[email protected] (john riley) wrote in message
news:<
[email protected]>...
> "Paul S. Podbielski" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<
[email protected]>...
> > I am an evangelical believer in the Longbikes Slipstream. The improvements for 2003 on an
> > already stellar platform are awesome.
>
> Have you seen and ridden one? If so, where? These are pretty hard to find. How long of a ride did
> you have? What are you riding now (i.e. what is your frame of reference?)?
>
> You don't think the seat base is too long?
>
> johnriley1 (at) rogers.com
I road mine 46 miles today. I road it 17.5 miles to work and then another 28.5 miles going home with
a side trip around Tempe Town Lake. My top speed was 30 and my average was 14. It is silky smooth
and easy to ride for hours. I also rode it 72 miles last Saturday on the Desert Classic in Phoenix.
It is not a massed produced bike, but that is about to change. Even so, there are at least four
Slipstreams in Phoenix and one in Tucson. I am also a evangelical believer and feel it should be the
Bent of the Year for 2003. Some of the reasons are:
With little change from RANS or Easy Racers and what has become a sea of Sabers/Strada/Volae's, the
Slipstream stands out as a one of a kind. It is the perfect bike for looong rides. Whether you're
riding along with your four year old daughter at 6 mph or riding a century at 20 or touring across
Iowa, the Slipstream holds it own.
It is a beautifully designed bike. The adjustability of the seat and the steering linkage are first
rate. The clamp holding the seat to the frame is rock solid. The USS is designed to adjust to any
riders needs. And even the way in which a rear rack attaches to the frame is very clean.
An innovated Bolt On Rear Triangle has been added. This allows the owner to remove the rear triangle
for travel or shipping. It also allows Longbikes the ability to produce differently designed rear
triangles in the future for different needs (Different size wheels or suspension). If you're worried
that a Bolt On Rear Triangle might not be as sturdy, think about all the bikes out there with rear
suspension. Same principle. This design works.
Quality of components. Longbikes fits the bike with top of the line components from the start. i.e.
components like Disk Brakes are standard.
Production. Longbikes has taken the plunge into high volume production and is having frames built
overseas. This will greatly increase the availability of the Slipstream very soon.
I guess I've talked enough, but I do want to throw one last quote from Brian Ball of Bent Rider
Online, "We are very excited about the new Slipstream. It looks like the LWB market is finally
starting to pick back up again in America."
So... I ride it alot and think it is the smoothest ride on wheels. I do not think anything else
released this year or any major changes by any company competes. Bike of the year? Yes!
Bill (Slipstream Evangelical) Meacham Mesa, AZ