TW-Bents Attack

fredinver
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TW-Bents Attack

Postby fredinver » Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:56 pm

I had the new toy delivered during the week from FF. :) Thanks Ian. Minimal work to put the final bits togather. Colour and look as per the TW-Bents website.
I start out slowly and meet a kid I know out the front of the house. We discuss the bike and how long I have been riding it. He knows that I ride a trike. When I tell him to stand clear because it is the first ride he is stuned. Anyway off we go and following advice I push off hard and get going. I had fitted SPd pedals with a platform on one side and spd clips on the other. These are a good choice on the trike and seem to work on the Attack as well.
Balance and relaxing are hard things to mix but I find the more I relax the better. I have a few wobbles as I ride around town but slowly get the feel of the bike. The SRAM shifters are stiff but work very well, quickly becoming second nature. Disk brakes were noisy but I later aligned them to reduce this. This was simply a matter of backing off the 2 screws and putting a gap on either side of the rotor.
Seat adjustment ended up right back and the idea of being able to adjust without messing with the chain is great. I bought a seat bag from JustBents (thanks Craig) and it fitted well on the seat but needs a couple of after market bits of velcro to ensure it wont move about. I also need to sort of drink bottles and might go to hoses and store the bottles in the seat bag.
Saturday I am on call so am limited in how far from home I can go so I do a couple of laps around town, 19km each. On the way back I see the local group coming so I put the speed on and ensure they have to work to catch me. They do in time and I stay with them on the back of the pack. On a flat section I power on to overtake the lot and sit in front for a while. We go for coffee and discuss the bike.
A few more short rides over the weekend and I love the bike :D I need more time to balalnce but it is great.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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Low Racer
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Postby Low Racer » Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:18 pm

Yihoo!! Pictures....please. 2 more posts.

Regards

Chong

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Kalgrm
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Postby Kalgrm » Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:32 pm

Yep, congrats on the imaginary bike. It won't be real until we see the pictures. ;) (BTW, it's 3 more posts before you can post links and photos. Just count to three for us in this thread.)

Cheers,
Graeme
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....

fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:51 pm

Working slowly on the posts. Photos wont show more than the web site. I have had 2 fall overs while starting in the driveway. No Damage to me or the bike.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:55 pm

I was riding friday night and came up behind one of the local young riders who ride with the cycling club. We had a bit of a chat and a climb up a couple of short sharp hills. He could beat me up the hills but had to work to stay with me on the flats. It was intersting to ride beside him into a head wind and see how hard he was working while I just spun along.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:30 pm

It is greater than 10 posts. Just tried and failed
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:31 pm

Pictures
Image
Image
Image

Fred
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Kalgrm
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Postby Kalgrm » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:21 pm

It is greater than 10 posts. Just tried and failed
Yep, that's why I said you needed three more. Somewhere in the system, we have the post count needed wrong. I really should speak to Admin about that ...

Nice real bike! :) I see you have room for 700c wheels, if you ever decide to experiment.

Personally, I'd get rid of the chain tubes too. With an idler there, all they do is protect your pants from chain oil, and that's rarely a problem (based on my experience).

That chain looks short. Do you have access to the big chain ring and big rear gear at the same time? (Don't check while riding - do it off the bike, just in case. If it is too short, you can break the rear derailleur and/or chain.)

Congrats, you've got a nice one there.

Cheers,
Graeme
Think outside the double triangle.
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....

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Postby Low Racer » Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:09 pm

Good looking bike, Fred. Fixed boom with sliding seat adjustment. With a 700c front wheel, you might have problem of heel strike. There are ways of getting round that though.

Agree with Graeme. Loose those chain tubes and you will notice some improvement. Quieter too.

Regards

Chong

fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:34 pm

I get a small bit of heel strike now on tight turns and low speed but do have room for 700 wheels. That is one reason I went for the disc brakes as it would be easier to swap wheels. Size 11 feet might not help either with the heel strike.
Noticable light noise from the chain tube and I have loosly secured it to the fork to stop the noticable bounce that catches the shoes from time to time (one or twice on a 20 km ride only). Too tight and it mucks up the reverse pedal by dropping the chain. At present I will keep the chain tubes as I like clean legs (not shaven) :? and might look at the issue later.
I notice more road noise from the rear tyre, but this is probably coming bounced off the hard shell seat where as the trike has a mesh seat that absorbs more road noise. The other effect might be my head position further over the wheel without a head rest. I ride most of the time with the ipod playing through slipstreamz
http://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=8 so the noise is not a great worry. I can still hear vehicles coming a long way off.

