A definite improvement

At 7:30 this morning, I took my improved ride out for a 5K test run - in spite of the already hot temperature. Without really pushing things (or even getting into the 52 tooth chainring), I hit over 20 MPH on an essentially flat course and finished in 16:12 - which is over SEVEN Minutes better then my previous PR for a 5K. The SRAM DD3 hub was major factor!

Average speed 11.4 MPH - which is getting into the area I need to Boston Qualify (13.1 MPH average).

It will take a little time to get ideal shifting, etc down pat, but for a first time try in less than ideal weather, this was a BIG improvement. Once I get onto a course where I can really use the big chainring, my top speed should take a big jump upward.

July 4th, there is the 'Walk to Liberty', which goes across the bridge between Calhoun and Liberty (wonder where they got the name) Counties. There is a nice hump in the bridge - and I should be able to max out my speed going down into Liberty County. The Speed Limit is 55 MPH - and I intend to see if I can break that limit. If I can spin up to 120 cadence, I should be doing 56 MPH - we shall see!

Getting my "Baby" back ...

I'm back from The Great Bicycle Shop -

SRAM DD3 Hub installed - check (36 spoke 3 - cross using DT Swiss Stainless Steel spokes and brass nipples!);

52T and 24T chainrings installed - check;

Move parking brake to left crank grip - check (makes it a LOT easier to double up on braking);

Mount the DD3 trigger shifter on the left crank grip - check;

Tune all the brakes, shifters, and do an "oil change and grease job" - check;

Do all that at a GREAT price - check!

Right now the 'feels like' is in triple digits, so I am NOT going out for a test ride ... yet.

Now I wait ...

I took my racing chair over to The Great Bicycle Shop yesterday - and was given a great price to have the two chainrings installed, the SRAM DD3 hub laced into the drive wheel, the shifter for the SRAM hub installed and all the shifters adjusted.

Unfortunately, after checking dimensions, they don't have the right sized spokes in stock ... so it will be "maybe Wednesday but probably Thursday" of next week before my ride is ready to pick up.

They already have the chainrings on ... but said that without the fancy Shimano ramps and pins, it was problematic to get a shift to the big 52 tooth chainring. I have some thoughts on that, but I don't see that being a real problem.

I mentioned some of my concerns about the crank arms and braking - they are going to check around to see what they can come up with for better fitting crank arms and the best choice of brakes for the rear wheels. They agreed that only having the one front caliper brake was "less than idea" - especially in the wet. Adding independent real wheel brakes would allow two things - MUCH better braking in an emergency stop situation and possibly better turning by braking just one wheel on the rear. Recumbent bikes use independent brakes on the dual front wheels to turn, and I'm hoping I can achieve a similar effect.

I've been doing some more looking into things, and decided that disc brakes on the rear would be problematic because of the lack of good mounting choices for the brake calipers. Another options I've came across - Sturmey Archer drum brakes. There are four basic choices - with or without a dynamo (powers lights, etc) and 70mm or 90mm brakes. Given the speed I can potentially reach going down steep inclines, I'm leaning toward a pair of the large brakes. They are only about $9.00 more per hub and provide a good deal of extra security. Yes, they do have the disadvantage of being a little heavy, but these brakes work in the wet, may give me better turning ... and the thoughts of the extra safety from better brakes overcomes any weight disadvantage. If I had had a pair of these on the rear on my leased handcycle, I would not have had my crash!

Another advantage to going this route - the higher flanges on the hub will make for stronger wheels on the rear.

Finally ...

Both chainrings are in

24 teeth at the slow end and 52 teeth for the top end - that looks like a HUGE difference. It looks a little better with the 36 tooth middle chainring in place.

Tomorrow, I'm taking the racing chair, the SRAM DD3 hub and the two chainrings to a local bike shop to have the hub laced to the rim, the 9 speed cassette moved to the DD3 hub and the chainrings installed. Once all that's done, the racing chair gets a good tuneup on the shifters, etc.

There are still some things that I want to change ... but they will have to wait.

Better and Better!

The second chainring shipped today, and should be here Monday or Tuesday (USPS Priority Mail).

I contacted several bike shops in Tallahassee to get some rough estimates for replacing the chainrings, building the wheel with the SRAM DD3 hub and tuning up all the shifters, etc. and got a really good price from one of the top rated shops.

I should be taking my ride over on Wednesday or Thursday to get things started, and have it ready for pickup on Friday or Saturday. While it's in the shop, I'm going to see if they have any suggestions about the crank arms - who knows, they may know someone that can custom make a set.

Sunday I should be taking it out for a good test run including a few small hills to check out the low end and get an idea how the top end looks - the hills aren't really long enough to get a real head of steam up, but I'll get a good idea how it will handle on a longer run.

What am I hoping for? Getting my average speed into the 12 to 15 MPH range. To Boston Qualify, I need to average 13.1 MPH for a full Marathon, so ...

Things are looking up

Cheap airfares are popping up ... and I found a round trip fare from ECP (Panama City Beaches) to DCA (Ronald Reagan National) and return for under $200. It would cost more than that in gas alone to drive, so ... I'm booked on the flight and Achilles International will arrange for pickup and return to Ronald Reagan National.

