Triker Gary (Catrike 700)

The 40 spoke rear 700c wheel, a custom build, adds strength to carry the load.

Gary’s 2014 Catrike 700 has been adapted for touring, with a Lone Peak pannier system.

(Most recent updates appear near the bottom of this page.)

Gary Bunting, 2011 team member of the Coast to Cactus Tricycle Expedition, has acquired his second Catrike! This fellow loves Catrikes, as do many folks. He has been riding a Catrike Road since 2010, and it was his expedition trike. In 2014, he decided to try the speed monster called the 700, and now is in the process of preparing it for longer distance riding. As photos and written material from Gary are submitted, this page will grow. To begin however, here are a few images. You may read his 2011 expedition journal by clicking HERE, his trek from the Oregon Coast to Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Gary has installed an Aerospoke rear wheel, an Old Man Mountain touring rack, Topeak water bottle holders for behind the seat, front and rear fenders, two rear view mirrors, and a Catrike flag. The Aerospoke wheel has since been replaced with a Velocity 40 spoke.

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GARY’S 2014 CATRIKE 700
ON-BOARD ACCESSORIES LIST

(Currently Installed Accessories)
Cateye HL-EL010 UNO Headlight
Shimano M530 SPD Pedals
Catrike 130mm Chain Guard
Dimension Anodized 26t x 74mm Chainring (Black)
Catrike Mirror and Computer Mount – Right Side
Mirrycle Mountain Mirror
RAM 1” Ball Mount (B-Size)
RAM 3” Mount Extension Arm (B-Size)
Garmin Edge 800 GPS w/Yellow Protective Cover
Catrike 406mm Front Fenders
Mirrycle Incredibell – Brass Duet Bell
ICE Open-Cell, Beveled Foam Seat Pad
Schwalbe 20 x 1.35 (406mm) Marathon Plus Front Tires
Schwalbe PV#7A 20 x 1 1/8 – 1 3/8 40m Presta Valve Tubes
Aerospoke Carbon 700c Standard Rear Wheel w/135mm Spacing
Schwalbe 700 x 35c Marathon Plus Rear Tire
Kenda 700c x 28-32 Q-Tube w/48mm Presta Valve Stem
Yokozuna Black Anodized Alloy Presta Valve Caps (3)
Dimension Black Button Water Bottle Cages (3)
Nalgene 23 oz. Yellow Water Bottles (3) w/Locking Valves and Snap-Shut Dust Covers
Lezyne 170mm Black Pressure Drive Pump
Old Man Mountain Sherpa Rear Rack w/Black Custom Powder-Coated Brackets
Planet Bike Rear Fender – 700c x 45mm w/Modified Frame Tube Mount
Catrike 2014 700 Frame Bags
Lone Pine RP-700 Yellow Expandable Rack Pack w/Rain Cover
Purple-Sky Catrike Flag (Orange to Yellow) w/Black 2-Piece Mast
Nathan Cycle-Helmet Stick-ons
Nathan Dots and Dashes
(Accessories To Be Installed)
Dimension 24t x 74mm Chainring (Black)
FSA 38t x 130mm Chainring (Black)

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RECENT CHAIN REPLACEMENT AND FRONT CHAINRING MODIFICATION:

Worked for a few hours on my 700 yesterday (May 30, 2014) and got the 24t chainring and SRAM PC-1097R chain installed. All was easy and went well. It was not necessary to remove the locking ring on the left crank. In fact, if you remove the locking ring, you cannot get the left crank off as the ring provides the backup bearing surface for Self-Extracting Crank Bolt to pull the crank off of the Bottom Bracket Spindle Assembly Bearing Cup. Lesson learned.

