Flag or Blinky on a Recumbent Trike? Rich's experience with both on his ICE VTX.
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 гру 2020
- Rich compares the pluses and minuses of flags and blinkeys (flashing lights) on his ICE VTX recumbent trike.
Music: Noir Et Blanc Vie by FynestLyk
Rules of the giveaway:
No cost to enter. Just need to be a subscriber and comment below (something like "jersey contest", or "jersey giveaway" or just let me know somewhere in your comment that you're interested in one of the jerseys). We'll use a random number generator to pick the two winners, and then we'll reply to the winner's comments with our contact email. Winners get a size XXL jersey, that fits more like an XL (sorry, we don't have any other sizes). Two jerseys will be given away. Shipping is free in the U.S.. Sorry, no international shipping, but if you have a contact in the U.S., we can send it to them, and they can send it to you. Winners will be selected and contacted on January 10th, 2021. Good luck! - Навчання та стиль
From Denmark: Thx for your video. Raising safety awareness in the traffic is indeed paramount. I ride an ICE Sprint FS 20 " wheels. I travel 5 months a year with a Ziflex mono wheel trailer attached to it. No EL assist.. I have some suggestions:
1) Aerodynamic: Your flag pole is way to short and having it that close to your head makes it receive all the wind hitting your, pushed/deflected upward toward it by your helmet The pole should be at least 1, 5 time longer and at an angle no bigger than 25 degrees. That way, you will be visible and the flag would not slip,
2) In addition to the flag, you should have a blinker on each side of the rear wheel mounted on a bar fixed on the mud guard or a rack.
I have have 2 red magnet lights fixed on each side og the mono wheel of my trailer (free energy-work day and night. You can do the same on the rear wheel of the trike) and in addition 2 red blinkers mounted on each side of the trailer fork. and a blinker on the Trike rack, i.e. a total of 5 red blinkers at the rear and 1 white one on a mount forward at the crank. On the road at stops at Coffee shops or parking/resting spots, often cars and bikes drivers have come to me and praised me for making myself seen in the most efficient way. Safe rides to all bicycles and trikes drivers/tourers. 🙏👍🌍🌎🌏🚴♀🚵🚴♂
Thanks very much for the great ideas, Ben! Happy riding over there!
I road a recumbent trike a while ago and I always road with 5--6 foot tall flag's. I had flag holders hooked up to my front and rear axle's on my wheel's. If you think about the natural sight line of a driver of a car on the road 5--6 feet is a lot more in line with their natural sight line. Plus the flag's can be seen during the day the simple line of led's run by a double A battery have a hard time being seen at night. Especially when those light's are maybe 18--24 inches of the ground.
JERSEY CONTEST - For those of us who shy away from speeds above 20mph, there is nothing wrong with using both - flag and blinkey. In fact, I use two flags. My biggest fear when riding on country roads (my only option) is being hit from behind. For that reason I am overboard about visibility. You mentioned Terra Cycle in Portland, Oregon...they have several options for mounting lights on the rear. I got one that allowed mounting a light on my neck rest tube. Thanks for your videos. I love the comparison tests you do.
Thanks very much, Bruce!
I have bought, in my opinion, the best blinky: the cateye kinetic, it has an internal accelerometer to switch to full brightness when it senses deceleration, so, essentially, you have a brake light
I'll have to check that out! Thanks!
How reliably does it detect a drop in speed and how much speed drop is required?
So helpful and much appreciated.... will use your tips !!!
Thanks very much for watching and glad we could help!
To blinky or not to blinky, that is the question!
I usually blinky as much as I can. :)
I mounted my blinkie on my flag pole at the pole joint. That puts it at 45 inches from the ground. It was designed much like yours with a rubber tension strip intended for a 1" seat post. I had to bulk up my flag pole with a wrap of old inner tube. Not only is the light pretty high, it moves with the flag motion. It won't protect me from an inattentive driver, but it should catch the attention of most attentive drivers. For my flag pole holder, I rigged a friction catch using a rubber grommet. This rig has held in 40 mph downhills.
Sounds like you did a great job with that, Rudy! I’ll have to borrow some of those ideas! :)
Use them together. Blinkers are powerful and geared to our technological minds. “Movement “ is what we see. Flags do increase side viewing visibility and height awareness as well.
Absolutely! Thanks!
