View Full Version : I want to be talked into a bent.
gew0419
09-04-05, 02:04 PM
I have been riding a bike to work and other places most of my life. (I started riding at about 7 and am now almost 50). I went from a single speed to a stingray to a 10 speed to a mt bike to a 24 speed schwinn mesa. Now I think it is time to upgrade to a bent, but I can't get over the price tag on these things. Someone please tell me why I should go out and buy a $1000 bike to got the 4 miles to work each day. I think they are cool, but have a hard time justifying the price just for cool. Change my mine...anyone.
Dchiefransom
09-04-05, 02:55 PM
Don't get a 'bent to ride to work, you can always walk the four miles. ;)
Get a 'bent not only for riding to work, but for enjoyment the thousands of other times you'll be climbing on it to ride.
http://www.actionbent.com/TWTRIKE.html
http://www.actionbent.com/RR.html
Signed: A wannabe 'bent owner.
gew0419
09-04-05, 03:25 PM
So do you think a short wheel base is better thatn the long wheel base? Why or why not?
So do you think a short wheel base is better thatn the long wheel base? Why or why not?
If you go with the Burley Canto or Taiko you get both. The front wheel can be placed in 2 positions.
So do you think a short wheel base is better thatn the long wheel base? Why or why not?
If I may give you a wee piece of advice, you should start by determining what use you want to make of the bike, meaning:
- What do you want to do: racing, touring, light rides?
- What roads: mainly busy thoroughfares, back roads, nicely surfaced roads, paths, steep gradients, flats, singletracks?
- What distances: short runarounds on the week-end, centuries, multi-days touring?
Of course, the usual answer is "all of the above", but you need to define honestly what your prefered mode of riding is, and then you'll have an idea of the features you need/want in your bent, knowing that, for example:
- You can't lift your weight off the bike to pass obstacles, so unless the road is almost always in good condition, consider a rear suspension or full suspension bike, or at least a steel frame if you don't mind the weight
- Short weel base bikes are nimbler than long wheel base ones, but they can be pretty hairy going downhill. LWB bikes are usually sluggish to turn, harder to keep upright at low speed, and a pain to carry with a small car. SWB bikes can also give you front wheel interference, meaning the front wheel can sometimes touch your heel, and/or your chain with some lowracers, and they can flip if you brake hard enough with big wheelers. The compact long wheel base format (CLWB) tries to give you the best of both worlds, by putting a smaller wheel right under the bottom bracket, and a smaller rear wheel closer to the seat. It makes for a rotten weight distribution for tall people however.
- The smaller the wheels, the harsher the ride, especially with an alu frame. But the bigger the wheels, the harder it is to put your feet down.
- Lowracers go faster but usually have a twitchy handling. They're supposedly too low to be ridden safely in traffic, as are trikes. Many say adding a flag doesn't change the situation much. You can also find nice highracers that are fast too, and more visible, notably Bacchettas.
- The more laid back the seat, the less you're likely to develop "recumbutt", which is a painful sign that you've been sitting on your glutes for too long.
- If the bottom bracket is above your hips while you ride, you have more chance of developing "hot feet", where you feet get hot and numb, but the feeling subsides as soon as put your feet down. It's unclear whether it's a circulation problem, or a nerve-pinching problem in the feet, but some people are prone to getting it more than others. You won't know if you are before trying to ride far with a bent though.
- With LWB or CLWB bikes, the more you sit back, the more you run the risk of lifting the front wheel on steep hills and losing steering. On the few front-wheel drive models, you lose traction as well in those cases.
- You can chose under-the-seat steering and over-the-seat steering. USS gives you a more relaxed ride for your arms and shoulders, but has limited turning radius, especially direct USS. OSS is more intuitive, usually offers either riding with extended arms ("superman" position) or with folded arms ("praying hamster" position) but can get tiring in the long run. If you crash, you can also slam your private parts against the stem with OSS.
- Seat-wise, there are roughly two kinds of seats: the two-part seats, where you have a "butt" part made of foam, and a "back" part made of ventilated mesh, and the one part molded seat, where the seat is a hard plastic shell that curves all the way, and is covered with a foam pad. Some prefer the former, some the latter. I personally tend to get recumbutt with the former.