Results of installation:

1) The new SRAM chain is much smoother, quieter, and easy-shifting than the KMC-X10 stock chain originally installed on the trike;

2) The new SRAM chain allows for very easy shifting from the 39t chainring down to the 24t chainring without the necessity of having the chain on the higher gear cogs of the rear cluster to relieve tension on the chain when making the middle to low-range shift on the crank. There is also much less ‘klunking’ when applying a ‘hard/fast shift’ through all of the gears, especially in the lower ranges;

3) The new chain seems to traverse through the Idler Pulley much easier than does the KMC original chain and the ‘twist’ in the chain appears to be ‘gentler’ and more lineal than on the original chain (probably because of the narrower link width than that of the original chain and may also be due to the fact that the SRAM chain link plates are internally chamfered, as opposed to the ‘expanded link’ method of easing gear cog engagement that KMC uses to ease cog engagement), allowing the rear cluster cog engagement to be done with less stress on the chain line and the Idler Pulley;

4) The new SRAM chain is significantly lighter in weight than the KMC-X10 chain. The narrower link width, I believe, is the reason for this and all of the above;

5) Only draw-back in using this chain is that you must carry a spare SRAM Power-Lock part that joins the chain together at installaion. This device is a one-use-only part and must be removed with a chain tool in the event of chain repairs for damage or breakage. That’s no ‘biggy’ in my book, as the chain is stronger and more reliable (and I would bet a far less wear factor) than the KMC product and will most likely will not break under touring loads and use for many years/miles throughout the life of this new chain.

Now to the added cost of $200.00 from The Hostel Shoppe: The cost IS a bit exhorbitant, but in my estimation from this experience and the short use (about 40-miles of riding on the KMC-10X stock chain) that I was not totally happy with of the orginal chain, the added cost is totally worth it.

I will add that I was very skeptical about this expenditure in the beginning, but I knew that the KMC chain was not doing the job that I wanted and expected on this new ride. Now I am more confident and happy with the way the drive-line runs, where I definitely was not in the beginning, even after many fine-tuning efforts and adjustments to get the results I sought out of the drive-line using the KMC-10X chain.

I’ve included a couple of pics of the installation. You will notice on the one of the crank that the original KMC-10X stock chain was really rubbing up against the sides of the chainrings, causing a significant amount of wear through the black anodization of the rings and to the rings themselves. Because of its narrower link width, the new SRAM chain does not rub against the chainrings as much with as much faying pressure, and the result will be less damage and wear to the chain and the chainrings. It is safe to assume that this new wear-factor decrease applies to the chain engagement of the rear cluster cogs, as well. A notable plus for the extra expenditure.

I’m very happy with my decision to spend the extra money.

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THE CATEYE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY

With a Dremmel cone-shaped grinding stone, I opened the existing rear plate fixture hole, on the Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack, enough to allow installation of a rubber grommet and the pass-thru of the plastic threaded tab of the tail lite assembly. The semi-soft rubber cushion pad of the tail lite assembly engages the rear of the rack welded rails perfectly and affords a shock-absorbing seat for the tail light installation. A plastic, threaded thumb-nut engages the plastic, threaded tab on the bottom of the assembly and affords a very solid securing of the tail light assembly to the rear rack. This tail light is installed to the assembly by virtue of a tongue-and-groove attach point with a locking tab, allowing the tail light only to be readily removed from the assembly for security reasons when the trike is unattended.

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AEROSPOKE WHEEL ISSUE

There is a sizing and fit issue with the Aerospoke wheel specifically on a Catrike 700, which is illustrated by the following documentation.

Click either link below for further photos and explanation:

2014 AEROSPOKE END CAP SIZING PROBLEMS FOR CATRIKES

AEROSPOKE 700C RIGHT END CAP SIZING PROBLEMS (CATRIKE ISSUE)

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GARY’S 2014 CATRIKE 700

ON-BOARD ACCESSORIES LIST

Cateye HL-EL010 UNO Headlight

Shimano M530 SPD Pedals

Catrike 130mm Chain Guard

Dimension Anodized 24t x 74mm Chainring (Black)

Catrike Mirror and Computer Mount – Right Side

Mirrycle Mountain Mirror – Right and Left Sides

RAM 1” Ball Mount (B-Size)

RAM 3” Mount Extension Arm (B-Size)