Yes, the flags need to be much taller, five or six flags, and lights, also. If and when I ever get a recumbent trike, I want to be highly visible. Recumbent trike videos hardly mention this. 🤔
Lights are good on backs of helmets. Good advice on how to best secure the flag ! Thanks !
Didn't think about mounting a light on my helmet. Good idea!
@@bikestrikesrazors I have a bike light I bungied (stretch cord) to the back of my helmet too. My flag has a hook attached with stretch cord that I pull and hook onto the bottom of the ferrule that holds the flag.
@@shepatown Hi James. I think the light on the back of the helmet might be the best way to go. It's the highest point on the trike for the best visibility. The stretch cord also sounds like a good idea!
Lights etc on helmets sound like a good idea until you need the helmet to save your life. Then the light fitting concentrates the force of the blow, to penetrate the helmet. And don't assume you won't get hit from behind - my most serious road accident occurred in the dark when I was struck from behind on a roundabout. The helmet gave its life to save mine. If there had been anything fixed to the back of the helmet I wouldn't be here now to discuss it.
@@mikejfranklin7000 Sounds terrible. Were you on a trike when it happened? My Bell bike helmet has a built in strap for adding a light. Are there any bike safety warnings about using a light on the back of a helmet? I'm always trying to improve.
I mounted a blinking light on my flag pole. Double exposure
That works!
Jersey Contest! Would love the jersey.. love the videos.
Thanks, Tom! Good luck!
UA-camr & triker Arthur van Katz sent me this description and the video he shot of this amazing visibility mast. Here's his description and a link to his video:
"Five and a half feet of white 1/2" PVC tubing, an Orange Electronic LED Flare, and three different flavours of reflective tape, orange down the back, white up the front, and just enough lime to keep it all from peeling off like a banana skin. I mounted the PVC with padded grounding clamps to the seat frame, with the flared end up, cut it off even with the top of the seat, jammed the flared end onto the part still attached to the seat, then used a heat gun to bend the top two inches level and screwed the flare to the top. That puts the LED Flare at least five feet off the ground and right in the face of my neighbour who drives a brand new Ford F150, where he can't help but see it because it is at least two inches higher than the hood of his truck. He likes that a lot. Means that unless people are stone blind, they can't forget there is someone there, though that doesn't stop some people. Then I attached a reflective parachute cord to the LED Flare end and the seat frame to keep it from swaying or getting lost when storing it, and attached a Canadian Flag, cuz I'm just like that... and I'm Canadian.
If you like the idea, go for it! The more people that enhance their visibility, the happier we'll all be, especially our nearest and dearest. Substitute a flag of your own, if you want, it doesn't have to be The Maple Leaf!
If you don't like the idea, keep it to yourself because my wife and neighbours certainly appreciate it when they see me coming and have told me so with great enthusiasm. (Gives them a chance to get out of the way...)
Enjoy! Happy Trails!"
ua-cam.com/video/3__g8flXMTw/v-deo.html
Nice jersey blue color
I ride with BOTH TWO WHITE BLINKIES IN FRONT & TWO RED BLINKIES IN BACK ONE FACIING IN FRONT AND ONE IN BACK. I HAVE a staff that's 7' high and has three flags a triangle yellow flag at 4' a yellow banner at 6" ORANGE STRIMMER AT 7'.
Sounds like you're prepared for the road, Rafael!
You live in a beautiful neighborhood there!
Thanks, Arthur! Three brothers went in on the house and we still had to sneak in at the bottom of the market. :) Thanks for watching!
I look forward to wearing my new jersey thanks I have both blinky and flag
Good luck!
GOOD IDEA
Jersey contest. I have both flags and lights. If they hit me . . . they were aiming for me !
People run into semies. You can't figure out how but it happens.
Indeed! You can't do more than that.
@@joedavis352 Yep, I see people that just run off the road all the time (I suspect texting). If you're unlucky enough to be at that spot at that time, it wouldn't matter if you were Godzilla (although you would just pick the car up and toss it :) )
I find myself commuting at night more often than not on my Catrike Villager and after a few closer than comfortable encounters I built an 'Enhanced Visibility Mast' out of white 1/2" PVC pipe, mounted a circular orange LED flare to the top of it with a flag beneath, and wrapped the pipe with reflective tape. I get lots more room than I used to, and a couple of trikers in this area of Vancouver Island have cobbled their own together after seeing the notice I get from other riders and motorists, especially at night. The LED flare sits just over 5 feet high so that even pickup drivers can't lose track of me unless they try really hard. So I guess that combines flags and 'blinkies'.