I have been tweaking my handcycle extensively, and have gotten a much better fit. Still not ideal, but a good deal closer. I need to drop the bottom bracket another 1" to 1 1/2" to be the ideal height - that won't happen without different crank arms ... which is in the $400 range.

Now I just need the final chainring to come in so I can get the new gears and SRAM DD3 hub installed. Once that's done, I will start some serious training. I REALLY want to get my times down so I can try for a Boston Qualifier ... which means a Marathon in under  TWO hours!

Two hours? Can I do it? Maybe - but it's going to take a lot of training ... and maybe some better additions to the handcycle. Next up on my wish list - competition wheels from Zipp ... but they are WAY too expensive on my budget.

A pleasant surprise

I had a package notice in my mailbox today, and in the package ... a SRAM DD3 hub with the trigger shifter and clickbox!

Now I just need the chainrings I ordered to come in - then I can set up an appointment with a bike shop to install everything and I'm in business.

Of course, there are a few more items on my wishful thinking list that would make things a lot better ...

1. Disc brakes;

2. Better crank arms;

3. Competition wheels;

4. 10 speed cassette, derailleur and shifter;

5. ...

But those are just in the wishful thinking stage right now, and I am MORE than satisfied with where I am now compared to a year ago - I have a handcycle (with some NICE tweaks) and I'm not falling when I go for run/walks!

Planning.

I've decided that I will stick what I have ... with a few modifications.

1. I already added the crank handle extensions. The cranks aren't ideal, but I don't see the $$ being available to change them any time soon, so ...

2. The Shimano Crankset (FC-M431) has 26-36-48 Chainrings with an 11-32 9-speed Cassette. This gives a "low speed of 2.5 MPH and a spin out top end of about 32 MPH. The low is a little high and the top end isn't nearly enough. Playing with the numbers (and finding what's actually available), it looks like a 24-36-52 set of Chainrings will give a low of 2.2 MPH (cadence of 40) and a high of 34 MPH (cadence of 100). Definitely a change in the right direction.

Who makes a 104 BCD 52T Chainring, you ask? Rennen Design Group does! You can choose from 32T to 52T AND you can also choose DIGITAL increments. But wait, that's not all! You can also choose your color from Black, Polished, Brown, Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Orange, Purple and Flourescent Pink!

I went with Blue 52T (ignore what the photo says for number of teeth)

64 BCD 24T Chainrings are commonly available - even in Blue. I went with the Blackspire Super Pro Blue 24T

3. The 9-Speed Cassette isn't ideal - a wide range 11-36 10-speed cassette is a definite improvement ... on the bottom end. With a 1.9 MPH low at a 40 cadence, there will be few hills anywhere I will be racing that can't be handled. The top end is still stuck at 34 MPH, though - which is NOT enough going down hill! Let's see - SRAM PG-1070 11-36 Cassette - $65; SRAM X9 10 speed trigger shifter - $61; SRAM X9 Long Cage 10 speed derailleur - $90 ... $210 to change the Cassette - not happening soon.

4. There is still that pesky top speed - time to look at the SRAM DD3 again. That moves the low end down to 1.4 MPH -  definitely a hill climber ... and the top end goes up to almost 47 MPH - which is MUCH more like it! Without changing the cassette, I'm looking at the same top end and a low of 1.6 MPH ... hmmmm!  DD3 Hub, shifter, etc - pretty close to that same $200 plus area and still out of reach right now ... especially if I go with the disc brake version.

5. Did someone say disc brakes? There goes another $170 ... nope.

6. Not really a performance enhancer (well, maybe a tiny bit), but a neck rest really would feel good and let me push just a tiny bit harder. Enter Steve at The Finer Recliner who is custom making one for my Force 2.

So, just where am I headed?

The extensions will work for a while - check;
52T Chainring ordered - check
24T Chainring ordered - check
Neck Rest ordered - check

I REALLY want the DD3 hub now - and the disc brakes ... but that's $400 or so that I just don't have right now and won't for a while.

What does that leave?
Fund Raisers - NO, not going there!;
Time - I have plenty of that;
Corporate Sponsors; etc.  If you happen to know a Company that would like to spend a little for some VERY active word of mouth advertising ... send them my way and I will talk with them.

That's a little better ...

I did my 2 mile training course again - and averaged 7.9 MPH and hit a top speed of 14 MPH. I still have a long way to go until I'm actually competitive, but it IS a new handcycle. A year from now I will be doing a lot better!

On a side note, the Shimano shifter is just NOT going to work where it's at. I'm going to move it over to the left hand crank and see if I can move it to a position where I can actually downshift the 9 speed cassette. with one hand. Right now, it is a little too far for my right thumb to reach and downshift ... and there is no room to move it closer or turn it where it will be reachable.

Other not so nice features:

1. The hub is 8/9 speed cassette only. I will have to buy a new hub if I want to use a 10 speed (or 11 speed) cassette. Getting the Dual Drive 3 would solve the hub issue ... and the SRAM shifters are MUCH more handcycle friendly.

2. The crankset isn't wide enough to clear my legs or abdomen, and it's only 170 mm. I'm wondering if the Force G "S" crankarms can be fitted to the Force 2. They add 6" in width and are 200mm for a little additional leverage. I have long arms, so the extra length wouldn't be an issue as long as I had the extra width for clearance. I predict a call to Top End in the near future.