New 'Bent Pilot - Sacramento, CA

Toothy Grin said:

Just had my Actionbent Litespeed Metro SWB/OSS arrive, after only three
days in transit. I spent almost three hours putting together the gear,
frame/boom, brake, and handlebar system before taking a break for the
evening. I'll finish up the chain and seat tomorrow. Can't wait for my
first ride. I have a seven-mile commute to work coming up on Sunday
that'll be my initial test-out.

Can't wait to hear your after-action report! I'm particularly
interested in ActionBents because they're so inexpensive, relatively
speaking, but I've yet to hear of one unhappy owner!

Are you some kind of bicycle expert or mechanically-inclined? If it
were me, I'd have an LBS review my setup first!

Quoted message said:

Been riding a DF to work for fourteen years; started getting the sore
wrists, neck, back, and numb groin just last year. So, with a little
research, I found some great reviews on recumbents - and how much more
comfortable they are to ride.

You know, I saw two fellow 'bent-riders today...and I've been seeing
them more and more this past year!

Boy did we catch this wave or what! I hope it just swells and
swells....

Quoted message said:

Finally, after all the research (gotta love the 'net), I decided that the
SWB OOS seemed to be the best option for somewhat heavy-traffic commuting.

We'll see!

I've already done USS SWB commuting and it was fun! I am slower and
have to be rather more careful, but though I love my DF nothing is as
comfy as a 'bent!

And I have seen a few LWB riders in the streets here in NYC during rush
hour, so I am hopeful that urban commuting on a 'bent won't be much
hassle, long-run! Main thing, I think, is finding a place to lock it
up. Luckily, I can stow mine in the office.

I know what you mean with the sore wrists, neck, back etc as I have dumped
the conventional mountain bike for a recumbent for the same reason. I
purchased a tube kit for a Greenspeen GTS trike from last year, and welded
up the frame over the Christmas holidays. I've since finished that and am
now waiting on funds to purchase a Rohloff 14 speed hub and disc brakes for
the front end. If anyone wishes to discuss fabrication, I am more than happy
to share my (long...10 weeks, 8 am to 5 pm) experience with frame building
and help anyone out.

"Toothy Grin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just had my Actionbent Litespeed Metro SWB/OSS arrive, after only three
days in transit. I spent almost three hours putting together the gear,
frame/boom, brake, and handlebar system before taking a break for the
evening. I'll finish up the chain and seat tomorrow. Can't wait for my
first ride. I have a seven-mile commute to work coming up on Sunday
that'll be my initial test-out.

Been riding a DF to work for fourteen years; started getting the sore
wrists, neck, back, and numb groin just last year. So, with a little
research, I found some great reviews on recumbents - and how much more
comfortable they are to ride.

Finally, after all the research (gotta love the 'net), I decided that the
SWB OOS seemed to be the best option for somewhat heavy-traffic commuting.

We'll see!

I want to buy one, did you liked it? is it hard to put together?

"NYC XYZ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Toothy Grin said:

Just had my Actionbent Litespeed Metro SWB/OSS arrive, after only three
days in transit. I spent almost three hours putting together the gear,
frame/boom, brake, and handlebar system before taking a break for the
evening. I'll finish up the chain and seat tomorrow. Can't wait for my
first ride. I have a seven-mile commute to work coming up on Sunday
that'll be my initial test-out.

Can't wait to hear your after-action report! I'm particularly
interested in ActionBents because they're so inexpensive, relatively
speaking, but I've yet to hear of one unhappy owner!

Are you some kind of bicycle expert or mechanically-inclined? If it
were me, I'd have an LBS review my setup first!

Quoted message said:

Been riding a DF to work for fourteen years; started getting the sore
wrists, neck, back, and numb groin just last year. So, with a little
research, I found some great reviews on recumbents - and how much more
comfortable they are to ride.

You know, I saw two fellow 'bent-riders today...and I've been seeing
them more and more this past year!

Boy did we catch this wave or what! I hope it just swells and
swells....

Quoted message said:

Finally, after all the research (gotta love the 'net), I decided that

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

SWB OOS seemed to be the best option for somewhat heavy-traffic

commuting.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

We'll see!

I've already done USS SWB commuting and it was fun! I am slower and
have to be rather more careful, but though I love my DF nothing is as
comfy as a 'bent!

And I have seen a few LWB riders in the streets here in NYC during rush
hour, so I am hopeful that urban commuting on a 'bent won't be much
hassle, long-run! Main thing, I think, is finding a place to lock it
up. Luckily, I can stow mine in the office.

--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

Duram said:

I want to buy one, did you liked it? is it hard to put together?

Um, sorry, thought you knew...I have an SWB from HP Velo, not
ActionBent....

