2009 Stats

2009 2008 2007

Total Miles 3185 2861 3328
Total Rides 126 108 109
Average Speed 10.5 11 11
Average Miles per Ride 25.3 26.5 30.5
Bikejournal Ranking 1643 1968 1516
Bentrideronline Ranking 49 76 76

I am very happy with this years riding and stats.
I look forward to what the new decade brings.
Perhaps a new bike?

KEEP RIDING !!!!

Last Ride for 2009

I woke up this morning and found light snow falling with about 1 inch on the ground. I thought what a great way to end an excellent cycling year. Unfortunately, the weather began to change and the snow converted to sleet. I managed to get in 10 safe miles.

Wishing all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR,

KEEP RIDING!!!

I HAD TO DO IT

After 5 days of sub freezing temps and a 15 inch nor'easter I had to get out on my trike. I couldn't take it anymore. I put on all the warm clothes I could muster and braved the elements. 24 degrees with winds in the high teens made it feel like the single digits. I felt like a Popsicle and the worst part was my toes. I lost feelings in them at about 10 miles. I was debating between 16 mi and 24 mi. The problem was I had to make up my mind at 5 mi. I decided to brave it. Big mistake. At 10 mi I had enough. I began to look for a quicker way back. I had to ride some major highways and after all was said and done, I rode 20 mi.

The one great thing about riding a trike in the winter is you don't have to worry about the wheels slipping out on ice or snow. In fact that is one of the fun parts. The thing you do have to watch out for, like all bikes, is the cold and frostbite.

I love riding and do it all year long, but, sometimes you have to know your own limits.

KEEP RIDING!!!

It snowed 15 inches and it's not even winter. My wife and I shoveled out the driveway in order to get the cars and my bike out. I have been having cabin fever and decided to take the trike out for a quick winter spin around the block. Slipping and sliding on the snow/ice patches can only be accomplished on a trike. I took some raw video to help depict the awesome experience. I hope you can appreciate my excitement.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Baby It's Cold Out There

I did my 1st real 09 winter ride. Boy was it cold. Temps in the low 30's, overcast and thankfully little wind. Leftover snow still on the ground. I had been couped up in the house the past 2 days unable to ride. It had gotten to me, so today I dressed up like a black abominable snow man and off I went. I decided to play it by ear and see how I felt. It was raw outside so a modest 24.5 miles was done. As chilly as it was I did see 3 other cyclists. The one great thing about winter triking is you don't have to worry about slipping or skidding on ice patches.

Ironically, as I write this, a package arrived of No Show Darn Tough socks I ordered for the summer.

KEEP RIDING!!!

10K on My Sweetened ICE T

It's been a great cycling year for me. I reached my goal of 3K miles in less than a year. I also turned 10,000 miles on my very Sweetened ICE T. This is my 3 rd trike and by far the best. I have added all my creature comforts and tweaked the bike to my perfect specifications, so it fits me like a glove. It has been such a joy to ride that it has become my only ride. It is a keeper. The folks at ICE have not only done their homework, but continued their great customer support. I know 10 K is just the beginning and look forward to many more miles.

KEEP RIDING!!!!

Annual Mileage Goal

Today I accomplished my annual mileage goal of 3,000 miles. I needed 18+ miles to hit 3k, but because it was such a beautiful day, I decided to do 46 mi. It started off brisk in the mid 30's and finished in the beautiful mid 50's. Sun shinning the entire time with winds under 9mph. I still have another month to go for the year so I expect to finish with additional miles. I am also just 25 miles short of hitting 10,000 miles on my T which is now less than 3.5 yrs old. My next ride will take care of that.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Not too Many Days like this Left

Went out this morning for a 31 miler. Temps started in the upper 30's with negligible winds. Wore a long sleeve shirt and light wind jacket. Ten miles into the ride and the jacket came off. By the time I got home, I could have ridden in shorts and a T Shirt. Not too many days like this left.

Another great thing about today's ride was meeting up with some more old cycling buddies riding in the opposite direction. As we passed they all yelled out. Hey Marty!!! I had some great BikeVA adventures with these guys and gals.

Riding my trike makes it hard to keep up with my fast paced friends so I ride alone. It's not a problem as I enjoy the solitude. I am contemplating getting another LWB for faster rides when I wish to Join my friends. In the mean time I'll be enjoying the ride.

