My new ride

[Rallygirl]

For most of my adult life, I have been an avid cyclist. In 2007, after putting about 180,000 miles my poor, old Raleigh C-30, I had to cut way back because of balance issues. I switched to my childhood 1967 Schwinn Hollywood for a couple years because I could put my feet down quickly if I felt my balance leaving. But then in 2011, I fell off that bike three times in as many weeks, and called it quits.

I bought a used recumbent stationary bike in August of 2013 and have been riding it for an hour and half up to two and half hours a day in an attempt to get back into my former biking shape. But wow, is that ever boring!

After a lot of research and many test rides, yesterday I went to the TerraTrike headquarters and bought myself a new, tricked out, recumbent trike. I cannot wait for the snow to melt do I can be back out on the road!

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[rche]

that is awesome! Looks like a great time. I am also a cyclist and I would feel very lost if I was unable to do my time trial rides.

[Mikey]

Seems like it would be harder to steer having the 2 wheels in front instead of back ?

[Figuremod73]

That thing looks comfy, I've been wondering if the change in position while peddling is an improvement. I cant go up hills as well as I use to.

[EmergencyIan]

Nice looking ride!

- Ian

[LonnieFisher]

I love your tadpole! I've been wanting one for years, but they are super expensive.

[J.B.]

Perfect combination of exercise and comfort. Enjoy!

[wayne foundation 07]

that's cool looking, hope you enjoy riding it. How long to get to the lake do you think on it?

[Rallygirl]

that's cool looking, hope you enjoy riding it. How long to get to the lake do you think on it?

From the house, about half an hour because I now have to go around the new highway bypass that is almost complete. From the farm, about two minutes, just over the dune.

[dee T.]

That's a cool bike, rallygirl ! It looks like a lot of fun too. I love riding out in the snow myself. I just wouldn't be out in anything colder than 30 degrees.

[Rallygirl]

I can handle the cold. However, I don't trust the drivers on the slick roads to not slide around and kill me, so I will remain on my stationary bike until spring arrives and the roads are clear.

That's a cool bike, rallygirl ! It looks like a lot of fun too. I love riding out in the snow myself. I just wouldn't be out in anything colder than 30 degrees.

[Rallygirl]

Here is an update on the new bike.

Until March 9, the snow kept me indoors on my stationary bike. I pedaled at least five days a week and my average day on that was about an hour and forty-five minutes, give or take, since I would play a movie a day while pedaling. In the couple years since I bought it, my weight fluctuated about 6 pounds up and down.

Beginning March 9, I have ridden the new trike at least five days a week, same as the stationary bike. It was actually too easy too easy to pedal, so I had a bigger crank set installed. One can only sit in the basement so long; Being outside makes a world of difference! I live smack in the middle of the county - ten, eleven, and eighteen miles from the three surrounding towns. It took about a month to work back up to where I was ten years ago, but I am now riding at least twenty miles every day that weather permits. I either ride into one of the three towns, two of which are beach towns which provide lots of fun goal destinations. or I do my "park ride". Our county is trying to establish a greenway along the nearby river. By riding my my bike on the river road to all nine parks, I can do a twenty-five mile ride and never be more than three and half miles from my house.

The end result of all this is, that since March 9, I have ridden more than 700 miles and lost fifteen pounds!

Whenever I see DF riders flying past, I always have a momentary twinge of inadequacy. Then I remember that they are riding 26+ inch, narrow tires on a 12 pound bike. I am riding 20 inch, wide tires on a 40+ pound bike with an extra wheel of drag. If I exerted the same energy on a DF as I do on my trike, I'd be flying right along also. I am also riding the very slowest tadpole out there, because I had to choose a style bike on which I sit upright and straight. I hope by the end of the summer, I am riding to the next town up and down the shoreline, like I used to do in the old days.

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[emeraldknight47]

Cool looking trike and the scenery you get to ride past looks nice, too!

[Rallygirl]

I live one block away from the river. I can follow the river all the way into town, with about 20 small parks along the way, and right out to Lake Michigan.

[J.B.]

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Beautiful pics. Bike riding is great and it sounds like you have a comfortable bike and a scenic course. Perfect combo.