Tune Up !.....Sat-R-Day Midnight Blue/Yellow

Carrying the Seat & Pannier(MidnightBlue/Yellow 2003-10)

(Well...this isn't exactly a "tune-up")
Travelling with the Sat-R-Day around involves carrying the bike(w/o the seat), the seat, and other luggage...usually a pannier bag or backpack. Carrying the bike,the seat and pannier bag all separately in your hands will give you a really hard time riding the train in Japan. We can carry the bike in a shoulder-bag type cycle bag, so it would be nice to back pack the seat and pannier to get our hands free. This is what I did :

• Put a backpack strap on the rear side of the seat frame, to actually back pack the seat.
• tie the pannier on to the seat, so that both the seat and pannier can be carried piggyback.

Looks a bit strange, and the load sticks out behind you, but your hands are free to hold your tain tickets ! Other people have different way of freeing their hands, and it's interesting how see how others do it.

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Cycle Computer(MidnightBlue/Yellow 2003-05)

The Sat-R-Days use the Cateye Cordless 2 : CC-CL200N wireless cycle computer.
The issue here is where to attach the computert, on a under-steering Sat-R-Day. The unsersteering mechanism leaves little sapce on the steering bar to attach lights, computers etc. Theere is also a bit of distance from the front wheel to the steering which may be a critical issue when attaching a wireless type device.
We opted to attaching the computer on to the seat stay, using the Cateye stem mount kit : #169-6669.
This position makes it easier to read off the meter while maintaining your sight forward when riding.

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Under Steering Attachment(MidnightBlue/Yellow 2003-04)

In order to fold up the Sat-R-Day, the detachable handlebars of the understeering mechanism has to come off. The left and right handlebars are initially locked in place using bolts, which need tools to loosen (and tighten).
In order to make this easy, we changed the bolts to ones with a hand-tightening bolt head, so that the loosening/tightening do not need any tools.

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Brake/Shift Line Adjustment(shifter/lever re-fitting)
(MidnightBlue/Yellow 2003-04)

The USS Sat-R-Day does not come with the best cabling in the world... Even though the brake cables of the USS Sat-R-Day are directed to the rear quarter of the frame, the cables coming out from the brake levers and gripshifters actually head forward and make a big U-turn just where your legs are placed, making the cabling very long, and verrry unnatural.
The rider has to be careful not to get tangled getting on and off the bike, and the cables touch the chain while riding.

What we did to tackle this rather frustrating situation...we turned the attachment positions of the shifters and brake levers upside down, so that the cables actually head backwards towards the rear of the bike, away from the rider's legs.

Yes, the levers and shifters are in an opposite position, not in the way you are used to, but it turns out that it doesn't bother you so much once you get used to it. The cabling becomes much cleaner, and doesn't touch the chain anymore.

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Rear Mirror (MidnightBlue/Yellow 2003-04)

Rearview mirrors are a MUST for recumbents because of the riding position which makes it difficult to look back.
A rearview mirror that has a lot of positions makes it easier to find a nice position on the understeering handlebar, which is positioned lower than handlebars on a conventional bikes.

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