Bent article in Remedy magazine

My girlfriend subscribes to a magazine called Remedy. As the title implies, it is a health oriented
publication. It is the Summer 2003 edition and lo and behold on page 76, there's a great article on
recumbents. It starts by mentioning the advantages of recumbents for those who find conventional
bikes uncomfortable. Then it goes into a

some people and finally the author discusses the different catagories according to wheelbase and
their respective handling traits. It also talks about steering configurations (OSS, USS)

I think the article probably mulls too much on the recumbents friendliness towards the physically
unfit which may turn off some people who consider themselves to be in good shape thinking that bents
are mostly for "those" kind of folks.

Overall, it's not too bad of an article on bents in a mainstream publication. There's a picture of a
Haluzak and some kind of comfort upright bike called Biria with a very low step over frame.

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

 

Interesting. Actually I'm sort of tired of all the P.R. implying that recumbents are for people who
have some sort of physical problem or disablity. As you point out the article refers to "people who
find conventional bikes uncomfortable". Excuse me but - that's everyone. DFs are simply
uncomfortable, the question is, do their other advantages outweight that fact?.

I've never really cared much about whether bents go mainstream, I sort of enjoy riding something
unconventional. But all this noise about baby boomers with their aging joints, bad backs etc.
turning to recumbents like they were
Dr. Scholl's padded insoles or support stockings for vericose veins, has started to wear on me. I
wish these magazine writers would look a little deeper - maybe - hold on now - even try one for
a while - before repeating all the boomer cliches.

As I say I don't care what the recumbent market share is, but I'd like to see the average rider age
come down.

 

"jim h" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... <snip>
> Interesting. Actually I'm sort of tired of all the P.R. implying that recumbents are for people
> who have some sort of physical problem or disablity. As you point out the article refers to
> "people who find conventional bikes uncomfortable". Excuse me but - that's everyone. DFs are
> simply uncomfortable, the question is, do their other advantages outweight that fact?.

As a rider of bents & diamond frame bikes, and speaking for myself only, if a drop bar DF is a
proper fit and I've invested a modest amount of riding time to get the initial soreness out of my
butt and the rest of my body acclimated then I'm not *that* uncomfortable on it. Granted DF's are
less comfortable to me than my bents, but I can ride a drop bar DF decent distances without
complaint.

A Goggle search on "pain" in rec.bicycles.misc turns up 6,870 posts. But before we declare bents are
the pain free path to complete comfort in cycling we need to be aware that "pain" shows up in 4,640
a.r.b.r. posts. Judging from the relative size of the two groups there seems to be a fair amount of
pain in the bent world too.

skip

 

skip wrote:
> ... A Goggle search on "pain" in rec.bicycles.misc turns up 6,870 posts. But before we declare
> bents are the pain free path to complete comfort in cycling we need to be aware that "pain" shows
> up in 4,640 a.r.b.r. posts. Judging from the relative size of the two groups there seems to be a
> fair amount of pain in the bent world too.

Please read all of these postings and determine which one in r.b.m. were about pain from riding
recumbent bicycles and which ones in a.r.b.r. were about pain from riding upright bicycles. Then the
comparison might have some meaning.

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

 

"Tom Sherman" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> Please read all of these postings and determine which one in r.b.m. were about pain from riding
> recumbent bicycles and which ones in a.r.b.r. were about pain from riding upright bicycles. Then
> the comparison might have some meaning.
>
I was pretty sure you would be doing that Tom. I don't think you need to read them all - just take a
scientific sampling and report your findings.

skip

 

"skip" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> As a rider of bents & diamond frame bikes, and speaking for myself only,
if
> a drop bar DF is a proper fit and I've invested a modest amount of riding time to get the
> initial soreness out of my butt and the rest of my body acclimated then I'm not *that*
> uncomfortable on it.

I won't disagree. I first rode a DF with drop bars in - I think - 1966. 30 years later I bought a
'bent. Yes I'm one of those boomers the magazine writers invariably identify as the recumbent
Target Market. DFs are always uncomfortable to <some> degree, but one can adapt. There are some
good things about DFs, not the least of which is that you can ride one through town without having
to answer insightful questions like "how much do you pay for something like that"? A few more
'bents on the road, with younger riders, and some of that noise might die down.

