My first bent on order ...

View Full Version : My first bent on order ...

Pages : [1] 2

jhaake

Hello all,

lurk mode off ...

First, a big thanks to the many people that participate here and all the advice and discussion. Keep it up.

I just test drove a RANS V2 (after several other LWB bents) and I fell in love. I discovered however that I needed an extended length model. It was almost okay with the seat all the way back, but the helpful store owner recomended I go extended so I wouldn't always ride around with the seat all the way back and with 95% of my weight on the back tire. So I special ordered, and since I was special ordering anyway I decided to upgrade a bit the the V2 Formula. Any V2 formula riders out there?

My wife is still looking for her bent, but she hasn't taken a look at the RANS yet either.

My ponderments:

fenders, yes or no?

computers, more than a gimick?

feet hooked/clipped to pedals? (I can see myself in slo-mo falling over with my feet still firmly planted on the pedals) Note, I do use clips on my diamond frame.

do all (male) bent riders really have graying/white beards?

will my engine ever be tuned properly enough to scale those hills on my bent?

eastern united states road touring techniques (i.e. roadside camping with no BLM land in site ... does tresspassing become a normal routine?) ... I might start a separate thread on that one.

John Haake V2 in Ohio

Edward Dolan

Skip

"jhaake" <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
news:KQVGc.18941$m%3.5473@fe41.usenetserver.com...
> Hello all,
>
> lurk mode off ...
>
> First, a big thanks to the many people that participate
> here and all the advice and discussion. Keep it up.
>
> I just test drove a RANS V2 (after several other LWB
> bents) and I fell in love. I discovered however that I
> needed an extended length model. It was almost okay with
> the seat all the way back, but the helpful store owner
> recomended I go extended so I wouldn't always ride around
> with the seat all the way back and with 95% of my weight
> on the back tire. So I special ordered, and since I was
> special ordering anyway I decided to upgrade a bit the the
> V2 Formula. Any V2 formula riders out there?
>
> My wife is still looking for her bent, but she hasn't
> taken a look at the RANS yet either.
>
> My ponderments:
>
> fenders, yes or no?

If you ride in the rain they may help keep you less wet. But
at some point wet is wet and all you can do is to dry out or
dry off. Generally fenders make riding in the rain more
pleasant or less unpleasant however you view
it.

> computers, more than a gimick?

They are an absolute must have for most people. They are
especially helpful for tourist or those training for
something. Sometimes I go a for while between battery
replacements and I seem get a different kind of enjoyment
from those no computer rides.

>
> feet hooked/clipped to pedals? (I can see myself in slo-mo
> falling over with my feet still firmly planted on the
> pedals) Note, I do use clips on my diamond frame.

Get some clip-in pedals. Probably the double sided ones with
a clip-in on one side and a regular pedal on the other side
would be good. They are easy to use. This is a safety
consideration to keep your foot from slippling off the pedal
and hitting the ground and having things get ugly
immediately thereafter. Start out with you retention set at
the lowest level and adjust upward as you feel you should.
Anticipate stops and unclip ahead of time. If you fall you
will surely unclip so don't worry about that. I think you
will like them after a ride or two. Just about all serious
riders use them.

>
> do all (male) bent riders really have graying/white
> beards?
>

I've seen a few with darker beards. They are the young guns.
I see you made it a point not to ask about the women. That
was smart. [Just kidding ladies - y' all know those DF guys
would never carry on about bents if more women rode them]

> will my engine ever be tuned properly enough to scale
> those hills on my bent?
>

Here's the deal - expect the hills to be hard a first -
harder than they were on your DF (you are using different
muscle groups now) - but know the hills will come to you if
you continue make the effort. Keep at it - don't give up and
don't take the easy route to avoid them. Before know it
you'll be able to climb mountains and enjoy it.

> eastern united states road touring techniques (i.e.
> roadside camping with no BLM land in site ... does
> tresspassing become a normal routine?)

