Originally Posted by
Lightning Pilot
Thanks everyone for the replies. Referenced sites bookmarked.
I maintain a Lightning P-38 and a Catrike Pocket (wife's), so these references should do. I want to eventually upgrade the components on the Catrike as they wear. I'm pretty happy with the P-38 as it is, though I might be interested in upgrades if they had some real advantage in terms of maintenance, durability, or function.
Thanks again!
Got it. Aside from suspension bits (the Lightning fork or the Catrike front knuckles- I'm not saying you have those) recumbents use "standard" bike parts so repairing or replacing should be straightforward. Parts keep evolving but a lot of stuff is still available if you know where to look. For instance, I built my new RANS Phoenix with a triple crank and 9-speed cassette. These are generally "obsolete" but I had no problem sourcing brand-new components that bolted together without a problem.
If I want to get wacky and try electronic shifting I'll probably try the Xshifters:
https://www.sportcrafters.com/products/xshifter . I watched them in action yesterday and they look slick. They'd eliminate the miles of cable and housing on the Phoenix.