recumbent mountain biking

hi,

much appreciate hearing from cyclists who have done daytrips or extended tours in state or national
forests/parks -- scenic riding on car free paths. the basic question is, can a recumbent be riden as
a mountain bike on forest roads, paths and singletrack where one is more likely to see a quadrep
than quadrawheel. not interested in the thrill of technical riding, but in safe touring. also
interested in what would be the better choice for the ride, a suspended short wheel base vivo or the
non-suspended longer wheel base tailwind. and appreciate advice on riding clipless vs platform in
this kind of riding. of course, specific suggestions on safe scenic routes, especially for
self-supported camping, would be most welcome.

thanks, jeff baron

 

I did the Erie Canal ride this past summer with my Tailwind. This trip has very divese riding
conditions, on and off road. The off road portions are mainly blue stone dust. Sometimes the dust
became gravel.

I put 1.75 inch comets on the Tailwind. I had no trouble with absorbing the bumps encounterd over a
typical 50-mile day. However, although the Tailwind was doable from a handling standpoint, it was
obvious that the big-wheel uprights had both lower rolling resistance and better handling as the
road surface deteriorated. There were plenty of recumbents on this ride, but my impression was that
the bigger the wheels the better the handling in the ruff stuff. Also, fat tires were the most
desirable.

At any rate, the riding conditions were not so challenging that I wanted to give up the ergonomics
of my bent to go a bit faster or to keep up with the ATB or mountain bike uprights.

"jeff baron" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
[q1]> hi,[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> much appreciate hearing from cyclists who have done daytrips or extended tours in state or[/q1]
[q1]> national forests/parks -- scenic riding on car free paths. the basic question is, can a recumbent[/q1]
[q1]> be riden as a mountain bike on forest roads, paths and singletrack where one is more likely to see[/q1]
[q1]> a quadrep than quadrawheel. not interested in the thrill of technical riding, but in safe touring.[/q1]
[q1]> also interested in what would be the better choice for the ride, a suspended short wheel base vivo[/q1]
[q1]> or the non-suspended longer wheel base tailwind. and appreciate advice on riding clipless vs[/q1]
[q1]> platform in this kind of riding. of course, specific suggestions on safe scenic routes, especially[/q1]
[q1]> for self-supported camping, would be most welcome.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> thanks, jeff baron[/q1]

 

jeff baron <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
[q1]> hi,[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> much appreciate hearing from cyclists who have done daytrips or extended tours in state or[/q1]
[q1]> national forests/parks -- scenic riding on car free paths. the basic question is, can a recumbent[/q1]
[q1]> be riden as a mountain bike on forest roads, paths and singletrack where one is more likely to see[/q1]
[q1]> a quadrep than quadrawheel. not interested in the thrill of technical riding, but in safe touring.[/q1]
[q1]> also interested in what would be the better choice for the ride, a suspended short wheel base vivo[/q1]
[q1]> or the non-suspended longer wheel base tailwind. and appreciate advice on riding clipless vs[/q1]
[q1]> platform in this kind of riding. of course, specific suggestions on safe scenic routes, especially[/q1]
[q1]> for self-supported camping, would be most welcome.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> thanks, jeff baron[/q1]

Has anyone tested the Lightfoot Ranger's off road claims?

http://www.lightfootcycles.com/

Gary McCarty, Greenspeed GTO, Salt Lake City

 