Sounds like a great solution, especially for night riding!
Hey, AW! You’ve won one of the Facebook cycling jerseys! I just noticed that it looks like you're in Canada. Do you have a U.S. address to which we can send the jersey? Please email us at bikestrikesandrazors “at” yahoo “dot” com and let us know. Thanks much, Joe (Bikes,Trikes and Razors)
You can put a very strong blinky on a post, so it’s higher and dangles around
Sounds like a good idea, Tobi! I know a few folks that have done just that!
I have just seen a vlog of a night ride and they have sabers on the back. Now, if you put a flag on a saber, they both would complment eachother on safety both day and night or low light and maybe fog.
Prehaps you could desing a product that would combine the two and have an delux safty pole.
Gerard.
Hi Gerard! I've been looking at those sabers. They look like a great way to improve visibility.
Great video!!
Thanks much!
I put the blinky on the pole up near the flag, there are LED bike lights that are really thin and bright.
That's a great idea, Jason!
Im trying to find a mount that attaches to my seat and extends upward, so cars can see my blinking led lights, i see Amazon has som handlebar extensions, but i wanna go higher 👍🏽
You might want to check out the TerraCycle site at T-cycle dot com. They make a number of mounts.
@@bikestrikesrazors ty 👍🏽😊
In Australia a flag is mandatory and that includes two wheel recumbent bikes, I have both and as you said I don’t do 50 mph so I haven’t lost mine yet. In fact on my trike there is a copper holder and a welded stud just for that purpose.
Interesting, John! I don't believe there are any type of flag laws or mandates at all over here in the States. That flag holder sounds like it would do the trick!
Also very important is the front on flash by day, as you must be seen from ahead too. On my "D" bikes it is only lights, on my trike it is both lights and flag. For blinky lights I prefer batteries because they must run, and charging is an issue!
My flag is mounted straight up and a flag clip or quick tie will hold the flag.
73
Misha VE9GIS Canada
Thanks, Misha! 73 from here (KE6DQC)
I use both.
I use both. The brightest I’ve found is Cygolight 250. Pretty bright but I’m always unsure of how well i can be seen being so low. I wish I had found the Terracycle mount as I spent about $35 to get the neck rest mount from ICE. Their accessories are crazy expensive. I went from a mesh saddle to the hard shell on the ICE Sprint X. The flag sits higher on that saddle and has never come out nor have the pole sections come apart up to 48mph. Never taken it faster nor am i likely to. I agree it’s more aero than other flags. I have no comparison of speed with vs w/o flag as my speed varies too much day to day...wind...breakfast...lazy...The pole bends like a fly rod. Jersey contest.
Yep, I don't feel as safe with the light as I do with a flag. I'm amazed you haven't had any of my flag issues. I wonder if they had different folks making the flags for them over the years. I did trim my pole because it was so high. I wonder if shortening the pole would add to the violent movement and cause all my issues. I think it did lead to the flag flying out of the holder as there wasn't as much torque on the holder from a longer pole.
Who knows? The flag in my mesh saddle was more upright but inserted deeper into the mount. I lost it every time I descended a steep hill. Even though the sections seemed just as snug. Zero problems with the newer one. The color fades too so not a bad idea to update.
I really enjoy your content and video quality . Depending on where you travel both a flag , with a pole long enough to be seen over traffic , and a light with good day time visability is best , yet i still get honked at by angry drivers . The funny thing about flags is i have heard many elite road cyclist say they would never pedal anything that requires a flag , the antiflagers .
Same here. When I don't use a flag, people yell at me to get a flag and when I use a flag they still honk. Hopefully, some of those are honks of support (but most are "Get out of the road" :)
@@bikestrikesrazors LOL.. Spot on buddy . When they honk there is often a hand gesture , open hand means i support that thing you are pedaling , closed hand with one finger generally means i dont support that thing you are pedaling and get it off the road .
@@waynesbutler7834 Yep, you need to learn how to read the "body language" :)
👍🏽😎i think i will get this flag for my Fat Tad
Did you tried whip lights? That could be both stability at high speed and lights.