- There is a big family of entry-level "sitting" recumbents, like the now-defunct BikeE or the EZ1. They're usually CLWB, rather inexpensive, and easy to get used to. They're great to get around town in style and comfort, and quite nippy in traffic, but not necessarily all that nice for long-distance riding, although they can do some impressive touring too.
- There are also "fake" recumbents, like the Giant Revive, that are actually halfway between an upright and a "sitting" recumbents. Unless you're looking for a sporty elderly scooter, stay away from them.
There are many other criteria of course, those are just the ones I'm thinking of right now, in no particular order. Anyway, do you research, keeping in mind the features you want from your bike. In the end, when you have narrowed down your selection to 2 or 3 bikes, find people who own the bikes you selected and talk them into letting you try them on a long distance ride. Don't just go around the parking lot with them, go ride, otherwise you'll never know if you and the bike are compatible. Finding a good bent for you is harder than finding a good DF, it's very much a custom-designed item in my opinion.
If the price is too high for the bike you want, refrain from settling for a cheaper model you don't like as much, you'll be disappointed very quickly. With bents, I reckon it's rare to be dubious about a particular model and grow fond of it later. Instead, save up and buy the model you want later.
Finally, since you want to be talked into a bent, let me tell you why you should get one:
- Picture yourself going for a 150km ride in the morning, and coming back at the end of the afternoon with tired legs, after just one picnic stop, your head full of landscapes, but no pain in the backside, no numb willy, no painful wrists,... and being able to do it again the next day without even thinking you're some kind of Lance Armstrong.
- Imagine you're lying down on your bike. You don't see your wheels, you don't see your hands, you just see your legs pumping on the cranks, but other than that, just the road, the scenery and the big blue sky above you (well okay, I have a USS SWB. Your mileage may vary). If you feel bullish and you go fast enough, let go of the bar and cross your hands behind your head.
- Imagine dozens of people everyday who see you pass, either assuming a highly amusing air of guppy fish at feeding time, or shouting "hey! cool bike man!". You'll turn into a crowd pleaser, especially with kids.
- Imagine riding in your comfortable baggy shorts and tee-shirt, quietly drafting a lycra-clad roadie covered in advertising at 35km/h for 10km, then suddenly accelerating away and passing the rolling billboard at high speed, with that refreshed look on your face.
- Imagine feeling like you're on a flying carpet when you're alone on that road or cycle path, hearing just the tires on the ground, the wind in your ears, and not having to ignore that nagging pain in your sitting bones, or your skin slowly grinding against the saddle.
- Discover your area. I always find it surprising the number of things one can see and experience on a bike that could never be seen from a car, that are only a few km from home. A bent extends your range, so you get to discover more beautiful places, more interesting people around your home.
- Imagine not having to wash chamois shorts ever again.
- Finally, imagine going for your 4-mile commute on Monday morning and feeling like your ride to work is an extension of the week-end.
You have to feel what I'm talking about. It's definitely different. Go ride a bent and you'll know. Maybe you'll discover that it's just plain fun, that you get that big silly grin when you ride a bent, and that there isn't any need for rationalizing your desire to get one beyond that.
If I may give you a wee piece of advice, you should start by determining what use you want to make of the bike, meaning:
Crikey! Great essay!
Q. from a first-time recumbent shopper: What's the story with the front wheel losing road contact while climbing? I'm considering a SWB (Bacchetta Giro 26) & have read about issues w/ 'bents in general having this problem. I'd guess SWB does better than LWB in this regard - how big a practical issue is this?
(Me :love: hills.)
BlazingPedals
09-05-05, 09:52 AM
If you're really worried about this aspect of bents, don't get a CWLB. Most of them put the rider's weight over the rear wheel, making wheelies easier, whether you want them or not! Otherwise, some SWBs that have a high center of gravity and a short enough wheelbase to severely rear-bias the rider's weight are also at risk. I'm not sure about a Giro, it would depend on how tall you are & where your center of gravity falls when on one. At least the Giro's wheelbase is stretched a little over 'traditional' SWBs, so I wouldn't consider flipping as an inherent problem. As you might guess, true LWBs and lowracers are just about impossible to flip over by mistake.
Q. from a first-time recumbent shopper: What's the story with the front wheel losing road contact while climbing? I'm considering a SWB (Bacchetta Giro 26) & have read about issues w/ 'bents in general having this problem. I'd guess SWB does better than LWB in this regard - how big a practical issue is this? (Me :love: hills.)
