Re: Comments on TW Bents Recumbents?

Quoted message said:

Michael J. Klein <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

I'm considering a custom made PB-960S, recently shown at the Taipei
Cycle Show and not in production yet. They are willing to make one to
fit my size and weight. Comments/suggestions? Thanks.
http://www.recumbent.com.tw/HTM/model.htm

You might want to check out the discussions at:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/actionbent/

where there's a lot of discussion about bikes from this company, though
not that model in particular.

My impression of assembling a Tidal Wave frameset (still in progress) is
that the bikes are decent quality and a good value, but there are some
things that aren't quite dialed in yet.

Notably -

- some models have cable stops in the wrong place making them
sub-optimal, or even useless (if you want to have bare cable runs common
on upright bikes)

- packaging/boxing from the factory could be improved (reports from the
discussion group above would indicate that it's gotten better, but has
room for improvement)

- some USS steering models are limited in turing radius by an
unnecesarily complex handlebar configuration (one of the most common
mods people make)

- the stock chain management works, but can be noisy, with many folks
replacing idlers or modifying them to reduce noise (chain running over
hard plastic idlers)

- the vinyl covered padded hardshell seat would use some lateral
support, or at least grippier material to prevent slipping sideways

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Victor Kan <[email hidden]_UCEloopdrive.net> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
(comments inline)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Michael J. Klein <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

I'm considering a custom made PB-960S, recently shown at the Taipei
Cycle Show and not in production yet. They are willing to make one to
fit my size and weight. Comments/suggestions? Thanks.
http://www.recumbent.com.tw/HTM/model.htm

You might want to check out the discussions at:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/actionbent/

What, *another* discussion group to monitor? Yikes, there's already
too many to read. ;-)

Quoted message said:

where there's a lot of discussion about bikes from this company, though
not that model in particular.

My impression of assembling a Tidal Wave frameset (still in progress) is
that the bikes are decent quality and a good value, but there are some
things that aren't quite dialed in yet.

Notably -

- some models have cable stops in the wrong place making them
sub-optimal, or even useless (if you want to have bare cable runs common
on upright bikes)

- packaging/boxing from the factory could be improved (reports from the
discussion group above would indicate that it's gotten better, but has
room for improvement)

- some USS steering models are limited in turing radius by an
unnecesarily complex handlebar configuration (one of the most common
mods people make)

- the stock chain management works, but can be noisy, with many folks
replacing idlers or modifying them to reduce noise (chain running over
hard plastic idlers)

That's what's neat about the PB-960S- no idlers, just chain tubes.
However, I'd prefer an idler on the lower chain run instead of the
tube- I've found that chain tubes are hard to keep clean if you use an
oil-type lube. (This is my preference here in the Pacific Northwest.)

Plastic idlers were the bane of my Lightning P-38- I had to replace
them annually. Terracycle's tooling up to make precision
steel/aluminum idlers: http://www.terracycle.com/parts.htm .

Jeff