Ideas on a recumbent for a young lady

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy folks!

Well, if anyone read my note a few days back entitled "Recent recumbent experiences and related",
you'll know that I took my 10 yr old daughter with me to the bike shop where my wife and I bought
our recumbents. It's no small trip to get there, as the shop is over 2.5 hrs away from our home. At
any rate, while I was getting my Tour Easy SS XL serviced, my lil' girl decided to go check out the
bikes! She ended up riding three recumbents, by far spending the most time on an EZ-1 Lite. She rode
it for nearly three hours non-stop, smiling and laughing the entire time. I nearly had to literally
pull her off the bike so we could get home! I was really impressed at how adept she was on the bike,
and so quickly! She also handled hills quite well, which was another surprise.

So... We're thinking of getting her one for Christmas. No way do we have the money to get her an
EZ-1 Lite, but perhaps a used EZ-1 SC or the like? How about some thoughts as to what might work for
her now and also grow WITH her as she continues to mature?

A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one is not so little, at almost
the height of her 15 yr old sister already! She's at or slightly over 5' right now. Thoughts on a
bike for her that she'll be able to ride and not necessarily outgrow inside of a year?

--
"Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are
you looking?"

 

[Risto Varanka]

Lars S. Mulford <[email protected]> wrote:

: So... We're thinking of getting her one for Christmas. No way do we have the money to get her an
: EZ-1 Lite, but perhaps a used EZ-1 SC or the like? How about some thoughts as to what might work
: for her now and also grow WITH her as she continues to mature?

: A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one is not so little,
: at almost the height of her 15 yr old sister already! She's at or slightly over 5' right
: now. Thoughts on a bike for her that she'll be able to ride and not necessarily outgrow
: inside of a year?

Hase Kettwiesel is supposed to grow with the rider. Should go under 5' too in case there are more of
those lil' ones.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Moosebear]

For a Five foot rider, I don't think you could go wrong with a BikeE, and there are still some around, used or even new at reasonable prices. The seat can slide forward, and hence down, then back and up as she grows.

One advantage of the BikeE as well, is that kids often think it "looks cool" with its chopper-like sweep, and that might be important, because if she gets teased by friends for riding something that "looks wierd" she may cool in her recumbent passion.

And we wouldn't want that!

 

[Jon Meinecke]

"Moosebear" <[email protected]> wrote
> For a Five foot rider, I don't think you could go wrong with a BikeE,

I second that suggestion of BikeE as a good bike for kids. There're almost infinitely adjustable.
Fun to ride.

A second hand TourEasy wouldn't be a bad idea either but may be out of the price range. They have
probably 3-4 inches of leg length adjustability. A used bike probably would less little resale value
than a new one if a different one is needed in a year or two.

Jon Meinecke

 

[Jeff Wills]

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Howdy folks!
<snippedy-doo-dah>
> A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one is not so little,
> at almost the height of her 15 yr old sister already! She's at or slightly over 5' right
> now. Thoughts on a bike for her that she'll be able to ride and not necessarily outgrow
> inside of a year?

An EZ-1 (either version) is a good choice- basic and durable. I've seen them ridden by under-5-foot
8-year-olds and 6 1/2-foot-plus bike crushers. By the time she outgrows it (if she does), boys will
be picking her up in cars, and dad will have to contend with a whole 'nother kind of stress.

Jeff

 

[Jd Ami]

You may want to look at the Giant Revive DX... it's likely adjustable over the whole range your
daughter would require both now and in the future.

It also has the advantage that the chain is fully enclosed so that no ankle straps are needed.

"Lars S. Mulford" wrote:

> Howdy folks!
>
> Well, if anyone read my note a few days back entitled "Recent recumbent experiences and related",
> you'll know that I took my 10 yr old daughter with me to the bike shop where my wife and I bought
> our recumbents. It's no small trip to get there, as the shop is over 2.5 hrs away from our home.
> At any rate, while I was getting my Tour Easy SS XL serviced, my lil' girl decided to go check out
> the bikes! She ended up riding three recumbents, by far spending the most time on an EZ-1 Lite.
> She rode it for nearly three hours non-stop, smiling and laughing the entire time. I nearly had to
> literally pull her off the bike so we could get home! I was really impressed at how adept she was
> on the bike, and so quickly! She also handled hills quite well, which was another surprise.
>
> So... We're thinking of getting her one for Christmas. No way do we have the money to get her an
> EZ-1 Lite, but perhaps a used EZ-1 SC or the like? How about some thoughts as to what might work
> for her now and also grow WITH her as she continues to mature?
>
> A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one is not so little,
> at almost the height of her 15 yr old sister already! She's at or slightly over 5' right
> now. Thoughts on a bike for her that she'll be able to ride and not necessarily outgrow
> inside of a year?
>
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"

 

[Don]

Lars, I think your daughter has already picked out her bike.

If you still want to get her something different more info would be helpful. What were the two other
bikes she rode but did not prefer? Also, If you intend to do a lot of family riding you should get
her one that she can go fastest on (i.e. keep up with daddy)and won't get discouraged in a year or
two as she improves quickly. For that reason I would eliminate the Bike-E as a choice.

I think you are on track with one of the less expensive EZs. You could put lighter/smaller tires on
for a smaller rider to reduce weight. And away she goes.

