Mike9

I've ridden one, been bitten by the bug,and I need to find the right USS SWB 20/26 bent. Your collective wisdom is appreciated in comparing the models I'm considering, and in adding to my list!

I went to a local (Portland Oregon) recumbent specialists (Coventry Cycles... great people there) and they don't even carry USS any more, apparently. But USS is just obviously a better way to ride, or so it seems to me.

I'm pretty sure I want a fully suspended bike... unless someone wants to warn me that I would lose a lot of power. The primary use is a 3.5 mile each way daily commute into downtown Portland, errands in my neighborhood, and the very occasional weekend wheel about town.

The bikes I'm looking at are in the 30 to 35 lb range, around $2000 new.

1
Velotechnick Streetmachine gt
https://www.hpvelotechnik.com/shoppin...liste01_e.html
USS, SWB, This looks very good. Suspended. Tiller steer, but short. (But how the heck to find one in Portland... nearest dealer in Seatle.)

2
Haluzak "under $2000"
https://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents...ak/haluzak.htm
But, not suspended... and frankly I don't care for the look too much... but if was a great bike, I'd consider it.

3
M5 around $2000?
Suspended...
https://www.m5-ligfietsen.nl/main.php..._26/20_low_bar
Nice looking machine.

4
Mistral E, around $2000
https://www.challengebikes.com/html/i...lectie=mistral
(Only comes as a 20/20, not 20/26, and I like idea of 26 rear wheel, but seems slightly lighter than the others, even in the regular version. Of course the Mistral SL, at around 22lbs would be great, but $3800 is out of the question!)

5
Actionbent
https://www.actionbent.com/JSUS3.html

Actionbent has a bike for $745 that's 20/26 USS, SWB... closer to what I'd like to spend... but not suspended, and so probably not what I want. Don't mind assembling... but the more I think about it (mind you I haven't ridden a suspended bike, DF or bent, ever), the more I think I do want suspension.


Of course I don't want to spend $2000 bucks... much rather find any of the above used... but that's another issue.

And yes, all of these are probably overkill for a commuter bike, but what the hell.


Questions!

1) Do you have personal experience with any of these bikes, and what do you think of them, individually, or in comparison?

2) Have I missed some important brand or model in this survey of USS/SWB 20/26 bikes? Your favorite?

3) The Mistral has linkage steering, the others seemed to have tiller steering... I like the idea of linkage steering, but I've only tried tiller steering. Is the slight weight penalty for linkage worth it?

4) I know that I'll probably want to tack a bubble wind screen on the front.... as light as possible, but I can tell that's where I'm going. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks again!

jeff-o

How about this one? PB-960S

I'll send you a PM about this one, too.

ppc

6 - Optima Dragon: https://www.optima-cycles.nl/eng/2-05-1.htm. Price: 1755 euros ($2123) w/ Deore componentry. Holland quality bike. Nice and solid. Not cheap but very dependable.

Re. Linkage vs. tiller USS: tiller has a more direct feel, without any play, at the expense of turning radius. Linkage feels mushy and has more bits that can fail. Choose your poison.

sappho1949

I own a Haluzak Leprechaun, little sister to the Horizon. It is an excellent bike, and the Horizon, which is for riders who are taller than my 5'4" is considered to be excellent also. Very stable ride, even at lower speeds, which is sometimes an issue on swb bikes, apparently. The seat may look a bit strange to some, but I find it even more comfortable than my Tour Easy (Kool-Mesh) seat.

Mike9

Tiller versus Linkage: Hmmm. Sounds like I might prefer the tiller... the one I tried with a 16" front wheel and tiller turned pretty tightly.... as much as I needed anyway, and I don't like the idea of imprecision in steering.

I'm wondering about that Actionbent. I've heard about so-so quality, "you get what you pay for", etc., regarding the Actionbent... and yet if you start at $750, you could add front suspension and upgrade componentry over time. Could you also add a suspended seat?... Or does that require a jointed frame? That might be some pretty heavy surgery, which I don't really want to do.

But at least Actionbent (the importer), and Haluzak, seem to be available/responsive in the US.

I can't figure out how you would begin to get hold of an M5 or a HPvelotecnick streetmachine. Many of the US companies the manufacturers list as "dealers" don't even seem to have functioning web sites, and if they do, they don't list these products on them.

I found an enthusiastic out of state (but in US) dealer for the Mistral though.

I'll look in to the Optima... thanks for that.

Found a frank review on HPvelotechnick site that puts their own Streetmachine at 42 pounds with rack and kickstand. Ouch.

