Adding Suspension and Quick Releases to the ICE QNT

In early 2006 ICE changed the specification of the Q-S-T range of trikes to include rear suspension as a standard option. They also brought out a "quick-release" kit, that allows easy removal of the front wheels, handlebars, and seat, that together with the new suspended rear allows the trike to be broken down for transportation and reassembled very easily.

Dana at BentUp cycles ordered both kits for me, and kindly let me use some of his shop space to attach the suspension unit. First you have to remove the old back triangle, and all the junk I had attached to it (racks, lights, cycleops sensor etc.). Remove the back wheel, break the chain, and the whole lot slides off. Then remove the plastic sleeve, and brass shim that were used to clamp the rear section, and insert the new shim provided in the suspension kit. As the suspension system is designed for use with undished wheels, we had to undish my powertap rear wheel. This is when I am glad I have the Velocity aeroheat double walled rim as I did not need to file down the protruding threads! I also had to grind of part of the lower horizontal support bar on the rack as it would bottom down onto the right suspension swing arm.

Likes:

• Suspension :-)
• Dynamo bracket.
• Nicer rear rack (still not perfect).

Dislikes:

• Long rear gear housing cable makes for somewhat sloppy shifts (will add some SS tube for much of the length to improve this).
• Tendency to slide sideways on v. rough roads.
• Difficult to mount accessories.
• Had to loose my parking brake (for the moment).
• Jandd panniers do not fit rack, but Caradice ones do.

After 3- weeks still not quite sure about the handling, the bump reduction is noticeable, but sometimes seem to travel sideways a bit.

After 8- weeks things are still a bit up in the air for me about the suspension. I have put some Schwalbe "Big Apple" tires on the front at 55psi, and they significantly improve the ride smoothness too! I am still noticing some drift going over big bumps. I have measured that the rear wheel is as exactly perpendicular to the road as I can, so All I can think of is that the camber of the road is throwing the wheel a bit, but I do not know why I didn't notice it with the fixed triangle. Otherwise I think I have everything setup. I have made a bracket to reattach the rear parking brake, but forgot to fit it over the weekend!

I do like the QR kit, Again it was very easy to install, EXCEPT that the front axle holes on my old QNT were not quite big enough to fit the new QR axles! So I ordered a 12mm hand ream from McMaster-Carr, which quickly fixed that problem!

Well after 4 months with the rear suspension, I have descided to go back to the fixed rear triange. I did like the suspension, but I could never quite get used to the 'drifting' on very bumpy roads, and could find no way to eliminate it. It was also robbing a little bit of power. So we will see how I do with the fixed system. Having got the whole system apart I also installed a TerraCycle drive and idler wheel system and removed all the chain tubes. Unfortunately this allows the possibility of the drive-side of the chain rubbing on the chain stay sometimes. For now I have just put a protector on the chain-stay, but will build a little bracket to hold just that tube.