Okay, I can only talk of my experience with my 2 bents, I'm sure others will let you know what their bikes handles like.
On my BikeE CT, which is a CLWB, I'm tall enough that the seat is almost all the way back. Measuring with the scales, this gives a 20% front / 80% rear weight distribution, which is about as bad as it gets IMHO. When climbing hills less than 10%, no problem. Between 10% and 15%, I just pull on the handlebar to try to shift my weight forward a bit, and try to pedal smoothly ("round") so I don't give the bike a jerky motion that would lift whatever weight was left on the front wheel. Between 15% and 20%, it becomes close to unmanageable. It's doable, but I have to lean forward as much as possible, which isn't ideal to pedal, and steering is comatose at best. Above 20%: I did a 24% slope once. Essentially, I steered whenever the front wheel deigned touching the ground once in a while, did 200m going all over the road and ended up pushing the bike uphill :-)
With my Optima Condor, which is a 26/26 SWB, the weight distribution is about 60% front / 40% rear (unloaded). I took it on a 22% slope just yesterday, and it goes up just fine as long as I keep pushing on the pedals.
I don't know how it goes with "proper" LWB bikes. I should think they have a much better weight distribution than a CLWB.
I don't think you'll have any trouble climbing with a SWB, but you should definitely try it going the other way (downhill): some can lose traction on the rear wheel pretty quickly when braking, and even flip over if you insist on the front brake too much in steep downhills.
aikigreg
09-05-05, 05:41 PM
Holy crap that needs to be made into a FAQ and stickied.
d_monie1
09-05-05, 06:08 PM
I couldnt get over the novelty of the bent and the difficulty it has climbing. People say "just spin going uphill", It still takes forever to go uphill. On the the flats the bent is great but its achilles heel is climbing. Also the LWB bent was definitely more suitale than the SWB, the latter was very squirrely, at all speeds. I ended up getting another roadie. Enjoy your bent though!!!
I couldnt get over the novelty of the bent and the difficulty it has climbing. People say "just spin going uphill", It still takes forever to go uphill. On the the flats the bent is great but its achilles heel is climbing. Also the LWB bent was definitely more suitale than the SWB, the latter was very squirrely, at all speeds. I ended up getting another roadie. Enjoy your bent though!!!
Unfortunately, I believe your bad impression of bents is due to two things:
- You didn't give yourself (or the bike's owner didn't give you) enough time to fully explore the bikes' reactions. Remember: while some bents are reassuring and easy to like, usually compact-long-wheel-base bikes with standard handlebars, most others just feel different than a road bike, period. There's nothing wrong with them, it's just that there's an element of "learning to ride differently" as opposed to just adapting to a different upright geometry. You judged the SWB with the experience you have as an upright rider: of course it felt squirrely to you, just the inertia of your legs in front of the steering wheel when you turn is enough to feel strange on a SWB the first time.
- Your roadie legs aren't as efficient on a bent, because bents require different muscle groups, so you're bound to go slower uphill with a bent, until you develop those different muscles. To make an object with a given weight gain a given altitude (you and the bike), you need to produce the same work, whether you're on an upright, a bent, or if you walk the bike. Therefore, given a road bike and a bent of similar weight, the only possible difference in speed going uphill is the efficiency of the engine (you). I'm a slow climber myself, but I know I climb faster with a bent than with my mountain bike. I believe the "bents can't climb" myth is just that, a myth. The phrase really means "roadies can't make a bent climb as fast as their road bikes" (and vice-versa, probably). I'm sure a trained recumbentist with a light bike can hold his own just fine going uphill with road bikes. I'll admit this however: climbing with a bent is boring, because you can't switch between spinning and climbing on the pedals to change cadence. With a bent, it's just spinning, until you reach the top.
Give bents another go. Go ride a century with one, for the heck of it, and I'm sure you'll change your opinion on them.
Serpico
09-05-05, 10:09 PM
to the OP--
don't get a recumbent unless you have some kind of medical condition that precludes you from riding a diamond bike
there's plenty of diamond bikes under $1,000 for commuting
plus--would you wear a propeller hat to work? pulling up in a bent is like wearing a propeller hat to work, probably not the best move for career advancement
sandyrtt
09-05-05, 11:18 PM
Hello!