NYC XYZ said:

Can't wait to hear your after-action report! I'm particularly
interested in ActionBents because they're so inexpensive, relatively
speaking, but I've yet to hear of one unhappy owner!

Whew!!! Just got home from my first Actionbent Litespeed Metro tryout.
I'd never ridden a 'bent of any type before, so I thought I'd take some
time to figure out what I'm doing prior to taking it for any serious
traffic-laden commute.

I started out slowly.. Actually, I started out with *much* intrepidity.
Heh.. I'd even call it paralysis. But, my driveway is on a somewhat steep
downhill, so I let myself coast down (when the coast was clear!) The
first turn was definitely a new experience. I had to 'program' myself to
turn the bike.. I'd never quite felt anything quite like it before.

After about five-ten minutes, I was starting to get somewhat used to it.
I did some stops and starts (very badly at first; the first time, I
wobbled all the way across to the other side of the road -- glad I decided
to do it on a cul-de-sac!) I rode it around on straight-aways at full
gear and at the lowest gear.. Then unfortunately, I found out the hard way
that I was no longer on a mountain bike.. I rode up on a curb and tried a
turn that was far too sharp for my experience, slid out of control and
laid it down, breaking off my brand new left-side mirror. (*DOH*). Other
than a few scratches (my ego hurt far worse than my elbow), I was fine.
But I decided that I'd work on my control before getting too cocky again.

I rode through the neighborhood some more for about 20 minutes and
really began to feel somewhat comfortable. At that time, I rode to the
local school to do; I did about 15 minutes of slaloms between a set of
trees in the parking lot, feeling more and more confident in my riding.

I did get a lot of head-turns and some kids shouting "COOL"... heh.

Some things I learned:

1) My old helmet does *not* work. I'm going to need to get an entirely
different style that'll "fit" my bike.
2) Steering on the SWB is a completely new experience.. I discovered that
one learns to steer "after" what you're used to on a DF. It was quite a
unique realization that I was steering to avoid road debris *after* my
feet had already crossed over it.
3) The 'bent is *not* a mountain bike.. it is a road bike and I must treat
it accordingly at all times.
4) *ick* Bugs are a lot more of a problem on a bent.. They get airflowed
right into my face!! Wonder what I can do to mitigate...

Quoted message said:

Are you some kind of bicycle expert or mechanically-inclined? If it
were me, I'd have an LBS review my setup first!

More mechanically-inclined, I guess. I started woodworking two or so
years ago and it gave me a more-trained eye for detail. To be entirely
honest, before I built my LS Metro over the last weekend, I had difficulty
changing my tire. Fortunately, I had my DF to kinda learn from. To be
honest, the most difficult part of the entire bike was the seat! The
'free upgrade' seat comes without the mounting holes in the frame!
It's drill your own!! What I thought would be the scariest part --
mounting and threading the chain -- ended up being very intuitive. The
bike comes with *almost* all the proper tools needed to build the bike.
It comes with a bike chain .. er.. thingie (sorry, don't know what it's
called -- the tool that drives the rivets through the chain 'eye' holes),
the necessary allen wrenches (*), and a rudimentary wrench that's more
useful as a shim than for its 'normal' use.

(*) In order to properly mount the freebie seat, you need a curved allen
wrench of proper size -- the allen wrench that comes with it is the swiss
army knife set. I had to drive, grumbling, to Home Depot to get one.

It took about 10 hours to build, all-told, for a complete newbie bike
mechanic (possessing some tool skills). The instructions are a bit on the
weak side; parts are unlabeled and only through visual matching with
on-line pictures of the bike and holding the parts up to various areas
was I able to figure out what went where. Unfortunately, I broke off a
tightening screw.. Question: On an OSS/SWB bike, is the steering
mechanism supposed to be 'free', front to back? Mine swings back and
forth about 10 degrees, which gives me more flexibility to maneuver, but
gives my upper body (pecs/upper arms) far more of a workout than my DF.

Quoted message said:

You know, I saw two fellow 'bent-riders today...and I've been seeing
them more and more this past year!

🙂 I've only seen them on occasion during my commute to work. And at
that, very few times.

Quoted message said:

Boy did we catch this wave or what! I hope it just swells and
swells....

Well, I'm one.. A wave of one! 🙂

Quoted message said:

I've already done USS SWB commuting and it was fun! I am slower and
have to be rather more careful, but though I love my DF nothing is as
comfy as a 'bent!

Quoted message said:

And I have seen a few LWB riders in the streets here in NYC during rush
hour, so I am hopeful that urban commuting on a 'bent won't be much
hassle, long-run! Main thing, I think, is finding a place to lock it
up. Luckily, I can stow mine in the office.

