Balsawings

I wanted to start this thread to help cyclists who ride Sun Bicycles. The intention is to share information concerning these bikes as well as have a little fun by sharing photos of our bikes.

Have a question about your bike? Ask it here. Having problems finding accessories? Ask here. Can't find a part? Ask here. Proud of your bike? Post a picture here.

Personally, I just purchased my EZ Sport AX this past Weekend. Bought used from Craig's List. It's a 2010 and in good shape. I plan to use the bike for commuting and touring. The problem is finding a seat bag that fits. I have found many seat bags for sale on the internet but can't tell which one will fit my bike. I have read all threads on the Recumbent forum and done a search for any topic or thread that includes the name "EZ Sport" with no luck.

What I'm hoping for is a response from some one who has already found a seat bag that fits and is willing to pass on the details.

If anyone out there has a question concerning their bike and I can help, I will pass on any information I have to help answer the question. As I find accessories that work or have information to pass on, I will do so in this thread in hopes that someone will learn something that helps them.

Got a new bike , or an old bike that you want to show us? Post a pic here. You don't need to have any other reason for posting here. Just want to stop in a say hi? Do it. Want to tell us about a good days riding or a special trip, commute or tour on your Sun? Let us know about it.

It's all about you and your Sun Bicycle. We don't care what model you own. Got a trike, SWB or LWB? Join in on any discussion here or start a new discussion. It's all fair game.

I'll start off with a picture of my "new" used EZ Sport. I took the picture on my first ride the day I brought her home.

Bob

Elad63

Here's mine a EZ-Sport also, bought this summer from a club rider. Only have about 300 miles on it so far.

Balsawings

Welcome to the thread Elad63. I like the setup on your bike. Can you tell us a little about the bike and the accessories you have on it?

Elad63

It's all stock, with Sunlite trunk and panniers,

Balsawings

I took the time last evening to remove the Topeak MTX rack from my Trek Crossrip and mount it to the Sport. The Crossrip had been my commuter for the last few months and now that I have the Sport it will be my commuter.

I like the slide on clip system of the MTX bag system and the EXP bag has fold out panniers for extra capacity. I commute 9 miles one way and during the warmer months I work up a sweat too easily, so I carry a change of cloths and shoes in the panniers. I take my lunch to work, so my lunches go in the rack bag which is insulated. I've not changed the pedals to the SPDs on the Sport yet so I will wear my work shoes (tennis shoes) on my ride. Since the EZ Sport is my first Recumbent, I'm giving myself plenty of time to get used to riding it before I go clipless.

I went for a Thanksgiving day ride yesterday afternoon. Rode 26 miles from Black Point Marina outside of Homestead to Mathison Hammock park in Coral Gables and back. This is one of my favorite local rides. It's bike trail all the way but with lots of intersections to be crossed.

If anyone has any questions about the rack, bag or mounting of them, let me know. In the picture you can see the bar bag. I plan to eliminate this bag as soon as I find a small seat bag. I have a map holder I plan to mount on the top bar for touring.

Bob

Elad63

Nice set up. I have a similair set up but I'm using the Sunlite trunk with drop down panniers and an under seat rack. My bent also came with a handlebar bag, not sure who or where it's made. I bought mine with all the accessories. I too ride my Sport with standard pedal, though I have clips, I feel more confident riding with platforms making it easier at stop lights and crossing roads.

Balsawings

That's how I feel at this time. One of the intersections I have to stop at is on an incline and getting started again is a bit scary. Some of the trails have tree root bumps that caused my feet to move around on the pedals or even come off of the pedals so I changed to the pedals with the strap. It's better but I still miss my SPDs. The pedals I'll eventually change to are SPD on one side and platform on the other. I've found these to be good for getting started without having to worry about getting the clip in on the leg that I was supporting myself with. I can then take my time getting up to speed before clipping in.