Interesting idea, Desihaha! I'll have to give that a try.
The best flag I found is the Purple Sky version. Smaller fin area, but visible especially when I am next to vehicles. F150 turning right will never see you, so I stay back. I have dayglo lime-green gloves so waving my hands above my head helps visibility when I stop at a light. Rear lights, I like those Hypershot 350, but they need to be verticle for rear visibility due to lens design. I've got my FLY6 camera and Garmin Varia radar also back there. Occasionally on blustery days, the flag triggers the radar. Just like the extra safety of knowing how many vehicles are back there.
Sounds like you're all set, Tom!
I use both. My blinky is a daytime light that is visible for 1/2 mile in broad daylight. It is adjustable to tone it down at night. I want to find a strobe to put on the top of the flags.
Hey, Joe! Yeah, I believe that the small Terra Cycle rubber light mount was originally designed to mount a light on a flag pole.
I have a flag mounted to my ICE Adventure. I have a clamp around the top bar of the seat. To the clamp I attached a quick disconnect so the flag can be quickly removed for low clearance the flag pole is two piece so it can be broken down for shipment. I also use a spinner not a flag. The reason I use a spinner is because it gets people attention much sooner from behind and from in front. It spin and moves side to side. During the day I don't use a light. I have had people tell me the first thing they saw was the spinning flag before they even noticed me and the trike.
I think a spinner is a great idea. I mounted streamers above my flag because they flap around in the breeze and attract more attention than the flag, but I think a spinner would attract even more attention.
I'm going with the "obscenely bright" blinky mentioned but not shown. I will probably add a home made flag streamer made from stuff around the house. A small piece of bamboo from the garden and some orange survey tape off the roll. Easy to fix or replace too.
Sounds like a plan! I had a car pull up to me on the road a few days ago to say "Hey, that tail light is really working great!" Good to hear. :)
@@bikestrikesrazors Hey, that IS nice to get some feedback on the light. Thanks for the video too
Bottom line: I think trikes riding on the road in traffic should have both a rear blinky and a front blinky and a flag. The more visibility the better, although I would love to go without the flag, given the drag. I have an American flag, which is an attention getter and I get lots of thumb ups.
Thanks, Howard! I used to ride with an American flag and I was constantly getting saluted. :)
Well I found out they’re having a flag and Blinkys definitely helps
Yes, they certainly do (might as well use both if you have both).
I actually put blinkimg lights on my flags, I mads esome mounts for my flags that have a smal thumb screw that holds them in place. Thanks for the video
Sounds like a great idea, Chester!
Me too and run a white flasher on the front .
Flag is better in the day, light is better in night. Both is probably best. Down hills I've only gone about 35mph, no problem so far.
Yep, both would cover all the bases. My brother hasn't had any trouble with his flags at high speeds so maybe it just my flag/trike combination.
I use them both ,you need them both for todays drivers.
I think you're right, Richard! With what's going on out on the roads today, the more visible the better!
Yep, both flag and two blinkies., but I ride a two wheeled recumbent. A Sun Sport.
Jersey Contest, i love recumbents, i love to cut through the air as do razors!
Sadly i am not in th US :(
If you have a contact person in the U.S. I can send the jersey to them.
When I transition to a low-slung trike I will be designing a laminar pivoting symmetrical wing, not too big for safety. This will not generate significant drag and I can incorporate appropriate lights in all direction at motor vehicle driver view height. I have built hydrofoil wings and the symmetrical NACA shapes are amazingly efficient. If I limit the pivot angle of attack then the "wing flag" will even generate thrust at the right apparent wind angles. Still riding a two-wheel recumbent for now. Dinotte brand lights are expensive but great for day or night reliability and are long running depending on style chosen.
Sounds fascinating, William! When you build it, send me a link to some photos!
Video of what you’re talking about would be great. I have only tried one flag that came with a bike trailer/stroller combo. It was a small plastic pennant, which was very noisy and somehow created a lot of drag.
There are LED blinky flag poles that are very visible with or without a flag.
Thanks for the heads up on that, Franklin! I’ll check it out!
