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

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: http://www.rans.com/dealer_locator.html

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 http://www.bentrideronline.com/index.php

bentrideronline.com is in the process of becoming bentrider.bike. Either address will take you to BentRider.

Might not be good enough. I read a post just this morning about a shop that was listed on a manufacturer's website yet had only one dusty trike hanging from the ceiling.

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.

Here's a link to riders in Louisville: http://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.

+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.

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.

I have the same problem in the BigApple NYC

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.

OK, here ya go, not too terribly far away: http://www.fairfieldcyclery.com/

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.

nothing is really very far away from me, being a Trucker, except maybe finding time to go there....

What about renting ? As a way to see what i really like as opposed to what i think i like..... places ?

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?

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.

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

Ohio looks like good hunting ground on that locator

If any of you want to add yourselves to this map (and please do), here's how.

For that matter, it's not paid-for by BROL, so if you explain in your email that you're a member of BikeForums and want to be included, that should work too. (Or join Bentrider -- it's free.)

I was just in this store this week. Had at least a dozen 'bents on the sales floor. Used and new both. Most all were trikes.

Spoke to a guy picking up his new 'bent with full Di2 Ultegra. Very sharp ride.

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...)

It's no trick to find somebody who will take your money, sell you a recumbent bike or trike and wish you well. The trick is to find somebody who can talk to you intelligently about your personal needs, objectives, concerns and even fears and discuss which of the various styles and brands are going to work for you.

The Fairfield Cyclery store mentioned in post 11 is just north of the Cincinnati I-275 loop.