At long last I am the proud owner of a tricycle!!
I have been looking for just over a year and, as you know, have considered and failed to purchase a range of three wheeled cycles. I have deliberated and searched for something that has the potential for style and the 'cool' factor, and then I spotted this on Trademe .... how could I resist!
It is Kiwi through and through, born and bred. It is a knock-off Raleigh 20 that has been converted into a tricycle - probably in a kiwi bloke shed. In the best tradition of number 8 wire, it has BMX forks, a freewheel crank (the back cogs are welded onto the axle), a strange welded on piece of frame from mounting the gear change mechanism and pieces of pig iron from Mitre 10 welded on to secure the mud guards .... she's a thing of beauty!
Interestingly, the large cog was added so that a petrol motor could be added
It has 10 gears - presumably purloined off an old 10 speed. The concept is truly terrifying ... I managed to use only the bottom 5 gears and believe me this is enough!
Once I had taken ownership, I did a quick check to ensure that it would indeed go in my lift, then treated it to a quick wash down to remove the worst of the cobwebs, then it was straight up to Tim at T.White's. The journey up was huge amounts of fun, even with no brakes and serious wheel spin from the bald tyres. I let me hair blow free in the torrential rain (this was my first LEGAL helmet free cycle ride in many years - a little rain wasn't going to stop me!)
Tim and Brian were speechless! But after admiring the sheer 'workmanship' of the trike ... Tim said in a slow and carefully measured tone ... "this could be really cool"!
After that, like a a top notch plastic surgeon and his client, we went over the extreme makeover that was required ... a little nip and tuck here and there ..
I left Tim riding around and around in the shop, and whist waiting for the bus, I saw Tim ... and Teva ... tricycling merrily around on the side road next to the shop!
This tricycle thing could catch on!!
My question to all: What is a 'Tricycle'?
ReplyDeleteIf you got, say, a skateboard wheel. Mounted it on a little spring-loaded outrigger arm on the left side of the bike off the back axle or chainstay, maybe with just enough tension to hold the bike upright when not moving but that would flex effortlessly in a corner on that side.
Surely that counts as a 'Tricycle'?
Now imagine someone knocking up a few hundred of them. Handing them out in return for donations. Then organising a big kick-ass helmet-free bikeride around and around the Police station, maybe all the way to Parliament.
If I wasn't in the UK I'd do this tomorrow.
Mike
It's hard to talk when you're bent over double laughing.
ReplyDeleteYou wait bike friendly, trikes will be all the rage soon. it just needs a forwards thinker to start the trend. Or not - we'll see. But I bet deep down you want a go on it!
ReplyDeleteOf course I want a go, insanely jealous!
ReplyDeletebtw, Raleigh 20s were made in NZ under license but with its curvy downtube yours looks more like a Healing Lo-Line or similar.