Garmin Edge 800 GPS w/Yellow Protective Cover

Catrike 406mm Front Fenders

Mirrycle Incredibell – Brass Duet Bell

ICE Open-Cell, Beveled Foam Seat Pad

Schwalbe 20 x 1.35 (406mm) Marathon Plus Front Tires (2 Front)

Schwalbe PV#7A 20 x 1 1/8 – 1 3/8 40m Presta Valve Tubes (2 Front)

Schwalbe 700 x 35c Marathon Plus Rear Tire

Kenda 700c x 28-32 Q-Tube w/48mm Presta Valve Stem

Yokozuna Black Anodized Alloy Presta Valve Caps (3)

Dimension Black Button Water Bottle Cages (3)

Nalgene 23 oz. Yellow Water Bottles (3) w/Locking Valves and Snap-Shut Dust Covers

Lezyne 170mm Black Pressure Drive Pump

Old Man Mountain Sherpa Rear Rack w/Black Custom Powder-Coated Brackets

Cateye TL-610 Tail Light

Planet Bike Rear Fender – 700c x 45mm w/Modified Frame Tube Mounts

Catrike 2014 700 Frame Bags

Purple-Sky Catrike Flag (Orange to Yellow) w/Black 2-Piece Mast

Nathan Cycle-Helmet Stick-ons

Nathan Dots and Dashes Frame Safety Stick-ons

Hostel Shoppe Granny Guard w/Low Profile Spacers for LSA Gossamer Pro Crankset (Black)

SRAM PC-1091R Power Chain (Custom Build for Recumbent Tadpole Trike – 14 F/L)

Lone-Peak Custom Yellow/Black RP-700 Expandable Rack Pack w/Rain Cover (1030cc Capacity)

Lone-Peak P-150 Yellow/Black Millcreek Panniers w/Rain Covers (2000cc Capacity/Pair)

Radical Design Banana Racer Side-Pod Recumbent Bags, Yellow/Black (25L Capacity/Pair)

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Modified Gearing Chart (with 24 tooth small chainring)

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AUGUST 01, 2014

New neckrest from Steve Sussman (the FINER RECLINER):

An update on ‘MANGO MADNESS’: This new road-ripping beastie has a new ‘The Finer Recliner’ headrest, letting all who see her know exactly who she is.

As with ‘YELLOW BEAST‘, my main goal was to add a ‘MANGO MADNESS’ patch to my new, speedy touring trike to make a screaming notation of my pride in this new ride, that patch being placed on the front of the Lone Peak Rack Trunk, under a ‘Free-On-Three’ Patch. But again, not being able to locate any label or patch maker to do the job for me for a reasonable price, I opted to give Steve Sussman’s (Krispy Steve) product a try.

The Finer Recliner can be attached to the stock Catrike hardware if desired.

And…for this more reclined seating rocket-sled platform, I am so glad that I did. On my daily (or as often as I can take them) workout rides of usually 15-26 miles, even though there was no great amount of discomfort using the original Catrike headrest, toward the end of te 26-miler, I was finding too much pressure at the nape of my neck (this probably due to a level of no-rest continuation of the rides and muscle fatigue) and on a couple of ocassions, a headache ensued for several hours after arriving back at the ol’ homestead.

The Catrike attachment system is more compact and unobtrusive than the FC system.

This new headrest provides true riding comfort that I didn’t even know I was missing with the original headrest. To repeat, the quality of design and workmanship on these rests is superb. I could not be happier and more pleasantly surprised, knowing that this new addition to both of my overland touring trikes will afford me a many-fold greater comfort-level and long-distance comfort sustainability than the originals.

Easy to install – just replace Catrike’s stiff neckrest with this one.

I highly recommend that all trike pilots consider investing in one of these comfort-giving wonders, even if they are not long-distance, overland trike tourers.

You won’t know what you’re missing until you try one of Steve’s neckrests!

