you donuts that thing's going out for delivery tomorrow!

(3 inches of snow today...)

TOMORROW IS TRIKE DAY!!!

I'll snap a load of pics in high resolution, put em up on my photobucket, and begin a new thread for the arrival.

Is it here yet? We want to see photos.

ARGH!!!!

They call me at 7:30 AM to ask if I've got a loading dock or a forklift.

I tell em I've got a garage, and I can't wait.

They tell me they are going to need to use a 'liftgate' and all of those are already on routes, it'll be tomorrow.

sucks.

But I'm ready, Got my camera, got a photobucket account, and to quote Pink Floyd "I've got a strong urge to fly!"

ARGH!!!!!

If you folks think YOU are in abticipation..... lol, well I am too!

But it looks like tomorrow.

RD

How friggin' big is this thing:eek: I'm guessing the box is pretty big and bulky, probably not that heavy though. You don't really want a guy shoving it off the back end of a truck though, so waiting for the lift gate truck is a good idea.

I agree, It probably is pretty big, and I know the shipping weight is 280 lbs, so I better let em do it right.

$4151 is a fair bit to spend, I'd like it unbroken!

Me and my Beck went down and made the garage MUCH nicer. My ex-houseguest's dog crate got cleaned out and folded up two nights ago (she kept a dog crated in my garage for SIX MONTHS!)...

Now we have a nice rug and all is ready.

Jordan, the eager helper has decided my couch is the place to crash, tomorrow is the day!

RD

280lb shipping weight seems a little high, depending on what they ship it in, might be a crate of some kind, with an integral skid built into the bottom. Now sometimes actual weight and shipping weights are different, for a couple of reasons. Sometimes the shipping weight is a dimensional weight in that large but light boxes take up a lot more space, so to compensate the carrier computes a weight based on the size, strangely enough 3 carriers will come up with 3 different dimensional weights on the same box. Sometimes there are breakpoints in shipping weights, it's often cheaper to ship 100lbs then it is 99lbs, so shippers will declare a 99lb box as 100lbs.

$4151 and 280lbs? Dave if anyone here ever questions your commitment, I'll smack 'em in the face for you.

Line forms behind me, Ben. :D

My fear for RollerDave is he's going to invest all this money in the project and then come smack up against the hard work that's going to come. He still has to move those pedals. I'm sure there's at least one person on the Clyde Forum who has sunk a lot of money into cycling to lose weight, only to find the bike gathers dust. I don't mean that this will be Rollerdave's fate, only that I fear that could happen.

This happens with alot of exercise equipment, probably 90% of bike and gym equipment. But I think this trike (expensive by department store bike prices) fits the application better than most guys who want to get in shape and go buy a $3000 road bike. Not that I want to get into a bike price war, I just happen to prefer old steel bikes.

Rollerdave's motivation could go south, as we all know, weight loss and being much larger than the average cyclist are hard things to do, but his motivation now is what is important.

I am sure there is more then one. I can't imagine trying to pedal something that weighs that much plus you have to add body weight on top of that. This is all starting to make no sense to me at all. I hope Dave is successful but this looks like a recipe for disaster.

I agree. Sometimes, however, giving something a big build up is the surest way to fail. Horace was right when he wrote of the mountains heaving and bringing forth a tiny mouse.

OK. Rollerdave, you will have the trike shortly. What are you going to do with it? Start making plans. The trike means nothing without a plan to use it. As the old recipe goes, "First catch your hare...."

I don't mean to sound harsh or grumpy, but I don't want to see yet another Bike Forums bust.