Recumbent - luge on wheels

Yesterday when I was riding I couldn't tell what I saw in the distanced approaching me. Side by side, there were 2 extremely low (about 2 feet high at the most) narrow vehicles coming towards me. When they finally got within about 40-50 feet I could see that it was 2 riders apparently laying on their backs, with their heads tilted up just enough to see the trail ahead. As there was some other bike traffic going both directions, I didn't get a real good look. But the first thing I thought of was a luge-on-wheels. Has any one ever seen anything like this? And what is it and who makes it?

That was a pair of recumbent low racers. Do you happen to live in or near Chicago? There are some serious low racer cats there. Funny, I was out riding MY low racer (Optima Baron) with another rider also on a low racer... but that was Saturday, near Boston, and NOT on a trail. So I reckon you didn't see US. But we looked like what you described.

I had a guy this weekend call his wife at the finish line to be on the lookout for a yellow streak, and not to let me leave until he arrived at the finish an hour later, because he wanted to actually SEE what passed him so fast. He described me as a vapor cloud. Tee hee!

Here's an upscale lowracer:

http://members.cox.net/younggg/cobralow.jpg

That-is-so-cool!!! :love:

Sorry to double post, yet does anyone know wat a good wheelbase for a lowracer like the above cobra is? Wouldnt mind having a go at building a steel framed varient with fibreglass gussets, rather then a vacumn moulded carbon-fibre frame...... have faith, please! :D . So, anyone wanna divuldge?

never seen these before... pretty cool!

The wheelbase on my Baron is 50.5 inches. The Cobra Lowracer shown is a little shorter - the 20" rear wheel allows the rear axle to be moved forward several inches - so I'd make the wheelbase about 48 inches or so.

now THAT is bike pr0n.

The wheelbase on my Baron is 50.5 inches. The Cobra Lowracer shown is a little shorter - the 20" rear wheel allows the rear axle to be moved forward several inches - so I'd make the wheelbase about 48 inches or so.
Thanx blazing pedals. That's a good starting point :)

How the heck does that thing steer?

with the big old tiller you see riding above the bike.

OK, built a jig with wheelbase sorted. Now I need the length of the boom. From wat Ive measured, from my PC screen ( :lol: ) , the cobra boom total length starting from the centre of the front wheel hub and ending at bottom bracket centre is between 16 and 17 inches. Does that sound about right? An actual, non-PC screen prediction would b great. :lol: . Thanx in advance :)

now THAT is bike pr0n.

I put that photo on my desktop background when I travel & work with clients. It is a real conversation starter!

Tiller steering? What about the chain on the front wheel? How do you turn the wheel with pedals and chain on it? Or do the pedals and all that stuff turn also?

Tiller steering? What about the chain on the front wheel? How do you turn the wheel with pedals and chain on it? Or do the pedals and all that stuff turn also?

In this case, if I understand it right, the tiller can only turn the wheel a few degrees. The chain will bend laterally to accommodate the turning wheel since the pedals don't turn with it. The bike is steered with a combo of (slight) wheel turn & lean. It doesn't turn in short radius, but it is fine for most situations.

Tiller steering? What about the chain on the front wheel? How do you turn the wheel with pedals and chain on it? Or do the pedals and all that stuff turn also?

The front wheel of a bike barely moves when turning; you do it all by leaning. Like many lowracer owners, my chain passes by the front wheel and is attached to the fork at one point. It doesn't affect riding or turning one bit. I can u-turn in the middle of a two lane road.

Here's a pic of the chain passing by the fork. The returning chain passes through a tube attached to the fork at the bottom. Bike steers fine with no problems.

Since the seat on the Cobra is fixed, the boom must be adjustable in order to accomodate different leg lengths. If you're making a 'clone' for yourself, you'll have to measure your own leg length and build accordingly.

As Dennis wrote, the drive system relies on twisting the chain slightly when the steering is moved. This does not cause any problems except in the most extreme sidewalk situations.

Now that is one mean machine. Very cool:D

What are the average speeds and weights?

Lowracers can weigh anywhere from upper teens to thirty pounds or so. Speed is whatever the engine room can produce. :)

Lowracers can weigh anywhere from upper teens to thirty pounds or so. Speed is whatever the engine room can produce. :)
I was actually asking specificly about the cobra but thanks anyways

I was actually asking specificly about the cobra but thanks anyways

Sorry, I've only seen one CobraBike up close and it was this one a couple of years ago.