finding recumbent bike shops
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Berea KY
Posts: 139
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
finding recumbent bike shops
how does one find bent bikes shops in the area? i'm having trouble finding out bike shops that carry them
#2
rebmeM roineS
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 347 Times
in
226 Posts
Number one obstacle to buying a 'bent is lack of shops that carry them. One resource is bentrideronline.com, which has links to a variety of dealers and manufacturers. RANS has a dealer locator tool: https://www.rans.com/dealer_locator.html
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#3
Old Fart In Training
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,268
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
16 Posts
I just googled, 'Recumbent bicycle shops in Florida' got five within 150 miles,
three of those are within 50 miles and it missed a new one 65 miles away....
Just sayin..
Also 'Bentrider online' has a new name,
Now Its known simply as 'BentRider'
but still the link is https://www.bentrideronline.com/index.php
three of those are within 50 miles and it missed a new one 65 miles away....
Just sayin..
Also 'Bentrider online' has a new name,
Now Its known simply as 'BentRider'
but still the link is https://www.bentrideronline.com/index.php
#4
rebmeM roineS
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 347 Times
in
226 Posts
bentrideronline.com is in the process of becoming bentrider.bike. Either address will take you to BentRider.
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
If you aren't already sure about exactly what you want/need, I'd strongly recommend taking a road trip to a recumbent specialty dealer. They'll be able to explain and let you test ride the different designs, they'll know how to set it up to fit your body, and they'll be able to discuss the issues involved with transporting, storing and riding the varying designs.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,885
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 523 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times
in
179 Posts
Here's a link to riders in Louisville: https://recumbentriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1148 It lists the recumbent bike shops in KY. Edit date is 9-2011. You could join that site and contact the person who is the OP for the map. The guy is a site moderator and was last online on Friday so you should be able to contact him for an update.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cleveland,Ohio
Posts: 2,766
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
+1 on traveling to a specialty dealer. That is what we did when started looking for a recumbent trike for my wife. After checking out some options, we scoured the classified listings on bentrider.bike and found a current year Catrike Trail, with low miles, for about $700 less then new retail.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 316
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Just my opinion but you may search out recumbent rallies in your area. I've learned more from talking to fellow riders than any shop. Our nearest recumbent dealer is 300 miles away. The best rally IMO is hostelle shoppe in August. You could also go visit them before the rally. Their customer service is excellent.
#10
Senior Member
There are no recumbent dealers in Louisville. I bet there aren't any in Lexington, either.
You can find them in southern Ohio, but I'm blanking on the name of the town (does Findlay sound right?). There is a dealership in southern Illinois. That's way out of the way.
If you order a Bacchetta, it arrives in a box completely assembled except for the handlebars, which is a minor fix. Unfortunately, you have to go on faith alone if you do that.
I'll be in London the second weekend of April. You can always test-drive mine, except Im trying to do the century so I'll be getting off to an early start then.
You can find them in southern Ohio, but I'm blanking on the name of the town (does Findlay sound right?). There is a dealership in southern Illinois. That's way out of the way.
If you order a Bacchetta, it arrives in a box completely assembled except for the handlebars, which is a minor fix. Unfortunately, you have to go on faith alone if you do that.
I'll be in London the second weekend of April. You can always test-drive mine, except Im trying to do the century so I'll be getting off to an early start then.
__________________
Momento mori, amor fati.
Momento mori, amor fati.
#11
Senior Member
OK, here ya go, not too terribly far away: https://www.fairfieldcyclery.com/
__________________
Momento mori, amor fati.
Momento mori, amor fati.
#12
The Recumbent Quant
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,885
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 523 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times
in
179 Posts
Findlay, OH is a long way from the OP. It is located 30 miles south of Toledo which puts it pretty far north. I lived there for the year before I moved to Las Vegas in the mid 1980s. I read that there is a recumbent bike shop in town these days but since it is a fairly small town to begin with I doubt there would be a big selection. Before attempting to go there, look the shops up online and call them (there are 4 listed) to find out.
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Berea KY
Posts: 139
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Findlay, OH is a long way from the OP. It is located 30 miles south of Toledo which puts it pretty far north. I lived there for the year before I moved to Las Vegas in the mid 1980s. I read that there is a recumbent bike shop in town these days but since it is a fairly small town to begin with I doubt there would be a big selection. Before attempting to go there, look the shops up online and call them (there are 4 listed) to find out.
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Berea KY
Posts: 139
Bikes: motorized cruiser,& Mtn bike & Folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What about renting ? As a way to see what i really like as opposed to what i think i like..... places ?