KEEP RIDING!!!!!

Relaxing Sunday Morning Ride

Went out for a nice 23 miler Sunday morning ride. Temps low 50's, wind gusts up to 11mph, bright sun shine. The nice thing about Sunday morning rides is the quiet. Most people sleep late, relax reading the paper, and generally not in a hurry to go. This makes for a nice relaxing ride and that is just what I had.

Sometimes words just can't express my feelings and emotions. I like using pictures and video. I believe this to be a window bringing you closer to the experience.

I hope you can enjoy my ride.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Faired on a Fair Day

Today I did a 28 miler with my Streamer fairing installed. Temps in the low 40's with frost in the am and moderate winds. A beautiful fall day.

I originally purchased the fairing a year ago for winter protection. I love riding all year round, unfortunately, my toes do not feel the same way. I tried all different shoes and socks and nothing could keep those piggies warm. I finally decided to spring for a fairing. At the time, the Streamer seemed like the best bang for the buck. Like many recumbent parts some fiddling needs to be done. I loved the shape, size and coverage the Streamer offered. I did not like how the Velcro held the fairing in place and the rear strut mount never could stay secured. I screwed the fairing to the metal supports and added a hose clamp to my derailer tube and the rear strut. This made the fairing rock solid. What would we do without duct tape and hose clamps? The only issue is the fairing is fixed and you have to be a bit of a contortionist to get in and out of the seat. This is a minor trade off for the winter protection I receive. Check out the video.

This was the final fix to get the trike ready for my upcoming winter rides.

Loving the ride,

KEEP RIDING!!!

Changing Seasons and Clothes

I went out today for a 30 miler. There was a bit of frost in the early morning. By the time I left temps were in the low to mid 40's with light northerly winds and abundant sunshine. Gone are the shorts and tees. It was time to put on my long sleeve jersey, pants, light wool socks, windbreaker jacket, light gloves and cap. I thought I might be a bit too warm, but, as it turned out I was right on the money. It was a great relaxing ride as the leaves are starting to change and fall. It made me think how soon winter will be here. My thoughts also turned to my fairing which I will probably put on this Friday.

I am enjoying the changing seasons more than ever.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Another Marty Day

I just got back from a 50 mile ride. The weather was spectacular. Highs in the mid 60's with little wind and no clouds.
I have this bug lately to get myself a new bent. After getting bitten by the trike bug, my beloved Stratus and Rocket began to collect dust and garage space was at a premium, so they were sold. I now have sellers remorse.
There is a bike shop about 25 miles away that sells recumbents. I called yesterday to see if they had in stock what I might be interested in and they did among others. I Map Quested my route through as much rural area as possible and checked the weather. It was going to be a fifty miler day plus test riding. I was not sure if I was up to that many miles. I decided to play it by ear. The weather was on the money and that bug of testing what might be my next new bent was too much to bear.
I arrived at the shop refreshed and the owner was most accommodating. Not only did he have the bike I wanted to test, but, it had the seat I most wanted to try. My test ride did not live up to my expectations. I tried a few more bents, none of which called my name. I said my thanks and got back on my trike for the ride home. My T seemed exceptionally comfortable. The ride back was 1.5 miles shorter, but seemed even quicker.
I quenched my thirst for a new bent and did it with a ride on one of the 10 best riding days of the year. This is what I call a Marty Day.
KEEP RIDING!!!!!

Oh Deer

I was on the Henry Hudson Bike Path today. Lucky for me, I came upon deer in my path and was able to catch some video.
48 miles of bliss.
KEEP RIDING!!!

