Hi Folks,

A few weeks ago I visited Mt. Airy Bicycles in Maryland, and I saw this odd looking lowrider from Lightning.
It has a Cannondale-style suspension fork with just one side, a "Lefty". It's also missing some parts. I didn't get a chance to ask about it while I was there, but I'm curious what model it is.

It's the red one in the foreground on these pictures:

Photo #1: http://www.trilug.org/~chilcote/photos/MtAiryBikes/images/sdc10031.jpg

Photo #2: http://www.trilug.org/~chilcote/photos/MtAiryBikes/images/sdc10032.jpg

Photo #3: http://www.trilug.org/~chilcote/photos/MtAiryBikes/images/sdc10033.jpg

I know it's not a thunderbolt. They had one of those, and it's not a lowrider like this one.

Any good guesses?

Thanks,

--
Scott C. in Cary, NC USA

Would that be a U2? Essentially, the U2 was an M5 lowracer, modified to be legal in USCF time trials: http://www.lightningbikes.com/ (scroll down about 1/3 of the page to see the U2 in action).

As soon as they were raced at nationals (and smoked the df's of course), USCF changed their rules to close that "loophole". Typical. WOuldn't it have been just as easy to create a separate recumbent category and let us play too? Oh, excuse me. THey "did":

"Recumbents may not be raced in USCF races unless there is a separate race for this category of bicycle, and then may be used only in that category." (USCF Rules)

But when was the last time you saw a USCF race with a separate 'bent category?

Scott P
Bend, OR

doesn't look like a ud from what I can see...but I could be wrong.

Would that be a U2? Essentially, the U2 was an M5 lowracer, modified to be legal in USCF time trials: http://www.lightningbikes.com/ (scroll down about 1/3 of the page to see the U2 in action).


I agree. Lightning produced them under license from M5 Recumbents (http://www.m5-ligfietsen.nl/) in The Netherlands. This one has a Lightning suspension fork- it has a distinctive linkage.

So, what was the deal? Were those bikes, or pieces of bikes, for sale?

Crank57:

Yes, Mt. Airy sells used bikes. However, I just searched their web database and did not find that bicycle listed. The only Lightning Recumbent I could find was a Stealth, which I also saw when I was there. But they assign numbers to each bike and take bids on them. You can view the list on their web site (bike123.com).

Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Mt. Airy Bicycles, and live two states away. ;-)

--
Scott C.

http://www.lightningbikes.com/low_racers.htm

Lightning version had 406 front wheel vs. standard M5's 451 front wheel. Also had a high chain routing over the front wheel.

http://www.lightningbikes.com/low_racers.htm