#16
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,056 Times
in
635 Posts
I kind of wonder about some LBSs that are listed as bent dealers on mfg web site. Nine years ago I bought a left over 2004 bent in 2005. It was the only one in stock, and I got a fantastic deal on it. However when it was replaced and sold they never restocked another bent of that brand. I have not seen a sign that even mentions that they are a bent dealer for that brand or any other.
Do LBSs just keep the franchise just to keep other bike stores or maybe someone that wants to start a mainly bent store from becoming a dealer in that brand?
Do LBSs just keep the franchise just to keep other bike stores or maybe someone that wants to start a mainly bent store from becoming a dealer in that brand?
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,885
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 523 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times
in
179 Posts
Maybe once burned, twice shy. The dealer who sold a recumbent at a substantial discount because it sat in the store past the end of the model year may have decided it was too risky to tie up money in expensive inventory that doesn't sell. There's a cost to maintaining stock and rapid turnover is the key to making a store profitable and successful. Once you get a reputation amongst the recumbent crowd for having a good stock of recumbents, word of mouth might bring in more customers. If the reverse is true the same people will send customers elsewhere where the selection is better.
Many of the shops that rent recumbents are located along major bike trails. Go over to bentrider and ask there. The same question has been asked at that site many times. I'm sure the recumbent group in Louisville can answer that question too.
Many of the shops that rent recumbents are located along major bike trails. Go over to bentrider and ask there. The same question has been asked at that site many times. I'm sure the recumbent group in Louisville can answer that question too.
#18
Senior Member
There's a recumbent rider and dealer locator on Bentrider. Participation is voluntary. Kentucky looks like a wasteland, at least as far as recumbent dealers go. To be fair though, so does my part of Michigan in spite of the fact that there is a fairly active bent community here -- but still a dearth of dealers.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...a=0&dg=feature
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...a=0&dg=feature
#20
The Recumbent Quant
There's a recumbent rider and dealer locator on Bentrider. Participation is voluntary. Kentucky looks like a wasteland, at least as far as recumbent dealers go. To be fair though, so does my part of Michigan in spite of the fact that there is a fairly active bent community here -- but still a dearth of dealers.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...a=0&dg=feature
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...a=0&dg=feature
#21
Senior Member
If any of you want to add yourselves to this map (and please do), here's how.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 726
Bikes: Waterford R33, 2019 Infinito, Gunnar Roadie, 1999 Colnago Tecnos, '04 Cannondale Optimo 800 & '51 Rudge Sports, Colnago Tecnos, Tom Kellogg Merlin..
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 55 Post(s)
Liked 140 Times
in
41 Posts
OK, here ya go, not too terribly far away: https://www.fairfieldcyclery.com/
Spoke to a guy picking up his new 'bent with full Di2 Ultegra. Very sharp ride.
#23
Senior Member
FWIW, I found Lexington Bicycle Center, which apparently carries Sun and Terratrike. Of course, any bike shop in the country can get you a Sun; the big question is, do they have anything on the floor?
721 Red Mile Rd
Lexington, KY 40504
(859) 327-3522
And Pedal Power Bike Shop, also in Lexington, says, "we've got a wide selection of bikes and we'll help you find the perfect one!" That must mean they carry recumbents! (or not...)
721 Red Mile Rd
Lexington, KY 40504
(859) 327-3522
And Pedal Power Bike Shop, also in Lexington, says, "we've got a wide selection of bikes and we'll help you find the perfect one!" That must mean they carry recumbents! (or not...)
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
FWIW, I found Lexington Bicycle Center, which apparently carries Sun and Terratrike. Of course, any bike shop in the country can get you a Sun; the big question is, do they have anything on the floor?
And Pedal Power Bike Shop, also in Lexington, says, "we've got a wide selection of bikes and we'll help you find the perfect one!" That must mean they carry recumbents! (or not...)
And Pedal Power Bike Shop, also in Lexington, says, "we've got a wide selection of bikes and we'll help you find the perfect one!" That must mean they carry recumbents! (or not...)
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
#25
don't try this at home.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,933
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Liked 509 Times
in
349 Posts
Findlay, OH is a long way from the OP. It is located 30 miles south of Toledo which puts it pretty far north. I lived there for the year before I moved to Las Vegas in the mid 1980s. I read that there is a recumbent bike shop in town these days but since it is a fairly small town to begin with I doubt there would be a big selection. Before attempting to go there, look the shops up online and call them (there are 4 listed) to find out.