ICE T Face Lift

It's that time of year for me to replace tires, chain and rear cassette. I still have dimple left on my Tioga Comp Pool tires, but I like to have some good thick rubber for the upcoming winter weather. I have packed up my Motorhome and brought it back from the shore. The salt air and sand from the shore is devastating to bikes. My chain has signs of rust. You can't replace the chain without replacing the rear cassette. It is 5K miles since my last overhaul. I decided to purchase all parts from 1 retailer instead of shopping around and saving more money. I am not totally happy with the service of this well known dealer, but, everything arrived as ordered and the tires were not folded.
I put things together starting with the cassette(Sram 970 11-32), the chain(Sram 951) and tires(my favorite Tioga Comp pool). I must need remedial chain wrapping as I had to look at my other bike for routing.
You can see by the pics how rusted the chain got in just 4 days and a 10 mile rainy ride. I believe I could have gotten another 2k miles from the tires. The front tires on a trike wear faster and hence were the ones I replaced. The rear tire had less than 200 mi and was taken off my sons old WW in lieu of a Big Apple. At $20 ea I have no problem replacing these tires sooner than needed.
Replacing these parts makes it feel like a new ride and ready for the winter months. Soon it will be time for the fairing.
I am a NERD.(Never Enough Riding Days)
KEEP RIDING!!!!!

Old Friends

After working the past few days and then having rain, it was nice to finally get a ride in. It became a beautiful Sunday morning with minimal winds and humidity. About 5 miles into the ride I bumped into 2 cycling buddies Jay and Dave. I haven't seen these guys in over a year. Although we have not ridden together in years I always met up with them on the annual 5 Boro Bike NY Tour. This year I opted out, so seeing them was a great surprise. We reminisced a bit and then caught up on the now. It was great that we were all still into cycling and everyone looked and felt good. A few minutes later I hear a cyclist yell, "Hey I know you" and calls out to me by my last name. He is the current president of my bike club.( Central Jersey Bike Club) I have ridden with Jeff a number of times, but I never thought with so many members he would know my last name. It might be because I am one of the few recumbent riders in the club.
After a 1/2 hr of catching up on things with Jay and Dave I continued my ride. It was becoming such a beautiful day I felt the wind was always at my back and I could ride forever. As much as I would have liked that I had to get back for some enjoyable family obligations of watching my grandson.
As I was riding back thinking of what I might write a small red car pulls up next to me and says, "Wow twice in one day". It was Jay riding home in his car from his ride with Dave.
What a great day riding and meeting up with some great old friends.
KEEP RIDING!!!
MTJP

ICE Quick Relaese Rear Fender

I just purchased and installed ICE new QR rear fender for my T. In short it is form followed by function at a reasonable price. For the past 3 yrs of owning my trike I was very happy with the rear rack and fender setup. Unfortunately, I rarely used the rear rack as the PODS Panniers proved quite adequate for my needs. I new any rear 20 in fear fender would easily mount, but my trike would not fit in the back of my Accent with it on. The original QR rear fender was expensive and had mixed reviews to its being able to stay put.

Apparently ICE was on the ball and redesigned the fender. The fender appears to be SKS and has these black mounts that the fender stays snapped into. I have seen these before. The interesting part is how they came up with the front mount to the bike. They used the same black mount screwed on the fender and added a metal tongue that screwed into the frame. All this amounts to click, click,click. There is one trick. You have to click in the front mount first and then the side stays. If you do it the other way the front mount is very difficult to snap in. The side stays are different on each side, not exactly sure why, but it all works. At under $30 this is a very fine and rock solid fender with no wobble or rattle that gives you the option to quickly remove if needed.

KEEP RIDING!!!!

MTJP

Adding Tush Cush

I have no butt and riding a mesh seat without cushioning just doesn't work for me. The best seat I have found is Rans. Unfortunately it cannot be put on a trike. After over 9k mi I am beginning to get a little recumbent butt on my T. I guess the 1/2 in open cell foam I bought 3 yrs ago from Power On Cycling is loosing it's cush. I tried the the 2 in open cell foam from Hostel shop made for the T. You slide it under the seat between the bottom and the straps. It did not help. I decided to sliver off a 1/2 in piece from the 2 in block and added it to the middle of my old foam. I also made a cover to keep all things neat and pretty. As stated before I now have a bit more recline on my seat. All this has made for a much more comfortable ride. It almost feels like my old Rans seat.

KEEP RIDING!!!!

