Recumbent - Sadly I'm leaving bents...

...the lack of any riding partners and the lack of desire to ride alone for long hours on the highway has made me decide to sell my Fujin SL (http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/challenge-fujin-sl-for-sale/).

There is hope I'll be back as my boss owns a Catrike he isn't riding much. He may let me "borrow" it and I have wanted to try a trike, but not enough to for over the $$.

I've enjoyed reading the posts in this forum and wish you all the best...:thumb:

I hope you continue to read the posts in this forum and remain "part of the club"...just cause you are not riding does not mean you have to not enjoy cycling. Could you just store the bike till you feel like riding again..............................
Keep on keepin on

Why not ride with the boss?

:)ensen.

I hope you continue to read the posts in this forum and remain "part of the club"...just cause you are not riding does not mean you have to not enjoy cycling. Could you just store the bike till you feel like riding again..............................
Keep on keepin on

Thanks I'll pop in now and again to see what's shaking. I did essentially store the Fujin all last year and would just keep storing it as it loses value - for a bike that retails for well over $4K that's just too much of an investment to have sitting around getting old.



Why not ride with the boss?

:)ensen.

He's in his late 50's and out of shape - even if we were both on trikes it would be boring for me and humiliating for him. On a Fujin there is no point even trying to roll down the driveway together.

I don't need to ride with someone at exactly the same fitness level as me, but he would happily cruise at 10kph and I'd want to be at 30kph - that's not a manageable difference.

Not to mention he's my boss I see enough of him at work!!!...;)

I just realized that your location says Calgary...

You should look up Greg Kolodziejzyk. Based on his HPV records, I'm sure he's fast enough to ride with.

:)ensen.

I just realized that your location says Calgary...

You should look up Greg Kolodziejzyk. Based on his HPV records, I'm sure he's fast enough to ride with.

:)ensen.

There are a few bent riders in Calgary, but there is a big difference between folks that might be available for a ride and actually having someone to ride with on a regular basis.

We even have a online email list for local bent riders and had 5-6 people out once for a ride in 3 years!!!

...the lack of any riding partners and the lack of desire to ride alone for long hours on the highway has made me decide to sell my Fujin SL (http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/challenge-fujin-sl-for-sale/).

There is hope I'll be back as my boss owns a Catrike he isn't riding much. He may let me "borrow" it and I have wanted to try a trike, but not enough to for over the $$.

I've enjoyed reading the posts in this forum and wish you all the best...:thumb:

Just saw your post and sympathize with you not wanting to ride alone. I live in South Dakota on a rural farm and other than riding in special events or when my son or daughter visit(both DF riders), almost all of my longer riding with my AB HiRacer had been by myself the last couple of years.

On a ride with my son last spring as we were coming into the town where I work part-time (Mitchell, SD (pop. apx. 15,000), came upon a group of DF riders going oposite direction. Later on as we were snacking at a convenience store someone came up and introduced themselves as one of the riders in the group and invited us to join anytime with them. Group rode 3 days during workweek and sometimes rides on weekends with usually 5 to 8 riders. My son lives further away but I was able to participate a lot spring through fall.

My HiRacer seemed like a natural fit with the group. Our rides went ran from around 30 to 75 miles. Different days different speeds. Just a real great experience. Anyway, late summer I did purchase a LowRacer and rode once with the group mainly just to show it. Definitely didn't feel right so went back to the HiRacer for all the other rides with my DF friends. I did always make a point to either ride in front or last if we were doing a serious paceline.

Wondered if having a HiRacer would help the situation in Calgary? Are there any groups of DF's who would welcome you into the mix?

Wondered if having a HiRacer would help the situation in Calgary? Are there any groups of DF's who would welcome you into the mix?

I see your point, but if I'm going to join a group of DF riders for a regular weekly group ride and I'm buying a new bike to do so why wouldn't I just buy a DF road bike and avoid the issue of compatibility entirely?

BTW - I used to own a Volae Expedition and replaced it with the Fujin.

The thing is I have friends to ride with it's just that they don't ride bents so we'll ride folding bikes together, we'll go ride Pugsley snow bikes, we'll go bike touring on DFs, I'll tow my friend on his longboard with my Surly Big Dummy.....etc... So riding bikes is not an issue - it's just that bents don't fit in that well and I have DF bikes I enjoy...

Aye, and there's the rub.... some people have a need to fit in. Good luck to you.

:)ensen.