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GPS – Global Positioning System mounting

I decided to take off the RAM Mount paraphernalia that held the Garmin Edgo 800 on the trike, and replace it with the stock handlebar mount from Garmin. I was having a lot of trouble with the assembly bouncing around notably when riding on road surface irregularties, such to the point that my front fender was bing impacted. The new setup is infinitely better, cleaner, and sleeker:

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NEW VELOCITY DYAD 700C, 40-SPOKE, CUSTOM WHEEL FOR ‘MANGO MADNESS’

August 2014:
After the difficult decision to dispense with the idea that the AeroSpoke carbon composite 700c wheel would be a good modification to ‘Mango Madness’, my new 2014 Catrike 700 (painted in Shiney Mango, of course), I returned that wheel to The Hostel Shoppe for a full refund (in that the wheel was undamaged or worn, had not been modified in any way, and was returned within 30-days of the date of purchase).

I dug out the packed up original Velocity A23 700c wheel that she came with, mounted the Schwalbe Marathon Plus, 700×35 tire and the appropriate Schwalbe tube, re-installed the original SRAM 1050,, 11-36 10-speed rear cluster and installed that wheel and tire assembly back into my new trike.

I felt that, since the A23 wheel was a very strong wheel and built-up with the Marathon Plus tire and tube, it should be a more than adequate touring platform for the light-loaded touring goals that I had decided upon.

After about 60-miles of workout riding, I discovered that [as Steve Greene’s riding buddy Matt Jensen had stated to him, that the A23 is a ‘live wheel’], this wheel and tire/tube assembly still had a certain minor amount over-flexure (the tire was repeatedly rubbing the rear fender walls in moderate ‘speeds and g’s’ turns) that I did not like, even with the larger and stiffer Schwalbe MP tire and tube mounted on it.

It must be considered here that I am an over-weight rider [working on that Steve – 7lbs. gone so far, post-700 purchase] and this certainly has an impact on the way my trike wheel and suspension system (the fantastic and springy Catrike space-frame) responds to the load I put on them.

After a lot of thought and research with direct assistance from Velocity Wheels and The Hostel Shoppe, I decided to commission Velocity to custom-build a black-anodized, 700c, 40-hole non-machined rim, wheel with a Velocity black-anodized, 40-hole Road [Tour] Rear Hub and DT Swiss Champion, double-butted, black spokes with silver-plated, brass nipples.

The wheel was ordered through The Hostel Shoppe, as Velocity does not normally deal directly with the public.

The new wheel arrived at my home within 10-days, as promised by The Hostel Shoppe and I immediately began building it up with a new SRAM 1050, 11-36t, 10-speed rear cluster, a new Schwalbe 700c x 28-35 tube, and a new Schwalbe 700c x 35 Marathon Plus tire. That didn’t take long as this was my third rear-wheel-build and installation on this trike.

Results: In short, and although it is still a ‘live’ wheel, this 40-spoke wheel (which is also available in a 48-spoke version in this configuration from Velocity) is a dream and is still fast!!!

‘MANGO MADNESS’
WITH HER NEW VELOCITY, CUSTOM-BUILT
‘DYAD’ 700c x 135mm, 40-Spoke
Rear Wheel

It is stiff enough to only result in very random and occasional fender rubs during extremely rough (and I do mean extremely rough!) road shock, and yet flexible enough to withstand any road irregularity or turning load incident (i.e.; overly fast corners or high-speed [YAHOO!!!] downhills that it will encounter on a loaded tour.

It is important to note here that this new wheel came at a cost of $262USD, $105USD less than that of the AeroSpoke 700c x 135mm carbon composite wheel that I had originally ordered as an improvement for carrying touring loads and for increased speed potential on this new trike.

As has been noted elsewhere in the TA, the 700c x 135mm AeroSpoke wheel, because of it’s Drive-Side End Cap design/dimensions, will not properly fit into the right-side drop-out of the 2014 Catrike 700 Recumbent Trike.

After 60-miles of riding now, I am more than happy with this new Velocity Dyad 700c x 135mm, 40-spoke custom wheel. And…because of the 40-spoke configuration, I don’t expect to ever have to true this wheel, or to have to replace a spoke during long-distance loaded touring or on any other kind of riding trip.

40 spokes – strong as an ox! You can get these in 48 spokes also (if so inclined).