I just purchased my first 'bent from e bay. I felt the same way as you and have also, coincidently been riding on again/off again since age 7. I didn't want to spend big bucks because I thought I might not like it. What I did was rent one first. I had so much fun on the rental that I bought a used Rans Tailwind from e bay. It was still a pricey as shipping was $100.00 and assembly was $40.00 so I still shelled out about $676.00 for it altogether. However, you could perhaps find a used one at a recumbent shop or at recumbent cyclist news classifieds section to eliminate the shipping costs.
I think it is so much fun! People do look at you but it's alright, it's mostly curiosity. I am trying to be patient as I read that one should build up the muscles of the knee slowly since it is a completely different riding position. I am looking for experienced 'bent riders to ask advice of. Let me know if you get one and how it goes for you.
bye,
Sandy
Magilla Gorilla
09-06-05, 12:00 AM
A recumbent? Yes I would talk you into one for the simple fact that they are different.
Different from what? Different in the fact that they are more comfortable and generally faster than DF bikes for 'bents that are for pure performance.
What can I say? It's like Jazz vs rock and roll but one came from the other right?
So one bike evolved from another and is better in many respects and another bike is better in some respects. So what is the perfect bike my friend? There is none so I suggest you think hard on the subject of why you ride a bicycle at all. And then come back here and ask the question of why you should ride a bent.
I have no problem with the DF platform that created guy's like Lance Armstrong and Greg LeMond. But racing is one thing in large packs vs riding a bike alone over distance or over short courses for pure speed. Recumbents have demonstrated for many years there superiorty over short distance very fast.
Right now the Rich and Famous will buy Lance bikes from Trek. So what? I am neither rich nor famous so I choose a Bent. And as to carreer I have none nor want none.
A simple life and a simple bike are all I need in this life to be happy. To each his own....
Magilla the real Magilla Gorilla
to the OP-- don't get a recumbent unless you have some kind of medical condition that precludes you from riding a diamond bike there's plenty of diamond bikes under $1,000 for commuting. plus--would you wear a propeller hat to work? pulling up in a bent is like wearing a propeller hat to work, probably not the best move for career advancement
Ahem... because riding in tight-fitting lycra shorts with something that looks like an uncooked steak between the legs, and a multicolored cycling jersey with official sponsors' logos plastered all over them is your idea of looking serious? Roadies dressed like that look like clowns to me...
Anyway, any particular reason why you feel the need to troll this here forum suddenly? Got smoked by a bent recently perhaps?
gew0419
09-06-05, 06:45 AM
Hello!
I just purchased my first 'bent from e bay. I felt the same way as you and have also, coincidently been riding on again/off again since age 7. I didn't want to spend big bucks because I thought I might not like it. What I did was rent one first. I had so much fun on the rental that I bought a used Rans Tailwind from e bay. It was still a pricey as shipping was $100.00 and assembly was $40.00 so I still shelled out about $676.00 for it altogether. However, you could perhaps find a used one at a recumbent shop or at recumbent cyclist news classifieds section to eliminate the shipping costs.
I think it is so much fun! People do look at you but it's alright, it's mostly curiosity. I am trying to be patient as I read that one should build up the muscles of the knee slowly since it is a completely different riding position. I am looking for experienced 'bent riders to ask advice of. Let me know if you get one and how it goes for you.
bye,
Sandy
Thanks Sandy...this is the kind of thing that will get me on a bent. I don't know or care about all the technical aspects of the bikes. I want to know two things:
1. will I be comfortable
2. can I aford it.
I have looked here locally at craigs list and other on line want ads and the LBS, we have one here in Portland that specialzes in bents. I'm still looking. The kind of bike you got is just about what I am looking for and under $1000 is where I am looking. From what I have seen you got a good deal. I am still looking for that good deal.
ChiliDog
09-06-05, 09:49 AM
CLWB is the most user friendly to start out on. Some even love them so much that this is all they'll ever need. Keep a totally open mind re which geometry. As you test ride some (make a list of shops and start visiting them, take your time) you will learn so much that an open mind will keep you fresh.
