Introducing Sasha Yevstifeev

Meet our newest Rider.

Sasha Yevstifeev is an electrical engineering major, mechanic, and problem solver.

Who better to begin testriding the e-trike, and the greenway, and beginning to spread the word?

He is going to be

• logging rides
• measuring performance (battery, mileage, etc.)
• developing a signage strategy for the greenway
• talking to vendors who might want to get behind this project.
• (and incidentally ordering materials for a radical trike design)

Jesse and Jon go riding

On July 3rd, Jesse and I went on our own first test ride.

I had driven the trike home for the first time the night before (and had a blast). I was really astounded by how stable and smooth and peppy the vehicle is. The pedals were superfluous except on a few steep hills where a few shoves got me on my way.

The next morning I road from my home near Culver and East to Jesse's place (Averill, near the Greenway), met Jesse and in we rode. I got to ride the trike, Jesse rode his bike.

It was when we emerged from the trail at Brighton Henrietta Town Line Road that we hit a snag: the left front wheel went flat. This led us to some blinding insights recorded here for posterity.

• Spare tire or patch kit!
• Road Service! (AAA now has road service for bikes. So does the truly-with-it competitor Better World Club
• Pushing this baby could be made easier. I was VERY grateful that Jesse was with me.

1. a tow rope/harness
2. a way of controlling the motor while walking beside the vehicle.

But this is how we learn. I'm looking forward to my next ride and hope we are beginning a regular testing regime.

Next up: quantitative ride logging.

.............................................................

Volunteers wanted!

• for test-riding
• for accompanying
• we need a peppier pennant
• make us an offer!

First ride

Last Friday I brought home an RIT electric tricycle, sitting in a recumbent position and including pedals for manual assistance. For being an aluminum frame with some bike parts and an electric motor, batteries, charger, with shiftable gears for the manual assist pedals... the bike performs well! Some minor things that an easy addition to the trike would include: a gel/neoprene lumbar pad; a pin or a thick rubber band to slip onto either of the brake hand levers (parking brake); and the implementation of an electric reverse. Design issues that need to be re-engineered into the next version of RIT ultra-light vehicles included: front to rear weight distribution, at higher speeds fishtailing is common; pedalling causes the vehicle to shift side to side, increasing the likelihood of fishtailing; it is heavy, pedalling without electric assistance would be long and tiresome; the front could use a suspension, I felt much less comfortable crossing cement edges than I did on grass or gravel... I felt like I might break something.

The Greenway was a wonderful ride! I felt at ease as it goes through some thick woods, which I was not expecting at all! After riding home, I left my bag and coat, and continued over into Highland Park for about 30 minutes. The trike was becoming weaker, but still helped a lot as I neared my garage to put it away.

Tomorrow morning I will ride it in!!!