Re: Advice for recumbant bike

[rocketman58]

> So I guess they aren't 'just a bike' then, with huge differences in seating, steering, wheels sizes, drivetrain, etc.

Yes recumbents differ from model to model. You know just like diamond
frame bikes: road, cross, downhill, coss-country, time trial, BMX....
>
> If ya 'need' a 'bent, great but a replacement or improvement on a double
> triangle upright it is not.

While this may be your personal experience, a replacement for a
"double triangle upright" is just what a recumbent is for the vast
majority of recumbent riders.

> Ya really ought to mention the shortcomings of these as well...

You mean like: numb crotch, numb hands, sore neck and back. The
ability to fly over the handlebars in a crash... oh wait, that's for
diamond frame bikes.

> Like ablity to ride and drink, the ability to carry water(no camelbacks)...

Unless you need two hands to drink, I can't see a problem here. Most
recumbent riders I know use camelbacks mounted on thier seats.

>...the diffuculty of seeing behind you w/o a rear view mirror...

Yes, this is often true. But wearing a mirror on my helmet never
thretened my manhood. It lets me keep track of traffic and keep an
eye on my kids when I haul them around

>... the lack of some parts, like small tubes and tires, etc...

There are so many sources available on the web, this is no longer a
problem. I always keep a few spare parts around he garage for my MTB
etc..

> ... They may work for you but are not a panacea for those nasty things called
> 'uprights'. I have ridden many, inncluding a 'bent tandem and I wasn't
> 'grinning'.

It is evident you do not care for recumbents. Myself, I do not own
one. I can only afford one bike right now, and my passion since 1979
has been Mountainbikes. However, I plan to own one someday. I often
visit a number of recumbent dealers to go for test rides. I always
leave with a grim on my face.

For the original poster, living in florida, a recumbent is perfect.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

artistic-<< You mean like: numb crotch, numb hands, sore neck and back. The
ability to fly over the handlebars in a crash... oh wait, that's for
diamond frame bikes. >><BR><BR>

Like so many 'bent riders, you paint an upright as a painful machine that never
does anything well. I don't have sore, numb crotches, hands, neck, back. I do
not fly over the handlebars in crashes...

Upright does not equal painful.

Like I have said, if they work for you, better than an upright, ride one. But
they are not a panacea for all the perceived ills of an upright. If they were
they WOULD be more mainstrewam, and they are not, will not be.

As for non standardization. A ROAD 'bent can have a variety of steering,
drivetrains, wheelsizes. An upright ROAD bike does not.

artistic<< Yes, this is often true. But wearing a mirror on my helmet never
thretened my manhood. It lets me keep track of traffic and keep an
eye on my kids when I haul them around >><BR><BR>

I never mentioned anything about yer friggin manhood sport. I mentioned that a
'bent is not as easy to see behind as an upright'. The other guy about
'evangelical feelings' about these things applies to you as well.


artisitic<< There are so many sources available on the web, this is no longer a
problem. I always keep a few spare parts around he garage for my MTB
etc.. >><BR><BR>

make sure you carry your laptop when you ride then, in case you tear your 20 in
road tire and need a replacement...cuz there aren't any in 90%+ of the bike
shops around anywhere. Or maybe just do laps around your favorite bent bike
shop, with your camel'front' on your chest.


Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[rocketman58]

[email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo ) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> artistic-<< You mean like: numb crotch, numb hands, sore neck and back. The
> ability to fly over the handlebars in a crash... oh wait, that's for
> diamond frame bikes. >><BR><BR>
>
> Like so many 'bent riders, you paint an upright as a painful machine that never
> does anything well. I don't have sore, numb crotches, hands, neck, back. I do
> not fly over the handlebars in crashes...
>
> Upright does not equal painful.
>
> Like I have said, if they work for you, better than an upright, ride one. But
> they are not a panacea for all the perceived ills of an upright. If they were
> they WOULD be more mainstrewam, and they are not, will not be.
>
> As for non standardization. A ROAD 'bent can have a variety of steering,
> drivetrains, wheelsizes. An upright ROAD bike does not.
>
> artistic<< Yes, this is often true. But wearing a mirror on my helmet never
> thretened my manhood. It lets me keep track of traffic and keep an
> eye on my kids when I haul them around >><BR><BR>
>
> I never mentioned anything about yer friggin manhood sport. I mentioned that a
> 'bent is not as easy to see behind as an upright'. The other guy about
> 'evangelical feelings' about these things applies to you as well.
>
>
> artisitic<< There are so many sources available on the web, this is no longer a
> problem. I always keep a few spare parts around he garage for my MTB
> etc.. >><BR><BR>
>
> make sure you carry your laptop when you ride then, in case you tear your 20 in
> road tire and need a replacement...cuz there aren't any in 90%+ of the bike
> shops around anywhere. Or maybe just do laps around your favorite bent bike
> shop, with your camel'front' on your chest.
>
>
> Peter Chisholm
> Vecchio's Bicicletteria
> 1833 Pearl St.
> Boulder, CO, 80302
> (303)440-3535
> http://www.vecchios.com
> "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Hee Hee Hee, I knew I would get this type of response.
I don't even own a recumbent (as I stated), but...
I know a lot about certain types of cylists.

