Trike Arrives and a Wreck

Got the Rover today,even with all the shipping issues, I was thrilled. So here are first impressions and lessons learned….

Adjustments, adjustments, adjustments….

Ordered this from Utah Trike and from what I have read on the forums, they usually come all set up. I think a couple of things happened, 1) I wasn’t clear about how I wanted it setup, because I really didn’t know and 2) A lot happened to it in shipment. The box was really beat up and open on the bottom. I was afraid there was stuff missing, but it almost all seems to be here. Missing one screw that holds the seat adjusters on and both the quick releases for the seat, but I can get them local… using replacement screws right now…
I had to put it back to the mid mark, they had it on Long and that didn’t work for me. I am 5’8″ and with the seat all the way forward, I felt too close to the handle bars. I set it at mid and removed chain links. But at that setting, my heels sometimes touched the crossbar so I moved it out about an inch. I assume you do not need to be right on the black mark that in-between marks is still OK.. can someone verify?

Then take a ride, then adjust the handle bars, take a ride and adjust the steering, find a place for the lights and the bell, attach them. Redo the cable routing for a few things, then redo the cable ties for all of them. Go to the bike shop and get the proper screws… It has taken awhile to get it all right. Next time I will but local if possible, less hassle, but since no one around had any until late August, guess it works out in the long run…

Impressions…
Thought at first I wasn’t going to be happy with gearing (8 speed Sturm-Archery), but after the ride, all was fine. I definitely used all 8 gears and would like a little higher range, but don’t want to give up the low… I live on a very steep high, when it snows the city blocks it off and it is the town sled hill, really steep. I climbed it in the trike at the end of the ride today… not fast, but steady… I ride a 27 speed bike and although I never use them all, they are a little closer together on the ratio that the SA, but I am sure it will be OK, especially for the areas I ride.

Rode 6 miles for a test…. avg speed 8-10 mph, fastest on straight and level 18.7 mph, which is almost exactly what the gear chart indicates you will go in 8th gear… fastest down hill 23.4 … didn’t go down the steep hill by the house, wanted to come up it, so went around the other way , besides doing over 20 on my first ride was exciting enough…

Steering seemed squirrelly at first, but that was due to it being tightened down all the way, once I adjusted it according to the video, it was fine..

Wreck! Well I hate to admit this, but my grandson and I were racing around and around the drive, RV pad, and patio this evening and I tried a sharp turn with a side hill lie and it dumped me… right on the concrete.. not any damage to the trike, scraps and bruises for me… lots of entertainment for the neighbors

So far I love it, still lots of adjustments to get it set for the wife… she will use if for the next few weeks and I go back to 2 wheels while she decides what she wants. It doesn’t seem to fit her quite as well, but we’ll just keep adjusting until she is comfortable.

Tomorrow another ride, then its off to OR for some trail riding. I’ll take a pic and post it to prove I really do have one, I know its a forum requirement. I think its call Proof of Trike…

Trip miles: 6.4
Avg speed: 8.2
Max Speed: 23.4
Odometer: 6.4