Why People Don't Buy Recumbents - Page 2

Congratulations on your purchase! Sure, there will be a learning curve, but everyone I've known who has purchased a VK2 has loved it, so you'll more than likely feel the same way. The SpeedMachine is a beautiful bike, but despite its name, due to suspension/weight issues, it's really more of a fast all around/commuter bike where as the VK2 is an all out racing bike (which some folks use as an all'rounder) so you're not making any compromises in the speed department (and certainly not in the looks department).

'Grats again!
Joe

Thank you very much for that. It helps to take away at least a small part of the sting in shelling out that much cash.

Nice looking bike!

I'm not sure I could handle a bike that reclined but I wish you luck!

The thing looks like the Dodge Viper of bikes. Fast as hell, only marginally comfortable and it will burn you if you aren't careful getting on and off...

Having just started riding my Burley Canto, I can say that I am happy with how I ended up with it. I started with eBay and Craigslist - only focusing on bikes for sale in my area. I contacted 5 different people and they were all happy to have me come and test ride the bike. I tried five different types. For my body-type (6-2, 260lbs), I settled on the Burley Canto. Then, I got lucky and found a Local Bike Shop whose owner was a recumbent fan. He happened to have the bike that I like the best, the Burley Canto. After that, I'll admit to a struggle to find lights, bags and a bike carrier that worked well with the bike. But, I've had my bike about 4 months now and have ridden over 500 blissful miles.

I was very lucky in getting a recumbent. I have developed a lower back problem over the last year which has ended my days on drop-handlebars and possibly any other DF bike. As the situation was developing I started thinking about recumbents several months ago but I thought that with appropriate stretching I could continue as per normal. About two weeks ago, however, my back made it clear that things would have to change so at that time I made the decision to actually get a recumbent. It was thanks to discussion groups such as this one that I discovered a dealer about three hours from my house. He had a storefront up until about two years ago but now operates from his home, by appointment. Two days ago I was at his place, and spent two hours test riding about five different bikes, including two SWBs - a Trek R200 and a Burley Django. I bought the Burley and yesterday and early this morning was tooling around with it having the time of my life. The entire experience was painless but, initially I anticipated the whole inaccessibility-of-dealers issue etc and figured that I would have to order one and hope for the best.