kenhreed

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has a Tour Easy. How do you like your bike? Would you buy another one? Was it worth the cost? Any information / opinions would be very helpful. Thanks.

bikerski

tour easy is one of the best. it is probably the best long wheel base. fast, easy to handle, will downhill as fast as you trust the tires rock solid. my limit is 65 mph. easy to add fairing and body stocking. Will do sub 5 hour century with zipper fairing alone. Tickles sub 4 hour century with body stocking on flat coarse. with bob trailer it is great touring bike. good resale value, tells a lot about a bike. get a steel TE, put 105 or ultegra up front with XT in the back and it is a sweet set up. I prefer grip shift for simplisity over quik fire.

ChiliDog

Well, your asking the right people! I LOVE mine, though I've been waylaid since it came home due to an illness and subsequent surgery. Got it in July of this year.

I started riding bents in 2001...have owned V-Rex, Rocket, BikeE...now this baby. I looked at Koosah/Jett Creek, Tailwind, EZ Sport, RANS V2...THEN I rode the Tour Easy. The search was over for me.

I've got to say it was "love at first ride". Bike is quick, light, fast. Only weighs 30lbs. You get it "fit to you" based on your inseam, and it does FIT! (Easy Racers website helps you with this). First bent I've had that feels totally comfortable and is effortless and natural to ride.

I bought mine in the hopes of doing some touring...excellent accessories available. Frame actually feels like "floating"...it is SO smooth to ride. Takes a bit to learn to get going on the LWB, but a short learning curve. Once you get moving, you build up speed easily.

The price tag was hard to swallow...I am still paying for mine in monthly installments. But I feel like I have a bike that is a keeper. Either way, it's an investment.

Go and ride one and see what you think...make sure it's your size. Let us know...

ChiliDog
little red Tour Easy SS

kenhreed

Appreciate the input, I'm still choking on the price so I might go midway with a Sun EZ sport (about $1200). I think if I like the EZ sport I'll love the Tour Easy and I can budget for a new one in 1-2 years.

bikerski

Don't do it! No where near the same bike. Sunsport at $1200 is way overpriced and is a dog. buying this bike will turn you off to a TE. Better to get a 3 or 4 year old used TE, try for low miles, than settle for a sunsport.

ChiliDog

I absolutely agree on this suggestion. Look on Ebay and on Hostelshoppe classifieds...I've seen a bunch of them for sale lately.

Why waste $1200? You will NEVER get it back on that Sport. Any money you put on a TE will return in dividends of pleasure for years to come...plus, they hold their value pretty good.

Toureasy

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiliDog

I absolutely agree on this suggestion. Look on Ebay and on Hostelshoppe classifieds...I've seen a bunch of them for sale lately.
Why waste $1200? You will NEVER get it back on that Sport. Any money you put on a TE will return in dividends of pleasure for years to come...plus, they hold their value pretty good.

I agree with ChiliDog and BikerSki 100%. DONT DO IT. Look on eBay OR www.recumbents.com and get a real used TourEasy. I bought a used TourEasy for $500 in 1994. It was thrashed and was 10 years old! (1984 model I think) I put a new rear wheel and cranks/chainwheels (parts bought on ebay) on that TourEasy and have now ridden it for 10 more years!! It's 20 years old and going stong. I have the front fairing and I love it. I take it everywhere and haul groceries with it every week. I don't drive - It has hauled most everything for me for the last 10 years. It's quite fast - I can beat almost anyone on the street that is not in daily training. It's because of the fairing and the recumbent position - I'm just a moderately strong rider. The bike is extremely fast. EasyRacers in Watsonville, CA makes them and has been doing so for close to 25 years. The bike is made for comfort. You can ride the thing all day and still not be sore. I strongly suggest putting the front fairing on it although it's a bit pricey - try to get one with the fairing already. You won't regret it and people will stop you and ask questions all the time.
TourEasy

Arnie1

I tried the Sun Easy Rider and Easy Sport, both designed by Easy Racers. Bentrideronline raved bout the Easy Sport. I don't know what makes you call them dogs. They're good beginner bikes. I went with the Easy Rider CX for the rear suspension, RANS seat and disc brakes. Sure it weighs more than a Tour Easy, but for $950 delivered in 2 days I think it's a good value. There are 'bents sold every day by people who think it'd be good idea and then it just sits in the garage. Give the guy a break! If he likes an Easy Sport with low bottom bracket it will be ridden and he will enjoy it. That's what 'bents are all about-enjoyment. If he spends a lot of $$ on a Tour Easy and it just sits, then what? He sells it on e-bay for a loss? The point is, get into 'bents any way you can. You can always get something nicer later if you really get into 'bents.

Dr. Duk

[B]I would like to put my two cents in on this subject. I have TE and a Ti-Rush and I can tell you from personal experience "YOU CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS". I rode my TE for one year and purchased my Ti-Rush this past spring (2004). My other half now rides the TE. We put alot of miles on these two Bents and at the end of the day there is no complaining of aching muscles, etc. I have had two knee replacments since 2000 and these Bents have been the answer for me to continue my cycling. Don't settle for anything less because if you do you will be sorry at the end of the day. GOOD RIDING and GOOD LUCK!!!!

kenhreed

Arnie 1, thanks for the support, I'd love a Tour Easy if someone would make the payments for me, I got a Sun EZ sport and it's perfect for now. If I love bents as much as I think I will I'll someday get a Tour Easy, but as a public school teacher my rewards are great but not financial. The only Tour Easy my size on Ebay was $800.00 plus it was at least 15-20 years old and had no "accessories". (rack, fairing, light, kickstand, panniers, etc) which my current bike came with. If I regret it then on myself let it remain.

Arnie1

Kenreed Glad you got a bent. I've been drooling over other bents but my EZ Rider does 90% of what I'd like in a recumbent. If a Tour Easy does 100% then someday I'll get one. In the meantime I'm riding a bent instead of avoiding my old "comfort" diamond frame bike.