23
5.0 Maintenance
Your ICE trike has been built from quality
materials and parts, and will last for many years
with just a bit of simple maintenance. Although
there is nothing on the trike that a bike shop
can’t maintain for you, doing your own basic
maintenance gives you a good feel of how your
trike is working.
5.1 Lubrication
Lubricating the Chain
At regular intervals, and always after riding in
wet weather, you should lubricate the chain.
The chain tubes supplied with your ICE trike will
help keep the oil on the chain by protecting it
from rain and dirt, prolonging chain life. Check
with your local bike shop to see which chain
lube works best in your area. It is not necessary
to use a lot of lube on the chain; better to use
a little every week than a lot once a month.
Wiping the chain down occasionally with a dry
cloth will help keep it clean and prolong its life.
Other lubrication
Rear hub, headset and pedal bearings on
your trike will need greasing from time to time
depending on riding conditions, the same as
any conventional cycle. The plain bearings in
the suspension pivot need no lubrication. If they
show any significant wear (unlikely), they are
simply pushed out and replaced with new ones.
The steering ball joints don’t require lubrication.
The front hub bearings, handlebar (stem)
bearings, and pulley bearings are pre-lubricated
and sealed. If they feel rough or sloppy, they
should be replaced.
i
TIP:
as with any cycle, a small
amount of regular care will
prolong the life of your trike and
its components. The simplest
thing you can do is to regularly
give a quick drop of oil to all of
the moving parts especially after
riding in heavy rain. Always keep the
chain and chain tubes oiled.
4.11 Muscles
The first few times you ride your new trike, you
will feel the muscles on your legs working harder
than you may be used to. This is because
pedaling from the recumbent position uses
different muscle groups than riding in an upright
position. You will find a noticeable improvement
in this in a few days, and with a couple of
months, you won’t notice anything different at all.
When you are riding a recumbent, the best
approach is to keep your cadence a little high,
even if it means gearing down a little early. One
good reason for this is that the recumbent seat
allows you to brace yourself when you push
on the pedals, and this makes it possible to put
large loads into your knees. On an upright bike,
if you pushed that hard, you’d lift yourself out of
the saddle. Also, try to remember to shift down
before you come to a stop; you will find starting
off again to be much easier.