*nod* My office has a special key-carded, video-monitored bike room. I
will feel safe stowing it in there!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Toothy Grin said:

Whew!!! Just got home from my first Actionbent Litespeed Metro tryout.
I'd never ridden a 'bent of any type before, so I thought I'd take some
time to figure out what I'm doing prior to taking it for any serious
traffic-laden commute.

Wow, you're a brave one! I think you should try downhill MTBing
instead!

Quoted message said:

I started out slowly.. Actually, I started out with *much* intrepidity.
Heh.. I'd even call it paralysis. But, my driveway is on a somewhat steep
downhill, so I let myself coast down (when the coast was clear!) The
first turn was definitely a new experience. I had to 'program' myself to
turn the bike.. I'd never quite felt anything quite like it before.

Didya have a 'bent-smile? =)

Quoted message said:

After about five-ten minutes, I was starting to get somewhat used to it.
I did some stops and starts (very badly at first; the first time, I
wobbled all the way across to the other side of the road -- glad I decided
to do it on a cul-de-sac!) I rode it around on straight-aways at full
gear and at the lowest gear.. Then unfortunately, I found out the hard way
that I was no longer on a mountain bike.. I rode up on a curb and tried a
turn that was far too sharp for my experience, slid out of control and
laid it down, breaking off my brand new left-side mirror. (*DOH*). Other
than a few scratches (my ego hurt far worse than my elbow), I was fine.
But I decided that I'd work on my control before getting too cocky again.

LOL!

That's why I'd first tried out the 'bent in my office hallways (I'd the
thing shipped to work 'cause I didn't want to take off a day waiting
for the delivery [weekends not available]) and I had two or three falls
myself -- and I wasn't even moving! So at least you have an excuse;
I'd cornered all turns and gone through doorways all right, only to
keel over when sitting still on my 'bent -- go figure!

I recommend all first-time 'bent-riders try out a 'bent on linoleum
tiling or parquet wood flooring! =)

Quoted message said:

I rode through the neighborhood some more for about 20 minutes and
really began to feel somewhat comfortable. At that time, I rode to the
local school to do; I did about 15 minutes of slaloms between a set of
trees in the parking lot, feeling more and more confident in my riding.

Have you gone flying over speed bumps yet? It's a funny feeling in a
'bent...chairborne!

Quoted message said:

I did get a lot of head-turns and some kids shouting "COOL"... heh.

Wait 'til you get cops laughing at you...!

Quoted message said:

Some things I learned:

1) My old helmet does *not* work. I'm going to need to get an entirely
different style that'll "fit" my bike.

Huh? Please elaborate.

And down with Helmet Nazis! Is there a way to protest being forced to
wear a helmet on organized rides? There are so many I'd like to join,
but they all oblige a helmet. Luckily, I haven't gotten kicked out of
any (yet) for constantly taking mine off.

Quoted message said:

2) Steering on the SWB is a completely new experience.. I discovered that
one learns to steer "after" what you're used to on a DF. It was quite a
unique realization that I was steering to avoid road debris *after* my
feet had already crossed over it.

LOL...never thought of it that way!

Quoted message said:

3) The 'bent is *not* a mountain bike.. it is a road bike and I must treat
it accordingly at all times.

Heck, mine looks more like a MTB, with full suspension (high-end, too)
and Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires -- and I have to be even more careful
than I am with my road bike! Definitely no going over sidewalk curbs
with that 20" front wheel; at least I'm still able to go off of them --
it's not a big drop coming off of them into the street.

Quoted message said:

4) *ick* Bugs are a lot more of a problem on a bent.. They get airflowed
right into my face!! Wonder what I can do to mitigate...

Someone posted these the other day...<http://www.respro.com>.

Quoted message said:

More mechanically-inclined, I guess. I started woodworking two or so
years ago and it gave me a more-trained eye for detail. To be entirely
honest, before I built my LS Metro over the last weekend, I had difficulty
changing my tire.

I do, too, but at least I know what to do.

Quoted message said:

Fortunately, I had my DF to kinda learn from. To be
honest, the most difficult part of the entire bike was the seat! The
'free upgrade' seat comes without the mounting holes in the frame!
It's drill your own!!

WTF?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Quoted message said:

What I thought would be the scariest part --
mounting and threading the chain -- ended up being very intuitive.

Wow, good for you, I'd have thought the same.

Quoted message said:

The
bike comes with *almost* all the proper tools needed to build the bike.
It comes with a bike chain .. er.. thingie (sorry, don't know what it's
called -- the tool that drives the rivets through the chain 'eye' holes),

It even comes with a basic chain tool? Hmm, pretty cool!

Quoted message said:

the necessary allen wrenches (*), and a rudimentary wrench that's more
useful as a shim than for its 'normal' use.

Yeah, I wonder how that came about, everybody seems to be providing
allen keys/wrenches these days, every little thing you buy that needs
the slightest bit of assembly gets an allen key/wrench...they should
start giving you money for them like how they do with soda cans!