I went for a slow speed ride around town yesterday and enjoyed the view from the bike and the ease of travel. Notice every down slope as the bike runs down easily. I even handled the speed bumps in the camping ground easily. The bike adapts well to slower riding and fast runs. I am still toying with the idea of taking it on the GVBR instead of the trike but time will tell. It would be great for a day or two to harrass some roadies but hey is it worth the effort.
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william
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Postby william » Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:41 pm

Hi Fred,

Nice bike. I'm assuming your leg muscles are already 'bent' adapted to be able to ride so fast so soon. If you're doing the Great Vic either trike or recumbent will do. The main thing to think about is hydration. Don't rely on BV's water stops because I think they use local water and it may stink compared to what you're used to.
There is plenty of options for carrying water and your seat bag looks good for a supported ride.
Disk brakes=Best.
Hope you have many enjoyable rides.

Regards,

William.

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Freddyflatfoot
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Postby Freddyflatfoot » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:22 pm

Hey Fred,
Thanks for the link on the slipstreamz.
As a cyclist who commutes with the MP3 playing, this could be a much better option. Especially for those chilly winter mornings.
I'll research this a bit more.
Thanks again.
Cheers!
Rob
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Uba Tracker
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Postby Uba Tracker » Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:38 am

fredinver wrote: I notice more road noise from the rear tyre, but this is probably coming bounced off the hard shell seat where as the trike has a mesh seat that absorbs more road noise. The other effect might be my head position further over the wheel without a head rest. I ride most of the time with the ipod playing through slipstreamz
http://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=8 so the noise is not a great worry. I can still hear vehicles coming a long way off.
Hi Fred, great looking bike, I love the clean lines, looks fast. I'll second what Rob said in thanking you for the link to Slipsteamz, where did you happen to get yours?

cheers

Harry
A bad day's riding beats a good day's work everytime

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Postby just4tehhalibut » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:18 am

That is the Attack model, if it hasn't been mentioned elsewhere.
What are those pairs of tapped holes in the rear forks, on each 'chainstay', for? Doesn't look like set for a normal bike rack and TW Bents don't seem to sell a specific rear rack, is there one?

(p.s the TW Bents website has a a parts/accessories page that if you go to it has a title of 'Sorry' even though it summarises the parts and links out. Keh? Not inportant but funny.)

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Postby Low Racer » Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:05 am

The thread title clearly said 'Attack' :lol: .

Chong

fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:07 pm

A few answers:
The chain length is good, the full range of rear sprockets is available regardless of front sproket selection. No prroblem what so ever.
I am not sure about the 2 sets of threaded lugs on the rear fork but have fitted a generic rack to the rear using one set of holes. They are angles out a bit and could also be used for gaurds if required.
I find spinning and smooth pedal action important to retain a straight line and assists balance while riding.
Still need to fit a computer with cadence and am waiting on a Echo F2 to arrive at the lbs.
Managed to drop it today. Going left at about 30kph and the damp road took its toll. Only damage to the end of the rear skewer and my elbow and butt. Some minor skin off the elbow and a bruise on the butt is sure to rise tomorrow. I will need to look at tyre grip once I wear these Kendas down a bit.
The slipstreamz I bought from somewhere in South East Melbourne via a web site but can no longer find them on the web. I will look further and let you know if i find them again.
I found today that I need to use the helmet without the visor as going down hills so fast certainly moves the helmet about a fair bit. The visor catches the wind too much. I have also thought today to adjust the bar to point the brakes forward to reduce the drag on them as well.

Thanks for all the interest, The bike is good and worth every cent. Can't make comparisions with other makes but in my opinion the TW product may be underrated by many.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:31 pm

Have mamnaged a few good rides on the new bike. Being on call for work and poor weather have been limiting the distance of ride I could do. Today I did a 34km loop of a couple of local towns and managed a 32.4 km average. This is up a cuople of km on what i was able to do on the trike. I still get the occasional wobble but that is reducing. I actually started thinking about lowering the seat back further today. The bike is good, changes smoothly, maintains 85 to 100 cadence most of the time. I need to sort out better drinking arrangements, larger bottle capacity and use the smartube drinking hose system. Might look ad seat mounted bottle cages with the smartubes. In all still very happy with the bike and rate it as a great road bike. Not suited for tracks or gravel but them neither are many good road bikes.
I still need to do a bit of riding with the local group to get used to that and will not be taking it on the GVBR as the trike is better suited to that ride.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:15 pm

I now have 500 k up on the bike. I am getting used to starting and it is still a matter of being in the right gear when I stop.
Brakes have bedded in well and the front make a little noise but the back ones run and stop quietly. Stopping power is great.
I have been doing a few bunch rides and don't have much trouble fitting in and keeping the pace. I need to plan the hills a bit better to ensure I don't loose too much ground. I will make it up on the downhill anyway. The ride is a bit twitchy but I have been able to relax and that help for a smooth ride.
The bike is a road bike by all measure and this is where it excels. I have fitted a rack and used it for commuting a few times. The ties are still good and several rides into a strong headwind have proved the value of such a bike in this area. We often get afternoon southerly winds here and I work north of home.
Will I keep it? sure will and recommend it to those looking for an great low cost entry point high racer. Wouldn't recommend it as a first bent but I aenjoy riding it and the costs are not as high as some other recumbent bikes. I compare the cost to my road bike wedgie and they are on a par for cost and level of parts. I want a headrest and need to contact Ian for this but other than that it will remain as my inside bike for a while to come.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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bradwoodbr
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Postby bradwoodbr » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:05 am

fredinver wrote:I found today that I need to use the helmet without the visor as going down hills so fast certainly moves the helmet about a fair bit. The visor catches the wind too much.
Could you post an image of the helmet with visor or a description of brand name. I would be very interested putting a visor on my bike.