I ride a RANS Vivo recumbent bike, not a trike. I'm interested in getting one, but I'm concerned about safety. My RANS is fairly tall and has a very bright Cygolite, a flashing headlight up front and so I feel fairly safe from the front and rear. The problem is crossing busy intersections to continue on the bike trail. Usually there is a crosswalk and a "Walk" light. People next to me on my left who are turning right are not a problem -- they see me. People on the far side of the intersection turning right, however, can't see me because of the SUVs and pickup trucks that are going straight. Yesterday as I crossed on the "Walk" light, I was almost across when a woman in an SUV in the far right (turning) lane went half-way through the crosswalk before seeing me and screeching to a halt at the last minute -- otherwise she would have hit me. That's not the first time this kind of thing has happened, and I'm much higher than a trike. If the problem is this bad with my RANS, how bad must it be with a trike? At the LEAST I would insist on a flag AND a blinky. If I had a trike, I think I'd have to get off and walk it across.
Hi John,
Yep, that's what I do. I just get up and walk the trike across any busy street or intersection. If I'm on a two-wheeled recumbent that's fairly reclined (like my T-Bone), I do the same thing. I have a Rans Rocket that's pretty upright, so I can get a better view of the cars stopping (or not stopping) while I'm trying to cross. :)
They may not like me, but, by golly, they're gonna see me!
High Viz gaiters also keep your leg clean
The gaiters are a good idea! I hadn't thought of that!
@@bikestrikesrazors The construction supply places have lots of Hiviz and retroreflector stuff at great prices. I use a hard hat cover for my helmet that really stands out as well, and ball caps with neck capes. It's not like we have to worry about looking silly .
@@whazzat8015 LOL! :)
I mount a really small but bright blinky on the end of the flag pole instead of the flag. You can see it from 500m away.
Sounds like a great idea, Simon!
Jersey contest!!
Jersey contest definitely could use one
Sorry, the jersey contest ended at the end of January, but stay tuned for the next contest!
Wrap a few colourfu stripes around a metal rod, and attach a light on it as well, best of both worlds.
Sounds like that would work, Shai!
Looking at the rider's head, I didn't see the light. That's why I'm making a led panel of 24 led's from tv backlights with a few electronic components to make them blink. Haven't got them a red lense yet but they're mega bright off 3× 18650 lithium batts. (Wired as a 12 volt unit) lasts over 5 hrs continuous. A good practical project for d.i.y'ers.
Thanks for the information, Ross!
JERSEY CONTEST,XXL
I use both a blinky light and the Catrike flag that came with my trike. I don’t go too fast right now so no problems with my flag. Please include me in the Jersey contest! 😊
Will do! Good luck!
Use both ,
JERSEY CONTEST.
Jersey Contest - I use a Blinky AND a Flag!!!
Bases covered!
I use both on my recumbent
Both
Sounds like a plan, Keith!
I use lights and flags.
You can't be too visible!
You must use battery assist to go so fast. 45 mph is speedy!
No battery assist- Just very steep downhills. :) By the way, I listened to some of your music! It's great! Keep up the good work!
Where could one buy that Blinkie light?
Hey, James! I'd recommend the Cygolite Hot Shot 200, which I bought on Amazon here:
www.amazon.com/CYGOLITE-Tuneable-Resistant-Flexible-Rechargeable/dp/B07J2XBCG4
@@bikestrikesrazors Does it have a belt clip? That would make it easier to mount on my recumbent.
There are two different types of the Cygolite Hot Shot 200. The one I linked before just has a rubber strap for attaching it to your seat post. The version I'll link below actually does have a belt clip type of attachment to clip onto a permanent mount. It might work like a belt clip- lookie here:
www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-Adjustable-Resistant-Rechargeable-Great/dp/B07YFF4857
How do you go so fast?
Hey, Deanna! We're pretty fast on the flats (around 18 to 21mph) but we don't get to the speeds at which our flags fly off until we're rolling down a big downhill. Lots of hills around here, and we can hit 50mph just rolling down. Thanks for watching!
Perhaps you can use a StarWars lightsaber on your trike, much cooler than a flag, and your are instantly a real trike warrior
LOL! Those lightsabers are HEAVY! :)
@@bikestrikesrazors Yes you are right 500 grams or more, what do you think of my next solution. Decorate you flagpole with Christmas lights on batterys, it is now the right time for it.
@@joeybandit2861 It is! I've seen those online. I'll look into it!
@@bikestrikesrazors it is very cheap, . I am looking forward to your findings...
I use both flag and blinkie
Sounds like a plan, Paul! Thanks for watching!