Quoted message said:

(*) In order to properly mount the freebie seat, you need a curved allen
wrench of proper size -- the allen wrench that comes with it is the swiss
army knife set. I had to drive, grumbling, to Home Depot to get one.

Damn, I can imagine! I hate having to put my toys away once I get into
things.

Quoted message said:

It took about 10 hours to build, all-told, for a complete newbie bike
mechanic (possessing some tool skills). The instructions are a bit on the
weak side; parts are unlabeled and only through visual matching with
on-line pictures of the bike and holding the parts up to various areas
was I able to figure out what went where.

LOL...yeah, when I saw the ActionBent site, I was reminded of the
Flintstones in Bedrock....

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately, I broke off a
tightening screw.. Question: On an OSS/SWB bike, is the steering
mechanism supposed to be 'free', front to back? Mine swings back and
forth about 10 degrees, which gives me more flexibility to maneuver, but
gives my upper body (pecs/upper arms) far more of a workout than my DF.

Um, I don't think you're supposed to have any moving parts on a bike
except for the obvious...but I don't know OSS/ASS...anyone else know?

Quoted message said:

🙂 I've only seen them on occasion during my commute to work. And at
that, very few times.

Someone reported that there's even a recumbent bike messenger here in
NYC! I wonder how he locks up his bike....

Quoted message said:

Well, I'm one.. A wave of one! 🙂

They say the comfort bike is what's driving bike sales overall...I hope
'bents benefit from that, like how a rising tide lifts all boats!

Quoted message said:

*nod* My office has a special key-carded, video-monitored bike room. I
will feel safe stowing it in there!

Oh, wow, that's the best! But part of my interest in an ActionBent is
imagining that I could use one for those situations when I'd be forced
to lock up the bike on the street AND be out of sight AND be away for
an hour or two -- like when I go to the gym. I'm thinking that IF --
GOD FORBID -- it gets stolen I wouldn't have lost "too much"....

How will you lock up your bike? Unless it's at your desk -- like it is
with me (behind my seat, actually) -- you'd still have to put a lock on
it, despite the video camera.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Thanks for sharing! Please post in future anything else you notice. I
think an ActionBent is what I'll recommend certain folks who are
interested in a recumbent bike but don't want to spend too much money.
And as mentioned, I myself see this brand as one whose bikes I wouldn't
need to "worry" about in a worst-case scenario, whether theft or
crash...and it would be educational for me, probably, in finally
getting down to the nitty-gritties of a bike!

Congrats on your new bent. Glad you got it sorted out. Holes for the seat? Echo WTF?!?!?

Bugs! I lowered my seat angle again today and did not get any up the nose this ride. Lucky I suppose. Did have several sizeable insectoids bounce off the shins, knees however. Little buggers sting just a tad when cooking along at 20+ mph. We are due for a bad bug year down here. No real freeze and the crops are growing...

If you have not fallen over at a dead stop, remember, YET stands for You're Eligible Too. It's almost a right of passage, especially if you are riding clipless. Try to fall left, and not into traffic. Less chance of bending your rear hanger that way. Guess how I found that out!

Charlie

NYC XYZ said:

Toothy Grin said:

Just had my Actionbent Litespeed Metro SWB/OSS arrive, after only three
days in transit. I spent almost three hours putting together the gear,
frame/boom, brake, and handlebar system before taking a break for the
evening. I'll finish up the chain and seat tomorrow. Can't wait for my
first ride. I have a seven-mile commute to work coming up on Sunday
that'll be my initial test-out.

Can't wait to hear your after-action report! I'm particularly
interested in ActionBents because they're so inexpensive, relatively
speaking, but I've yet to hear of one unhappy owner!

Are you some kind of bicycle expert or mechanically-inclined? If it
were me, I'd have an LBS review my setup first!

Quoted message said:

Been riding a DF to work for fourteen years; started getting the sore
wrists, neck, back, and numb groin just last year. So, with a little
research, I found some great reviews on recumbents - and how much more
comfortable they are to ride.

You know, I saw two fellow 'bent-riders today...and I've been seeing
them more and more this past year!

Boy did we catch this wave or what! I hope it just swells and
swells....

Quoted message said:

Finally, after all the research (gotta love the 'net), I decided that the
SWB OOS seemed to be the best option for somewhat heavy-traffic commuting.

We'll see!

I've already done USS SWB commuting and it was fun! I am slower and
have to be rather more careful, but though I love my DF nothing is as
comfy as a 'bent!

And I have seen a few LWB riders in the streets here in NYC during rush
hour, so I am hopeful that urban commuting on a 'bent won't be much
hassle, long-run! Main thing, I think, is finding a place to lock it
up. Luckily, I can stow mine in the office.