I can see Vic's point about riding what your buddies have. After all, 'bents have a different speed profile which makes riding with DFs difficult at times. And the more hills, the harder it is: the 'bent is too fast on flats and downhills, but too slow on uphills. With Calgary being up against the Canadian Rockies, I bet there's just a few hills around. Personally, I loaf along with the uprights a lot of the time, but when I get 'happy feet(tm)' I'm not averse to dropping them and waiting at the next rest stop. But then, I have lots of quiet paved back roads to ride on, with no mountains near.

I can see Vic's point about riding what your buddies have. After all, 'bents have a different speed profile which makes riding with DFs difficult at times. And the more hills, the harder it is: the 'bent is too fast on flats and downhills, but too slow on uphills.

I'm with Vik on this one, for the same reasons. The SF Bay Area has plenty of hills, and group rides are not much fun on the bent. I'm always struggling to keep up on uphills, or flying away on downhills & flats. And it's supposed to be social ;) I haven't quite gotten to the point of selling the bent, but it's too bad having it sit around unused...

You know, it's funny... I live in a small town in South Florida and have the ONLY recumbent trike and probably the only recumbent in town. I ENJOY riding along, actually, I prefer it to riding with others most of the time. I don't see where cycling has to be a social event. I get out on the road or the trail on my trike because I enjoy seeing the world at 15 miles per hour, I like to challenge my body and my mind with longer and longer rides, I like to find new roads and plan trips to various trails in the state and see them.

Riding with others, or going to an event is fun, but I really don't want to do it every day....

Great looking bike by the way, too bad you don't enjoy riding alone...

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee

I don't see where cycling has to be a social event.

Oh, of course rides don't all have to be group rides. I enjoy cycling alone as much as I enjoy biking in a crowd. Doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm biking :lol: But since the spare time I have for biking is sadly limited, most of my rides are weekend group rides with SWMBO and other friends.

The bent was perfect for the Aids Lifecycle ride to LA, and training for that ride. Lots of very long rides, mostly alone. I enjoyed it tremendously, but didn't really think it was fair to others to spend so much time on it...

Last time I was in Calgary, I had a chance to see it from the top of the tallest building. It is flat, so much so that I could see where city ended and agriculture began. And that is the perfect place to ride a recumbent. It could very well be that his DF buddies complain that they can't get a draft from him, and that he is way to fast for them. As I said, peer pressure affects everyone to some degree... just that many adults have trouble acknowledging its effect on themselves. For me, peer pressure is exactly the reason why I rebel so much.

:)ensen.

I see your point, but if I'm going to join a group of DF riders for a regular weekly group ride and I'm buying a new bike to do so why wouldn't I just buy a DF road bike and avoid the issue of compatibility entirely?

BTW - I used to own a Volae Expedition and replaced it with the Fujin.

The thing is I have friends to ride with it's just that they don't ride bents so we'll ride folding bikes together, we'll go ride Pugsley snow bikes, we'll go bike touring on DFs, I'll tow my friend on his longboard with my Surly Big Dummy.....etc... So riding bikes is not an issue - it's just that bents don't fit in that well and I have DF bikes I enjoy...



Great that you have all those options. When I saw your title of post "Sadly I'm leaving bents" and your reason being no one to ride with, related to my own situation. I have had past back surgery and for myself would not want to give up the benefits of bent cycling.

Enjoy riding both alone and with group of DF riders. My HiRacer actually does give a little draft and on the level my fellow riders like me to lead out when we want to get a good pace line speed going(20-25). When we come to hills of course I am coasting down well ahead but usually am caught by most on climb back up. However, when I push it there are really only 2 riders in my group who can beat me up a hill. Hills usally not longer than a 1/2 mile and not over 7%. Oldest rider in group and I really do enjoy the social aspects of riding with a group. In riding together last summer the DF riders increased their speed on the flats and I increased mine going up hills. Being older it doesn't hurt for me to lag a little so others can catch up. Lots of time we just wander at an easy pace and shoot the breeze. I would not have all the options you do, especially since riding a DF would be painful for me.

Don't give it up! I have a VK2. Had it for years. Never had a riding partner. I ride along the Los Angeles river, 25 miles to the beach, 25 miles back on simply beautiful bike paths. I put on the headphones, put a little Jesus juice in the canteen, sunglasses, and head out. Once I get to the beach, the shirt comes off. Everybody loves how the bike looks. It is so light, I carry it to the ocean and prop it up with a stick. I take off the seat and suntan a bit. I am an old guy too, but look forward each weekend for the the ride. You don't have to go out and bust butt everytime. I also put my bike on the trainer in my living room and just pedal and watch tv. Don't give up the bent. The Bent loves you and you should love your Bent. That is a nice bike you got too.

You know something, I said the same thing to him.