"Derek" <[email protected](NO SPAM)> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
[q1]> Jeff,[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Clipless pedals help a lot, but thet are not bombproof protection from leg suck. A hard hit or[/q1]
[q1]> pothole, rut or rock can knock a foot loose from the pedal, and then your only protection is your[/q1]
[q1]> ability to know what you are doing together with a measure of luck.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Derek[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> "jeff baron" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...[/q1]
[q2]> > thanks derek,[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> > is this something that riding with clipless pedals would prevent?[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> > thanks again,[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> > jeff[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> > derek wrote:[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q3]> > > Jeff,[/q3]
[q3]> > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > Leg suck is when the SWB riders foot falls off the pedal and strikes the ground, only to be[/q3]
[q3]> > > then swept back and pinned under the frame of the[/q3]
[q1]> seat.[/q1]
[q3]> > > It can be a very nasty experience. I have had it happen off road at[/q3]
[q1]> very[/q1]
[q3]> > > very low speed on the Traverse and it merely bruised my leg somewhat.[/q3]
[q1]> At[/q1]
[q3]> > > speed, you are almost certain to break your leg or worse.[/q3]
[q3]> > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > Derek[/q3]
[q3]> > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > "jeff baron" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...[/q3]
[q3]> > > > hi derek,[/q3]
[q3]> > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > what's leg suck?[/q3]
[q3]> > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > thanks, jeff baron[/q3]
[q3]> > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > derek wrote:[/q3]
[q3]> > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > Archer,[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > You are right about uprights. I do a lot of fire trail riding and[/q3]
[q1]> even some[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > singletrack on an old steel frame Schwinn with 27" tires and[/q3]
[q1]> moustache[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > handlebars. Cyclocross bikes are the same idea only pricier.[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > I think you get good at what you practice with. I am able to do a[/q3]
[q1]> lot of[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > off-road things on the Traverse now that I would not even dream of[/q3]
[q1]> when I[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > first started recumbent trail riding. I had to make up my own[/q3]
[q1]> technique and[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > modify a lot of equipment. For instance, I took off the clipping[/q3]
[q1]> mechanisms[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > on one side of my Shimano pedals so I could ride alternately one[/q3]
[q1]> foot[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > clipped in and one foot not clipped in. I do a lot of foot dabbing[/q3]
[q1]> and[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > Flintstoning, so I wear Axo Anklebiters for protection.[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > For steep hillclimbs it is real important to take a good line and[/q3]
[q1]> lean back[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > for traction (which is counter-intuitive). Downhills are a blast,[/q3]
[q1]> and on[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > steep, slippery slopes I put my shoes down as stabilizers and just[/q3]
[q1]> swoosh[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > along while the uprights are biffing half the time. Since the[/q3]
[q1]> Traverse is a[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > SWB, one must be constantly vigilent about leg suck situations and[/q3]
[q1]> when in[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > doubt about unprobed trail surfaces it is wise to hold down speed.[/q3]
[q1]> A[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > off-road biff on a recumbent is not a pretty thing to behold.[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > I think next I would like to try MUNI type unicycle off-road.[/q3]
[q1]> Anyone here[/q1]
[q3]> > > > > been there and done that?[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > Derek[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > "archer" <[email protected]> wrote in message[/q3]
[q3]> > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > Couple of points: I was referring to DF's. They definitely do not need the equipment[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > that they have been coming with, at least for most of the "off-road" (usually dirt road)[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > riding that people do. I stand by that, at least forDF's. For 'bents, well, I do ride a[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > fully suspended model, so I think you can guess where my opinion falls ;-).[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > I have not yet developed the skills for singletrack on a 'bent, and I'd love to be[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > proved wrong. You are the first person I've ever run into who says its possible. One[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > question: do most riders have the potential to develop the necessary skills, as I[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > imagine that it has got to be significantly tougher to handle singletrack on a 'bent due[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > to inherent limitations in the design.[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > >[/q3]
[q3]> > > > > > Archer Sully Boulder, CO Vision R54[/q3]
[q3]> > > >Jeff......I ride off road a lot when I get the chance. I have[/q3]
used two bikes with great success, the Vivo and the BikeE RX. I use to ride df frame mountain bikes
before injurys forced me off bikes for a time. There are a lot of things you can do on df frames
that you will never do on recumbents. I know because I have tried and have scares to prove it. I do
know for sure that I would never go back to df frames even if I could. Riding my bents trough
forests in Colorado and Arkansas has been a totally different experience. I see the landscape a lot
more on these bikes then I ever did on my old df's. I see things I would not have noticed and have
an overall greater experience. Am I slower.....yes. Do I care.....no! The BikeE RX was, and is, a
great trail bike. It is not a great road bike[for me] but really shines off road. Tough and super
balance. I have ridden it places I have had to put my foot down to get trough on my df's, and never
put a body part on the ground while on the RX. The Vivo is more comfortable then the BikeE for all
types of terrain. It has become my main bike, and if I had to give up my bents it would be the one I
would keep. It is as close to a do everything bike as I have found. Lay the seat back for hard
surface riding, put the seat up for off road.
[q2]> >Good luck with your search![/q2]