In reply to Keith Tanner :
It's not about older being cooler, it's just more adjustable, more solid, easier to open and close, it has that handy step and the top wood is bigger. I didn't realize they were still available. The others were all that I could find. They did serve their intended purpose though. So much better than sawhorses!
Definitely still available. I've got one of each of the styles you have, and I go for the bigger one every time as a first choice.
As a happy side product of looking for that link, I just discovered you can buy replacement clips for the little spring-out legs. My Workmate will no longer be gimpy.
This morning, I removed the brake calipers, which allowed me to pull the front wheels and gain access to the discs. They had just enough corrosion on them to really annoy me, so off they came. They are now chelatin' out in a bath of Metal Rescue, which I'm hoping is what they call EvapoRust when you buy it at Lowes. I've had good luck with EvapoRust, but it's hard to find. I wasn't sure if I had enough left to cover the discs and I didn't want to mix the products, so I went with the full bottle of Metal Rescue instead.
Catrike’s customer service is usually exemplary. Also check out the amazing trikes from Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE) in England. Impeccably designed machines that can be highly customized to each owner. One of our customers has put more than 20,000 documented miles on an ICE trike and it still looks and rides as new. He’s done that in 4 years. In Michigan.
I’m riding a new ICE Sprint X and it’s amazing!
How much time per day on average does it take to get to 15K miles in only 2 years?
He would get up before breakfast and ride 14 or more miles. He really did ride almost every day. I have two notebooks full of his mileage logs. He would often come home, shower, eat breakfast and then walk for another hour or two. Sometimes, he would ride again in the evening. He said that he started riding bikes in 1936.
I'm glad he's doing well with the trike and hope he has a speedy recovery.
In reply to Wally :
Thanks Wally!
The brakes have been sitting in the Metal Rescue for about eleven hours, and there is no noticeable difference, even when I hit them with a brass wire brush. I'm starting to think that they were clear coated from the factory and then the clear was milled off of the braking surface. Moisture got in there and there is now corrosion under the clear coat. I really don't have the time or desire to mess with them, so I broke down and ordered a pair of new rotors for $32 each. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for fast shipping, as I need to get this thing back on its wheels ASAP.
Brake pads will remove any coating on the friction surface. If you want a set of rotors quickly, your local bike shop will probably have them in stock. They’ll be off the shelf parts.
Or a scotchbrite pad and rattle can clear.
Or shoot them with black paint and do a quick swipe of the friction surface with a rag soaked in brake clean. That’s the fastest and easiest.
It’s official: the brake rotors are garbage. What I had thought was light surface corrosion was actually deep pitting. I’m glad I ordered new ones. I hope they will get here before the weekend, as I’d like to get this thing back on its wheels.
I finally picked up a pair of Shimano rotors yesterday to replace the crusty Avids that were original to the trike. I had ordered a pair of Avids from a bike shop in Pennsylvania on eBay, thinking that they were so close that I would get them quickly. Big mistake. They arrived in about a week, but one was no good, possibly a manufacturing defect. They were good about offering a replacement and shipped it out the next day, but according to the tracking number, it's been sitting at the Philadelphia Post Office since August 1. Very frustrating. So I now have a matching pair of new Shimanos on the trike, and a single new Avid rotor that I don't need.
The wheels are back on and I just need to remount the calipers. I probably should have swapped in new brake pads, but I'll try these for now.
My Dad was anxiously watching as I put the finishing touches on the brakes.
As I wrapped things up he jokingly said, "You know, you're not done yet..." and pointed to the peeling Made in the USA decal at the back of the trike. That led to fantastic student vs. teacher moment as I produced an envelope from Catrike that held two brand new replacement decals!
Needless to say, he is thrilled to be riding again.
If only you were closer. Good deal for that bike. Is your Dad no longer able to ride?
clutchsmoke said:If only you were closer. Good deal for that bike. Is your Dad no longer able to ride?
Uh, no.
He will not be riding it anymore.
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