What bugs me is that thanks to all this great publicity, when people see me on a 'bent they assume
my knees are shot, my blood pressure is high, I've had 2 spinal fusions, prostate trouble and carpal
tunnel in both wrists. Hang in there, grandpa! Actually, at 51 I have (knock on wood) no major
physical problems and could ride a DF if I wanted to - I just prefer the 'bent.

 

In article <[email protected]>, jim h <[email protected]> wrote:

> There are some good things about DFs, not the least of which is that you can ride one through
> town without having to answer insightful questions like "how much do you pay for something
> like that"?

This, and your other points, are well-taken, Jim. I can't count the number of times some total
stranger has asked me how much I paid for my recumbent bicycle. Aside from any other considerations,
it's a totally rude question. How about if you approached every amateur photographer you saw that
looked like they had some expensive gear, and asked them how much their camera gear cost?

Paul Harris Victoria, BC

 

In article <170520031934313821%[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> In article <[email protected]>, jim h <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > There are some good things about DFs, not the least of which is that you can ride one through
> > town without having to answer insightful questions like "how much do you pay for something like
> > that"?
>

> Aside from any other considerations, it's a totally rude question.

It may be the question that comes out, but it is not the question they are asking. The question they
are asking is, "Can I afford one of those?"

I usually answer an even different question, "What is the price range of a recumbent?" And the
answer to that is "$500 on up."

--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

 

"Paul Harris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:170520031934313821%[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, jim h <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > There are some good things about DFs, not the least of which is that you can ride one
through
> > town without having to answer insightful questions like "how much do you
pay
> > for something like that"?
>
>
> This, and your other points, are well-taken, Jim. I can't count the number of times some total
> stranger has asked me how much I paid for my recumbent bicycle. Aside from any other
> considerations, it's a totally rude question. How about if you approached every amateur
> photographer you saw that looked like they had some expensive gear, and asked them how much their
> camera gear cost?
>
> Paul Harris Victoria, BC

 

> I can't count the number of times some total stranger has asked me how much I paid for my
> recumbent bicycle. Aside from any other considerations, it's a totally rude question. How about if
> you approached every amateur photographer you saw that looked like they had some expensive gear,
> and asked them how much their camera gear cost?
>
> Paul Harris Victoria, BC

It's common for the "uninitiated" to ask such a question even if it is rude. One time in the park
while I stopped to fill my water bottle, a boy of about 10-12 years of age asked how much I paid for
my recumbent and you should have seen the look of embarassment on the parents faces. They promptly
scolded the child and apologized;-)

What's even more puzzling is when another cyclist asks how much. I will usually feel ofended if
after I've given my reply, the individual conveys by his/her reaction that it's "too much". I ride
entry level recumbents and never paid over $800 for a new bike and yet they feel that it was well
justified what they paid for their road bike, but according to them, I paid too much. This tells me
that they feel theirs is a "real bike" and mine is just a "toy". Go figure.

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

 

I had a chap stop me and he asked...so like how much for the trike? I replied, a tad over $3200.00.
His reply was WOW...I pay more than that in annual car insurance, so like where can I buy one?

I think the prices we pay for our bents (while once being insanely excessive) are becoming more
reasonable as everything around us climbs in cost. When I 1st went bent a Honda Scooter was the same
price as my LWB bent, today the LWB is maybe 200% more than it was 25 years ago, but the Honda has
gone up 600%. In 1970 I paid $2500.00 for a 10 Speed Racing bike, I could get a Harley for $2500. in
1970. Same DF Racer today is $3500., but the Harley is $25,000. Look at how fast cars went up in
price and compare that to how fast a GRR went up over the same number of years.

To me our once costly chosen form of transport has (not) kept pace with all the other modes of
privately owned personal transport....the exception being Wal-Mart DFs that have gone down in price
year after year, but the quality of their components has gone down as well (when) compared to what
we use on our bents. A Wal Mart Mtb in perspective...re: hand build the Mtb in 4130, use Deore
everything, BeBops and Kenda or Vredestein tires on Velocity rims and you'd end up with a Wal Mart
Mtb costing about the same as a bent with the same components.
--------------------------------

