Putting a recumbent together.

I just bought a used Trek recumbent and it will come in pieces. The seller is suggesting I take it to a shop to have it put together. I have put kids bikes together before. Is this really some much harder? How much should I pay to have the bike put together? He also suggested that I would need to use a special pump to adjust the air shock on the rear wheel since I weigh a bit more than him. Whats that about?

 

The Cane Creek shock absorber on the Trek does require a special pump. You need it regardless of
whether your weight is different from the previous owner's, because the shock absorber loses
pressure pretty quickly and has to be re-pumped, just like a tire.

As far as the difficulty of assembly: it isn't so hard, though it would probably be handy if you had
another one to look at. I'm sure you could get help here - or better, from people in the TrekBent
yahoogroup:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TrekBent/

--
Greg Dunn

"watsonglenn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just bought a used Trek recumbent and it will come in pieces. The seller is suggesting I take it
> to a shop to have it put together. I have put kids bikes together before. Is this really some much
> harder? How much should I pay to have the bike put together? He also suggested that I would need
> to use a special pump to adjust the air shock on the rear wheel since I weigh a bit more than him.
> Whats that about?
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

watsonglenn <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I just bought a used Trek recumbent and it will come in pieces. The seller is suggesting I take it
> to a shop to have it put together. I have put kids bikes together before. Is this really some much
> harder? How much should I pay to have the bike put together? He also suggested that I would need
> to use a special pump to adjust the air shock on the rear wheel since I weigh a bit more than him.
> Whats that about?

This is just a small hint of the recumbent market. Some people do not want boxes of bits and pieces
instead of a "hop on, adjust seat. mirrors, and ride off" bike. Shipping in many boxes was annoying
to me, then taking over my living room putting things together turned me off.

I will not do it again. I got tires yesterday from Canada, but my last trike was delivered all
assembled so I never lifted a vise-grip plier.

For some reason; the IBM commercial on TV comes to mind: "for that- you need an adapter..."
Special pump, special wrench... not too funny, but maybe if I invent a 2003 Ford wrench I would
make a fortune!

Chris Jordan Santa Cruz, CA.

 

Thanks for the information. Is the pump a special device or just a regular pump? I will check out that news group.

 

watsonglenn <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I just bought a used Trek recumbent and it will come in pieces. The seller is suggesting I take it
> to a shop to have it put together. I have put kids bikes together before. Is this really some much
> harder? How much should I pay to have the bike put together? He also suggested that I would need
> to use a special pump to adjust the air shock on the rear wheel since I weigh a bit more than him.
> Whats that about?

It's undoubtedly a shock pump. It's a small pump with a 300 psi capacity and a Schrader valve.

 

It's a special regular pump.

It's a smallish thing, with a pressure gauge, a flexible hose about a foot long, and screw-on
coupler that fits the nozzle on the shock absorber.

--
Greg Dunn

"watsonglenn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for the information. Is the pump a special device or just a regular pump? I will check out
> that news group.
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

I was looking at the shock today and the nozzle looks like a regular car tire nozzle. Could'nt any gas station air pump do the tirck?

 

"watsonglenn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was looking at the shock today and the nozzle looks like a regular car tire nozzle. Could'nt any
> gas station air pump do the tirck?

Sure, if it's capable of providing 200 PSI. Most air shocks recommend that they be pumped up to
approximately your body weight. Most auto tire inflation compressors reach 50 PSI or so.

<Chas

 

watsonglenn <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I was looking at the shock today and the nozzle looks like a regular car tire nozzle. Could'nt any
> gas station air pump do the tirck?

Not enough pressure at most stations. The ones around here top out at about 80lb, and you could need
quite a bit more pressure. Heck, I can't even top up my primo comets at most stations.

Bryan