I think you should obey all traffic laws (stop sign)
I don't see the need of the blinkt by day. The flag I understand. Here kids have them on their bikes, so you see them in between cars.
As it is dark, I also wouldn't use a blinky other than as an extra light.
I have lights for night, but the blinky has a "day" setting with a super bright light that can be seen for miles away even in bright daylight. It's more of an attention-getter out on the road for cars coming up behind you. Very hard to ignore.
@@bikestrikesrazors Ye maybe there it is good. Here I ride without a flag and bike lights ad night. Not blinking. But cars here are used to bikes. Also we have bike lanes and bike pads.
I think only that a flag will be better as you are in between cars.
@@emiel1976ep Yep, flags are great in parking lots.
Use both, flag and light, and obey all traffic laws!
That's a great plan, Kurt! Thanks for watching!
Yes but blinkie is too low to see. Your back wheel kind of blocks it in vids.I’d put one on my helmet.
That's a good idea!
Pick me , I’m an X-Large , so perfect right👍shirt contest
Jersey please. I’m in Australia. Can I pay the freight?
Hi, sorry that was a 2020 Holiday giveaway that expired in January 2021.
Jersey contest
So..... he blew straight through a stop sign. Not a good impression is it!?
Yeah, we have been trying to get better about the paying attention to the stop signs. :)
That means he needs a red and blue blinky
Its been a long time since I've seen a 7 Eleven Jersey.
Unfortunately it's a reproduction but at least that way I was sure it would fit. Wish I had the matching bike to go along with it. You should have seen how excited the clerk at a local 7-11 got when I wore it in there. He was flipping out. :)
@@bikestrikesrazors He probably wasn't even born when 7 Eleven had a team lol. I remember the days of 7 Eleven and Andrew Hampsten that's when i was riding a lot. I still have wool jerseys from that time. Good memories!
Oh, yeah! My first pair of shorts were wool back in 1982! I still have a few vintage bikes from that era that I ride with full wool kits. It's fun until you have to wash and dry that stuff. :)
You can see Andy Hampstien's bicycle (he rode for 7-Eleven)-the one he rode in the Giro and Tour de France at the Ford Museum in Detroit. I think Bob Roll also rode on the 7-Eleven squad.
Jersey contest XXL
Hey, David! The jersey contest ended in January, but keep an eye out for future giveaways! Thanks for watching!
"BLINKY" what are you like 3-4 Y/O
I've been accused of that. :)
5:57 STOP!
How am I supposed to work with all these restrictions!? :)
Never use blinker lights for anything other than a turn indicator... it catches the eye of drivers and many can’t concentrate, it’s dangerous to the traffic ! I hope for blinks and strobes to be forbidden in my country.
I know that sometimes drunk drivers seem to be drawn to flashing lights. My hope is that a flashing light may catch the attention of a texting driver and get him/her to look up from their phone and not run me over. Who knows. It’s a war zone out there- Be careful!
At the very end did you say anything about the brightness of the blinkie. If you are serious and on he road, you should have major equipment. In blinkies, that means something on the order of Dinotte’s Daytime Red. At 400 lumens, you will see this before any flag…period. These Cree LEDs are what law enforcement uses and is only dimmer on the HPV because there is no motor driving it. You can see them miles away. The blinkie you have is just not in the same class.
That's true. The Dinotte stuff is serious equipment. Even among the "lesser" blinkies, some are much brighter than others.
One of the things I’d put on is a jersey advertising for FB .🤮🐸
Jersey contest
Sir, if you're doing 40 MPH on a tricycle, you really need help. Get in touch with a good Psychiatrist.
Downhill, that's not ridiculous. I've done 60 on a heavily laden mountain bike, down Steven's Pass (Pacific NW, US). Outran the cop trying to pull me over for riding on the interstate (he was too heavy to take the corners at speed). Didn't outrun his radio though. Luckily the second cop thought it was funny.
LOL!
Lost my flag yesterday.
I hate when that happens!
Blinking lights are only good at night...
I think you’re right about a lot of them, but there are some blinkies that are bright enough for daylight use. I use the Hotshot and it’s blindingly bright even during the day.
First , I was not happy to see the cyclist
riding through the stop sign without him
bothering to stop. It serves as a poor
example to other people watching your
video . Cyclists are required to follow
the rules of road just like motorists are.
