General Cycling Discussion - New kind of "Amish" bike ??

Here in Sarasota there is large Amish and Mennonite populations. They love the Florida winters also I suppose. Saw an Amish woman riding a bike that was half scooter/ half bike. Had front and rear tires like a bike and handlebars, but no seat. It had a platform about 3 or 4 inches off the ground and she made the bike go by using the motion as a small kid on a scooter does. No chain or pedals. The "bike" actually was keeping up with 2 other real bikes as they were riding down the sidewalk. Do not know if it was homemade or not. Looked interesting though. Any Ideas or comments?

I've seen something similar. The owner called it a "kick bike." I tried it and it was kind of neat, but it didn't do hills worth a darn. Supposedly, it went for around $500.00 American, and included handlebar mounted brake levers.

http://www.kickbikeamerica.com/ i have had one for going on 8 years, i don't have any trouble going up the hill's,ofcourse i don't get to sit down or use gears to make it easer! i guess it's just getting used to it,or not.

no thats not an Amish bike, mostly they ride hybrids in very large frame sizes think 3 or 4 times larger then they need. Then you raise the handlebars up as high as you can get them. And there is no rear rack with a milk crate strapped to it.

Reporting this from Wayne and Holmes counties in Ohio

A fellow did last October's Hilly Hundred (Southern Indiana) on one. He has won some major races in Europe, according to a newspaper story about him. He was slow up the hills but, on the last major downhill of the Hilly, my wife and I were getting up to a pretty good speed on our tandem when he came from out of nowhere and passed us going REALLY FAST!

Thanks, most insane thing I've seen all day. Can't imagine going up hills on that. I would rather have pedals.

Seems like a pointless gimmick.

The original Ingo bike, 1935

http://www.ohtm.org/collections/bicycles/images/cyc_ingo.jpg

Notice the eccentric rear hub. You got the bike rolling then "pumped" the platform to turn the rear wheel.

This is just to get folks to stop teasing people with electric bikes, right?

The original Ingo bike, 1935

[IMG]http://www.ohtm.org/collections/bicycles/images/cyc_ingo.jpg[IMG]

Notice the eccentric rear hub. You got the bike rolling then "pumped" the platform to turn the rear wheel.

Our metalwork class has one of those up on the wall.

You can get going pretty fast, but it's alot of work.

Those Amish get all the new gadgets. :D

no thats not an Amish bike, mostly they ride hybrids in very large frame sizes think 3 or 4 times larger then they need. Then you raise the handlebars up as high as you can get them. And there is no rear rack with a milk crate strapped to it.

Reporting this from Wayne and Holmes counties in OhioThe Amish around here (central PA) are not allowed to ride bikes. When they ride anything it is a scooter like the one described in the OP. Most of the scooters around here were not mass produced – perhaps made by a local craftsman.

no thats not an Amish bike, mostly they ride hybrids in very large frame sizes think 3 or 4 times larger then they need. Then you raise the handlebars up as high as you can get them. And there is no rear rack with a milk crate strapped to it.

Reporting this from Wayne and Holmes counties in Ohio



I think you are correct with this. It was a very large frame and the front and rear wheels were the same size. I could not believe the speed she had on it AND was keeping up with the other two at a speed I would say 12-15mph.

The Amish around here (central PA) are not allowed to ride bikes. When they ride anything it is a scooter like the one described in the OP. Most of the scooters around here were not mass produced – perhaps made by a local craftsman.


The Amish here are less restrictive than the northern counterparts. They are living within the city limits of Sarasota on small lots with smallish, very neat homes. There is a bus stop close to this area that is packed with bikes chained to themselves all day while the owners all go to their "city" jobs I imagine. I did have a cottage near Coldwater, MI and the Amish there were much more restrictive. But a lot of the "men folk" have jobs in factories such as the camper and trailer factories which are so prevelant in Ohio/MI/Indiana crossroads.

The Amish around here (central PA) are not allowed to ride bikes. When they ride anything it is a scooter like the one described in the OP. This is just so strange. I wonder who draws a line at how much technology is too much and what criteria they are using. In principal it's all human-powered and a bicycle should be fine... just because it's a smarter way to move around it doesn't mean it's evil... Of course lots of religious folks do equate reasonable and sensible with evil... Oh well, never mind, never mind. :)

But Amish communities really do differ a lot. The Amish I saw in Ontario countryside were using gasoline-powered lawnmowers. For crissake!... :D

The Amish here are less restrictive than the northern counterparts.

Are you sure they are Amish and not some flavor of Mennonite.

The old order Mennonites are hard to distinguish from the Amish, and they come in flavors from nearly Amish to other groups that drive cars... In Lancaster county for example I saw people that I was told were a Mennonite group that retains the Amish look in dress, but they drive cars, but they must be black, and have no chrome.

Are you sure they are Amish and not some flavor of Mennonite.

The old order Mennonites are hard to distinguish from the Amish, and they come in flavors from nearly Amish to other groups that drive cars... In Lancaster county for example I saw people that I was told were a Mennonite group that retains the Amish look in dress, but they drive cars, but they must be black, and have no chrome.


Could be. Funny about the "black cars w/ no chrome". I mean technology is technology, right? Chrome doesn't make it a new fangled contraption. None of these drive but I have seen one or two of the older men who have small gas powered motors on the front wheel of their three wheelers.

