Recumbent - Hi from Canada....

Hi all....It seems that I am the newest member of this forum, so I thought I'd check in. My name is Rick, I'm 47, and I live in Windsor, Ontario. I became "bent" 3 years ago and enjoy every minute of it. A group of about 15 recumbent riders meet every Sunday morning here in Windsor, for a 40 km. ride. We always make sure that our mid-ride rest stop is at one of the local do-nut shops (Hey, we don't want to get "too healthy"). Between this ride, my work commutes, and after dinner jaunts, I manage about 200-250 km. per week. My bike of choice is a 2000 RANS Rocket. I also own a 1999 BikeE CT, which my wife usually rides...later ..Rick..

Rick,

Welcome to BF.

I've never layed down while riding before but the recumbent group here needs more numbers and you'll be welcome among them.

Post often.

A recumbent owner in waiting,

Greg

Hello and welcome to B.F.;
I've ridden a bent since 1994 and now own two (Haluzak Horizon and Challenge Distance). I primarily do touring with them having gone to Holland, Belgium, Gaspe Bay-Quebec and Virginia-USA not to mention Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They are fun but can be a real stink to ship by air when travelling.
Might see you on the road.....
Don

Welcome, Rick!

There aren't enough of us in the Forums, so the more the merrier.

I also ride Saturdays in a small bent group of 6 or so riders. Our 30+ mile route has a donut-java break, too. Our group includes a Tour Easy, GRR, Stratus, Dolphin and (2) Lynxs. A Greenspeed trike and Vision R-44 sometimes join in, too.

We're blessed with mild weather year-round and have over 150 miles of under-used roadway on the nearby former Ft. Ord, where we usually ride.

Eddie

Hey Guys....Thanks for the replies...We here in the "Great White North", don't have nearly the cycling season that brother Bentrox! has. Not that I'm jealous or anything...Okay, I am jealous, alright....Our Sunday group shuts down usually about the first of December and starts up again as soon as the weather breaks around Easter. We have a few hard-core members who go out all winter, as long as there's no snow...As for me, my Rocket is stored safely in the basement, ready for the first sign of spring. Hey Don, What does it cost to ship your bent to Europe and what do you use to box it? I was considering a trip to visit relatives in Scotland and wanted to get in some touring...I seem a few hard-shell cases at my local bike shop, but they were about $300.00 CDN. A little steep, unless you plan on doing a lot of travel...Rick....

In answer to your question on shipping a bike in a box;

It cost me approximately $80.00 to ship it by the air carrier I was using at that time (Canada 3000, now defunct) and the same on the way back. My box was made by "Crateworks" see the following url;http://www.crateworks.com/

Please note before I left I had asked and got in writing that Canada 3000 would except the bike box in shipping on same flight to and from Europe. On the way up no problems, however when it came to return 3 weeks later they wouldn't except it on the same flight, the reason was too big. It had to come 3 days later after I returned home.

It is at the discretion of the pilot as to except the large "luggage" item or go for smaller luggage items and get more people on charter flights.

When I arrived in Scihipol airport in Amsterdam I saw two fairly new mountain bikes that had been shipped and packed in card board bike boxes litterly smashed to pieces. So there may be something to say for hard case bike boxes but you need to find a safe place to store them and hope they will be there on return.

Rick,
I'm glad you signed up. I live in Toronto. My connection to you is that I biked from Windsor to Toronto last April.

I VIA'd (train) to Windsor and then biked along the Chrysler Trail to Leamington, then on the road to Simcoe, down the Hamilton Rail Trail and then home along the Lakefront Trail.

I am a member of the city of Toronto Cycling Committee. Last year I talked to someone at the Toronto International Bike Show who convinced me to do the trip.

http://www.telsec.net/bicycleshow/

All the best

Thanks for the info Bentrider.. I can't even imagine arriving at my destination for a European tour, only to find my bike smashed to bits. Yikes!!!. Talk about having a bad day..... I guess that a hard-shell is the way to go, and well worth the initial expense....Rick...

Originally posted by tayman
Hey Guys....Thanks for the replies...We here in the "Great White North", don't have nearly the cycling season that brother Bentrox! has. Not that I'm jealous or anything...Okay, I am jealous, alright....Our Sunday group shuts down usually about the first of December and starts up again as soon as the weather breaks around Easter. We have a few hard-core members who go out all winter, as long as there's no snow...As for me, my Rocket is stored safely in the basement, ready for the first sign of spring. Hey Don, What does it cost to ship your bent to Europe and what do you use to box it? I was considering a trip to visit relatives in Scotland and wanted to get in some touring...I seem a few hard-shell cases at my local bike shop, but they were about $300.00 CDN. A little steep, unless you plan on doing a lot of travel...Rick....

I know the bent members will appreciate another convert. :) Nice to see another Canadian neighbor making himself known.

As for the S/H issue... FROM So. California, I just shipped a Mtb to upstate NY for $80... As for packing; I went to my my LBS and asked if they had any left over shipping boxes, they did and gave me one free. Otherwise, they throw them away. Packed it up nice and tidy and off she went. Got there safe and sound... I had to take off the front tire, handlebars, pedals, chain and lower seat post and added massive amounts of newspaper, etc... VOLA...

Hello Stokell....I hope that you enjoyed your tour last summer....Did you make the trip alone...I remember seeing John, the owner of Courtesy Bicycle, talking to a couple last summer and their trip seemed quite similar to yours... Could that have been you ???. Did you have any trouble with accomodations ?? Mechanical problems ?? What did you think of "the flatlands" of Essex County ?? Not much in the form of visual stimulation, but easy to pedal, none the less...It would be interesting to hear some more about your adventure...Rick...