Adventure Cycling Association - Sylvia Halpern

In emails to the Adventure Cycling Association I have expressed my disappointment with their lack of attention to senior, alternative and adaptive adventure cyclists. The Adventure Cycling Association has always focused on the abled and younger riders with an occasional shoutout to us senior cyclists but yet has no problem asking us seniors to part with our income through their estate gifting program.  

A ray of hope or a one time shoutout? Following an email I sent to ACA on March 7th regarding Sylvia Halpern's latest adventure (Travels by Trike on Facebook), ACA posted about Sylvia on its Facebook (ACA,s Facebook) on March 15th.. Whether my email brought awareness or it's just a coincidence is unimportant. But at least ACA saw fit to recognize Sylvia on their Facebook. She deserves much more recognition for her global adventures. Is it a start? If the past is a teacher probably not.

It seems to me that ACA could easily reach out to the forgotten demographic of senior, alternative and adaptive adventure cyclists through social media. This demographic is out there but unseen my the general cycling community and especially ACA. Such an outreach  would take minimal effort and cost and would not take up expensive space in their Adventure Cyclist magazine. 

I believe in ACA's underlying mission to encourage people to get out and adventure on bicycles but they fall short in reaching out to all cyclists. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to continue my membership with ACA. If ACA shows signs of being more inclusive of seniors and non-traditional cyclists then I'll continue my membership. For now I'll continue to up by financial support to Rails to Trails. Their program includes all colors, ages, abilities and modes of human travel.

Sylvia's global adventures outshine many younger adventure cyclists and is worthy of much more than a one time post on the ACA Facebook. I sincerely hope she gets the attention she deserves. Here's ACA's website if you have something to say to them.

My email to Adventure Cycling Association, March 7th;

Just as ACA has motivated younger riders to take cycling adventures you now have an exceptional opportunity to motivate senior cyclists and alternative cyclists to become ACA members. 

Sylvia Halpern, a senior recumbent trike adventure cyclist, is now starting on a new adventure. She is cycling 9,000 miles on a cross country and back tour. Her YouTube link is (https://www.youtube.com/@TravelsByTrike). Her Facebook goes by the same name Travels By Trike. Her earlier international and national adventures are on her blog travelsbytrike.com.

At least a feature in your e-newsletter would be a positive step towards recognizing senior and alternative cyclists. We do exist.

I’ve expressed my concerns about ACA focusing on the abled bodied and younger traditional cyclists with only an occasional shoutout to us senior, alternative and adaptive cyclists. Hopefully Sylvia will get your attention.

BTW, Sylvia uses ACA maps and has promoted ACA on her YouTube.

E8000 38t Chainring

Up to now I never worried about an electronic failure with my Shimano E8000. I know I could call my beautiful wife to come bail me out. Over the years of using e-assist I had to be bailed out only once when I ran out of battery power to the assist drive on a steep long climb. The integrated headlight was to blame for the loss of assist (post here). At that time my lowest gear was 26.5 gear inches. 

Things are a little different now. I'm riding off road a bit more and will be spending more time off road when the rainy season is over. I have to be able to bail myself out if I have an electrical failure to the assist system. That means being able to have gears that I can reasonably use to pedal without power. Right now my low gear is 24.2 gear inches. With the trike weight I can expect a bit of a struggle getting up hills. So I felt a lower gear option would be the smart thing do. I switched out the 44t chainring for a 38t chainring which gives me a manageable 20.9 gear inch ratio with my 11t/46t cassette. I'm giving up some of the high end gear inches which is fine off road but it will slow me down a little on pavement. 

Also there is a long 12 degree grade on one of the off road trails I'll be riding. The 38t chainring will be appreciated.

If I feel I need a even lower gear a 36t or 34t chainring is also available for the E8000.

__________________

Original Configuration - 44t Chainring (Shimano), 11t/42t Cassette, Gear inch range - 101.0 to 26.5

Current Configuration - 44t Chainring (Shimano), 11t/46t Cassette, Gear inch range - 101.0 to 24.2

New Configuration - 38t Chainring (E-Thirteen), 11t/46t Cassette, Gear inch range - 87.2 to 20.9

Other available chainrings (Shimano or compatible) for the E8000.  

Possible Configuration - 36t Chainring, 11t/46t Cassette, Gear inch range - 82.6 to 19.8

Possible Configuration - 34t Chainring, 11t/46t Cassette, Gear inch range -  78.0 to 18.7

The old 44t Shimano chainring with the integrated bash guard.