This is just so strange. I wonder who draws a line at how much technology is too much and what criteria they are using. In principal it's all human-powered and a bicycle should be fine... just because it's a smarter way to move around it doesn't mean it's evil... Of course lots of religious folks do equate reasonable and sensible with evil... Oh well, never mind, never mind. :)

But Amish communities really do differ a lot. The Amish I saw in Ontario countryside were using gasoline-powered lawnmowers. For crissake!... :D


I hear where your coming from. I don't get the who draws the line at what gig, any more than you.

The sect or order sets the rules. There are old amish and new amish, Also the kids can own cars and such before they join the church. Something gas powered is ok as long as you dont own it. You can give someone money to buy something ie a lawn mower or a tractor but you can use it.

The sect or order sets the rules. There are old amish and new amish, Also the kids can own cars and such before they join the church. Something gas powered is ok as long as you dont own it. You can give someone money to buy something ie a lawn mower or a tractor but you can use it.


Thanks for the info. I do remember a program about and older Amish man that "ran" some kind of busisness. But for this busisness to be successful, which it was, He needed to incorporate many "luxuries" into it. Phones being the big one that I can remember.

This is just to get folks to stop teasing people with electric bikes, right?
NO

The original Ingo bike, 1935

http://www.ohtm.org/collections/bicycles/images/cyc_ingo.jpg

Notice the eccentric rear hub. You got the bike rolling then "pumped" the platform to turn the rear wheel.

Now that's a real interesting idea. I would think it would be a little awkward to ride, but it's cool to see different approaches. The basic idea is like playground swing.

There's a sort of technique in mountain biking called pumping. You time the movements of you body to match the crests and troughs of the terrain to gain speed without pedaling.

This is just so strange. I wonder who draws a line at how much technology is too much and what criteria they are using. Years ago I asked an Amish friend of mine how that works. He told me that each area is a “diocese”, and they have a Bishop who is in charge of one or more diocese. The bishop makes the final decision, based on what he thinks is best for the people. He told me that the general goal is to be able to survive within the larger society without becoming part of it.

The sect or order sets the rules. There are old amish and new amish, Also the kids can own cars and such before they join the church. Something gas powered is ok as long as you dont own it. You can give someone money to buy something ie a lawn mower or a tractor but you can use it.Recently I have seen many Amish near here with cell phones. I don't know them so I didn't ask, but it does look odd.

Around these parts the Amish aren't allowed to ride. They must be of a tougher fundamental group.

Recently I have seen many Amish near here with cell phones. I don't know them so I didn't ask, but it does look odd.


They may be Mennonites.

Here in Sarasota ..... Saw an Amish woman riding a bike that was half scooter/ half bike. Had front and rear tires like a bike and handlebars, but no seat. .... Any Ideas or comments?
Only these: 1) they would only do well in flat terrain, and 2) I would never buy a kickbike without borrowing one for at least a day or two first. "Borrowing" could even be "renting", I am a recumbent rider and fairly open to what I'd try but there's no way I'd drop a few bills on one of these things right off.
~

They may be Mennonites.No they aren't Mennonites. I believe that they "need them for business". I was told (second hand) that they have an english friend subscribe and then reimburse him. Can't vouch for that though.

We have a lot of Amish owned construction crews around here. They always hire at least one english who also drives the crew. Maybe he 'owns' the phone too.

http://www.kickbikeamerica.com/ i have had one for going on 8 years, i don't have any trouble going up the hill's,ofcourse i don't get to sit down or use gears to make it easer! i guess it's just getting used to it,or not.Hey -- one less gear than a fixie!

The photos look like they may have been taken around here. Too bad they don't list any brick-and-mortar locations. For $300+ dollars, you can get a brand new road worthy regular bike.

Still, if they're allowed on the sidewalk, they would make more sense than a Segway.

About 50% percent of the time the Amish seem to be a religeon of covenince. We will say we stick to the old ways but when we hunt we will be using the latest and grreatest compound bows or the top of the line auto loading shot gun. Or why shoud I cut my fire wood with an axe when I can have buy a Still.. My personal favorite is lets have a house compleaty wired with electric but its in the name of our 5 year old daughter who is not a member of the church.

Sorry if thease views sound negative it comes from growing up in Amish country and listening to the tourist talk of how grreat the are.

most people only have "religion" because they feel society requires it.

Hey -- one less gear than a fixie!
And I can trackstand mine. I **** you not.
They're fun. Completely impractical for doing anything but transporting yourself and a lock, since a rear rack would devour your ankles, there's way too much upper body movement to allow a backpack load, and much more front load than a bar bag further wonkifies the scooter handling response. Totally worth it, though.

Around these parts the Amish aren't allowed to ride. They must be of a tougher fundamental group.
I used to live in Arthur and I think remember them riding bikes. Maybe it was just the younger kids. This was late 70's through the 80's.

Sorry if thease views sound negative it comes from growing up in Amish country and listening to the tourist talk of how grreat the are.Everybody is inconsistent in some way. Even non-believers. When an atheist stubs his toe, who is he swearing at?

I grew up in sarasota. They are Amish. there is also a large mennonite population as well. the Amish have been relaxing their rules over the last 17 years or so; I now see them drive cars, use phones, and ride bikes. they still dress the same,though.