I appreciate their honesty, but could we keep this closer to 30 than 40 pounds?
https://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkt...ine_3_6_e.html

I'm 5' 9" and 150 pounds and I don't want to push a bike that's strong enough for a 250 pound person up hill... give me something a little less robust and a little lighter.

squeaker

Recently acquired an OSS Mistral. Has both front and rear suspension - definitely need rear suspension for UK back roads and front takes the edge off 20" wheels with 90psi 1.3" tyres...
Weight with (standard) rack, mudguards (fenders) and pedals is ~17kg (brochure from 14.5kg). Got the upgrade 18spd SRAM XO transmission (good - range is 22" to 103") and Avid disks - it's hilly around here .
Definitely impressed so far, especially with the low wind resistance, although hills are a challenge(!) at the moment - but I'm working on that

bruce erdman

I ride an HHR with 12,000 miles on it I have to say this is one fine ride! The bike is design give a soft road feel yet it perform!! It is well made and handles like a dream. one carvat is that if your short the reach to the ground may be an issue when stopped. Test ride this bike it worth the money!!-Bruce

bbwolfy

i just purchased an ez speedster ax .steering takes a little getting used to it would be nice if it was suspended but it rolls through some bumps unlike lwb the seat is cushy enough to absorb alot some suggest droping pressure in tires how fast do you like to go?

erik forsgren

You didn't mention Hpvelotechnik's Grasshopper. It's a great bike, I tested it in Denmark once. Besides this model offers good adjustment possibilities. Another model cosidered to be a lowbudget bent is Azub. You get a lot of bike for your money.

BookFinder 

I am researching the various recumbents at the moment, and today I am fixated on a Street Machine.

However, I noticed a suspended model on the ActionBent website called the Roadrunner.

https://www.actionbent.com/rrsus.html

It's roughly $200 more than the non-suspended entry model, but it might be the ticket if suspension and minimal dollars spent is your guideline.

Mike9

Thanks... but USS is essential... RR is OSS only. Corresponded with Randy the Actionbent US distributor and he says a suspended Tidal Wave with USS is coming soon.... the TW has USS.

Streetmachine grabbed my attention for a while... but the price is steep, and the weight is what really turned me away... 42 lbs normally equiped if I'm not mistaken.

I should say that since I posted this thread, I've also posted over at Actionbent Yahoo, "talked" to some folks, and decided that the aprox. $1100 Tidal Wave 3 Actionbent is probably my choice... or if the suspended Tidal Wave really exists, perhaps I'll wait for that.

At first I heard some horror stories about Actionbent....(horror stories are always easy to find on the internet).... then I listened to the enthusiasts.... and then I sort of arrived at the conclusion that the Actionbent is what it is.... not a "great bike", and not an "incredible deal"... but a pretty good deal, for the price. The difference between around $1100 (Actionbent) and around $2000 for a bike (Haluzak = $2200, HPvelotechnik, Challenge, etc.) is huge.

If I have to tinker and add stuff to the Actionbent, so be it... it will still be cheaper than the alternatives. It's not a finished deal. You build it... and you probably keep on building it. You don't buy an Actionbent unless you are willing and interested in doing that, I suppose.

So that's where I am for now.

Terry Barth

So I presume you now have your new bent. I've been looking for exactly the same thing. So what the rest of your story?

palmersperry

I just had a Grasshopper delivered last week to replace my old (2nd hand) Streetmachine. Whilst it's true that HPVelotechnik aren't cheap, there's a host of little things that say "attention to detail" to me. eg: They supply a small bottle of paint in whatever colour you bought the bike so you'll be able to touch up any scratches that may appear over the years. Also, where the boom slides into the frame in it's not a metal-metal conact, there's a plastic sleeve between them.

As for the weight, if you don't have objections to aluminium then either the Streetmachine GTe or the Grasshopper (if you don't mind it being 20/20 rather than 20/26) might be lighter?

ppc

The single criterion that tells me if a bike is quality-made or not is the noise it makes after riding it 1000km : ordinary bikes start developing noises here and there, like creaking or clicking or whatever. Quality bikes stay dead silent. I paid a lot for my Condor frame, but it hasn't started making any annoying noise that isn't my fault - the exception being a cheap fender I mounted that's rattling, hardly Optima's fault.

blknwhtfoto

I have an Actionbent Jetstream II. Its USS and I couldn't ask for more(well, I could, but there is no need to). I don't have suspension and ride fairly gnarly roads, I don't think you'll need it. You can get a Jetstream II USS for about 600 on ebay(brand new from ActionBent). The components are the only diff from the II and III, aside from the price. I live down in Eugene, and you're more than welcome to come try out my bike if you'd like.
I'd say no to the suspension, it'll rob you of some power, and 'bents are comfy enough as it is.