looking to buy (newbe)

"Terry D. Spade" skrev

> I am in the market for a recumbent bike. I am some what new to bents. A
> friend has built his own for years. So I have ridden some of his, and do
> like them. He doesn't have the time to build one for me. I could build
> one myself. But I also don't have the time, too many hobbies as it is. I
> like the HP Velotechnik Wavey. Thats about the most I want to pay also.
>
> Now the question. Is there any web sites that do good reviews on most models? It will be a couple
> of months before I buy.

http://www.bentrideronline.com/

Their recumbent guide has a lot. Try before you buy is always good if you got a dealer nearby.

M.

"Terry D. Spade" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> I am in the market for a recumbent bike. I am some what new to bents. A
> friend has built his own for years. So I have ridden some of his, and do
> like them. He doesn't have the time to build one for me. I could build
> one myself. But I also don't have the time, too many hobbies as it is. I
> like the HP Velotechnik Wavey. Thats about the most I want to pay also.
>
> Now the question. Is there any web sites that do good reviews on most models? It will be a couple
> of months before I buy.
>
> Thanks Terry

Try this one: http://www.bentrideronline.com/

also: http://ohpv.org/links.htm#Manufacturers
--
Chere ~ GRR Sanibel, FL / Cumberland, MD

"Ken Kramer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Terry D. Spade" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Hi
> >
> > I am in the market for a recumbent bike. I am some what new to bents. A
> > friend has built his own for years. So I have ridden some of his, and do
> > like them. He doesn't have the time to build one for me. I could build
> > one myself. But I also don't have the time, too many hobbies as it is. I
> > like the HP Velotechnik Wavey. Thats about the most I want to pay also.
> >
> > Now the question. Is there any web sites that do good reviews on most models? It will be a
> > couple of months before I buy.
> >
> > Thanks Terry
>
> Try this one: http://www.bentrideronline.com/

BROL (bentrideronline) does have a substantual amount of information. However, because is
essentially a "free" site, and relies heavily on advertising funds, I'd strongly urge skepticism
when reading the "Reviews". BROL's forum http://pub65.ezboard.com/bbentrideronline )is a generally
sufficient because of it's knowledgable audiance.

The Recumbent Cyclist News is unquestionablly the BEST unbiased recumbent (both new and homebuilt)
information source available. They've added some recent back issues which can be downloaded here:
http://www.recumbentcyclistnews.com/sample.html

"Chuck M" skrev

> BROL (bentrideronline) does have a substantual amount of information. However, because is
> essentially a "free" site, and relies heavily on advertising funds, I'd strongly urge skepticism
> when reading the "Reviews". BROL's forum http://pub65.ezboard.com/bbentrideronline )is a generally
> sufficient because of it's knowledgable audiance.

Ahhh(********)choo!

> Now the question. Is there any web sites that do good reviews on most models? It will be a couple
> of months before I buy.

You can find many reviews both on-line and in print, but the problem is that 95% of the time they
will be raves. There are all sorts of models and many are from dedicated designers and builders who
have given their bikes a lot of thought. It's mainly a matter of what you prefer in terms of
geometry and rider position - if you can settle that issue, you can choose based on quality and
reputaton - you need to get to a store and try several.

> BROL (bentrideronline) does have a substantual amount of information. However, because is
> essentially a "free" site, and relies heavily on advertising funds, I'd strongly urge skepticism
> when reading the "Reviews". BROL's forum http://pub65.ezboard.com/bbentrideronline )is a generally
> sufficient because of it's knowledgable audiance.
>
> The Recumbent Cyclist News is unquestionablly the BEST unbiased recumbent (both new and homebuilt)
> information source available.

hmmmm, I'm curious why you would declare the feature reviews on BROL suspect while endorsing the
reviews of RCN, which is also dependent on paid advertisers.

curiously, rich

Chuck M wrote:
> ... The Recumbent Cyclist News is unquestionablly the BEST unbiased recumbent (both new and
> homebuilt) information source available....

There is no such thing as an unbiased [1] review of a bicycle, and I a quite sure that Bob Bryant
has never claimed to be unbiased.

[1] Free of advertiser influence and unbiased are not at all the same things.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

"Rich Westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<22e2a87f8ba2ec44ffe5a686246d420d@TeraNews>...
> >
> > BROL (bentrideronline) does have a substantual amount of information. However, because is
> > essentially a "free" site, and relies heavily on advertising funds, I'd strongly urge skepticism
> > when reading the "Reviews". BROL's forum http://pub65.ezboard.com/bbentrideronline )is a
> > generally sufficient because of it's knowledgable audiance.
> >
> > The Recumbent Cyclist News is unquestionablly the BEST unbiased recumbent (both new and
> > homebuilt) information source available.
>
>
> hmmmm, I'm curious why you would declare the feature reviews on BROL suspect while endorsing the
> reviews of RCN, which is also dependent on paid advertisers.
>
> curiously, rich

RCN is mostly a subscriber based publication and is therefore not nearly so dependent on
advertisers. As a matter of fact, as a long term subscriber, I have seen issues which were quite
vacant of advertising, often due to less than totally favorable reviews of a manufacturer's latest
recumbent.

But more importantly, RCN has been around for a long time and Mr. Bryant, the editor, has gained a
deserved reputation as giving you the pros and cons in connection with all the bicycles that are
reviewed therein. Comparing RCN to BROL is like comparing apples to oranges. Both will give you lots
of good information, but I will go with RCN everytime for final evaluation and judgement.

Those who charge RCN with bias are quite unfair as Mr. Bryant is always very open about his
particular preferences. And what is wrong with that? Do not you and I also have particular
preferences. That in no way prevents a fair review and in fact makes the review even better than it
would otherwise be when you know the reviewer's preferences and can then discount them or not as you
will (I however have the same preferences as Mr. Bryant so there is nothing to discount). Frankly, I
hate rave reviews. They tell you nothing worth knowing.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Chuck M wrote:
> > ... The Recumbent Cyclist News is unquestionablly the BEST unbiased recumbent (both new and
> > homebuilt) information source available....
>
> There is no such thing as an unbiased [1] review of a bicycle, and I a quite sure that Bob Bryant
> has never claimed to be unbiased.
>
> [1] Free of advertiser influence and unbiased are not at all the same things.
>
> Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Bob Bryant always lays his biases out in the open for all to see so it is never a problem for me.
Once I know where someone is coming from I can then freely take into account his evaluations without
any confusion. I don't object to bias at all. I only object to hidden bias which does not declare
itself. Kind of how like the major media pretend not to have any bias but are of course full of it.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

What Mikael said. With my some-time-BROL-reviewer hat on, I can say that my review of the
Trice Micro was

a. entirely uninfluenced by any commercial factors, and
b. published exactly as written

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
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