Elad63 I'm looking for an under seat rack for the Sport. Do you know the manufacture of the rack on yours? I know it came with the bike so unless there's a manufactures mark or stamp of some type you wouldn't know but I had to ask anyway. I'm not having any luck finding anything that is made to fit. I may have to by the one from Teracycle and modify.

Later

Bob

Elad63

The mid rack came this the bike, no marking or manufacture writing on it. I did see some for sale on Hostell Shoppe's website.

tshelver

On my EZ Sport AX, I used a Sunlite seat bag that worked just fine. Bought from the dealer that sold me the bike. If you Google you'll find a thread on Bentrider referring to exactly this.

I also fitted the bike with Sun fenders (which are model specific and work very well) and a Sun rack, with Nashbar rolltop waterproof panniers.

The panniers worked well for grocery trips, and the seat bag was fine for overnight motel rides.

I still miss the bike, should never have sold it, considering that I could have shipped It to my new home overseas for well under $200. But at the time I didn't know that...

Balsawings

Welcome to the Sun Thread tshelver. I really appreciate you contribution. I did go to Google and did a search. Sure enough, I found what I'm looking for from the Bicycleman. He lists the under seat rack. The list of available parts and accessories is here:

https://www.bicycleman.com/files/Sun-...ccessories.pdf

Thanks

Bob

Trsnrtr

A buddy of mine rides this nice Sun tadpole:

Balsawings

Trsnrtr, Thanks for adding a picture of your buddies bike. Looks like it's set up to commute. Ask your friend to chime in and tell us about his bike.

I would like to take a ride on a tadpole sometime. I've ridden a delta and liked it.

Rode 32 miles today. Went to Matheson again. Stopped at the tidal pool. Found a picnic table, opened a book and enjoyed the day.

Bob

nogods

Well, not a bike, but a sun trike - just put a werx fairing on it for winter riding.

osco53

Ok, This Tour Easy Is the 'LE' model made by SUN for Easy Racers In an attempt to produce a lower cost Tour Easy..

It was Made for three years I think, Then discontinued because final selling price was too close to the California Tour Easy..

I got one with less than 50 miles on it, It sat in a garage for three years. This bike was reviewed in BROL and said to be every bit as good
as the California models only with a somewhat lower component level. Mine rides great, the gears and all seem fine to me.
The owner wanted $1,000, the bike was like new, I Paid the man......
Then I sold my EZ-1 sx for more than I paid for it in 2007. ( It was also In like new condition )

I was Out of pocket only $400 for the Tour Easy


Also our SUN Delta EZ-3,, A Great trike, not fast and a bit heavy, but that makes us stronger.



I upgraded the rear brake to disk, Avid BB7, changed to a 35c rear tire from a 28c for more rim protection and
a softer lower pressure ride,,110 psi in the 28C to 65 in the 35C,,Great Improvement and I noticed NO loss in speed
and no increase in rolling resistance.

I need to take a newer picture,
also I added powerful lighting, larger rear bag and better platform pedals.

I really like this Tour Easy XD

Elad63

What a great deal on your TE, I'm jealous.

Balsawings

nogods,
I like the fairing. It's got to make a huge difference when riding in the winter. I've toyed with the idea of a fairing but at $400+ I'll wait until I can ride at a constant 18-20 mph. Since I live in Miami, I don't exactly need the fairing for cold weather.

Welcome to our thread.

Bob

Balsawings

osco53,
I rode a Tour Easy a couple weeks ago and found it to be a very smooth bike. The LBS was selling it for $2800 for a customer and I thought seriously about buying it. Then I found my EZ Sport for $440. Must be something about that $400 mark and recumbents. I'm planning a trip to Bicycle outfitters to test ride several recumbents or trikes after the first of the year. I see you're in central Florida. We should get together and do some riding. My brother lives in the Orlando/Wintergarden area, so I get up that way a couple times a year.

Thanks for joining in on our thread.

