Wacky Bike
 

i have seen a few of these things around.. anybody ever see one of these guys? webpage is freaking out right now so im not posting pictures until its normal again

http://rochester.craigslist.org/bik/2990090631.html

Alenax trb 5000 - $150 (Kendall,,,,,,,14476)[HR][/HR]Date: 2012-05-01, 1:46PM EDT
Reply to: snfvz-2990090631@sale.craigslist.org [SUP][Errors when replying to ads?][/SUP][HR][/HR]
I am selling an unrestored rare 3 -speed Alenax TRB 5000 bike, It is transbar powered ,bike is in good condition except for the tires, been out in the back yard weeds for the last 10 yrs, chain needs some wd40. Cash Only $150 or b/o.

http://images.craigslist.org/5L85Kb5...8e6d8413e1.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/thumb/5...fbde9917d5.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/thumb/5...6ad00414ec.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/thumb/5...ad9b861fec.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/thumb/5...8e6d8413e1.jpg

• Location: Kendall,,,,,,,14476

It's an interesting piece of history, but as a bike to ride it's poop. Treadle drive is one of those bad ideas that keeps coming back every 20 years or so.

There was one of those just listed in Knoxville Craigslist earlier this week (or maybe the weekend). I had never seen one before, designed to be like a stair climber or according to manufacturer "more closely mimic a walking motion". Weird how I had never seen one and now 2 have popped up this week alone!

Cool! Never seen that before on a modern bike. Thanks for posting it.

I have seen 2 before, somebody posted a bike that was similar last week, but it wasn't a mtb, one of those wacky bikes that somebody thought was a good idea to build..." if it's not broke don't fix it"

I've got a couple of Alenax Transbar Power bikes in the novelty category of my bike collection. It's a set of matching his and hers 1985 Pale Blue Alenax TRB 2400 Bikes. Alenax bikes were only manufactured for eight years, with production ceasing in 1993. My bikes were made the first year they were made. Maybe one of the reasons they pop up in the Rochester Craigslist is because they were made in Rochester.

zombie thread from 5 years ago..i forgot even posting about this :) . .. I had no idea they were made in Rochester. Explains why i've seen so many since then. We get probably 2-3 a year that show up at the COOP. Depending on condition we either keep em or toss em. Most people think they are collectors item.. I tend to disagree. I have the same problem with the Chopper bikes that are so popular with kids. Utterly useless for any distance and impossible to get tubes for.

I knew it was an old thread, but I just joined this site today.

I don't think an Alenax bike will ever be valuable> But I think they are collector's items if you collect for the fun of it. These can be fun bikes. But if you collect with the idea that they will increase in value and you'll get rich, it usually doesn't work that way and can take the fun out of collecting. I've got a small collection of only a couple dozen at this point. They are all different (upright, recumbent, long wheel base, short wheel base, old and new, tandems and triplets, etc.) and I ride them all from time to time. So I guess it depends on a person's definition of "collectible."

I don't live in the Rochester area, but will be visiting this spring. What is the name of the bike co-op, and where is it located?