MTJP

I've been Blogged

I was riding my trike yesterday when I was stopped by Colleen Curry. She is the site editor for Freehold.Injersey.com and reporter for the Asbury Park Press. She is doing stories on Around Town: Freehold Faces looking for people doing cool things. What could be cooler than a Recumbent Triker on a 90 deg HHH day. Check it out.http://freehold.injersey.com/

T Seat Recline

I have this bike 3 yrs and almost 9k mi. I love this trike and have since sold my other 2 recumbents. There has been 1 little tic and that is I wished the seat would recline just a tad more. ICE came out with their new seat modifications to change from a mesh to hard shell seat. It would also have the capabilities of changing the seat angle as desired. I emailed them and asked what it would take to increase my recline on my T. They quickly replied and said the 06 model would not accept the new modifications. They did say I could slightly increase the seat angle by changing the seat recline adjustment from 45 deg to more horizontal. It has been more than a yr since I learned of this and today I decided to give it a try. The whole process took less than 30 minutes and for me the results are outstanding.

I had to loosen the rear frame bolts and pull out the frame. I was concerned about leveling the rear triangle. As it turned out all I had to do was keep the seat recline adjustment at horizontal and attached to the quick release skewer. It automatically levelled the rear triangle. All I had to do was tighten the bolts. I pulled out the rear triangle about 1 inch. This allowed for a greater seat recline and also increased the wheelbase. Increasing the wheelbase added another surprised benefit as it helped smooth out the ride. By getting the seat a bit more reclined I had to bring the front boom in a bit. The chain and gears needed no adjustment. I took out the bike for a 24 mi test ride. My recline was right on the money and my time was probably a few tenths quicker. Not sure how accurate that is. I have no way of telling how much recline was added, but, I do feel more comfortable.

It probably seems more complicated than it really was and I hope these photos help.

KEEP RIDING!!!!!!!!

On Vacation

I am fortunate to have just returned from a weeks vacation(you guessed it) outside Sea Isle City. The weather was mostly cooperative. We were there for 8 days of which 1.5 we had some rain. We used those days to shop and explore. We decided to check out the Western side of southern NJ. It is quite different on the Delaware bay side. The land is made up of old fishing villages surrounded by marsh land. I never could quite get the appeal of living in these wetlands, but as you start to check these areas out you begin to appreciate the fauna and flora. The land is rich in nutrients and has an array of wildlife, especially bird watching. There is also a sereneness and quite not found on the east coast.

I was fortunate to get 6 days of early morning cycling in. I averaged 20 relaxing miles per day for a total of just over 102 mi. I changed plans and decided to head north of Sea Isle towards Ocean City and back. I was a nice change of scenery with bike friendly roads. I spoke to one cyclist about my ride to Cape May. He said another great ride is north into Atlantic City. I will have to try that the next chance I get.

This was a great week of easy cycling and relaxing at the Jersey Shore.

KEEP RIDING!!!!!

Sea Isle City to Cape May

My wife and I really enjoy the NJ shore especially the southern area. We decided this yr to park our Motor Home outside of Sea Isle City. I had some time this July4th and decided to go down early and get some extra fun miles in. I always wanted to try a circular route from Sea Isle to Cape May via the shore line and then head back on the western side of Jersey. I mapped it out on Map quest and it came out to 50 mi. It turned out to be 59 miles total as I did not figure into the equation the in's and out's of the shore line. It was supposed to be 22 mi to Cape May, but,it turned out to be 32 mi, an extra 10 mi. I wish I could say the return trip was as much fun, but, unfortunaltly, it was mostly mayor roads. The good news was they had large shoulders.In 59 mi I was honked at twice by aggressive drivers and had a bag of garbage thrown at me. Being a native New Yorker, I didn't find this too bad. I was a bit disappointed in Avalon and Stone Harbor as they had many cycling signs advising cyclist to ride single file and use lights at night "that's the law", but nothing to advise drives to watch out for cyclists. I must say though all towns have cycling lanes. Wildwood, consisting of north, central and crest had many bike rental places and many safe paths along the shore. Cape May also is a nice place to bike around.I usually like to cycle in a loop, but,I find riding the Jersey Shore, it is better to ride up or down the shore and back.The following day I rode from Sea Isle to Ocean City and back for a total of 30 mi and really enjoyed the ride.All in all I love cycling the southern shore even though I never saw another recumbent rider.I have some videos to share and I hope you enjoy them.KEEP RIDING!!!!

Tioga Comp Pool Tire Update

If you go back to my article of 10/26/07 you will read how I changed over from Scorcher TR to Tioga Comp Pool Tire and how time would tell how they fare. The Scorchers basically wore out at 4100 mi and needed to be replaced. I was having trouble justifying the cost of replacement and decided to go with the Tioga Comp Pool tires at 1/2 the price.

