primer on recumbents vs car

[zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com]

For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?

could somebody write me a primer that I could post on my blog:
pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com?

I am looking for reasons to give up the car.

 

[Peter Clinch]

zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com wrote:
> For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
> recumbent trike/bike make sense?

On the one hand yes, but on the other hand not particularly more than an
upright bike/trike. Either can be used as a trailer tug or pannier carrier.

> I am looking for reasons to give up the car.

If you want something to do the job of carting cargo I would look for a
specific cargo machine. I use a Burrows 8 Freight, which isn't a
recumbent, for cargo but use a 'bent for touring. The 'bent takes loads
very well, but it's much more of a faff to load and unload than a proper
cargo machine, where you just put your crate into the cargo area and off
you go.

See http://www.velovision.com/mag/issue9/8freight.pdf for details of the
8Freight, http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models.php for details of some
Dutch cargo bikes.

There are some trailer possibilities given at
http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/trailers.shtml and these have the
advantage that they work with most bikes. If you don't have room or
budget for a separate freighter a trailer is probably the most cost
effective way of carting stuff by bike.

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/

 

[Jon Bendtsen]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com wrote:
>> For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
>> recumbent trike/bike make sense?
>
> On the one hand yes, but on the other hand not particularly more than an
> upright bike/trike. Either can be used as a trailer tug or pannier carrier.
>
>> I am looking for reasons to give up the car.
>
> If you want something to do the job of carting cargo I would look for a
> specific cargo machine. I use a Burrows 8 Freight, which isn't a
> recumbent, for cargo but use a 'bent for touring. The 'bent takes loads
> very well, but it's much more of a faff to load and unload than a proper
> cargo machine, where you just put your crate into the cargo area and off
> you go.

I found one recumbent that looked like it could be used for
more cargo than other 2 wheel recumbent and normal upright bikes.
http://www.mcsbike.com/htm/i_spider.html
They do also make a real cargo bike that can handle alot more.
http://www.mcsbike.com/htm/i_truck.html


Other possible options is getting a cruzbike and extending it
with an xtracycle. You can see photo/drawings here
http://sports.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cruzbike/photos/browse/3482

Naturally since cruzbike has a kit for building your own bike,
you can possibly use a real cargo bike where the cargo is
behind the driver to built a recumbent cargo bike.



JonB

 

[jack]

I have a trike and there is no way for me to pickup groceries. U would need
to get a hitch and than a trailer. Why not just get a big old three wheel
bike with a basket on the back they are very cheap
"zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com" <[email protected]> wrote
in message
news:4cfd7f30-616b-4057-bf52-b2700ea8be57@s19g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
> recumbent trike/bike make sense?
>
> could somebody write me a primer that I could post on my blog:
> pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com?
>
> I am looking for reasons to give up the car.