Fifty Plus (50+) - Transbar Power

No weird bicycle collection would be complete without the Alenax, driven by "Transbar power." One thing this page cannot convey is the pounding disco theme song that accompanied the expensively produced video that ran nonstop in the Alenax booth at the trade show, and the gorgeous and totally bored models paid to ride the bikes (on stationary stands) in lycra cycling clothes.

Someone spent millions of dollars on design, production and publicity for a product that my first ride revealed as the most bogus bicycle ever designed. The only way to sell one would have been to deny the customer the opportunity to ride it first. Of course, now I wish I had bought one, because it would be so collectible. This product deserves its own page and someday it will get one. For now, enjoy these morsels.

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Isn't this special? An international "forbidden" symbol with the circle and slash over a traditional crankset. This was a sticker the Alenax company handed out at the bike show, symbolic of the intense publicity effort that failed to move this turd.

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You mean these sweet little old rides?

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/Alenaxmen.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/Alenaxwomen.jpg

I've got two with the top tube and one step thru. My oldest daughter simply can't get enough of riding them. She begs me to pull them down from the rafters when ever she's in town during the summer months. I think that as a Mechanical Emgineer she's intrigued by the oddety of the beasts. All three of mine are four speeds and quite capable of riding our neighborhood streets and trails without any noticable additional effort than it takes to ride our crank powered bikes.

Once you get a rhythm going, they're kinda fun. What a trip it is to ride 'em along the boardwalk down at the beach!!

Cranky, how much do those things weigh?

I thought it so cool you posted pictures of yours too. Might be the best comeback post yet I have seen.

I'll bet those things turn some heads and raise some questions, don't they?

Different is good. I can understand Cranky's daughter's fascination with this. I mean, you just got to love anything with a crank arm that long. I can just picture walking into the LBS and casually mentioning that you've just switched from 172.5's to 310's.

... the gorgeous and totally bored models paid to ride the bikes (on stationary stands) in lycra cycling clothes.

Pictures, please. ;)

Cranky posted pictures of the bikes.:innocent:

Cranky posted pictures of the bikes.:innocent:
Killjoy!:p

Come to think.....video of the bikes ridden on the stationary stands would be interesting.

Funny, we were just talking about these bikes at lunch at work two days ago. We'd seen them at the Interbike Show but couldn't remember the name other than, "Alen-something . . . "

I wonder if they're UCI legal?

Rick / OCRR

Rumour has it that Team RadioShack might be using those bikes on a couple of stages of the '10 TDF.

It appears that they're still sold. http://www.alenax.com/product.asp


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av2RHReUcnc

Cranky, how much do those things weigh?

I thought it so cool you posted pictures of yours too. Might be the best comeback post yet I have seen.

I've never actually weighed one but they don't seem much (if any) heavier than a typical Mtn. Bike of the same (late 70's to mid 80's) period.


I'll bet those things turn some heads and raise some questions, don't they?

They get a lot of attention from other cyclists. Non cyclists don't seem as tuned in on the details. They see a bike and their attention tends to quickly divert elsewhere, though some do notice.


Cranky posted pictures of the bikes.:innocent:

Cranky rides the bikes!! :eek:


It appears that they're still sold. http://www.alenax.com/product.asp




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av2RHReUcnc

As best as I can tell they've been been in and out of production several times over the past 30 odd years. The company has moved about quite a bit. At one time they assembled the bikes here in Rochester about eight miles from my house. I suspect the units I own are from that era though I'm not certain as I picked them all up second hand, one men's bike and then a pair a few years later, all about 15 to 20 years ago. One can occasionally come accross one on Craigslist or E-Bay for anywhere from $50 to some ridiculous astronomically high price. They also offered road bikes.

I purchased them for a few reasons: they are different and thus really caught my interest, and as the O.P. mentioned they peak interest in many other folks also. I doubt that they'll ever be valuable...but they sure are fun to play with. I know they light up my daughter's face which in turn lights up me. :)

Any strange maintenance issues with them?