A year on ICE Adventure HD

Cycle Con 2022 was quite a turning point for Bent on a Budget. I promised myself I would try every recumbent trike I could lay my hands on. My old Terra Trike Rover I had purchased back in 2015 as a starter trike had taken me on a 55,000  km adventure  over the years. I felt almost guilty abandoning it but advancing years, aches and pains, and "wants and needs" said, "Jack, it's time for an update."

The first person I recognized when I walked into Cycle Con 2022 Show Hall was Peter Stoll, The Bicycle Man. Peter had given me the original recommendation to buy a TT Rover as a "great starter trike." I thanked him for that valuable advice freely given years earlier. When I explained my goals at Dayton, Peter opined they were all great trikes and then took the opportunity to show me some of the finer points on my selections. 

"Those ICE trikes are expensive but everything they do and make is absolutely top notch." he stated. You listen to folks that give you the straight goods

I knew what I wanted in a new trike. It must be compatable with an e-assist system, suspension all round to smooth out the bumps for my aching bones, maybe a geared hub' 26" rear wheel, great seat, premium drive train components and folding for enhanced transport. My preferred models were from Catrike, Ice, Azub, and HP Velotechnik. Catrike did not attend Cycle Con 2022 so I never got to consider the Dumont. It was a tough decision amongst the others but in the end the ICE Adventure HD impressed me most, I ordered and on Nov 1, 2022 I picked up my new trike from Cora Muis at Hamilton Bike in Ontario

ICE Adventure HD, London,ON

Thames River Trail, London, ON

Configuration

With the loan of some tools and shop facilities of a nephew I spent a couple days familiarizing and setting the Adventure HD up to my requirements. I had tried to order the unit with an Enviolo stepless rear hub but ICE will only sell that with their  e-system so stayed with 2 x 11/42 

Tongsheng TSDZ2 w 52V /13.5 battery. 

I had purchased this unit the previous year and installed on the Rover when Bafang BBSO2B needed an overhaul. I stripped it off the Rover and installed on the ICE using the 42T chain ring and the 50T CR from the TSDZ2. I pulled the front derailleur and control off the ICE and put in storage for future use. To shift from the 50T to the 42T I simply lift the chain by the tube and move it to the other CR- very simple. Most of my riding is in flatter country and the 50T CR allows for better use of more of the 4-5 smaller sprockets on the rear cassette and hence better wear characteristics on the 11-42 Rear cassette.  It works extremely well and gives me an excellent gear range for my type of riding.

Accessories

-Unit was ordered  with a rear rack and a small behind the seat bag for tools.

-Zip tied an old small computer bag to side of rear rack (Rear rack top ext makes folding  difficult) 

-chain gobbler. 

-tranferred my front and rear Cygo Lights, 

-Flags CND and US (lost the ICE Flag 2nd week). 

-Burglar alarm

-Terra-Cycle Raised mirror Mounts

-Terra Cycle Battery Mount

Transport

The Hollywood Rack I used to transport Rover was retired as was Rover . Donated to a nephew. The ICE HD Adventure can be loaded in the back of my Ford Edge by folding the rear seats flat, moving the passenger seat forward, lifing the rear wheel into the rear hatch, then grasping the boom at the motor and the left front wheel and lifting in the vehicle and rolling the rear wheel up to the passenger seat. Very limited passenger space this way but quick and easy without folding. Worked well as secure locked storage. 

For longer trips or more passenger/cargo room trike folded and set flat.in rear of car. Battery/lights remove to ease  loading and prevent damage. About 5 minutes to fold & load or unload and set up

Shake down

For much of November the weather in Southern Ontario remained mild so spent the next weeks rolling around the trails near Kingsville, Leamington and London. The Adventure HD was a real pleasure. The TSDZ performed well and the trike particularly w the suspension and padded seat a delight. The SA brakes were smooth and quiet.

About Nov 20 a cold front and threat of snow had me packing up and heading for Panama City Beach, FL to meet old friends and reacquaint myself with their trail system. Made a quick trip back to Kingsville, ON  for Christmas but another blizzard had me headed back south by New Year's Eve.

Winter on the Beach

Jan thru March 2023winter at Panama City Beach weather wise was one of the nicest I experienced in the approx 20 years I've been going there. Too many people and still only a few trikes but a lot more bikes on the trails. lots of construction but winter guest numbers are still down and prices are up. Rode pretty well every bike trail logging about 5000 km before pulling up stakes and heading north. Spring was slow in arriving in Rainy River ON but it did come at last and now we are into August. Been riding hard all summer so some seasonal maintenance coming up and planning for Xenia Cycle Con in mid Sept.

See you there?