HP Velotechnik Street Machine?

[Johnny Sunset]

oldslowbenter wrote:
> ...
> New versions have the 'body link' adjustable seat. Old ones came small -
> large. Original medium seat was too long for my torso. Lumbar curve hit too
> high and felt like a device from the Spamish Inquisition..no, the real
> one...I bought a new small size and it's very comfortable,especially with a
> $150 piece of Supracor substituted for the air flow cushion inside the air
> flow pad.

Is Supracor the stuff The Bike Rack in St. Charles sells? I know
someone who bought a $50 piece to improve the comfort of the stoker
seat on a Bike Friday DoubleDay.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

 

[Johnny Sunset]

NYC XYZ wrote:
> Johnny Sunset wrote:
> >
> >
> > I had no trouble riding a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine with the "T" bars
> > even though the seat was about 5 cm too far back. I would get the "T"
> > bars since they look so much better (opinion).
> >
> > --
> > Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>
>
> You mean OSS? USS seems more "natural" and "aesthetic" to me.

While the Speedmachine is now available with USS, there are two
different OSS setups. See
<http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/spm/details_e.html>.

> I can't wait to test-ride already!!
>
> I don't understand your comment about the seat, though. Isn't it
> adjustable?

As Peter Clinch [1, 2] states below in this thread, adjusting distance
to the pedals is not something one wants to do on a frequent basis on a
sliding boom bicycle.

[1] Medical Physics IT Officer, University of Dundee, Ninewells
Hospital, Dundee, Scotland, UK
[2] <
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent/msg/67d0e58c49442bd9?dmode=source&hl=en>.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

 

[Johnny Sunset]

oldslowbenter wrote:
> "Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > ...
> > I had no trouble riding a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine with the "T" bars
> > even though the seat was about 5 cm too far back. I would get the "T"
> > bars since they look so much better (opinion).
> >
> > --
> > Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
> >
> >
> A purple Sunset??? Just an opinion, of course.

I think the "T" bars that Shaved Head Earl put on my Red Sunset look
better than the stock "C" bars on Purple Sunset.

I wouldn't want to be seen on a common Orange Sunset - there must be
about 6 of those in Chicagoland.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

 

[Johnny Sunset]

oldslowbenter wrote:
> "NYC XYZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > ...
> > I'd like to meet some sexy girl on a 'bent!
>
> There's a couple cruising around monkey island, but you'd have to catch them
> first, and good luck with that....

I remember riding the 20/20 Wishbone on the Bike Psychos century about
4 years ago in a paceline with "Doc" (Speedmachine) and the Monkey
Sisters Wendy (Stealth) and Barb (Red Sunset). Barb is now riding a
Velokraft VK-1, which make me wonder whatever happened to that Red
Sunset?

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

 

[gotbent]

"Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> oldslowbenter wrote:
>> "Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > ...
>> > I had no trouble riding a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine with the "T" bars
>> > even though the seat was about 5 cm too far back. I would get the "T"
>> > bars since they look so much better (opinion).
>> >
>> > --
>> > Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>> >
>> >
>> A purple Sunset??? Just an opinion, of course.
>
> I think the "T" bars that Shaved Head Earl put on my Red Sunset look
> better than the stock "C" bars on Purple Sunset.

Is your "T" bar set up like the ones Hairy O'l Bearded Earl had on his
Sunset? The ones with the RANS "flipit"? If it is, I'd ditch the POS RANS
stupid 3 blade no anti wear washers compression hinge made out of thick
aluminum and buy a Pat Franz 'flipit'. Have Shiny Head Earl to a stemectomy
on the Sunset. Any fotos of the purple one. I can't remember seeing a Sunset
with übermann bars..


>
> I wouldn't want to be seen on a common Orange Sunset - there must be
> about 6 of those in Chicagoland.
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>
>




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[Peter Clinch]

Johnny Sunset wrote:

> As Peter Clinch [1, 2] states below in this thread, adjusting distance
> to the pedals is not something one wants to do on a frequent basis on a
> sliding boom bicycle.

It's a trike, but the Hase Kettwiesel makes it easy with an automatic
chain tensioner that makes the overall length immaterial and QRs on the
boom bolts.

You can put a similar setup on anything (Ben Cooper, HPVel dealer in
Glasgow sets up his demo Streetmachine like this) but it's a bit daft on
a personal machine that typically nobody else uses.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[NYC XYZ]

Peter Clinch wrote:
>
>
> I've tried the Bodylink on the Grasshopper (also worth a try, same cost
> and basic options as the Streetmachine GTe but with a 20/20 wheel setup
> so you only have to carry one flavour of spare tube).