I just got my ActionBent three weeks ago. I am a Chrysler technician. My
hands and wrists take a beating during the day. I have had the numb
hands and painful wrists. My research caused me to by a recumbent. I
found ActionBent and really liked the Lite Speed Metro. I received my
bike after five days. That was good because I live in NC and UPS had
routed it to the wrong place. As far as how easy it is to set up, it was
easy for me to put together. Yes, the bike comes with most of the tools
to put it together. But, I bought a set of tools from Park years ago to
work on my bikes myself.

It is a slight learning curve to get used to the way a SW bent handles.
It is very responsive. Yes, you have to learn how to turn. Once I got
used to it I take curves and turns just like my DF bike (leaning into
it). Slow turns take a lot bigger turning radius. so far I have no
complaints. I went out with my local bike club this weekend and enjoyed
the hell out of it. Everybody was asking questions about my bike. The
hardest thing to get used to is stopping. I use clip less pedals and I
recommend them to anybody that rides a bent. The clip less pedals are
harder to unclip when your feet are up in the front. And yes you will
fall over every once in awhile at stops. Have fun.

NYC XYZ said:

Toothy Grin said:

I'd never ridden a 'bent of any type before, so I thought I'd take some
time to figure out what I'm doing prior to taking it for any serious
traffic-laden commute.

Wow, you're a brave one! I think you should try downhill MTBing
instead!

*hee* Not at all. I just am one that likes to jump right in to learn. I
would rather fall down and learn what not to do. Although, I understand
that the SWBs aren't the ones most-recommended to newbies.. *shrug* It's
been grand so far.. (See below for Day 2)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

turn the bike.. I'd never quite felt anything quite like it before.

Didya have a 'bent-smile? =)

**OH** yeah.. Bugs-in-the-teeth kind. 😉

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But I decided that I'd work on my control before getting too cocky again.

That's why I'd first tried out the 'bent in my office hallways (I'd the

That's a good idea.. Although I think my co-workers would get *all* bent
out of shape (pardon the pun). How'd your co-workers take it? I'll
betcha had fun, though..

Quoted message said:

Have you gone flying over speed bumps yet? It's a funny feeling in a
'bent...chairborne!

That's one I've not experienced just yet. I don't have anything like that
along my commute (although the road does get somewhat rough around the
bike lanes at times).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I did get a lot of head-turns and some kids shouting "COOL"... heh.

Wait 'til you get cops laughing at you...!

Quoted message said:

Some things I learned:

1) My old helmet does *not* work. I'm going to need to get an entirely
different style that'll "fit" my bike.

Huh? Please elaborate.

When I put it on and leaned back for the first time, the helmet literally
stuck on the back of the headrest, shoving the helmet right down over my
eyes. No amount of adjustment - tight or light - would work, so I just
gave up and took it off completely. I'm thinking I'll just get one of
those skateboarder shell-like helms instead, since they have a really high
back.

Quoted message said:

And down with Helmet Nazis!

[..]

Eh. CA has no helmet rule if you're over 17. I'm going to make my first
commute tomorrow without one, although at lunch I plan to ride over to the
downtown area bike shop and get one that better-fits me.

Quoted message said:

Heck, mine looks more like a MTB, with full suspension (high-end, too)
and Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires -- and I have to be even more careful
than I am with my road bike! Definitely no going over sidewalk curbs
with that 20" front wheel; at least I'm still able to go off of them --
it's not a big drop coming off of them into the street.

Sweet. I would imagine that gives you a soft ride. I have full
suspension on my DF "MTB" (I assume that's Mountain Bike), and it's very
nice at the cost of some speed. I don't mind the bumps and bangs -- yet..
Although I've yet to hit anything that really jars me, either.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

4) *ick* Bugs are a lot more of a problem on a bent.. They get airflowed
right into my face!! Wonder what I can do to mitigate...

Someone posted these the other day...<http://www.respro.com>.

Thanks for that! That looks to be just the ticket. Will help my
allergies, to boot (The Sacramento Valley is a deathtrap for pollen during
the spring bloom)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Fortunately, I had my DF to kinda learn from. To be
honest, the most difficult part of the entire bike was the seat! The
'free upgrade' seat comes without the mounting holes in the frame!
It's drill your own!!

WTF?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Yup. Again, I wasn't horribly intimidated, since I do a lot of drilling
with the woodworking, but it definitely irritated me.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The bike comes with *almost* all the proper tools needed to build the bike.
It comes with a bike chain .. er.. thingie (sorry, don't know what it's
called -- the tool that drives the rivets through the chain 'eye' holes),

It even comes with a basic chain tool? Hmm, pretty cool!