Some bents are "classics"-tried and true with legions of loyal fans. They never grow old. Buying used will get you a more expensive bike for less and bent owners usually keep their rides in pristine shape, so no problems with used. Don't close your mind to a trike-these rides are spreading like wild fire. People LOVE them and they are as visible on the road as 2 wheelers, just differently viewed by cars.
Here's a list (to get you started) of some classics and some more "affordables":
RANS V-Rex, Rocket, Tailwind, Wave, Stratus
SUN EZ-1, EZ-1 Lite, Sport, Sport LE/SUN trikes EZ-3 and tadpole trike and USX delta
Bacchetta Giro 20
Easy Racers Tour Easy (used)
Cycle Genius
Actionbent (2 wheelers and trike)
Catrike Pocket (trike)
BikeE CT (non-suspended)
Burley Koosah, Sand Point, Django
Just some starters.
Good luck!
Bents are a BLAST! Ride it for fun, function, and fitness! You'll never be sorry you "joined the club". Nicest bunch of folks on the planet too! Just got back from the BROL rally in NY and I will tell you that not ONE of them was wearing a helicopter beanie! ;)
YOu can always build your for a couple hundred bucks. just transfer components from your road bike.
randonneur1944
09-06-05, 12:13 PM
If a four mile commute constitutes most of your riding, there's no "practical" reason to spend the $ for a 'bent. Sorry, as good as bents are, that's the truth. The ride isn't long enough to cause discomfort, and uprights are more agile in traffic. OTOH, the cool factor might be worth it for you - your decision. Try borrowing a bent to ride a few days to see.
sbhikes
09-06-05, 02:54 PM
Someone please tell me why I should go out and buy a $1000 bike to got the 4 miles to work each day. I think they are cool, but have a hard time justifying the price just for cool. Change my mine...anyone.
I don't think you should spend $1000 to go 4 miles to work. That is a waste of money. Nor should you spend $1000 for coolness.
Get the bike because you want to enjoy a fun new activity and meet new people. And make sure you don't mind that little kids are going to oohh and ahh at you, and adults will yell "cool bike!" at you, and that there will be snobs who think you are a dork, and stupid people who think you are in a wheel chair.
A recumbent isn't a cooler (or dorkier depending on your perspective) version of a bicycle. Recumbents have advantages and disadvantages over "normal" bikes. It's a totally other thing, another way to have fun. Get it for that and you won't regret it. And yes recumbent riders are some of the nicest people.
(4 miles won't be far enough for the fun, by the way. You'll have to move or get a new job.)
Dahon.Steve
09-06-05, 03:11 PM
Holy crap that needs to be made into a FAQ and stickied.
Agreed.
I'm still thinking about what to post since that one said everything.
Dahon.Steve
09-06-05, 03:58 PM
On my BikeE CT, which is a CLWB, I'm tall enough that the seat is almost all the way back. Measuring with the scales, this gives a 20% front / 80% rear weight distribution, which is about as bad as it gets IMHO. When climbing hills less than 10%, no problem. Between 10% and 15%, I just pull on the handlebar to try to shift my weight forward a bit, and try to pedal smoothly ("round") so I don't give the bike a jerky
I was at a club ride this weekend with a guy who had a BikeE CT. I could not believe how fast that guy was! Seriously. We had the drop, point system and this guy was always going to the front and ended up being the drop all the time! I spoke with him and he informed me that by adding a larger chainring to that beast he was considerably faster than me on my touring bike (Jamis Aurora)! He would always shift down at the lights and then when he had momentum (in about 3 seconds), he would shift up and was gone! On downhills, he was a rocket! FOLKS this was a BIKE E for crying out loud not a lowracer!
I test road the CT two or three times by renting it out. It felt slow and slugglish (I was exhaused after 2 hours) even thought it was comfortable. In fact, I was going to buy a BikeE but the company went bankrupt before making the purchase. My overall feeling of the bike was based on my limited experience. But this guy has done multiple centuries on his CT and has about 5 years and 10 thousand miles under his belt. He may not be able to beat Lance Amstrong but he was never dropped on a club ride. In fact, during the ride, we had this hard as hell hill that I remember going up years ago on my rented Bike E and was left EXHAUSTED at the top.
Guess who was the first at the top of that hill yesterday? YUP, You guessed it, the guy on the BikeE CT and he was chosen to be the drop! I could not believe it! We had all sorts of high end road bikes on that ride yet the Bike E was always in front. This guy was no spring chicken and I suspect he must have been about 45-55 years old! Furthermore, he wasn't in great shape and was probably 35 pounds overweight for his age.