Don

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Howdy folks!
>
> Well, if anyone read my note a few days back entitled "Recent recumbent experiences and related",
> you'll know that I took my 10 yr old daughter with me to the bike shop where my wife and I bought
> our recumbents. It's no small trip to get there, as the shop is over 2.5 hrs away from our home.
> At any rate, while I was getting my Tour Easy SS XL serviced, my lil' girl decided to go check out
> the bikes! She ended up riding three recumbents, by far spending the most time on an EZ-1 Lite.
> She rode it for nearly three hours non-stop, smiling and laughing the entire time. I nearly had to
> literally pull her off the bike so we could get home! I was really impressed at how adept she was
> on the bike, and so quickly! She also handled hills quite well, which was another surprise.
>
> So... We're thinking of getting her one for Christmas. No way do we have the money to get her an
> EZ-1 Lite, but perhaps a used EZ-1 SC or the like? How about some thoughts as to what might work
> for her now and also grow WITH her as she continues to mature?
>
> A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one is not so little,
> at almost the height of her 15 yr old sister already! She's at or slightly over 5' right
> now. Thoughts on a bike for her that she'll be able to ride and not necessarily outgrow
> inside of a year?

 

[Lars S. Mulford]

"Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Lars, I think your daughter has already picked out her bike.

Howdy Don and others!

She REALLY liked the EZ-1 Lite, but there's no way we could swing it right now. While I am
absolutely thrilled that she has become "bent" like many of us on here, I lament the fact that we
discovered this so late in the year (and perhaps more tellingly, when almost everything for
Christmas has already been purchased).

> If you still want to get her something different more info would be helpful. What were the two
> other bikes she rode but did not prefer?

She rode a Terratrikes 3.4 and was really into it. She loved the nimbleness of it but while she rode
it, I accompanied her on a Catrike Speed. A few times of us riding together and she began wondering
why the trike she was riding wouldn't turn as sharply as the Catrike Speed... At any rate, trikes
are WAY WAY out of any reasonable price range in getting something for her, so it was never really
considered.

The other thing she rode was a semi-bent, an Evox 140. She liked how quiet it was but she kept
slipping on the seat. We couldn't get the seat to move up any further for her so she rode it a few
times and then moved onto other things. The Evox 140 is their large frame, the 120 may have fit her
but the point seemed moot once she started riding the EZ-1 Lite and wouldn't come off it.

> Also, If you intend to do a lot of family riding you should get her one that she can go fastest on
> (i.e. keep up with daddy)and won't get discouraged in a year or two as she improves quickly.

That is an excellent point. We do ride as a family and enjoy it. Daddy doesn't usually put the
hammer down on the bike unless we're riding on some bike trails and we get dusted by some wedgies...
Even then, although I may be chomping at the bit, I refrain and stay with my family! Once in a
while, my wife will get angry when some wedgies pass us WAY TOO CLOSE and then she'll tell me to go
get 'em... (lol)

I could see where performance would be a good thing to have for her; not paramount, but definitely
nice to have.

> I think you are on track with one of the less expensive EZs. You could put lighter/smaller tires
> on for a smaller rider to reduce weight. And away she goes.

What an excellent idea about the tires! I never thought about that! As of right now, we're focusing
in on perhaps a used or demo EZ-1 SC. I'll keep folks posted!

Thanks again to everyone for really thought provoking and insightful comments! Every single one of
them is a good one!

--
"Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are
you looking?"

 

[Edward Ing]

You might consider looking for a used one. When she outgrows it. You can sell it again. Listings in
BROL are pretty good.

 

[Jack Davis]

Lars,

The time that your young lady will want to ride bikes with her parents may be very brief. Act
quickly before it is gone.

Time has no reverse gear. Get an EZ1 Lite....and go ride while you can.

jd

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy folks!
>
> Well, if anyone read my note a few days back entitled "Recent recumbent experiences and related",
> you'll know that I took my 10 yr old daughter
with
> me to the bike shop where my wife and I bought our recumbents. It's no small trip to get there, as
> the shop is over 2.5 hrs away from our home.
At
> any rate, while I was getting my Tour Easy SS XL serviced, my lil' girl decided to go check out
> the bikes! She ended up riding three recumbents,
by
> far spending the most time on an EZ-1 Lite. She rode it for nearly three hours non-stop, smiling
> and laughing the entire time. I nearly had to literally pull her off the bike so we could get
> home! I was really impressed at how adept she was on the bike, and so quickly! She also handled
> hills quite well, which was another surprise.
>
> So... We're thinking of getting her one for Christmas. No way do we have the money to get her an
> EZ-1 Lite, but perhaps a used EZ-1 SC or the like? How about some thoughts as to what might work
> for her now and also grow
WITH
> her as she continues to mature?
>
> A little background - While mom is short at 5'2", I'm 6'7". My lil' one
is
> not so little, at almost the height of her 15 yr old sister already!
She's
> at or slightly over 5' right now. Thoughts on a bike for her that she'll
be
> able to ride and not necessarily outgrow inside of a year?
>
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"

 

[Risto Varanka]

Lars S. Mulford <[email protected]> wrote:

: She REALLY liked the EZ-1 Lite, but there's no way we could swing it right now. While I am
: absolutely thrilled that she has become "bent" like many of us on here, I lament the fact that we
: discovered this so late in the year (and perhaps more tellingly, when almost everything for
: Christmas has already been purchased).

So the lesson learned is that bent vendors need to target kids already in October or so.

: What an excellent idea about the tires! I never thought about that! As of right now, we're
: focusing in on perhaps a used or demo EZ-1 SC. I'll keep folks posted!

Yea, if you have some hard race tires (like Schwalbe Stelvio) you're gonna see a noticeable
performance increase. The ride will be harsher, and the rims can't bee too wide, though. And
Stelvios are prone to flats... Some more durable sports tires or slicks might be a good idea...
unless you want her to learn how to fix flats

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ [email protected]