Ah, is that what it is called -- thank you. 🙂

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It took about 10 hours to build, all-told, for a complete newbie bike
mechanic (possessing some tool skills). The instructions are a bit on the
weak side; parts are unlabeled and only through visual matching with
on-line pictures of the bike and holding the parts up to various areas
was I able to figure out what went where.

LOL...yeah, when I saw the ActionBent site, I was reminded of the
Flintstones in Bedrock....

(*chuckle*) I don't plan to ride up and order any bronto-ribs just yet..

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately, I broke off a
tightening screw.. Question: On an OSS/SWB bike, is the steering
mechanism supposed to be 'free', front to back? Mine swings back and
forth about 10 degrees, which gives me more flexibility to maneuver, but
gives my upper body (pecs/upper arms) far more of a workout than my DF.

Um, I don't think you're supposed to have any moving parts on a bike
except for the obvious...but I don't know OSS/ASS...anyone else know?

Hmm. Then that could be bad. I *really* tightened it down - prior to the
screw breaking off, and it hasn't wiggled since.. But, if it starts to
wiggle any further, I'm gonna need that screw replaced... And I'll have to
drill it out. 🙁

Quoted message said:

They say the comfort bike is what's driving bike sales overall...I hope
'bents benefit from that, like how a rising tide lifts all boats!

I hope so indeed - that will knock the price down in parts for all of us!

Quoted message said:

How will you lock up your bike? Unless it's at your desk -- like it is
with me (behind my seat, actually) -- you'd still have to put a lock on
it, despite the video camera.

The room's supposed to be guarded by security. I may have my
welding-hobby brother-in-law weld on a security loop that I can thread
some locking chain on it for when I'm not at work, but at this point, the
Kryptonite u-loop lock that I've had for 12 years is going to have to do.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Thanks for sharing! Please post in future anything else you notice. I
think an ActionBent is what I'll recommend certain folks who are
interested in a recumbent bike but don't want to spend too much money.
And as mentioned, I myself see this brand as one whose bikes I wouldn't
need to "worry" about in a worst-case scenario, whether theft or
crash...and it would be educational for me, probably, in finally
getting down to the nitty-gritties of a bike!

Thank you for the welcoming! For the record, I would recommend this
bike to a newbie (like me) who want to at least give it a whirl. And
yes, I wouldn't mind *too* terribly much losing this one, although
I've certainly never spent so much for a bike before in my life. As
for my travails, I'll be happy to share..

Day 2: What a difference a day makes!
After work, I was itching to give it another ride, so I dressed
comfortably and took off again around the neighborhood. What a complete
difference from yesterday! I had confidence, balance, and felt absolutely
comfortable, from startup to stopping. This time, I did some full stops,
practicing gearing down as part of the stop itself. Starting up is *SO*
much easier in low gear.. The 'Metro didn't wobble at all in a startup at
gears 2-2.. Felt fantastic!! I even did some medium-speed cornering and
practiced some 'wiggling' at lower speed to emulate steering around
debris. All as comfortable as I could hope to be... Although (*hee*) I
did fall over on a full stop once.. Couldn't get my foot down quite
correctly, but the lay down was almost like just rolling over from a
sit-down position.. No pain at all.

I absolutely *LOVE* this bike... With the exception of having to drill my
own seat mounting. I will be commuting to work tomorrow..

Toothy Grin said:

*hee* Not at all. I just am one that likes to jump right in to learn. I
would rather fall down and learn what not to do. Although, I understand
that the SWBs aren't the ones most-recommended to newbies.. *shrug* It's
been grand so far.. (See below for Day 2)

Why did you choose OSS? To me, USS is more "faithful" to the spirit
and promise of recumbent riding!

Quoted message said:

That's a good idea.. Although I think my co-workers would get *all* bent
out of shape (pardon the pun). How'd your co-workers take it? I'll
betcha had fun, though..

Actually, one of them is a volunteer marshal for the annual Five Boro
Bike Tour! He was fascinated, though he didn't say anything like "I
want one!" that some others had said.

Quoted message said:

<SNIP>

When I put it on and leaned back for the first time, the helmet literally
stuck on the back of the headrest, shoving the helmet right down over my
eyes. No amount of adjustment - tight or light - would work, so I just
gave up and took it off completely. I'm thinking I'll just get one of
those skateboarder shell-like helms instead, since they have a really high
back.

Thing is, they're probably hotter than bike helmets.

Quoted message said:

Eh. CA has no helmet rule if you're over 17. I'm going to make my first
commute tomorrow without one, although at lunch I plan to ride over to the
downtown area bike shop and get one that better-fits me.

I wonder if there's a bike helmet that can accommodate a head-rest on a
'bent. I doubt it.

