Tips: Recumbents and Trailers

BicyleR Evolution - The Shopper
There are times when you need to tote more than you can comfortably carry on your bicycle, even a long wheel base recumbent designed for self contained touring. That is when you need a trailer.
I used a trailer for all of my European Tours and for Newfoundland and Labrador. I didn’t [...]

Jandd Grocery Panniers

With gas prices up and a new grocery store only about three miles away, my though has been wouldn’t using my bike for grocery shopping be great. I’d get the exercise, save on gas, and do some hauling with a load.

Short Cranks - First Impressions - Wow!!!

Slipstream - Spring 08 - Short Cranks - TerraCycle Idlers - Grocery Bags
Continued from So you want shorter Crank Arms Now What?
My new shorter cranks(155MM) from Bike Smith Design & Fabrications are now installed and I have taken my first few rides with them.

Slipstream Kick Stand Fix Installed

Continued from Fixing the SlipStream Kick Stand and SlipStream Kick Stand Fix.
I have installed and ridden with the Slipstream Kick Stand Fix and have to say I love it. The kick stand is now firmly in place even when the bike is loaded.
Kudos to Greg Peek.

Tip: SRAM Power Link Gold 9-speed Connector

Today I installed my new cranks and idlers. Everything went very easy except I forgot how to open the SRAM Power Link Gold 9-speed Connector I use on my chains.
I had forgotten that the link needs to be both compressed and squeezed at the same time to open.
These Power Links are great to have on your chains. [...]

TerraCycle’s Longbikes Slipstream Idler Kit

 
TerraCycle offers a Longbikes Slipstream Idler Kit that looks very nicely made. It replaces the rubber idlers seen on most recumbents with coged idlers that have high quality bearings. TerraCycle claims that the better idlers provide improved efficiency and quieter operation. This improvement is not inexpensive, $154 for the kit.
I agree with TerraCycle’s explanation of why [...]

How to remove Shimano HollowTech II Cranks

 
I have my new shorter cranks but so far haven’t been able to get the Shimano HollowTech II cranks that I am replacing off. Every time I start this job I find that I am missing another tool. Here’s a nice set of instructions with a tool list so you won’t have the same problem.
INSTRUCTIONS [...]

How to Replace Crank Arms

If you are replacing your crank arms with shorter cranks this video shows you how. Don’t forget you will need a crank puller, the standard tool is a Park Crank Puller.
You can also find this great video at  How to Replace Crank Arms at BikeTutor.com.   
If you also have to replace the bottom bracket, here’s a great video on [...]

How to Replace a Cartridge Bottom Bracket

I have been investigating steps needed to install my short cranks when they arrive. Here’s how the UN54 68/115 (or 118) BB for the Slipstream will install.
Make sure you have  the special  tool needed to install the BB before you start.  I use a Park BBT-2 Bottom Bracket Tool for Splined Bottom Brackets.
Good video How to Replace a Cartridge [...]

Short Cranks with Q-Rings

macpublish suggested in yesterday’s comments that I consider Q-Rings if I am changing cranks. I rode Shimano Bio Pace in days of old so really haven’t paid much attention to Q-Rings, the stories sound the same to me.