It is now 20 months and 4100 miles later and the Tioga tires are still good. You can see by the pictures that there is still plenty dimple left and I believe I would be good for another 1000 mi. I am not flat prone. I had only 1 flat with the Tioga tires same as the Scorchers with the Kevlar belt. I pulled out this tiny piece of metal thread that caused the flat. I talked with my LBS owner who advised me it was from a steel belted radial from a car. Who would think.

Based on my tests the Tioga Comp Pool tire performed better in wear, road just as comfortable with minimal rolling resistance and flats as the more expensive Scorcher TR.

This is not to undermine GS Scorcher or any other tire company. The problem for me is just how expensive bicycle tires are. Spending $35 plus for tires that will last 1-2 yrs of cycling is ridiculous when compared to car tires lasting 50,ooo mi plus. Now they are talking about radial tires for bikes at the cost of a car tire.

I will now get off my soap box. The problem for me now is I believe the Tioga Comp Pool tires will be a thing of the past. I am afraid when I am ready to buy they will no longer be available.

My hope is that some tire MFG will come out with a good bicycle tire that will last a long time at a good price. Until then.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Trike Carrier

I needed a way to carry my Trike down to the shore for our summer get-a-ways. I have a Hyundai Accent which will accommodate the trike inside if I am the only one in the car. That is rarely the case when heading south as my wife and dog come also. The car does not officially allow a hitch and getting a roof rack for such a small roof line was not easy. Anyway, after much research I found a roof rack under $165 delivered. It took about 1 hr to attach and uses self sealing screws. I was concerned about leaking into my roof liner, but, the salesman assured me the screws work great. It's been a while and so far so good.
The roof rack looked great on the car. Now how to attach my trike. It became a problem as the trikes width is a hair smaller than the rack's width. I decided to put 1 wheel on the inside and 1 wheel on the outside of the tracks. Seemed like a good idea. I secured it to the rails with various straps. It worked OK going down, but not on the way back. I had to stop 4 times and re secure or loose the trike.
Today on my ride I thought about adding some sort of aluminum channel. I put the trike on the car to see how it really fit so I could determine the parts I would need. As it turned out I found out if I put the 2 cross bars about 6 in apart I could cradle the tires. It looked great and seemed very secure with adequate tie downs. I didn't like the idea of not being able to fully open the trunk as the rear wheel came down a bit on it. I used the same concept only reversed the trike and placement of the cross bars. It is even easier to roll the trike up the front hood than the rear hatch. All works without a problem. I wouldn't do this with a new car. Fortunately this car owes me nothing and has many dings, scratches and scars. I still prefer to carry my trike inside, but that is not always possible and this works economically for now.
I have added some pictures. Please note the seat and rack are normally removed.

Horsing around on Memorial Day

More than 48 miles on this beautiful Memorial Day.
As Janis Joplin said, "You gotta get it while you can."

Just 4 Fun

Another great day. 33 miles, no place I have to be and some of my best music.
Enjoy the Ride!!!!!

Terracycle Idler

I went out for a small 17 mile ride. It was a bit warmer, low 80's, and a little breezy. I had to get out while I am able to enjoy life and of cause I had to check out my new Terracycle idler. I would have liked to do more miles, but to tell the truth, I am sore from my 90 plus miles of the past 2 days. First off, you can see by my photos, I was in need of a new one. My T has about 7800 mi. I was hoping it would make me faster, but, a hammerhead I will never be. My T is an 06 and ICE made their idlers 60mm. As years changed ICE made their idlers 70mm. I was told by Terracycle a bigger 70mm 15 tooth idler would be more efficient, but it would require modifications, so I stayed with what was to be more original. Terracycle had a 60mm idler that came with a 13 tooth cog that would just fit right in. Of course it came at a premium price of $9 more. It seems 15t cogs are more common. If your going to buy this great idler you have to go titanium which adds another $20 premium. Total price with shipping $104. Is it worth it? I think so. A new idler from ICE would be $18 plus shipping. You can easily see the difference and I will probably never have to replace the idler again and if so there are replacement parts.
The reason I think it made no difference in speed for me is that there is a small bend compared to other bikes. On my old Terra trike 3.4 I hated that maximum bend in their drive chain and felt like it robbed me of power. On my son's Terra trike(now sold) he bought the Terracycle kit for the front and it made a huge difference. That bike was much faster.
I wanted to stay within the original design and like having the chain tubes. The idler is a thing of beauty and it dropped in perfectly. I used to see a small deviation of the chain when spinning which is now gone. It is quiet and smooth. Efficiency wise, I don't think it made a difference on my trike, but, I could see how it would on bikes with more tortuous chain lines. My old Stratus had 20k with the original idler.
Terracycle takes pride in their work and products and there customer service is outstanding.