"Edward Wong" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I can't count the number of times some total stranger has asked me how much I paid for my
> > recumbent bicycle. Aside from any other considerations, it's a totally rude question. How about
> > if you approached every amateur photographer you saw that looked like they had some expensive
> > gear, and asked them how much their camera gear cost?
> >
> > Paul Harris Victoria, BC
>
> It's common for the "uninitiated" to ask such a question even if it is rude. One time in the park
> while I stopped to fill my water bottle, a boy of about 10-12 years of age asked how much I paid
> for my recumbent and you should have seen the look of embarassment on the parents faces. They
> promptly scolded the child and apologized;-)
>
> What's even more puzzling is when another cyclist asks how much. I will usually feel ofended if
> after I've given my reply, the individual conveys by his/her reaction that it's "too much". I ride
> entry level recumbents and never paid over $800 for a new bike and yet they feel that it was well
> justified what they paid for their road bike, but according to them, I paid too much. This tells
> me that they feel theirs is a "real bike" and mine is just a "toy". Go figure.
>
> Edward Wong Orlando, FL

 

How about if you approached every amateur photographer
> you saw that looked like they had some expensive gear, and asked them how much their camera
> gear cost?

Paul, they do that too. Seems like I spend a few minutes every day avoiding telling people how much
my stuff is worth. (And for the record, all my cameras are 6+ years old, were NEVER top of the line,
and I ride one of the cheapest 'bents on the block: rocket)

Seth (professional photographer and editor) Jayson

 

Being fairly young and thin, I don't get many people assuming I've got medical problems because of
the 'bent. (They probably think I'm a candidate for special class and can't ride an upright...)

Whenever someone tries to give me their purist DF line (not too often actually, most people seem to
think 'bents are cool) I tell 'em this:

What if I told you I had a new kind of running shoes. They, in fact, are now favored by all the
rulemaking committees in running, so you have to use these is sanctioned running events and
triathlons.

They are probably no faster than what you're wearing now. In fact, most of them will be slower. Oh,
and they're kind of uncomfortable. Most of you will be able to work up an immunity to the discomfort
after a hundred miles or so running in them. Some won't, but if you go to an experienced fitter and
buy a few aftermarket insoles, laces, etc., you will probably be more comfortable.

You probably won't be able to run as far in them, because they'll make you tired. But cheer up.
You'll have a crummier view of the road, too

Oh, and by the way, you'll need to buy several pairs of special, padded $80 socks, because there's
no cushion in the shoe. Not that the shoe NEEDS cushioning. Only sissies run with cushioned shoes
now. The high quality ones are hard inside. But everyone buys the cushioned socks instead.

But here's the thing: EVERYONE is wearing these now. So please ignore that comfortable shoe behind
the curtain...

 

[email protected] (Edward Wong) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I can't count the number of times some total stranger has asked me how much I paid for my
> > recumbent bicycle.

> It's common for the "uninitiated" to ask such a question even if it is rude. One time in the park
> while I stopped to fill my water bottle, a boy of about 10-12 years of age asked how much I paid
> for my recumbent and you should have seen the look of embarassment on the parents faces. They
> promptly scolded the child and apologized;-)
>
> What's even more puzzling is when another cyclist asks how much. I will usually feel ofended if
> after I've given my reply, the individual conveys by his/her reaction that it's "too much". I ride
> entry level recumbents and never paid over $800 for a new bike and yet they feel that it was well
> justified what they paid for their road bike, but according to them, I paid too much. This tells
> me that they feel theirs is a "real bike" and mine is just a "toy". Go figure.
>
> Edward Wong Orlando, FL

I kind of enjoy when people ask how much. After seeing high prices on computers about
imported quality 'bents especially, it is fair to get another balance view from someone who
has "been there..."

Kind of a promotional speech, I guess. I do mention my first 'bent costing under $100. (I do not
mention in 1979). Then they do not fall over in a dead faint when I say "Oh- this one! Three grand".
A lot cheaper than my truck!

Chris Jordan Santa Cruz, CA

 

"jim h" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What bugs me is that thanks to all this great publicity, when people see me on a 'bent they assume
> my knees are shot, my blood pressure is high, I've had 2 spinal fusions, prostate trouble and
> carpal tunnel in both wrists. Hang in there, grandpa! Actually, at 51 I have (knock on wood) no
> major physical problems and could ride a DF if I wanted to - I just prefer the 'bent.
I'm also 51 and likewise without physical problems. I, too, lament the unfortunate characterization
of bents in the media. Articles typically are relegated to AARP-type, medical/health or
leisure/outdoors lifestyle magazines, not the mainstream bicycling-related periodicals. A younger
demographic might breathe a different point of view to writers but I'm not sure how that's going to
happen. I try to let it go, though, and just enjoy my little secret...

