manufactures photo of Hase Kettwiesel Recumbent Trike

Hase Kettwiesel log

Summary

This page details how I came to buy my Hase Kettwiesel recumbent trike and what modifications etc. I have made to it (jump to most recent entry).

Or << Back to Hase Kettwiesel introduction page.


January 2002: Buying it

Hase V-brake I had been thinking about buying a winter trike, I had done my research (except for actual test rides !!) and so when I saw a Hase Kettwiesel on the Special Offers page at the excellent Pedalkraft Spezialraeder for Eur1520 I could not resist. It was an older model but at the price discount I was not complaining.

(The main difference I am aware of is that the newer (i.e. 2002) models have rear disk brakes, mine has 2 V-brakes (see photo right: the left arm is a standard V-brake part and moves and the right arm is by Hase and is FIXED: it relies on the wheel moving across to rub on the brake block !). Also there are 2 additional idlers in the drive train in newer models so that when you adjust the boom in and out the chain length does not need to be changed).

After a quick exchange of emails I decided I wanted it :-)

21st January 2002: Taking Delivery

Hase BOB/Weber adaptor So later that week it arrives: together with the attachment (see photo right) to allow the fitting of a standard Weber Coupling so that I could tow our child trailer.

(The dark grey part (made of three tubes) is by Hase and secures with an expansion bolt (1) onto the left hand axle tube (see photo below). Then either a Weber coupling (2) can be bolted on (as shown) or a Yak trailer fits across the length of the rearmost tube (3)).

January 2002: Fine Tuning

This process usually takes me several months of trial and error ! Trailer coupled to Hase
Mirror and computer mount Computer sensor mount

December 2002 Riding it

I do not have that many miles riding it yet, but here are my impressions so far:

December 2002: Thinking about a fairing addition

I would still like to do this, but nothing has progressed yet off the drawing board :-( and in Europe winter is now arrived !! (see my Hase Kettwiesel fairing ideas page)

January 2003: Snow and Ice :-)

Great fun: human-powered handbrake turns !! I found myself sprinting into corners, throwing my body-weight to one side and then jamming the brakes on just to slide the rear-end round :-) But it is also soooo relaxing not to be worrying about falling off (maybe it is just me !!).

Usually snow and ice is the time of year that I hate for cycling (although we do not get very much snow here in Darmstadt). The point for me is not that there are maybe 4 or 5 days a year when there is a lot of snow and ice nor that I am always falling off. The point for me is that I do not have to think about it: I do not know on which 4 or 5 days the snow and ice will come and I now do not have to worry about patches of ice on other days. I just plough on...

January 2003: Lower gears

I had already replaced the original 52 tooth chainring with a 46 tooth from my spares box. But I wanted to go a bit lower to allow for towing the child trailer (42+ kg (92lbs)) up the local (admittedly small) hills. I calculated that a 40T would do the job, without losing too much top end. 39T proved easier/cheaper to get but when I installed it I discovered a possible problem. On the small gears the power side of the chain is now touching on of the rear cross-pieces. This is OK for now as at this point it is still in the plastic tube, but I will have to keep an eye in it !!

February 2003: Trailer experience

It tows the trailer fine: as long as you remember 2 things;

March 2003: Full time use now :-)

I bought the trike primarily for winter use: but I have to confess I am quite addicted to it now :-) I have been using it all the time since the snow above, and love it.

Summer 2003: Back to the Flux most of the time now

Warmer weather means I need a more relaxing ride !! It is difficult to resist putting the pressure on the pedals on the Hase, and I do not want to arrive at work soaked in sweat !! Also I get tired of lifting and manoeuvring the Hase out of the cellar room, up the stairs, through the front door and out onto the street. Every day. (Hopefully when we move I will have better (street level) parking !)

December 2003: Snow arrives in Darmstadt

We do not get much here in Darmstadt: but we had some for a couple of days and the trike was great fun :-)

Also I bought an (sports) Airhorn to use instead of the Air Zound - just need to fix it now !!

June 2004: Still using it everyday

So far I have not gone back to the Flux after the winter snow - the Kett is great fun to ride, even round town. It is a much more responsive and faster ride than the Flux, and it is really nice to use SPDs and not have to bother with unclipping all the time (my commute is very stop/start).

Early 2006: New chain tubing and tyres

(And still using it everyday :-)

The original chain tubes are getting a bit tatty now: and they always were a bit short (to allow for the shorter leg adjustments). So I picked up some black plastic garden hose at my local Bauhaus DIY superstore (Gardena Micro-Drip-System, 15m long, 13mm diameter), cut it to length and straighted it using a round, wooden, dowl and boiling water. Worked fine. I re-used the old P-clips but just noticed that Conrad has P-clips in lots of sizes, including rubber protected.

The 2 original rear Conti tyres are now worn quite low, so I have replaced them with Schwalbe Marathon HS 308 40-406. Initial impressions are good.

March 2007: Still using it everyday

Bit of a repeated entry but I still ride every day to work, and it is still great fun to ride it. I am a little tempted to upgrade to a newer model: disc brakes, adjustable seat, aluminium frame... but for a hack bike I can not really justify it to myself !! But I will try to have a ride on a new one at the SPEZI this year, and see what I think !!

May 2008: bought a new Hase Kettwiesel Tour

See log.


To Do


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