 

[Jeff Wills]

[email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo ) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> make sure you carry your laptop when you ride then, in case you tear your 20 in
> road tire and need a replacement...cuz there aren't any in 90%+ of the bike
> shops around anywhere. Or maybe just do laps around your favorite bent bike
> shop, with your camel'front' on your chest.
>

Geez, Pete, you're making this too easy. I've *never* had any trouble
getting spare tires within a day of destroying one. A phone call and
overnight shipping took care of everything- even 12 years ago, before
e-commerce was big. That includes several years riding on Moulton
(17") tires on the front of my old Lightning- they were somewhat
fragile and *far* more rare than 20" tires.

Hydration-bladder sleeves for various 'bent seats are available from a
couple vendors, notably FastBack: http://www.fastbacksystem.com/ .
*I*, for one, never understood why people would carry a backpack when
they're sitting on a nice structural frame.

Anything else?

Jeff

 

[Tom Sherman]

Jeff Wills wrote:

> [email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo ) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> <snip>
>
>>I DON'T dislike 'bents. I DISLIKE those that paint them with such a broad brush
>>that they are the solution to all the ills of the upright.
>>
>>'test, test, test, am I getting out?'
>>
>
>
> I read you. And I agree. I've ridden recumbents for 14 years (along
> with being "involved" since 1979) and they're *not* the cure for
> mankind's ills.
>
> It does seem, though, that the newly converted are annoyingly
> evangelical. I was like that, but then I found that I was simply
> annoying. I'd rather ride.

On the other hand, one receives many unsolicited negative comments from
upright riders when riding a recumbent.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

 

[Tom Sherman]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:

> ...
> make sure you carry your laptop when you ride then, in case you tear your 20 in
> road tire and need a replacement...cuz there aren't any in 90%+ of the bike
> shops around anywhere. Or maybe just do laps around your favorite bent bike
> shop, with your camel'front' on your chest....

I can find serviceable ISO 305-mm and ISO 406-mm tires many places;
pretty much any hardware store, farm supply store, discount
merchandiser, etc. While these tires will not be of the lowest rolling
resistance (typically 40-60 psi with intermediate tread and a heavy
casing), they will get me to my destination. On the other hand, ISO
622-mm tires (700C) are only typically found in actual bicycle stores
that are much more spread out geographically. To get the same (or
better) emergency tire availability on an upright, it needs to use ISO
599-mm (MTB) size tires or the aforementioned ISO 305-mm and ISO 406-mm
sizes.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

artistic-<< Hee Hee Hee, I knew I would get this type of response.
I don't even own a recumbent (as I stated), but...
I know a lot about certain types of cylists. >><BR><BR>

Tee Hee, So I guess you are just a blowin' smoke. Should have guessed. Do ya
even ride a bike at all? Of any kind?



Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Okie Dokie, this my annual last tirade about 'bents for 2004, for Artistic,
JWills, Tom, Jeff.

Once more, if ya like recumbents, good for you, enjoy it.

BUT I have always thought of them mostly as the bicycle version of a
wheelchair, allowing somebody that cannot ride an upright to ride a self
propelled, two wheeled vehicle.

For somebody that rides a well fitting upright, that has no 'issues', then
'bents answer no question, solve no problem. Complicated answer to a pretty
simple question, in my opinion.

But if ya want one and ride one, groovey, go ride that thing and have fun.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"