 

> Articles typically are relegated to AARP-type, medical/health or leisure/outdoors lifestyle
> magazines, not the mainstream bicycling-related periodicals.

Nail on head, Eddie. Please, no more recumbent ads featuring smiling, waving seniors in polo shirts
pedaling slowly through a park.

Fortunately it looks lik the big-wheel designs (Strada, Corsa, Aero etc.) have a whole different
appeal. Not sure, myself, if there's really much performance advantage to a 26" in front, but I
guess the sportier look works for a younger demographic. Go for it! They are nice looking machines
and I promise I'll buy that TI Aero as soon as the Dow gets back to 11,000.

 

I am surprised at the number of people who think I have back trouble or other infrimaries. I'm 30 in
reasonable good shape and RIDE A LOWRACER. Sure its comfortable but how can you mistake a racing
machine. If I had back problems I wouldn't be able to even get in to my bike. Sorry for the rant but
I agree with most of the posters that the current articles about recumbents sound like they are for
someone how can't ride uprights. Not a fun and use vehicle for any one.

On a different topic it appears the kids in the city neighborhoods I ride through on my commute
think that my BikeE is a cool bike. I think most are mistaking it for a lowrider and keep asking if
it is custom. Craig Optima Baron BikeE

[email protected] (Seth Jayson) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Being fairly young and thin, I don't get many people assuming I've got medical problems because of
> the 'bent. (They probably think I'm a candidate for special class and can't ride an upright...)
>
> Whenever someone tries to give me their purist DF line (not too often actually, most people seem
> to think 'bents are cool) I tell 'em this:
>
> What if I told you I had a new kind of running shoes. They, in fact, are now favored by all the
> rulemaking committees in running, so you have to use these is sanctioned running events and
> triathlons.
>
> They are probably no faster than what you're wearing now. In fact, most of them will be slower.
> Oh, and they're kind of uncomfortable. Most of you will be able to work up an immunity to the
> discomfort after a hundred miles or so running in them. Some won't, but if you go to an
> experienced fitter and buy a few aftermarket insoles, laces, etc., you will probably be more
> comfortable.
>
> You probably won't be able to run as far in them, because they'll make you tired. But cheer up.
> You'll have a crummier view of the road, too
>
> Oh, and by the way, you'll need to buy several pairs of special, padded $80 socks, because there's
> no cushion in the shoe. Not that the shoe NEEDS cushioning. Only sissies run with cushioned shoes
> now. The high quality ones are hard inside. But everyone buys the cushioned socks instead.
>
> But here's the thing: EVERYONE is wearing these now. So please ignore that comfortable shoe behind
> the curtain...

 

> I am surprised at the number of people who think I have back trouble

Yeah what is it with all this "bad back" stuff? Bigha's website says if you switch from DF to 'bent
"your lower back will smile". Huh? The DF position hurts my rear, my hands and my neck, but not my
back. Is this another hokey pitch to the couch potato market?

CPs are always talking about their "bad backs" which supposedly prevent them from running, cycling
etc. The real cause is poor muscle tone and being overweight.

Neither 'bents nor DFs have anything to do with back problems as far as I know. I recall once when
my lower back was hurting because I had strained a muscle, I found that riding the DF made it feel
better - the DF position is a beneficial stretch for the lower back.

 

On 19 May 2003 09:13:01 -0700, [email protected] (cbb) wrote:

>I am surprised at the number of people who think I have back trouble or other infrimaries. I'm 30
>in reasonable good shape and RIDE A LOWRACER.

What makes me laugh is the ones who ask "isn't that uncomfortable?" looking at me seated on my
full-width padded recliner with wheels!

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

"Just zis Guy, you know?" skrev

> What makes me laugh is the ones who ask "isn't that uncomfortable?" looking at me seated on my
> full-width padded recliner with wheels!

Hmm you should reply "Only when I laugh" and _then_ break out the maniacal laughter. (and watch
them hoof it)

(Okay so technically they should ask "Doesn't that hurt?") (You all know that lame old
joke I assume)

M