Quoted message said:

Sweet. I would imagine that gives you a soft ride. I have full
suspension on my DF "MTB" (I assume that's Mountain Bike), and it's very
nice at the cost of some speed. I don't mind the bumps and bangs -- yet..
Although I've yet to hit anything that really jars me, either.

I wonder how that would be on a hard-tail 'bent. Really curious.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for that! That looks to be just the ticket. Will help my
allergies, to boot (The Sacramento Valley is a deathtrap for pollen during
the spring bloom)

When will you get one? I've ordered one already, and will post
comments after I try it out.

Quoted message said:

<SNIP>

(*chuckle*) I don't plan to ride up and order any bronto-ribs just yet..

Actually, I was thinking of the DIY ethos...'member how the citizens of
Bedrock paid a seashell to get in the bus? And then they all picked it
up and ran!

Seeing the ActionBent website made me think of that...I imagined myself
paying for a bike which I then had to weld together and saw and
paint.... =)

Quoted message said:

Hmm. Then that could be bad. I *really* tightened it down - prior to the
screw breaking off, and it hasn't wiggled since.. But, if it starts to
wiggle any further, I'm gonna need that screw replaced... And I'll have to
drill it out. 🙁

Oh, doesn't anyone out there know? HELLO??? What does it mean for the
steering mechanism to swing back and forth about ten degrees??

Have you contacted that Randy Schulman? He must know!

Quoted message said:

I hope so indeed - that will knock the price down in parts for all of us!

Hmm...the parts are supposed to be "regular" bicycle components -- I
think the only price that will come down is the bike itself, given
economies of scale...I keep wondering what it'll take to make this
market explode...should be an interesting research project for some MBA
candidate.

Quoted message said:

The room's supposed to be guarded by security. I may have my
welding-hobby brother-in-law weld on a security loop that I can thread
some locking chain on it for when I'm not at work, but at this point, the
Kryptonite u-loop lock that I've had for 12 years is going to have to do.

I've already got it planned out how I'd lock my SWB -- with that
six-foot Kryptonite chain and lock!

Quoted message said:

Thank you for the welcoming! For the record, I would recommend this
bike to a newbie (like me) who want to at least give it a whirl. And
yes, I wouldn't mind *too* terribly much losing this one, although
I've certainly never spent so much for a bike before in my life. As
for my travails, I'll be happy to share..

That reminds me: the ActionBents do seem to "look alike" for some
reason...how did you come to choose yours? I mean, I know you said you
decided that the Metro was the best for urban commuting, but what made
you think so, exactly? The one I'm interested in one day is the
high-racer. Rather expensive for an ActionBent, especially given the
specs (except for the nice 27-lb. weight), though.

Quoted message said:

Day 2: What a difference a day makes!
After work, I was itching to give it another ride, so I dressed
comfortably and took off again around the neighborhood. What a complete
difference from yesterday! I had confidence, balance, and felt absolutely
comfortable, from startup to stopping. This time, I did some full stops,
practicing gearing down as part of the stop itself. Starting up is *SO*
much easier in low gear.. The 'Metro didn't wobble at all in a startup at
gears 2-2.. Felt fantastic!! I even did some medium-speed cornering and
practiced some 'wiggling' at lower speed to emulate steering around
debris. All as comfortable as I could hope to be...

I know what you mean! I was really surprised by my second day, too. I
just took to it, and was turning my head back like I do on my DF
without realizing it!

Quoted message said:

Although (*hee*) I
did fall over on a full stop once.. Couldn't get my foot down quite
correctly, but the lay down was almost like just rolling over from a
sit-down position.. No pain at all.

Yep. Now the only thing that scares me is that I ain't scared!

Quoted message said:

I absolutely *LOVE* this bike... With the exception of having to drill my
own seat mounting. I will be commuting to work tomorrow..

Just be careful out there! Ride defensively! Don't mean to sound like
your mom, but there are two 'bent vets I sort of know who were messed
up pretty bad by some drivers, so it can definitely happen to us giddy
newbies champing at the bit.

hi, blah,blah,...

KF said:

hi, blah,blah,...

Quite illuminating.

NYC XYZ said:

Why did you choose OSS? To me, USS is more "faithful" to the spirit
and promise of recumbent riding!

I just felt that I'd be able to control a SWB more in traffic with OSS;
wider 'play' in the steering mechanism. If I were to decide now, I might
have chosen differently, if only because my legs get sweaty and sometimes
slightly 'catch' on the side of the steering/handlebar column. But
overall, I think I made a good decision. I'm loving it more and more as I
ride it. 😄

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[chopped]
When I put it on and leaned back for the first time, the

helmet literally

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

stuck on the back of the headrest, shoving the helmet right down over
my eyes. No amount of adjustment - tight or light - would work, so I
just gave up and took it off completely. I'm thinking I'll just get
one of those skateboarder shell-like helms instead, since they have a
really high back.