The new 38t E-Thirteen chainring. 
No integrated bash guards are available on smaller chainrings.

NOTE: I would normally remove 1 chain link per each tooth less on the new smaller chainring, that would be 6 links. But when I put the ICE Ergo Luxe sit on awhile back and pushed the boom out I maxed out the chain when on the largest cassette cog. So I only took 2 links off the chain giving the chain a little play when on the large or small cog.

Caring a Cane on My Trike

 

I resolved the problem of caring a cane without it protruding awkwardly out from my trike.

Up until recently I carried a folding cane in my pannier for my wonky legs (post here "Cane"). There are times when I want to ride without panniers but still have my cane with me. When I'm off the trike a cane keeps me balanced, especially on uneven dirt or gravel. I can manage reasonably well without a cane but I probably look like I've started my day off with a couple of Tequila shots. 

I have three Leki collapsible (not folding) canes that are tall enough for me when extended. The Black Carbon, Makalu and the High Fives. All with a trekking basket at the tip.The High Fives handle is not as comfortable as the the other two but the pack size is just over one inch (3cm) shorter than the other two. It's the cane that fits nicely under my seat.

I'm a big fan of DiNotte lights and I have a bunch of spare fasteners that I incorporated into putting a carrying system together.

Cane tip inserts into fixed clamp. 

The trekking basket on the cane helps 

to keep the cane in place.

Shimano Di2 - Again

On  September 21, 2021 I ditched the Shimano Di2 (post here). The main reason for the change to cable was the shift buttons were wearing out fast. 

After studying the compatibly of other Shimano switches with my e-assist system I bought a Shimano SW-E7000-R switch. I'm giving it a try to see if it holds up longer than the SW-E6000 switch. At least the SW-E7000-R switch is easy to find in the States whereas I had to buy the SW-6000 switch internationally.

The Shimano compatibility chart can be found at Shimano.com (here). On the chart scroll down to the sixth page for the E8000 system.

The top SW-E6000 switch is used for the assist which gets 
far less use than the shift switch.
The bottom new SW-E7000-R switch is used for shifting the Di2.

Back On the Road with Schwalbe GT 365

Now that I'm starting to get back out on the road after my crash I've decided to try and spend a little more time off road and less time on the pavement.

I’ve been trying Schwalbe GT 365 tires. They make a good choice for when a ride includes both dirt and pavement. They’ve made my ICE Sprint FS E8000 a worthy gravel and dirt road trike.

GT 365 - 55/559 (26" x 2.15") rear.

GT 365 - 40/406 (20" x 1.5") front

First Crash

You might have control over how you ride but you do not have control over the stupidity of others on the road...

WEAR A HELMET, PLEASE.

Trikes are very stable but shit happens.

It could have been a lot worse. After 13 years of riding trikes I had my first crash. If I were riding a traditional bike I would have been toast. I was doing about 25mph coming down a hill and a clueless driver coming up the hill suddenly made a left turn in front of me with a split second to react. I could have t-boned his car but instead I turned the trike sideways and hoped for the best. The next thing I know I was on the ground with the trike upside down on top of me and me looking up at Mr Clueless's blue passenger door. I left some blood on the pavement from a flap of skin torn back on my elbow, I ended up with three fractured ribs and a punctured lung. The trike only needed some minor repair and wheel balancing as it did not make contact with the car. I'll have to replace my helmet as it did get dinged.

The driver got out of the car asked if I was okay and I said NO I'M NOT OKAY. He then got back into his car and drove off into a large apartment complex leaving me lying in the street alone. I told the police to look for a blue sedan. Eventually the driver showed up, whether voluntarily or the police found him I don't know. With my attorneys help his insurance paid for my pain and suffering without question. 

I now have a camera on the front of my trike.

Sheriff Report

Spent the day in the ER and then went home. The hospital was reluctant to send me home but once I told them Carrie is a nurse they relented. For the following 10 nights I had to sit up in a chair to sleep at night. Once in bed at night I still needed a ton of pillows to prop me up.

My Instagram 11/23

From my Instagram "Crazy_On_Three"

Since 2017

Staying active for the last 13 years on recumbent trikes and for the last three years on my ICE Sprint FS 26 E-Assist. Keep moving…adapt.

#icetrike  #icetrikes  #recumbenttrike  #recumbenttrikes  #adaptivecycling   #shimanoe8000   #e8000  #etrikes  #electricassist  #peopleforbikes  #ridewithgps  #clubrideapparel #crazyonthree