Another Marty Day

I got in another 44 miles today. Temps a bit warmer in the 70's. Low humidity and winds. Just a gorgeous day. This time I decided to take my Flip- Video. I was able to get a nice shot of a large turtle in the road. I tried to sneak up on a large Turkey Vulture, but cars scared it away. I also spotted a crane which has made it's home at a water run off basin in one of those new developments. Unfortunately, he was much too camera shy. When I got home there was my new Terracyle idler I just ordered. I hope to have that up and running with a detailed and hopefully positive report.
KEEP RIDING!!!!!!

A Marty Day

It's been too long since I have been able to get out on what I refer to as a Marty Day. One of those beautiful days you can just pedal forever. It seems over the last few months life has just gotten in the way. Today I went out for a 50 miler. It is one of my oldest and favorite rides and is part of my annual birthday ride. The weather was in the 60's with winds in the low single digits. I didn't know how well I would fare as I have not done that many miles since January. My only regret was not taking my Flip-Video camcorder. The horses were out with their new folds, cows, bulls, groundhogs and one very large hawk or turkey buzzard, all just enjoying this beautiful day. I fared very well and hope to enjoy many more Marty Days.
KEEP RIDING!!!!!

Back to the Future

I have tried very hard to like my new Fuji Retro Tourer, but, it has become a losing battle. My heart still belongs to my trusty steed, my ICE T trike. I have invested much time and money into the Fuji and enjoyed working on it, but, my T still gives me greater pleasure. The Fuji has a wonderful soft ride with a very big cool factor. Unfortunately I feel like a billboard way up in the air and there is just no getting comfortable on all the seats I have tried. I decided to sell it on Craigslist and Ebay. I even brought the price down to $600. Alas no takers. I thought I might sell off the parts, but, I know, I would never recover my loses. It seems when it comes to DF bikes, there is no good resale value. It was much easier and quicker selling my 7-8 yr old recumbents. I am considering giving this bike to a family member if he can appreciate it, otherwise, it will sit in my garage as a thing of beauty.

Back to the Dark Side

I have finished my new DF bike. It does add to the thrill of riding something unique. It gives me the same excitement as riding a recumbent. I have sold my LWB Stratus and my SWB Rocket which has left me with my ICE T Trike. It is like Ying and Yang. My Trike is so low and sweet. My new Fuji DF is tall, stable, comfortable and fun. I never would have thought I would return to the dark side of DF. When I ride my trike I feel low, stable, confident and comfortable. When I ride my new Fuji tourer, I feel Like a tall billboard, but still have the comfort, stability and confidence and most of all thrill of riding. Who would think.

Here are the Stats on my Fuji.

1. 08 Leftover Fuji Touring Bike off Ebay
2. Nitto North Handlebar
3. Odyssey pedals (my all time favorites)
4. SKS Silver Fenders (very good quality and looks)
5. Cannonade Panniers. Built in frame stiffeners. Always look good and hold a lot.
6. Planet Bikes Binky Super flash. Amazing rear light
7. Planet Bikes 1W Blaze front led light. Very bright, wish it did not come in white.
8. Seguino XD 600 165 26/36/46 crank. It's on all my bikes
9. Shimano Barend shifters. Rock solid.
10. B67 Brooks saddle. Slippery but very comfortable.
11. Miracle mirror with home made barend mount. Much better than 3rd eye glass mount.
12. Sponge grips. Works for me
13. Nashbar quill 40 deg stem. Extra height very comfortable.
14. Nashbar cheep kick stand. Works fine
15. Tire pump. Have to have it.
16. Tecktro Brakes. Very ergonomic