Secondly , I recommend using a safety
flag with a flashing light attached to
the flag pole in addition to your regular
tail light & head lights. When you're
riding a trike with your head around
the hight of a pick up truck's front
bumper ; the more you can do to
increase your visibility the better !
Consider using additional lights,
wearing a brightly colored long
sleeve shirt and a brightly colored
bike helmet with reflective materials.
Thanks very much for watching, and sharing your insights, David!
Hey there..”how crazy is that flag at 40-50mph”? Better to ask how damn crazy is a rider going 40-50Mph under any circumstances on a trike? Cruising at 25 mph? Geez.... I don’t see this as an “either or” decision. I keep a blinky on all of the time plus a very high lumen front light and I ride only on dedicated trails. I have no intention of being road kill and leaving a rich widow for the next guy. When I ride trails that have multiple traffic crosses the flag goes in routinely . I never take rides solely on roads with car and truck traffic. Everybody is on their damn phones. I am in great shape and cruise easily on my trike 14-16 mph for long distances and on flats I can get it going 20+ mph but not for cruising.the super fast downhills at 30 mph are scary and I hold it back. My two wheel recumbent is significantly faster and a lot less stable. I ride that at speed on long flat dedicated trails. Nice jerseys ...BUT...I’d find it tough to wear anything extolling the virtues of FB!.
Hey, Mark! Apparently there are quite a few folks that dislike Facebook. We actually purchased a few of these jerseys at a swap meet down in the Silicon Valley area. They were originally commissioned by Facebook in small numbers for their employees that were taking lunch rides, so while they're not everyone's cup of tea (and I can certainly understand that) they are quite rare. Yep, I have to agree that we're likely nuts for descending the local hills at 50mph. I was feeling pretty safe at those speeds, but lately I've been reading about what happens when a trike gets a rear wheel blow-out (some reports point to a total lack of control) and I'm rethinking how daring I want to be. Normally, most of our riding would be done on a closed bike path as we have a fantastic 32 mile long path that runs along the river here (American River Trail) but since the pandemic hit, it's been so overrun by walkers, joggers and cyclists, it's like a Shriners convention down there. Not the safest place to be sucking in air for hours, so we've been forced up into the foothills. Luckily, there are enough pretty much empty residential neighborhoods up here that we can get in some decent rides. Drawback is that there are lots of hills, but I suppose that just means that when we get back to the trail, we'll be in good shape. :)
@@bikestrikesrazors I fully understand. With the pandemic our trails have been flooded with walkers, skateboarders, dog walkers and bikers. I try to get out very early or later in the day when the casual folks are gone. Unfortunately it has gotten very cold here in New England and I have been riding in 20-30 degree temps which is actually great with proper fleece riding clothing. And the best thing is the traffic has disappeared. I ride some great trails alongside abandoned rail lines and rivers that thread throughout New England. I am heading to south Florida for the winter next week.... trikes included and will ride solely on trails and state and county parks as the traffic there is horrible. Many people shouldn’t have licenses due to age and the rest don’t have licenses or don’t even belong here. Much too dangerous. As for FB it is a criminal enterprise disguised as a” free service”. When something is free to you then you are the product as they violate everybody’s personal security and privacy. I won’t deal with them . Best wishes. If I win a jersey just give it to a needy acquaintance of yours. Happy healthy holiday season. Keep up the great work! I just posted a short video riding the Cape Cod canal alongside the ice floes! Check it out!
Thanks, Mark- I'll go check it out now. Yep, I've heard that the drivers down in Florida are the worst. Best stay on the trails if you can. Stay healthy and safe!
Nope, it’s not safe to ride a bike on main streets and paved roads in USA. Other drivers have zero respect for cyclist. Are you kidding grown ass drivers are sitting at intersections in green lights, looking at the phone.😂
It's certainly getting more and more dangerous out there on the roads every day. I have high hopes that self-driving cars will be the savior of the on-road cyclist! For now, they still seem to be mowing down pedestrians, so it looks like they still have some work to do there. :)
Jersey contest!!!
Jersey contest
This is not my comment. I have no idea what "Jersey Contest" means. I commented on my Greenspeed trike only.
Hey, Ronald! No problem- The "Jersey Contest" related to a contest we were having for a giveaway jersey last year, but the contest is long over. Enjoy your Greenspeed! They're great trikes!