I've probably been in that situation, even though I don't
have any idea what BLM land is. It's always good to ask
owners if you can camp on their property. Tell them who you
are, what you'r doing, and that you'll leave in the morning
without a trace. I've never had anyone turn me down - not
many serial killers travel by bike and everyone seems to
have forgotten all those traveling salesman jokes. Usually
they offer hospitality - food, drink, and some interesting
conversation which makes bike touring the really good thing
that it is. If it's ten more miles to BFE, you want to camp
right now, and if it's possible to get out of sight at least
a 100 feet off the road it's unlikely you will be disturbed
- haphazard camping it's called. Keep a low profile and
don't start a camp fire - that's a real no no with out
permission plus it's a sure to be a negative attention
getter. I've camped with permission in places such as the
field in the back of an all night convenience store. Also,
in one town I camped in the town cementey without being
disturbed. A few minutes the next morning checking out the
tombstones provided a bit of the town history.

Hope this helps.

skip

jhaake

Thanks Ed,

> I got the XL size too (V2 - not Formula)

Had it long? gripes?

> Fenders are only needed if you are living in the Pacific
> Northwest and you are going to be doing a lot of riding
> in the rain.

We're hoping to do some extensive touring, and in not so dry states. I'd think Minnisota (where Ed is apparently from) would be inclement enough to justify fenders, but maybe not.

> You will always be mostly trespassing in the East. The trick
> is to do it so that no one will ever even know you are doing
> it. I could write a book on that subject.

Ed, I'd read it. Being a westerner transplanted in Ohio I've found the whole camping / backpacking experience to be rather foriegn territory for me here in the east. Now our desire to do a little bike touring is also going to be challenged. It's very much a different experience from the west.

Thanks

Curtis L . Russ

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 14:37:25 -0500, "skip" <skip@acmeproducts.com>
wrote:

>
>If you ride in the rain they may help keep you less wet.
>But at some point wet is wet and all you can do is to dry
>out or dry off. Generally fenders make riding in the rain
>more pleasant or less unpleasant however you view
>it.
>
In the DC area, wet off the ground can be a lot more
unpleasant than wet in the form of falling rain, especially
if heading to the office. I wouldn't commute on a bike
without fenders and my shopping recumbent has fenders as
well. So does the Double Vision tandem, but they turned into
a pain to install, so maybe some day. Right now they're in
the box in the garage.

Don't have them on the Vision single because I'm not
bothered by mud and sludge on bare legs.

>> computers, more than a gimick?
>
>They are an absolute must have for most people. They are
>especially helpful for tourist or those training for
>something. Sometimes I go a for while between battery
>replacements and I seem get a different kind of enjoyment
>from those no computer rides.

I plan to reconnect my computer any year now. Have a whole
new set up purchased last year and it isn't an issue. Yet.

Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on
two wheels...

jhaake

___Skip says___
> Here's the deal - expect the hills to be hard a first

Thanks for the encouragement. I guess I'll be learning to be a spinner and my wife will finally be learning to actually shift (no offense dear!!! :-))

___Skip____
> even though I don't have any idea what BLM land is

BLM = Bureau of Land Management, a topic of great debate and importance in western states -- to easterners they've never heard of it AT ALL !!! (that was a shock to this transplanted westerner). This is federal land that stretches for miles and miles and miles and it is a-okay to pull off the road just about anywhere your mode of transportation fits and enjoy the land-of-the-public. It's the thing I miss the MOST here in the east.

___Skip___
> If it's ten more miles to BFE, ...

What's BFE ?!?!

Thanks for the ideas.

Larry Varney

Curtis L. Russell wrote:
> On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 14:37:25 -0500, "skip"
> <skip@acmeproducts.com> wrote:
>
>
>>If you ride in the rain they may help keep you less wet.
>>But at some point wet is wet and all you can do is to dry
>>out or dry off. Generally fenders make riding in the rain
>>more pleasant or less unpleasant however you view
>>it.
>>
>
> In the DC area, wet off the ground can be a lot more
> unpleasant than wet in the form of falling rain,
> especially if heading to the office. I wouldn't commute on
> a bike without fenders and my shopping recumbent has
> fenders as well. So does the Double Vision tandem, but
> they turned into a pain to install, so maybe some day.
> Right now they're in the box in the garage.
>

Unless someone rides only when the streets are dry, I
would consider fenders almost a necessity. And as pointed
out, it's not really the falling rain that you're being
protected from, but the water - and the stuff that's now
floating in it - from the streets. I had a fender come
loose while I was riding a GTO in Germany earlier this
year, and I didn't have a suitable wrench to tighten the
bolt. No big deal, since it was a sunny day. The next
day, though, was rainy, and even when it stopped, the
roads were still wet - and I finished the day with
spatters of mud and who knows what else all over the
trike and me. I was just grateful it wasn't the Amish
Lands and Lakes ride, held in upstate Indiana. Horse
"debris" is something I really don't like to wear...