What role does wheel size play?

I can see how it'd raise the sitting height...but does it also mean a
faster ride for some reason?

Why do a few have the same wheel size and most do not? What advantage
does a 26/26 'bent have?

> It's very
> adjustable, though to be honest I prefer the older non-adjusting one
> because it happens to fit me very well.
> But for A.N.Other rider the Bodylink has a better chance of fitting
> because you can fiddle it in so many ways. Sit on it and see... One
> thing my gf like about her bike is the seat shape cuts away around the
> shoulders.

Yeah, I was wondering how these seats affect the shoulders as well as
the back!

> I prefer the HPVel seat for the opposite reason; they're a
> personal thing and the only way to see what's best is take a seat and
> see for yourself.

Can't wait!!

> I've never felt the need for a headrest, and I have my seat at maximum
> recline, but again sucking it and seeing is the best way to decide.

It'd be nice to know it's there...there are times when I'm biking along
on a smooth straight road that's empty for maybe like a whole quarter
mile and I imagine how lovely it would be to just lay back and stare up
at the passing sky.

> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[gotbent]

"Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> oldslowbenter wrote:
>> ...
>> New versions have the 'body link' adjustable seat. Old ones came small -
>> large. Original medium seat was too long for my torso. Lumbar curve hit
>> too
>> high and felt like a device from the Spamish Inquisition..no, the real
>> one...I bought a new small size and it's very comfortable,especially with
>> a
>> $150 piece of Supracor substituted for the air flow cushion inside the
>> air
>> flow pad.
>
> Is Supracor the stuff The Bike Rack in St. Charles sells? I know
> someone who bought a $50 piece to improve the comfort of the stoker
> seat on a Bike Friday DoubleDay.
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>
>
That is the stuff. I had a piece over the foam pad on my V-rex, too. That
has since been grafted onto the HP SpM to make the cushion version 2. If you
don't have one of these, http://www.abbeon.com/tools/zetz9t.html the stuff
is a bugger to cut.



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[HH]

"gotbent" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> oldslowbenter wrote:
>>> ...
>>> New versions have the 'body link' adjustable seat. Old ones came small -
>>> large. Original medium seat was too long for my torso. Lumbar curve hit
>>> too
>>> high and felt like a device from the Spamish Inquisition..no, the real
>>> one...I bought a new small size and it's very comfortable,especially
>>> with a
>>> $150 piece of Supracor substituted for the air flow cushion inside the
>>> air
>>> flow pad.
>>
>> Is Supracor the stuff The Bike Rack in St. Charles sells? I know
>> someone who bought a $50 piece to improve the comfort of the stoker
>> seat on a Bike Friday DoubleDay.
>>
>> --
>> Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>>
>>
> That is the stuff. I had a piece over the foam pad on my V-rex, too. That
> has since been grafted onto the HP SpM to make the cushion version 2. If
> you don't have one of these, http://www.abbeon.com/tools/zetz9t.html the
> stuff is a bugger to cut.
>

A $325.00 cutting tool to cut a seat cushion makes for a pricy seat pad.
Would save some money to buy the Buns of Steel thing on TV work out on it
for a while I think.

I mean how expensive and cushey does a recumbent bike seat need to be?

 

[oldslowbenter]

"HH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "gotbent" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Johnny Sunset" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>> oldslowbenter wrote:
>>>> ...
>>>> New versions have the 'body link' adjustable seat. Old ones came
>>>> small -
>>>> large. Original medium seat was too long for my torso. Lumbar curve hit
>>>> too
>>>> high and felt like a device from the Spamish Inquisition..no, the real
>>>> one...I bought a new small size and it's very comfortable,especially
>>>> with a
>>>> $150 piece of Supracor substituted for the air flow cushion inside the
>>>> air
>>>> flow pad.
>>>
>>> Is Supracor the stuff The Bike Rack in St. Charles sells? I know
>>> someone who bought a $50 piece to improve the comfort of the stoker
>>> seat on a Bike Friday DoubleDay.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley
>>>
>>>
>> That is the stuff. I had a piece over the foam pad on my V-rex, too. That
>> has since been grafted onto the HP SpM to make the cushion version 2. If
>> you don't have one of these, http://www.abbeon.com/tools/zetz9t.html the
>> stuff is a bugger to cut.
>>
>
> A $325.00 cutting tool to cut a seat cushion makes for a pricy seat pad.
> Would save some money to buy the Buns of Steel thing on TV work out on it
> for a while I think.