Go figure.
d_monie1 --- If you're still reading, you would have been impressed what this guy was able to do on that $600.00 recumbent. This old guy beat ALL of us to the top of the hill on a bike with a 16' inch wheel in the front and a 20' inch wheel in the back. I could just imagine if he had a better bent with 26 inch wheels, he might have taken a nap by the time we arrived. If you could have seen his performance, you would have become a believer right away.
I was at a club ride this weekend with a guy who had a BikeE CT. I could not believe how fast that guy was!
The BikeE isn't a slow bike. It's cheap(er) but it works great. I have the stock gearing and a Mueller fairing on mine and I can go at a good clip on the flat. As for going the distance, I toured around France, Germany and Luxemburg with it, so it certainly can tour seriously. Re its climbing abilities, I tend to avoid unnecessary steep hills, so when I do encounter one, I dismount, push the bike and I end up going just as fast. The only reason I'm selling the BikeE for the Optima is because it tends to give me recumbutt, otherwise it's a fine machine. Some will do fine with it, some will hate it, just like any bent. The price isn't necessarily an indication of a bike's abilities.
What can I say? It's like Jazz vs rock and roll but one came from the other right?
So one bike evolved from another and is better in many respects and another bike is better in some respects.
Oooh, creationism vs. evolution. So THAT's the issue...
I'm kidding. Honest.
Thanks for the responses to my attempt at hijacking gew0419's original post (sorry, man). I look forward to learning much more here.
J.W.
gew0419
09-06-05, 06:06 PM
(4 miles won't be far enough for the fun, by the way. You'll have to move or get a new job.)
Moving and getting a new job isn't an option...how about if I get a bent and join on of these clubs where all the geezers hang out and ride together...since I'm on the low end of geezerism any way? Then I can ride to work during the week, getting the "cool bike" comments and on the weekends explore the area with my new friends.
Serpico
09-06-05, 09:53 PM
...
Anyway, any particular reason why you feel the need to troll this here forum suddenly? Got smoked by a bent recently perhaps?
lol, yeah--I got "smoked by a bent". What is it with you guys and your inadequacy complexes that causes you to always brag about "smoking roadies".
I got smoked by some guy at the grocery store in one of those motorized carts/scooters also.
Trsnrtr
09-07-05, 06:23 AM
lol, yeah--I got "smoked by a bent". What is it with you guys and your inadequacy complexes that causes you to always brag about "smoking roadies".
Despite your anti-bent trolling nature, you make a good point. Bentriders seem to feel a need to tell everyone how many roadies they pass.
However, in all fairness to bentriders, the other forums are full of "I just passed a Lance wannabe" or "I passed a guy on a $4000 bike on a hill."
In about 3 seconds, I found this one: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=136574
or this one: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=136574
and this one: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=136161
Ziggy,
No one on a recumbent can smoke anyone.
Nothin but talk from people smoking too much weed.
Chickenlipz
09-07-05, 10:28 AM
lol, yeah--I got "smoked by a bent". What is it with you guys and your inadequacy complexes that causes you to always brag about "smoking roadies".
What I don't understand, is why you would even care what we say or think? Are you just here to pick an arguement? You ride what you like, and we ride what we like, and this being a recumbent forum, there are going to be comments like the ones you mention. But WHO CARES??? What difference does it make?
Please don't feed the Trolls. They are on a special diet.
- Thank you, The Management
lol, yeah--I got "smoked by a bent". What is it with you guys and your inadequacy complexes that causes you to always brag about "smoking roadies". I got smoked by some guy at the grocery store in one of those motorized carts/scooters also.
You wouldn't know a flamebait if it put on a silly hat, painted its bottom blue and shouted "I'm a flamebait. Please answer!" at ya would you?
I bait, you respond. Funny how it always works...
Now, what I really meant is, if you don't like bents, kindly take your trolling arse out of the recumbents forum.
Ziggurat,
Recumbent people are very touchy about their recumbents. It is best to not upset these recumbent people when you call them on their outrageous roadie smoking posts.
We both know the truth about all that smoke coming from a few recumbenteurs.
snakehunter
09-07-05, 01:04 PM
get a road bike, then sell everything you own to buy matching accesories and outfits....