Your injuries sound just like mine when the same thing happened last year. The bruising was a killer for me, especially under the scrapes. good luck and I hope you heal fast. :)
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fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:14 pm

Hi bradwoodbr,
The visor is one that came on my helmet years ago. There are any helmets out there with visors fitted, tend to be the department store ones rather than bike store ones. My problem was that too mush movement resulted from the visor and i now try to remeber to ride with my visor less helmet. Not sunsmart but saves that lifting feeling down any decent hills.
All injuries quickly healled and touch wood I have been upright and laid back since.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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just4tehhalibut
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Postby just4tehhalibut » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:17 pm

I have one of those Bell helmets with the visor that can be adjusted on the fly but, yes, it tries to fly off at speed. Since I wear this on the lowracer this is a problem. I fixed it with a couple of those cheap velcro straps from the $2 shop, looped through a vent in the helmet and over around the end of the visor where it clips into the helmet, done on both sides of the visor. Solid.

Velcro is softer on the noggin and helmet than tie down straps and adjustable. Just get it facing the rough side the right way up according to your attitude on chafing.

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Postby william » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:42 pm

Fred,
If you are feeling "twitchyness" in the handling/steering, try playing around with your handlebar position, particularly getting it lower and shorter.
When I got home from hols the first thing I did was get the Corsa out and played around with the handle bar height.
I previously had about 5 inches of clearance under my shins whilst riding and always found I had to concentrate going fast around corners. It always felt sensitive and often couldn't get the lean and steering angle balanced.
With little advice except from a recumbent racer who says he barely clears his shins so I savaged 4 inches off the riser and 1 inch off the steering tube.
The ride now is totally different. I feel much more stable in the corners without "second biting" and riding 10% faster around the same corners.
It bugs me that it has taken me 6 months to realise this.
Play around until it feels right.
Regards,
William.

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Freddyflatfoot
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Postby Freddyflatfoot » Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:57 pm

Fred,
How is the Attack going?
I'm looking at the possibility of going for newie.
The weight of the Attack is 12 Kg, right? Thats not too bad, and a lot lighter than my SWB.
That's the reason I'n looking at going for something commercially made. Dunno if I could homebuild something that light for the $$$$'s.
Anyway, main reason for the post is to ask about seat height, as one might say that I;m vertically challenged! And I guess the fixed boom, sliding seat arangement would work against shorter people.
My xseam is ~40". What would the seat height be at that xseam measurement?
I would be reasonably conforatble at 24" or less.
Thanks!
Cheers!
Rob
---------------------------------------------------
Homebuilt trike, with electric assist
26"/20" trike, "Goanna"
SWB recumbent, 700C/451 , "Kookaburra", homebuilt.
FWD project (Cyclone).
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Postby raptordesigns » Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:29 pm

fredinver wrote: Managed to drop it today. Going left at about 30kph and the damp road took its toll. Only damage to the end of the rear skewer and my elbow and butt. Some minor skin off the elbow and a bruise on the butt is sure to rise tomorrow.
Elbows and backsides seem to the most common injuries for bent "offs". I've had a couple of both. I've invested in some elbow pads and made up a kevlar cloth pants-insert (covers the bum and down the sides of the thighs) that I now use for high-risk rides. I'll be wearing both at the Lake Wendouree challenge on the 22nd!

fredinver
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Postby fredinver » Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:55 pm

Freddy wrote,
Anyway, main reason for the post is to ask about seat height, as one might say that I;m vertically challenged! And I guess the fixed boom, sliding seat arangement would work against shorter people.
My xseam is ~40". What would the seat height be at that xseam measurement?
I would be reasonably conforatble at 24" or less.

Hi Freddy,
The seat height at the lowest spot, longest leg length is 650mm from the ground. The mounting holes rise with the beam as you shorten the leg length by moving the seat forward. It rises about 50 mm over the 4 sets of holes.
Weight is good but I havn't actually weighed it. Heavier than the road bike, much lighter than the GT3 trike, speed wise better than the road bike as the effort is less.

John, I have gained confidence and ability and haven't dropped it since but it a pressure situation like the event you are doing I could understand and use some padding just in case.
Fred.
A bad days riding beats a good day working!
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