I'm an asocial rider. I've only ridden with someone else once in the past 2 years. Riding my bent all alone on a rural rail trail through beautiful countryside is one of life's great pleasures. Frequently when I ride mid-week, I don't even see anyone else on the trails, riding for miles without passing anyone.

I'm an asocial rider. I've only ridden with someone else once in the past 2 years. Riding my bent all alone on a rural rail trail through beautiful countryside is one of life's great pleasures. Frequently when I ride mid-week, I don't even see anyone else on the trails, riding for miles without passing anyone.

And Wisconsin has some beautiful roads to ride on.

Bent on, Tom!

I'm an asocial rider.

Is there any other way??? The only time I socialize with cyclists is here...unless you want to count the occasional friendly wave from a fellow cyclist on the street.

For some people I'm sure there's a desire to ride with someone else. I rode with a small group of bent riders in the Quad Cities in September. I had a great time. That said, I still don't think I'd be inclined to ride with a group much. I just like doing my own thing too much. I also like my "alone" time.

riding alone is one of the great pleasures in life.

Riding a recumbent is one of the great pleasures in life!

The thought of giving up recumbent riding...sacrilegious! I just got my 25 year old Tour Easy back after having it stolen. I put on a full court press here in Anchorage and got it back in 3 weeks. The only thing they took were my very cool lights...green "the mother ship has landed" DOWN LOW GLOWS. They left my red ones but took it's battery. Shame on me for leaving it unprotected(the unused lock in my panniers is also missing)!! Recumbents are the only Lazy Boys I've got!! I ride with folks, without folks, take my Double Vision tandem out empty and pick up strangers to ride with! Visit with the neighbors or strangers while sitting on it. Coax my wife to go for a ride (in the summer). Have had visions of cruising across the universe on a recumbent at the end of mortality!

It is a shame all these bad things are happening to you, but still try to hang in there. I ride through so pretty rough areas but have not had anything stolen(knock on wood) yet. In these bad economical times, you have to watch everything. Even if it is chained up, people carry bolt cutters and portable saws and they can steal your stuff in seconds. I have seen a few couples riding tandems. I think it would be nice to have your wife bike with you. I bought a trike for my girlfriend. She enjoys riding along with me on the boardwalk. I sense you really miss your bike. Go for it. It is your life and enjoy getting out there and having fun.

We care, really we do.

If I didn't ride alone I wouldn't ride because "people" stare at me funny when I even "talk" about bikes, much less recumbents! And trikes? Oh, my...they just roll their eyes and stare into the void. LOL

That said, ride it or sell it. Maybe just go back to pure a beautiful, sleek, fast, feather lite road bike!

Or....consider a trike!

Whatever...just ride and have fun doing it on whatever type of bike you enjoy. That's all I know...

Well my last bent is in the hands of its new owner. I've still been doing lots of riding so life goes on (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vikapproved/sets/72157614253370075/)...;)

Nice pics but it doesn't look like recumbent riding country except for the downhill sections. I got a laugh out of the one where you were admiring your seat!!



I might look at my recumbent seat that admiringly as well!

Nice pics but it doesn't look like recumbent riding country except for the downhill sections. I got a laugh out of the one where you were admiring your seat!!



I might look at my recumbent seat that admiringly as well!

There is great road riding around Moab that would be suitable for bents.

Vik...
I hope you'll keep posting - a good proportion of the posts I've seen (not only here but on other forums (?) fora, as well) which make sense and are really helpful have been yours. Your comments are a real value to the biking community. I know, because you've helped me with a couple of issues.

Vik...
I hope you'll keep posting - a good proportion of the posts I've seen (not only here but on other forums (?) fora, as well) which make sense and are really helpful have been yours. Your comments are a real value to the biking community. I know, because you've helped me with a couple of issues.

Thanks - that's very nice of you to say...:love: I'll keep poking around the bent forum on BF just to see what's happening. I still love bents and like to hear what people are getting up to on them. I'm sure I'll have another bent sooner or later.

I'm sure I'll have another bent sooner or later.

Careful with your boss' Catrike.

The bug bites pretty hard.

After I sold mine, I got seller's remorse.

I missed my trike so much that I decided to get a new one... a hardshelled Trice Q, just in time for the 2009 warm riding season

Careful with your boss' Catrike.

The bug bites pretty hard.

After I sold mine, I got seller's remorse.

I missed my trike so much that I decided to get a new one... a hardshelled Trice Q, just in time for the 2009 warm riding season

I haven't even sat on his trike since he bought it two years ago. I'll wait and see what he does this year before even opening that can of worms. I don't really have room for a trike or any particular use for it.

I don't really have room for a trike or any particular use for it.

Hmmmm, famous last words...