--
Larry Varney Cold Spring, KY
http://home.fuse.net/larryvarney

jhaake

Larry,

I see you are one of those white beards that fit the stereotype !!!

I have a greying short beard so I'll just be adding more fuel to the stereotype. LOL

jhaake

I forgot to mention I'm in Amish land as well, so fenders do sound like a good necessity :-)

Edward Dolan

"skip" <skip@acmeproducts.com> wrote in message
news:K5qdndjfcItPzXHdRVn_iw@comcast.com...
>
> "jhaake" <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
> news:KQVGc.18941$m%3.5473@fe41.usenetserver.com...
[...]
> > eastern united states road touring techniques (i.e.
> > roadside camping with no BLM land in site ... does
> > tresspassing become a normal routine?)
>
> I've probably been in that situation, even though I don't
> have any idea
what
> BLM land is. It's always good to ask owners if you can
> camp on their property. Tell them who you are, what you'r
> doing, and that you'll leave
in
> the morning without a trace. I've never had anyone turn me
> down - not
many
> serial killers travel by bike and everyone seems to have
> forgotten all
those
> traveling salesman jokes. Usually they offer hospitality -
> food, drink,
and
> some interesting conversation which makes bike touring the
> really good
thing
> that it is. If it's ten more miles to BFE, you want to
> camp right now, and if it's possible to get out of sight
> at least a 100 feet off the road it's unlikely you will be
> disturbed - haphazard camping it's called. Keep
a
> low profile and don't start a camp fire - that's a real no
> no with out permission plus it's a sure to be a negative
> attention getter. I've
camped
> with permission in places such as the field in the back of
> an all night convenience store. Also, in one town I camped
> in the town cementey without being disturbed. A few
> minutes the next morning checking out the
tombstones
> provided a bit of the town history.

Skip, you have got it mostly right, but you are a more
social person than I am. I have often found it more trouble
than it is worth to ask permission to camp. Many people will
just worry needlessly about it and it seems to create a lot
of unease. So normally I will camp hidden so that no one
will ever know I was there. That means no camp fires for
sure and not even any lights. I camp late and I leave early.
It is almost always possible to do this anywhere in the
world on a bicycle.

But you have got to think like an Indian. Get out of sight
and stay out of sight. What people don't know won't hurt
them, and if your are by chance discovered you will normally
only have to explain your situation to the local sheriff's
deputy. I always plead extreme poverty and that I will be
gone first thing in the morning.

I noticed a new sign on a motel here in my home town the
other day. It said "Only $29.99 Low Rates". I had to laugh.
I would never have gone anywhere in my life if I had had to
pay those "low rates".

--
Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Edward Dolan

"jhaake" <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
news:C4ZGc.580$of1.458@fe27.usenetserver.com...
> Thanks Ed,
>
> > I got the XL size too (V2 - not Formula)
>
> Had it long? gripes?

I've had mine for several years now but find that I am not
riding it as much as I anticipated I would. Why? The
relatively high BB always means a bit of a learning curve
when I first get on it and my V2 (stock) seems to have a lot
of tiller connected with the steering. I normally just hop
on my Easy Tour clone as there is no learning curve with it
and there is very little tiller.

> > Fenders are only needed if you are living in the Pacific
> > Northwest and you are going to be doing a lot of riding
> > in the rain.
>
> We're hoping to do some extensive touring, and in not so
> dry states. I'd think Minnisota (where Ed is apparently
> from) would be inclement enough to justify fenders, but
> maybe not.

I just never ride in the rain - period! I will ride in a
drizzle, but not in a pouring rain. When I get wet I go
hypothermic and become extremely miserable. I have
occasionally sat out entire days when on tour just waiting
for the rain to stop.

> > You will always be mostly trespassing in the East. The
> > trick is to do it so that no one will ever even know you
> > are doing
> > it. I could write a book on that subject.
>
> Ed, I'd read it. Being a westerner transplanted in Ohio
> I've found the whole camping / backpacking experience to
> be rather foriegn territory for me here in the east. Now
> our desire to do a little bike touring is also going to
> be challenged. It's very much a different experience from
> the west.

I spent over 10 years traveling (hiking and camping) in the
West and I would occasionally come East to do it too. But it
was never the same. The East is crowded and there is very
little public land available for the public to use free of
charge. The public lands of the West are a miracle and I
hope this country will always have the good sense to keep
them the way they are now.