Thing is, they're probably hotter than bike helmets.

Yes, very likely... And in Sacramento CA, where the mid-summer highs can
reach 105ish, that will most-definitely be a factor of concern. So far,
during the three commutes I've done, I've not worn a helmet. I am actually
more likely right now to stay helmet-less. I have an idea for the back
mirror that will require some interesting mounting design; if it works, I
won't have to worry about a helmet mirror, either.

Quoted message said:

I wonder if there's a bike helmet that can accommodate a head-rest on a
'bent. I doubt it.

More and more, I'm doubting it as well. My head comes *SO* nicely up
against the headrest. It's very comfortable. And, since I know I'm not
going head-over-handlebars in the smallest head-on, I'm considering just
sticking with the mask and goggles/sunglasses to keep the bugs out.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sweet. I would imagine that gives you a soft ride. I have full
suspension on my DF "MTB" (I assume that's Mountain Bike), and it's
very nice at the cost of some speed. I don't mind the bumps and bangs
-- yet.. Although I've yet to hit anything that really jars me, either.

I wonder how that would be on a hard-tail 'bent. Really curious.

That's me.. I feel *every* bump... Even as small as the change in height
from the road surface paint. My work has a cobblestone driveway -- I have
to get off the bike once I get there.. heh

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[re: mask]

When will you get one? I've ordered one already, and will post comments
after I try it out.

Dunno yet. I'd like to hear your input before dropping cash on it.
(*hint*)

Quoted message said:

[re: Flintstones, "DIY Bus"]
Seeing the ActionBent website made me think of that...I imagined myself
paying for a bike which I then had to weld together and saw and
paint.... =)

Hee. It was almost that, quite definitely. They did send along some
touch-up paint.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[re: broken screw]

Oh, doesn't anyone out there know? HELLO??? What does it mean for the
steering mechanism to swing back and forth about ten degrees??

Actually, I just went to the local hardware store and bought a
stronger-alloyed version of the screw that sheared off. Upon tightening
it down, I realize that that screw indeed kept the steering mechanism
solid.. And it made a *HUGE* difference in control. I feel tons safer,
which of course has only served to increase my enjoyment!!

Quoted message said:

Have you contacted that Randy Schulman? He must know!

I left e-mail through the 'feedback' area, but only got an automated
response and no actual response. Eh, I'm not going to fret it -- I solved
the problem myself.

[snipped convo about parts]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The room's supposed to be guarded by security. I may have my
welding-hobby brother-in-law weld on a security loop that I can thread
some locking chain on it for when I'm not at work, but at this point,
the Kryptonite u-loop lock that I've had for 12 years is going to have
to do.

I've already got it planned out how I'd lock my SWB -- with that
six-foot Kryptonite chain and lock!

Heh.. That conjures up the scene from Pee Wee's Big Adventure where he
locks his bike with at least 100 feet of chain. 😉

Quoted message said:

That reminds me: the ActionBents do seem to "look alike" for some
reason...how did you come to choose yours? I mean, I know you said you
decided that the Metro was the best for urban commuting, but what made
you think so, exactly? The one I'm interested in one day is the
high-racer. Rather expensive for an ActionBent, especially given the
specs (except for the nice 27-lb. weight), though.

Very simple.. It was the least-expensive. Other factors weighed in: It
was a SWB, and I had plans to buy a SWB. In addition, it is an OSS, which
was my first choice for high-traffic commuting. But really, it was
cheaper by at least $300.. The whole kit and caboodle was $940, delivered
- that included the rack, the set of handlebar mirrors, the speedometer,
the kickstand, and the seat upgrade. Yeah, it cost me a weekend building
it, but it was a great learning experience for me.

[paring down Day 2]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Day 2: What a difference a day makes! After work, I was itching to give
fantastic!! I even did some medium-speed cornering and practiced some
'wiggling' at lower speed to emulate steering around debris. All as
comfortable as I could hope to be...

I know what you mean! I was really surprised by my second day, too. I
just took to it, and was turning my head back like I do on my DF without
realizing it!

Yup. Although, I haven't been comfortable enough to twist my head around.
I am and will be very much relying on my mirror[s].

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Although (*hee*) I
did fall over on a full stop once.. Couldn't get my foot down quite
correctly, but the lay down was almost like just rolling over from a
sit-down position.. No pain at all.

Yep. Now the only thing that scares me is that I ain't scared!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I absolutely *LOVE* this bike... With the exception of having to drill
my own seat mounting. I will be commuting to work tomorrow..

Just be careful out there! Ride defensively! Don't mean to sound like
your mom, but there are two 'bent vets I sort of know who were messed up
pretty bad by some drivers, so it can definitely happen to us giddy
newbies champing at the bit.