Fifty Plus (50+) - I've gone low ...

... Lowracer, that is.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x5/Bud_Bent/Roadster/Roadster01.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x5/Bud_Bent/Roadster/Roadster04.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x5/Bud_Bent/Roadster/Roadster02.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x5/Bud_Bent/Roadster/Roadster03.jpg

Fedex delivered box 1 yesterday, and box 2 today. It's a Performer Roadster carbon fiber and aluminum lowracer. Actually, with a seat height of 15 1/2 inches, it's too tall to really be called a lowracer. I guess quasi-lowracer would be more accurate.

I did a 25 mile test ride, today. It rides really well, and handles great. Much tweaking will follow.

Very striking design. Like those carbon stays. Interesting semi-lowracer design, can't say I've seen one quite like it. I ride a bent, but it's a CLWB with low bottom bracket. I don't think I could handle this one.

Have you ever seen a Zox front-drive recumbent bicycle? That's low!

Be sure to give us a full report after you have accumulated some mlies on your new toy!

Not only does that look as fast as a bat out of hell. It looks like a bat out of hell. I say that as a compliment. Very striking. Hope it brings you a lot of pleasure. Wave when you pass me.

:beer:

That is a smokin' bike. Do you worry about how visible you are to cars when you're that low?

As Bud said, his is not really that low of a lowracer. Others here have posted some truly lowracers (still don't know how they ride them) And then there are those ultra-low trikes!

http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/gritters/20-20-lowracer-side.jpg

Those are some seriously thick carbon tubes. I hope you continue to post on your ride experiences.

So help me understand something. Are you like laying down when you ride? :D

Good control group.........serious carbon.........the movie "Stealth" comes to mind. Nice ride. Has DG noticed that many of the new bikes this week aren't white?

Good control group.........serious carbon.........the movie "Stealth" comes to mind. Nice ride. Has DG noticed that many of the new bikes this week aren't white?

He has. :(

Price o' white paint must be reaching $100/barrel nowadays.

Swing low sweet chariot. :D

So this is the bike you were talking about before your surgery? You've made an amazing recovery, out riding already. Congratulations on both counts!

3-4 days ago were you riding your bent going up Pleasant ridge road just before
the intersection of perkins, wearing a yellow jersey

wow........what's the weight of a bike like that? Just gotta love the technology that goes into it.

Seeing that long chain gives me flashes of Chainsaw Massacre if that thing ever came off the jockey wheels!!!

That's a great looking bike, Bud. Enjoy it.

The more I see these things the more I'm tempted to give one a test ride:)

Be prepared for "layin' down on the job, huh?" comments.

Terrific 'bent!

countersTrike

What made you go with the performer, when it's about the same price as a Velokraft VK-2? The VK-2 is all carbon and sleeker-looking. I like carbon, but IMHO keeping the aluminum weld points as 'lugs' is a design mistake. Optima did the same thing. Like jppe, I'm wondering how much it weighs. Getitbent.com doesn't list a weight. Also, what model and size is that front tire, really? I've never seen a 20x1 tire, and I've looked.

If you're going to route the chain up over the front wheel, that setup looks good. But most lowracers put the return chain on the inside. Doing so usually gives a better overall chainline.

What made you go with the performer, when it's about the same price as a Velokraft VK-2? The VK-2 is all carbon and sleeker-looking. I like carbon, but IMHO keeping the aluminum weld points as 'lugs' is a design mistake. Optima did the same thing. Like jppe, I'm wondering how much it weighs. Getitbent.com doesn't list a weight. Also, what model and size is that front tire, really? I've never seen a 20x1 tire, and I've looked.

If you're going to route the chain up over the front wheel, that setup looks good. But most lowracers put the return chain on the inside. Doing so usually gives a better overall chainline.

Wow, if you've found a VK-2 for $2200, I should have called you first! With seat pad, pedals, and the heavy FRP seat, it weighs 26 pounds (unofficial bathroom scale weight). I have a carbon seat coming which should lower that by 2 pounds. The front tire is a Cheng Shin 451 x 25 which is, indeed, 20 x 1.

I'll try the return chain on the inside; I was just using my Corsa as an example, and it has the return chain on the outside.

Kerlenbach, it's been my experience that long bikes like this are highly visible to cars, unless you get so close to them that you are under their field of vision. I try not to get that close to cars on any of my bikes.

Gary, it is a pretty reclined riding position. I'll post a photo with me on it when I get one.

25mm tires on a bent? Wow! I'd be scared to even try them. I've read a number of comments on BROL from people who've had stability problems with 28mm / 1.125" tires. I've got 1.75" on mine and was considering going with 1.35" but have since backed off of that. May even decide to go with the Big Apple 2 inchers.