Bob

nogods

Yeah, I know about the price - I bought the trike used for $400. The fairing, mounts and fairing cover cost me over $500. I was going to buy a tadpole trike instead, however after trying several I concluded that until I get my hip surgery and recovery completed, I can't get out of a tadpole. I'll use the Sun trike before and after the surgery for rehab, so I wanted it outfitted as best it could be to eliminate those "it's too cold or wet" excuses for me.

osco53

Confucius say's :

It is far warmer and drier and much less expensive to outfit yourself for wet or cold weather than to outfit the trike.
Trikes can be ridden with greater safety in the wet and on frozen roads.
Think motorcycle rain suits,,,$150 for good ones, full coverage includes foot/boot covers..
For the Super cold,, think Snow Mobile suits...

All of the above should be less than a fairing and Its gone come warm dry weather...
And I don't see anyone but a super strong athlete riding a Sun Delta or Tadpole into speeds where the fairing would
widen the performance envelope...

nogods

I started backpacking in the winter in the Adirondacks and White Mountains in 1975. I actually prefer backpacking and hiking in the winter. I've sufficient technical clothing to withstand an ice storm on Mt. Washington. So clothing is not issue.

The fairing just plain looks cooler than this:

osco53

Very True nogods, and like some one else said, The Fairings when painted up bright draw attention,
Helps cars see You sooner I would think.
My EZ-3,, one day will become electric, like this one:
and will have a fairing for efficiency..
And then there are Windsocks,,,,

minicoopers05

Hey, glad to be a part of this thread. I am picking up my gently used Sun EZ Speedster AX tomorrow! Yay! I am brand new to the world of bents and I, too, am looking for all the information I can find. I am a four time cancer survivor and have been mountain biking all my life but alas, after my last bout with kidney cancer, I can no longer ride upright and bent over a regular bike. Everything I've read points to the fact I may be able to ride a bent with less back pain and everything else associated with mountain biking here in WV. Who sells parts, accessories and upgrades for bents? They seem hard to find. I'd like to subscribe to a dedicated bent magazine if there is one out there.
Looking forward to hearing back from each of you. I think Sun has a good reputation among bent manufacturers and that I made a pretty good deal on mine.

JanMM

BROL reviews of your bike and also the CX and SX versions. https://www.bentrideronline.com/archi..._speedster.htm

Check out the retailers listed at the top of main BROL page to find out who sells bits for 'bents.

RicR

Just found this forum and very pleased to see a thread on Sun models only. I found two other forums previously, but could not find a lot of info on Sun Recumbents. I got interested in Recumbents for all the reasons most did. The comfort is there, but the fun factor was a added benefit and now I look forward to riding again. I tried to find used for a couple of weeks, but had no luck. Went to my LBS and they had 3 different sun Models on the floor and one Easy racers tour easy. I liked the Tour Easy but eliminated it from my choices because of the price. I settled on the EZ Sport CX because it just felt right to me. It felt balanced and maneuvered well at very slow speeds. So I took the new EZ Sport home. Yes it is a Cro Moly frame, and yes it weighs 40 Lbs, but I bought it for exercise and to loose weight. However, the bike is capable of so much more. I have 195 miles on it in the 3 weeks, and 25 of them were from todays ride. It was my longest ride yet and I had my highest average speed of 12.4 MPH. When I started 3 weeks ago I was doing 6 - 10 mile rides and averaging 10 miles per hour. So I'm still working on my fitness and building my bent legs. I'm anxious to see what I can do on the bike once I do get in better shape. I can hit 20 MPH now, but can't hold it. I can also ride at 15 - 16 miles per hour for a few minutes, but can't sustain it, so mostly I'm riding in the 10 to 14 MPH range now depending on conditions, and I am pleased with that for now. I'm retired senior citizen and we aren't suppose to go but so fast, but I know I will do better.