--
Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Pamela Dallas

jhaake <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
>
> eastern united states road touring techniques (i.e.
> roadside camping with no BLM land in site ... does
> tresspassing become a normal routine?) ... I might start a
> separate thread on that one.
>
Please visit the late Ken Kifer's website (now maintained by
a friend), in particular:

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/camping.htm

Regards, Pamela

Larry Varney

jhaake wrote:
> Larry,
>
> I see you are one of those white beards that fit the
> stereotype !!!
>
> I have a greying short beard so I'll just be adding more
> fuel to the stereotype. LOL
>
>
>
> --
>
>
I don't fit the stereotype, I epitomize it!

--
Larry Varney Cold Spring, KY
http://home.fuse.net/larryvarney

Tom Sherman

skip wrote:

> ...
>>My ponderments:
>>
>>fenders, yes or no?
>
>
> If you ride in the rain they may help keep you less wet.
> But at some point wet is wet and all you can do is to dry
> out or dry off. Generally fenders make riding in the rain
> more pleasant or less unpleasant however you view
> it....

Most LWB bikes will send a stream of water directly into the
rider's face and back from the front wheel and rear wheels,
respectively, unless fenders are used. In addition, the
spray off the rear wheel will soak into the seat foam, which
may take several days to dry (possibly less time for the
RANS Zephyr seat cushion).

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

Tom Sherman

jhaake wrote:

> ... What's BFE ?!?!...

Beyond Freaking Egypt - a colloquial expression for a place
far from any town, major highway, etc.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

bentbrian

Originally posted by jhaake
Hello all,

lurk mode off ...

First, a big thanks to the many people that participate here and all the advice and discussion. Keep it up.

I just test drove a RANS V2 (after several other LWB bents) and I fell in love. I discovered however that I needed an extended length model. It was almost okay with the seat all the way back, but the helpful store owner recomended I go extended so I wouldn't always ride around with the seat all the way back and with 95% of my weight on the back tire. So I special ordered, and since I was special ordering anyway I decided to upgrade a bit the the V2 Formula. Any V2 formula riders out there?

My wife is still looking for her bent, but she hasn't taken a look at the RANS yet either.

fenders, yes or no?

computers, more than a gimick?

feet hooked/clipped to pedals? (I can see myself in slo-mo falling over with my feet still firmly planted on the pedals) Note, I do use clips on my diamond frame.

do all (male) bent riders really have graying/white beards?

will my engine ever be tuned properly enough to scale those hills on my bent?

eastern united states road touring techniques (i.e. roadside camping with no BLM land in site ... does tresspassing become a normal routine?) ... I might start a separate thread on that one.

John Haake V2 in Ohio

Hi,

I'm a newbie to bents. The V2 is a nice machine. I ride a Rans Tailwind. Wet streets will, well, get you wet. I would suspect fenders would be a must. Since I have a horse farm, road debris are a fact of life in the driveway. Adds to the fun of riding when dodging the road apples.

I use Power Grip straps and I like them. My road bike has toe clips. I've never used special shoes or cleats (clipless pedals). The straps do have the option of allowing you to position and reposition your foot as you ride. I've not had a foot come loose or hang on the pedal.

I'm 53 and no grey beard yet. In fact I'm usually shaved. As to hill climbing my Tailwind will climb like a mountain bike. Just sit and spin. In fact I would venture to say it climbs easier (although slower) than my Trek road bike. You could change the gearing to give you a hill eating granny if you need it.

I too live in Ohio (Wellington).

I can't comment about the camping and trespassing since I'm a transplanted "westerner" and I camp very little, just at the county fair with our 4-H kids. Boy do I miss NM. Lots of "rural" country there.

Have fun on your V2. It looks like an awesome bike!

'bent Brian

Skip

"Tom Sherman" <tsherman@qconline.com> wrote in message
news:2l3nm6F86ajpU1@uni-berlin.de...
> jhaake wrote:
>
> > ... What's BFE ?!?!...
>
> Beyond Freaking Egypt - a colloquial expression for a
> place far from any town, major highway, etc.
>

That's the polite version of the expression for the mythical
place in the middle of nowhere. You can go to
urbandictionary.com and search under BFE if you are
interested in the less polite version.

skip

Skip

"Edward Dolan" <edolan@iw.net> wrote in message
news:9P-dnUy4rNTc7nHdRVn-uA@prairiewave.com...
>
> Skip, you have got it mostly right, but you are a more
> social person than
I
> am. I have often found it more trouble than it is worth to
> ask permission
to
> camp. Many people will just worry needlessly about it and
> it seems to
create
> a lot of unease.

