Originally Posted by
Coyote!
I love mountains, fire roads, and mixed surface [macadam, gravel, dirt, often on the same ride. Are any of you folks disappointed with your 'bent's' performance on mountains and mixed surface? Are there versions that accomodate this type of riding?
I don't do offroad, but there are lots of benters who ride dirt trails and fire roads. Suspension helps on the really rough stuff, especially since its nearly impossible to shift your weight around like on an MTB. Optima, Azub, HP Velotechnik and a few others make bents that are dirt friendly. These look like Optima Condors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFs25Bv_fHA
Originally Posted by
Coyote!
Can I clip in and spin or will I be restricted to mashing only?
Spinning is highly recommended. Mashing will kill your knees.
Originally Posted by
Coyote!
What mechanical accomodations would I need to make regarding on-the-road maintenance and repair?
About the same as a DF. You may need two different size spare tubes, depending on the bike. I carry a small chain tool just in case, but have never had to pull it out.
Originally Posted by
Coyote!
I see that many manufacturers use a plastic tubular 'race' to keep the chain away from stuff amidships. . .doesn't that make an unholy racket? Looks like it should sound like a stonecrusher!! Does it wear out?
They're called idler wheels, or simply idlers. They barely make a sound (if it's noisy you have a problem) and should last many thousands of miles.