WOW! Sweet ride. Congrats to you.
Now, don't be going out there and teasing any OCP Roadies with that rig. :D

25mm tires on a bent? Wow! I'd be scared to even try them. I've read a number of comments on BROL from people who've had stability problems with 28mm / 1.125" tires. I've got 1.75" on mine and was considering going with 1.35" but have since backed off of that. May even decide to go with the Big Apple 2 inchers.

25s are standard on the rear of a lot of low bikes and highracers. Many low bikes use 406x28 on the front but 25 is pretty common for 451s. Regardless, stability isn't a problem as long as you stay off of unpaved trails. :)

:D That is One Neat Machine.

25s are standard on the rear of a lot of low bikes and highracers. Many low bikes use 406x28 on the front but 25 is pretty common for 451s. Regardless, stability isn't a problem as long as you stay off of unpaved trails. :)

Which would be my reason to look at the Big Apples, as 80%-90% of my bent riding is on unpaved trails.

Which would be my reason to look at the Big Apples, as 80%-90% of my bent riding is on unpaved trails.

I'm sorry. I'm sure they'll get around to paving the roads in Wisconsin sooner or later. :D

The Wisconsin roads are at the trainee level, preparing for going back to West Virginia! :)

Are you faster, yet?

Wow! That is really incredible! And you can probably wear a half size smaller bike shoe, since your feet won't swell during the ride!!!!

Ah... 451... that explains it, although now I wonder why the 20 speed model uses 406? (The Continental doesn't come in 451, despite the fraction sizing.) The 451 should be the standard size for lowracers, IMHO. As far as the price, $2200 would make me seriously consider it, too. The suggested retail listed on getitbent.com is $4200, so it seems you got a good deal. Bentupcycles has a sale on VK2s right now for $3900. (Standard disclaimer: I have no financial stake in Bentupcycles.)

Ah... 451... that explains it, although now I wonder why the 20 speed model uses 406? (The Continental doesn't come in 451, despite the fraction sizing.) The 451 should be the standard size for lowracers, IMHO. As far as the price, $2200 would make me seriously consider it, too. The suggested retail listed on getitbent.com is $4200, so it seems you got a good deal. Bentupcycles has a sale on VK2s right now for $3900. (Standard disclaimer: I have no financial stake in Bentupcycles.)

I know Dana from Bentupcycles and he does short rides with us sometimes. Last year he lost some weight and got in better shape and competed in the Furnace Creek 508 on a team,(this is a 508 mile race in our area). He was riding one of those super low Velokraft bikes, but switched to a higher bike for the race, I don't remember what it was, but he rides it all the time now.

Seeing how he is a distributor for Velokraft, I'm guessing it was/is a VK-Hi with an outside chance it was a Carbent. Between the two possibilities, the Carbent looks more like a 'stick bike' highracer and the VK-Hi looks more like a tall lowracer.

I found a picture, he's on the left. http://www.the508.com/2007web/shows/show06/pages/DSC03331.html
Next time I see him, I'll get more details about the bike and the race.

3-4 days ago were you riding your bent going up Pleasant ridge road just before
the intersection of perkins, wearing a yellow jersey

I don't know where that is, so it must not have been me.

Are you faster, yet?

Four weeks and one day after lung surgery, my only two speeds are slow and slower. It's going to take a while for me to regain my strength and stamina.

Ah... 451... that explains it, although now I wonder why the 20 speed model uses 406? (The Continental doesn't come in 451, despite the fraction sizing.) The 451 should be the standard size for lowracers, IMHO. As far as the price, $2200 would make me seriously consider it, too. The suggested retail listed on getitbent.com is $4200, so it seems you got a good deal. Bentupcycles has a sale on VK2s right now for $3900. (Standard disclaimer: I have no financial stake in Bentupcycles.)

The bike seems to be made with two different size wheel sets, 559 and 406, or 622 and 451. Both RecumbentUSA and getitbent.com offer the smaller wheel version, but I bought mine from Steve Delaire at Rotator Recumbents, and it came with the bigger wheels. The seat and bottom bracket height on mine are over 1 1/2 inches taller than Performer's specs, so their specs must be based on the smaller wheel version.

I found a picture, he's on the left. http://www.the508.com/2007web/shows/show06/pages/DSC03331.html
Next time I see him, I'll get more details about the bike and the race.

That looks like a Carbent. I've never met one in person, but I hear they are really light and fast.

That looks like a Carbent. I've never met one in person, but I hear they are really light and fast.

Yes, it's a Carbent. If you'll recall, Dana took over manufacturing Carbents, and I remember reading his report of that ride.

This one is a bit lower yet.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s219/lowracervk2/001.jpg

Welcome to the " Royal Order of Knuckledraggers" Budbent!