I'm just the opposite.

If I see people outside in their yard and if I like their
looks I'll stop, introduce myself, tell them where I'm from,
what I'm doing, etc. A little small talk or question about
something going on in their local area doesn't hurt. I tell
them I'm looking for a place to pitch a pup tent for the
night (not *camp* which in their minds may suggest a lot of
stuff and a longer stay). I ask if they would help me and
maybe suggest suitable place. I assure them I will be no
trouble and that I'll bike off in the morning without
leaving a trace. I never ask them directly if I can camp on
their property I just ask if they will help me find a spot
which always seems to end up somewhere on their property.

To me haphazard off road camping always seems to be a less
than ideal because of high weeds, rocks, and other
undesirable things like the chiggers and ticks we have in
the south. I find the permission granted sites nicer and
less troublesome.

skip

.

jhaake

Wow, a lot of good stuff here. Thanks everyone.

Here's what I think I'll do:

fenders - yes

computer - okay, I'll try one

pedals - I'll get those dual function pedals and by bike shoes ... if I break my neck it'll be all your fault. If I don't like bike shoes I'll put clips on the pedals (I really like powering with both legs at once).

beard - mine needs to be grown out a bit more to fully comply with bent regulation :-).

I'll try hard being a spinner.

touring - I'd probably ask if people (land owners) were outside (I liked skip's soft approach - thx) otherwise I'd probably find some unfenced property. My wife'll probably never go for that, but I'll twist her arm and pout (hey, it works for her!!!). Pamela, thanks so much for that link - it was great, I stayed up reading it a 1:30am.

Brian, we're almost within short (relatively) biking distance of each other. I live in Marshallville which is southwest of Akron, bought my bike in Barberton.

Ed, I'm with you. Every westerner that wants to develop/drill/pave BLM land should be required to live in the east for 5 years (I've been an easterner for 8) to really develop a proper apprieciation for all that open land.

Edward Dolan

"skip" <skip@acmeproducts.com> wrote in message
news:sqWdnWzaUv5mRnHdRVn-jg@comcast.com...
>
> "Edward Dolan" <edolan@iw.net> wrote in message news:9P-dnUy4rNTc7nHdRVn-
> uA@prairiewave.com...
> >
> > Skip, you have got it mostly right, but you are a more
> > social person
than
> I
> > am. I have often found it more trouble than it is worth
> > to ask
permission
> to
> > camp. Many people will just worry needlessly about it
> > and it seems to
> create
> > a lot of unease.
>
>
> I'm just the opposite.
>
> If I see people outside in their yard and if I like their
> looks I'll stop, introduce myself, tell them where I'm
> from, what I'm doing, etc. A little small talk or question
> about something going on in their local area
doesn't
> hurt. I tell them I'm looking for a place to pitch a pup
> tent for the
night
> (not *camp* which in their minds may suggest a lot of
> stuff and a longer stay). I ask if they would help me and
> maybe suggest suitable place. I assure them I will be no
> trouble and that I'll bike off in the morning without
> leaving a trace. I never ask them directly if I can camp
> on their property I just ask if they will help me find a
> spot which always seems to end up somewhere on their
> property.
>
> To me haphazard off road camping always seems to be a less
> than ideal because of high weeds, rocks, and other
> undesirable things like the chiggers and ticks we have in
> the south. I find the permission granted sites nicer and
> less troublesome.
>
> skip

All of what you say above goes to my point that you are a
more sociable person than I am. Very often I do not feel
like engaging in conversation with the locals for any reason
whatsoever. I would rather take my chances with the weeds,
insects, rocks, etc. Usually I am all tired out and I want
mainly to be left alone.

When I tour by bike I never properly "camp", but I try to
get a good night's sleep. And I do not like to pay the
outrageous camp fees that both public and private
campgrounds want these days. You could never travel the way
I do with another person as no other person would put up
with what I put up with. My way is strictly for the lone
traveler who disdains all comfort and luxury and wants to
travel on pennies a day.

--
Ed Dolan - Minnesota