Recumbent - New Challenge Super Lights: 21 lbs and good value

Challenge Bikes (www.challengebikes.com) has just announced a new line of super light recumbents. Most of the bikes in the line weigh around 21 lbs. I have a Fujin Super Light on order, and it likely will be the first Fujin SL to hit the US (in 2-3 weeks). It will be equipped with a Rohloff Speedhub and Shlumpf Mountain Drive (no more derailleurs!), which in cobmination will provide much better gearing for hill climbing as well as higher speeds on the flat and downhill. Plus the Rohloff enables gear changes while stopped, a real advantage on a recumbent.

More information on the Challenge SLs can be found here: http://www.challengebikes.com/html/index.php?taal=en

Here are photos of the prototype Fujin SL and the production model. Typical of all Challenge bikes, the Fujin is beautifully made and a marvelous work of design and aesthetics, with many innovations. At around or under $3,000, the Fujin SL is a great buy.

http://photos.imageevent.com/artsci/recumbent/websize/Prototype%20lightweight%20Fujin.jpg

http://www.challengebikes.com/images/fotos/superlights/foto-001.jpg

Congratulations Rick!
I`m completely in love with the Mistral Sl (more of a touring style) . My timeline is more like 2006 to buy. Please give us a review once you get it.
Regards
From Ottawa
Harvey

I can't wait to hear more about it, also. I'd also like to hear the actual weight when you get it as well as the actual price. The website says 21# without seatpad and pedals for a base model, so obviously a roadworthy bike will weigh more. A quick scan did not yield a price, but I might have missed it.

Latest word is that the bike will not arrive until early December, and I still don't know the final price. I'll report back when I have all of the final details.

Paul Voerman of Challengebikes emailed me on Wednesday to let me know that the bike has shipped. It's going to RBR in State College, PA and I'll pick it up there next week after Rob sets it up.

The wait is killing me, and, of course, it's arriving at the coldest time of year.

Paul Voerman of Challengebikes emailed me on Wednesday to let me know that the bike has shipped. It's going to RBR in State College, PA and I'll pick it up there next week after Rob sets it up.

Be sure to let us know and... pics would be nice, too. ;)

RBR will continue to import, otherwise the importer is:

http://eurdis.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/id11.html

http://www.challengebikes.com/images/inhoud/mistraldeluxeuss-groot.jpg

I gotta say that is nice...

I was just reading a little about this new Mistral, and it is said to have rear suspension. The documentation says it is "conceiled in the ___" . How does the rear suspension work? I can't see any visible mechanism for it. The fork is interesting too. Just curious, thanks,

This picture of the suspension should help -- it's hidden under the seat. http://www.challengebikes.com/images/inhoud/inspireddesign/foto-3.jpg

I drove up to RBR on Saturday to pick up the Fujin SL. It's a work of art! When I first lifted the bike, the weight savings was striking in comparison to the other recumbents I've lifted, in particular my Hurricane Tour, which weighs in at about 32 pounds. The lower weight was really apparent when I did simple things like lifting the bike onto the bike rack for transport on the back of my car, or carrying it down a flight of stairs to the basement workshop. Can't imagine how good it will feel on the road.

I haven't been able to ride it because the cables supplied with the Rohloff Speedhub were too short to reach the Rohloff shifter when it's installed on the Velokraft carbon fiber ubar I've put on the bike for better handling at low speed. I've got longer Rohloff cables on the way from Harris Cyclery, so I should have the bike street ready by the weekend, at which time I'll post some photos and riding impressions.

For now, I'm left to tinker with the computer installation and pedal the bike on my trainer in the basement :)

are the challenge bikes any cheaper in the US than when you convert Euros to dollars on the challenge website? The mistral really looks like a great machine, but I'd love to see it at a slightly lower price than 2 thou.

I have to say that these are really beautiful machines! I never considered a recombent because all that I've seen were just butt ugly, amazingly heavy, curiosities. But these babies . . . wow! Also, the pics on their web site all show derailer bikes, where as you spoke of a shifting hub? I'm waiting to hear more about price before I buy that new carbon road bike.
Thanks for the info.

I have to say that these are really beautiful machines! I never considered a recombent because all that I've seen were just butt ugly, amazingly heavy, curiosities. But these babies . . . wow!
I really like the looks of the mandrel-bent main tube that Challenge and Optima use. They just look sexy! Too bad that the exchange rate makes them more expensive than they should be, but we can't blame Challenge for that. :( Pretty cool how the suspension is almost invisible.

you could always buy a carbon lowracer

http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/misc/nocom.htm

http://groups.msn.com/BicyclingForumPicPost/trainingsetuppics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=6996

instead of a carbon road bike

Congratulations Fujin Rick! I have a fully suspended Fujin,which is not superlight and still I consider my bike to be the fastest bike I have ever ridden. Your bike is 8 pounds lighter than mine, so you can look forward to a real fast and interesting ride. Be careful aboat the tiller-steering if you are not used to it. You must ride with relaxed arms and elbows especially when you reach 60 miles per hour. An experienced bentrider in Holland, Marga Reutenbeck ended up in a ditch after a crash, that requiered hospital care for some weeks or soo. She got so thrilled by the speed of the Fujin that she forgot that it was the first time she rode it.

Yesterday I attended a get-together of local recumbent personalities, including the US distributor for Challenge. He brought a Seiran SL with him. It was very light, certainly FELT less than 20 pounds! Unfortunately it was too cold for a test ride outside; otherwise I'm sure we could have rounded up some pedals. It had carbon seat and cranks, 650c (ISO571) American Classic wheelset, long reach Ultegra brakes that will adjust for 559 wheels. This is the US distributor's demo bike, so please excuse the mis-matched colors on the boom tube. Bikes out the door might be outfitted differently. We were told prices in the US would be a bit over $4K, slightly less if a less expensive wheelset was used. That price puts in in the same ballpark as a Bacchetta Aero, I believe.

you could always buy a carbon lowracer

http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/misc/nocom.htm

instead of a carbon road bike

I was looking at this one, got to ask how much for the frame, or the whole package. I am pretty good with carbon so I guess I could make something like that but man thats really pretty. Looks nice on the back as well.