This is my first post so I don't know if it will let me post pictures, but I will try. The bike is still totally stock except for a few accessories I had the dealer install, and they seem to work well. I added at Bontrager Trip 2L Computer, which has a temperature sensor. It is nice feature and helps me know how to dress for rides. Another great thing I like about the bike is I can wear street clothes and still be comfortable. I wear street shoes (Hiking boots) and the stock pedals and all seems to be working well. I added a topeak peak DX pump to the water cage holders on the back of the seat. I haven't tried it yet, but it is rated for 90 PSI which should be plenty to get me going should I have a flat. The tires are Kenda Kwest High Pressure rated for 100 PSI and they are the most durable tires I have ever ridden. The bike lanes in my area have a lot of sharp gravel on them and it has not been a problem for these tires. This is an area I would like to upgrade if I there was something out there with less resistance and good reliability. I put a small Bell handle bar bag on the back of the seat and it holds my spare tubes, tire irons, and has room for cell phone, wallet, and keys with some room to spare. I also installed a greenfield black kick stand and I like having it on the bike. Its great not having to find something to lean it against or worse yet somewhere to lay it down. Finally I added the nylon mesh slow vehicle triangle from Adventure Cycling to the back and I think it has helped vehicles to notice me and give me a little more space.

I'm very happy about being a recumbent convert, and very pleased with my EZ sport. I'm looking forward to seeing how well I am able to make it perform, and learning about tire upgrades or any other upgrade that has the potential to improve the bikes performance.

(Sorry about the picture orientation. They were not like this before I uploaded them, and unfortunately I don't know how to correct them)

Balsawings

RicR,

Welcome to our thread. I started this thread to share information about our bikes, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask away. Or, if you have any new information, pass it along. Don't worry about sharing info that may be old news. If it's new to you, it very well may be new to one of us.

Don't worry about the speed, it will come in time. I ride mine between 13 - 15 mph depending on conditions, but with all the stops I have to make at intersections, I only average 10-11 mph. Besides, who cares how long it takes you to ride from point A to point B. You can now enjoy the scenery and do it in comfort.

I've found that you use your muscles differently when riding a bent. My calf muscles get more of a workout than when riding my Trek. The real advantage to a bent is that I'm so much more comfortable that I'm able to ride further than on my Trek. I don't mind my leg muscles being sore but was tired of the neck and shoulder pain I was having while riding a diamond frame. I went from riding 20 - 25 miles on the Trek to 35 - 40 miles on the EZ sport in just two weeks.

I just changed the tires on my EZ Sport. I mostly ride the bike trail along the bus route and there is a lot of broken glass and sharp coral rocks everywhere. The glass is mostly at the bus stops. The Kenda Kwest tires were original and were starting to brake down. The rear tire even had a patch of rubber about one inch in diameter missing on the side wall. I chose the Schwalbe Marathon GG RLX Wire Bead Tires. These are supposed to be good for puncture resistance and have very little rolling resistance. See the picture below. The tread is smooth down the center for better rolling. I rode 35 miles Thursday on the rear and was quite happy with the feel. Just changed the front yesterday. Will ride 40+ tomorrow. I'll let you know how the tires work out. By the way, I only inflate to 80 lbs. I also installed the greenfield kickstand this week. It's so much better than leaning against something. I will be commuting with the EZ Sport and needed the bike to be self supporting when parked at work. The kickstand fits fine as long as you don't use the plastic stay protectors that come with it. I know they are used to protect the paint but with them installed the bolts that hold the mount together were too short.

I just ordered Arkel's recumbent seat bag. I needed a bag large enough to carry a pair of jeans and a shirt for work and my repair tools. Should be here on Monday. I will start commuting on Tuesday. I carry my lunch in the rack bag which is insulated and will still have extra room for paperwork or anything else I need in the panniers. Or I'll carry the cloths in the panniers. I'll have lots of options. The picture below is from Arkel's web site.

Bob