BlazingPedals
09-07-05, 01:55 PM
Me, I don't care. If you can use superior technology to beat someone who's a stronger rider than you, then go for it and post away! Just try to keep it civil. We should always maintain at least a modicum of respect for our fellow bicycle riders. If you're already stronger/faster than them, then it should be a non-event. I occasionally get smoked by a roadie in spite of my technological advantage, but that wouldn't make for very exciting reading on a recumbent-oriented forum. :(
Chickenlipz
09-07-05, 02:52 PM
Me, I don't care. If you can use superior technology to beat someone who's a stronger rider than you, then go for it and post away! Just try to keep it civil. (
What I meant was why does he care what we post here. Should I get torqed off if I visit a Washington Redskins forum and somebody says the Redskins are going to kick the Cowboy's butt? Does that mean it's true? Maybe so, maybe no, but I don't care...they can go on about it about it all day if they want. My feelings aren't going to change, and I'm sure their's aren't either.
Trsnrtr
09-07-05, 07:44 PM
Me, I don't care. If you can use superior technology to beat someone who's a stronger rider than you, then go for it and post away!
When I got my first bent a few years ago, my riding buddies kept saying I'd never keep up because bents are slow. They were right, at first, because I couldn't seem to find my bent legs.
Fast forward a couple of years and now they tell me I'm cheating because I'm too aero and they can't draft. My reply is that everyone chooses their own weapon.
I don't complain when they buy a sub 18# bike so they can climb better and they shouldn't complain when they can't hold my draft on the flats into a headwind. :)
bentrox!
09-07-05, 09:04 PM
I gave up smoking years ago. I don't care who's faster-than-who.
As for the original post, plenty of sound advice is found in a few of the prior posts once you've tossed out the chaff.
Considering a recumbent requires a certain outlook from the cyclist. You either have it or you don't.
"This above all: to thine ownself be true."
gew0419
09-08-05, 06:37 AM
Hey guys...remember me...I'm the one who wanted to be talked into a bent? What's with all the macho "my ride is better than yours" crap? Knock it off and get back to the subject at hand.
Buy a ReBike. The best recumbent made by recumbent experts. Every other recumbent is over priced. The ReBike is what every recumbent rider dreams of owning.
You will not be disappointed when you own a ReBike. You can ride your ReBike with all of your friends on group rides. I have a radio on my ReBike and I play it loud when I ride. You can not do that on any other recumbent.
You will need a large yellow flag when you get your ReBike. WalMart sells big yellow flags for all bicycles.
Mooky
Hey guys...remember me...I'm the one who wanted to be talked into a bent? What's with all the macho "my ride is better than yours" crap? Knock it off and get back to the subject at hand.
Dchiefransom
09-08-05, 09:17 AM
Hey guys...remember me...I'm the one who wanted to be talked into a bent? What's with all the macho "my ride is better than yours" crap? Knock it off and get back to the subject at hand.
Snobs exist on all kinds of frames. You'd think that there are very few riders left anymore that do it just for fun. I had been looking at Actionbent, but checked around and found out that might be less than a stellar manufacturer to deal with. I'm thinking now about the Lightning bents. The company is reputable as far as I've found, the bikes aren't overly priced, and there's one available to test ride right now that I haven't the money for yet. I got interested in the brand after sbhikes talked abut her Thunderbolt.
I haven't really ridden a bent, but sat on a few LWB ones at rides, and they are very comfortable while sitting still. The next step would be to go for some test rides.
Hey guys...remember me...I'm the one who wanted to be talked into a bent? What's with all the macho "my ride is better than yours" crap? Knock it off and get back to the subject at hand.
Here are some things I noticed when I rented a Catrike for a week. Please note that many of these are trike-specific:
- It really is more fun to ride.
- You get curious stares and lots of inquiries for just about everyone
- You feel like you're going faster because you're closer to the ground
- Cars really do pass you with a wider berth
- You can fly down hills without worrying about whether you'll be able to stop or steer
- The wind has less effect on you, making it easier to ride against the wind
- Your legs will be wobbly after each ride for the first few rides... it really does require getting used to
- There was some numbness in my feet, I adjusted the clipless pedals and this helped quite a bit.