That's why we buy pads from the Bike Rack. They have the tool and amortize
it over a lot of pads and lots of trim offs to make bent bike seats. Here's
the link to the manufacurer's site.http://www.supracor.com/about.html

>How expensive and cushey does a recumbent bike seat need to be?
>
Some people ride right on the carbon fibre without any cushion. I need more
cush for my tush than that.
>
>




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[Johnny Sunset]

oldslowbenter wrote:
> "HH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >...
> > A $325.00 cutting tool to cut a seat cushion makes for a pricy seat pad.
> > Would save some money to buy the Buns of Steel thing on TV work out on it
> > for a while I think.
>
> That's why we buy pads from the Bike Rack. They have the tool and amortize
> it over a lot of pads and lots of trim offs to make bent bike seats. Here's
> the link to the manufacurer's site.http://www.supracor.com/about.html

I understand that the Supracor pads are used a lot on the Creative
Mobility [1] side of the business to prevent potential problems from
pressure sores.

[1] <http://thebikerack.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=396>.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley Pedant

 

[Peter Clinch]

NYC XYZ wrote:

> What role does wheel size play?

Sorry for the delay, been off skiing for the week...

Wheel size isn't nearly as significant as many people seem to assume for
a general purpose bike, especially if the wheels have good suspension
(and on an HPVel, they do) because that swallows up most of the rolling
resistance issues, as long as you're not on rough stuff. Alex Moulton
demonstrated that back in the 60s, but there's still people about who
think small wheels must mean slow.

The primary advantage of a 26" rear AFAICT on the Streetmachine is that
you've got a lot bigger choice of off-the-shelf gear solutions designed
for that wheel size without having to fettle things or use rather
exclusive bits.

> Why do a few have the same wheel size and most do not? What advantage
> does a 26/26 'bent have?

It will have lower rolling resistance, all else being equal, but give it
good suspension and "lower" will be pretty insignificant. HPVel make
good suspension. My partner uses a 20/20 semi-low Nazca Fiero and has
been loaded touring on it on unsurfaced tracks okay. I think most of
the thing about 26/26 is the still widespread perception that bigger
wheels make a "serious" bike.

> It'd be nice to know it's there...there are times when I'm biking along
> on a smooth straight road that's empty for maybe like a whole quarter
> mile and I imagine how lovely it would be to just lay back and stare up
> at the passing sky.

But you can't do that with a headrest, they stop your head reclining
further...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Simon Kellett]

Peter Clinch <[email protected]> writes:

> The primary advantage of a 26" rear AFAICT on the Streetmachine is
> that you've got a lot bigger choice of off-the-shelf gear solutions
> designed for that wheel size without having to fettle things or use
> rather exclusive bits.

It depends on what gearing you want: I find most bikes vastly
over-geared so all my bents are 406 all-round which makes things easier,
for the same reason as you give

(And having all wheels the same size reduces the number of spares you
need.)

--
Simon Kellett, Darmstadt, Germany | http://home.arcor.de/zoxed
Hase Kettwiesel trike | ex-Pashley PDQ SWB
Flux V220 CLWB | Zox20 Lowracer

 

[Peter Clinch]

Simon Kellett wrote:

> It depends on what gearing you want: I find most bikes vastly
> over-geared so all my bents are 406 all-round which makes things easier,
> for the same reason as you give

The Streetmachine gearing as standard is, IMHO, pretty daft. Top gear
is such a monster that I've /never/ spun it out, despite trying quite
hard on some very big hills. But that's more down to the chainwheels
than anything else, 30/42/52. Once I get a Round Tuit I'll be regearing
by either a Rohloff and a small chainwheel (if I come into some money!)
or moving to a more MTB-a-like set of chainwheels. With something like
22/32/44 and a closer spaced rear cassette it would give a much better
spread for loaded touring.

But I seem to be in a relative minority thinking that! By default I'd
look for a 20/20 if I was starting now (like you say, only one set of
spares), but as yet I haven't found a 20/20 with quite the same Magic X
Factor for me as the 20/26 HPVels. Roos got Magic X with the Fiero, but
though the seat suits her very well with the cutaway shoulders I just
prefer the supported ones from the HPVel seats. As usual, trying it out
in person is the key.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/