- Looking backward was a little harder, because I had no mirrors
- I ran out of gears because I was going so fast
- Hills are slower than on a DF (at least in the week I had the trike)
- I rolled up huge curbs on impossible angles (almost parallel) that would have grounded me on a DF bike
- And, as others have reported, no neck/wrist/butt pain at all!
If you can afford a bent, and have found one you like, then there should really be nothing stopping you...
Ziggurat,
Recumbent people are very touchy about their recumbents. It is best to not upset these recumbent people when you call them on their outrageous roadie smoking posts.
We both know the truth about all that smoke coming from a few recumbenteurs.
I don't think it's we the Recumbent riders that are touchy, I think it's the DF riders that are touchy lot and I believe it comes back to the old saying - people tend to be scared of things that they do not know or understand.
Crikey! Great essay!
Q. from a first-time recumbent shopper: What's the story with the front wheel losing road contact while climbing? I'm considering a SWB (Bacchetta Giro 26) & have read about issues w/ 'bents in general having this problem. I'd guess SWB does better than LWB in this regard - how big a practical issue is this?
(Me :love: hills.)
I've got a Strada and haven't had any issues on up to 10% grades that I've tackled. Bike is rock solid, I'm just wobbly. It's been getting way smoother the more miles I put on it. They do take a bit of getting used to.
gew0419
09-12-05, 09:54 PM
So...Anyone in the Portland area have a bent I could borrow for a couple of weeks to see if I like it...ummmmm?
Magilla Gorilla
09-13-05, 02:37 AM
Let me talk you out of a bent if I might.
You will be a social outcast and need special intestinal fortitude to ride one on group rides with DF riders.
We live in an era of compliance. The war. The spin on Katrina and the spin on Lance.
Spin, Spin, Spin, I recomend a good Lance bike from Trek. That way you will fit in and be a good republican. And a good bible belt Christian. The trek is the true inspired bible truth bicycle from Texas. I tell no lies.
Magilla Gorilla the real Magilla
Yeah, except that Trek bikes aren't made in Texas... ;)
Why don't you go spin your cranks on a bike instead of spinning your obnoxious drivel. This is a recumbent forum and not another one of your BS blogs with all your recumbent hate nonsense.
Mooky
Let me talk you out of a bent if I might.
You will be a social outcast and need special intestinal fortitude to ride one on group rides with DF riders.
We live in an era of compliance. The war. The spin on Katrina and the spin on Lance.
Spin, Spin, Spin, I recomend a good Lance bike from Trek. That way you will fit in and be a good republican. And a good bible belt Christian. The trek is the true inspired bible truth bicycle from Texas. I tell no lies.
Magilla Gorilla the real Magilla
Um Mooky, he was being sarcastic......... :rolleyes:
Why don't you go spin your cranks on a bike instead of spinning your obnoxious drivel
Does the phrase "you need to smell nice to criticize someone's body odor" mean anything to you?
erik forsgren
09-13-05, 10:54 AM
I have been riding a bike to work and other places most of my life. (I started riding at about 7 and am now almost 50). I went from a single speed to a stingray to a 10 speed to a mt bike to a 24 speed schwinn mesa. Now I think it is time to upgrade to a bent, but I can't get over the price tag on these things. Someone please tell me why I should go out and buy a $1000 bike to got the 4 miles to work each day. I think they are cool, but have a hard time justifying the price just for cool. Change my mine...anyone.The bikes they use in Tour de France cost 6 times that sum of money. If you get yourself a fullblooded recumbent lowracer, like VK2 or NoCom, Optima Baron, Fujin and the like you get the best bike money can buy. A bike of this category costs between 3000 and 6000 dollars. But I can assure you its worth every cent of that money. You can use that bike in intense traffic, you can make long journeys and you can commute on it every day and enjoy every minute you sit on it. The feeling you get when riding a recumbent is indiscribable. You will feel like a newborn christian! and what is more you will ask yourself why on earth you didn't discouver the bent before in your life. Riding a recumbent is like riding a flying carpet. It is beyond all comparison. To make it short the recumbent will be the joy of your life! And the cost? Think about how much money you would spend on a car in one year and how much less money you would spend on your recumbent during the same period. Furthermore you will probably gain health be much more comfortable and go to work much much faster. If that isn't enough for you you shall have to contact me for further information
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