Urban riding on an EZ-1
 

Hi...

I ride in the city on a conventional flat bar road bike, doing 10-25 miles 3-4 times a week. Few hills, but LOTS of stop signs and traffic signals and such.

I have the chance to pick up a used Sun EZ-1 for about $250 in pretty good shape. I haven't seen it, and I've never ridden a 'bent in my life. I'd really like some input about whether this bike would be an appropriate addition to my collection for my type of city riding. And if so, any tips on getting started or any modifications you'd suggest to the stock bike?

I ride for recreation and fitness or fitness and recreation; it's both and they're both important. I'm not into high speed riding but wouldn't mind longer rides from time to time. I hang out on the 50+ forum so obviously I'm not a youngster any more. Sigh.

Anyway -- any input?

250.00 isn't a bad price at all. I have an EZ-Sport CX and it is great. Personally I think that non under-the-seat steering works great for city riding. Riding one of these sun bicycles is a lot like leaning back in a lawn chair and so it's real easy to just put your feet down if you need to stop or lose your balance at first. I think the ez-1 can hold two or three racks, plus a bag on the rear of the seat so it wouldn't be bad for touring if that's what you mean for 'long rides'.

Best accessory for a bent is a good lock in my opinion depending on what crime is like in your area.

Ooooh, afraid to ask the question over there, huh? ;) From following your quest over on the 50+ forum, I think comfort is the main concern, and I think almost everyone on this list would agree that an EZ-1 will not disappoint in that respect. I borrowed an EZ-1 for about a week, during the research phase prior to getting my first recument. I rode it to work daily, which at the time was a 2-mile trip down a major street to my office downtown. It handled well and seemed to have speed equal or maybe a bit better than my mountain bike. That was before Sun started making them; this was a Gardner Martin-built original. (As a 50+ item of interest, Gardner Martin and wife were the couple featured on the cover of the Woodstock album.) For longer rides, I start thinking about how long it'll take to reach the end, and my speed starts creeping up until I'm riding alone. B) So an EZ-1 would be a bad choice for me. If you can psychologically hold to 13-16 mph, it could do centuries, multi-day tours... whatever!

A test ride is definitely in order, assuming that the bike is somewhere near you. At $250, you're getting a heck of a price on it, so long as it's in reasonable repair. Look at the same kind of things you'd look at on an upright bike - chainring wear, brakes and shifters work OK, etc. Remember if you test ride, the trick to riding a 'bent is to relax your upper body. Take a deep breath, exhale, ride. Expect to feel wobbly at first, but don't worry - after a few rides it'll seem second nature.

Random advice:
--make sure it is long enough for you: you should be able to extend your leg and point your toe while sitting on the seat, and with one foot on a pedal. If it's not long enough to do this, it's gonna cause you knee pain.
--you will likely get a bit of muscle ache in your hips the first few rides, but this should be minor and doesn't last long. Just about everybody gets this when they start to put miles on their first recumbent.
--it is heavier than a typical bike, and so it won't feel "lively" when accellerating.
--recumbents' main advantage is long-distance comfort. For a 5-mile ride you won't notice much difference, but at the end of a 25 mile ride you will feel a big difference in comfort over a "normal" bicycle.
~

Actually, I just thought there would be more people with knowledge in this area in this forum. These responses are very helpful.

BTW, does the EZ-1 fit on a conventional bike rack on the back of a car? The kind of rack that attaches with straps to the trunk and bumper?

It could, depending on the rack. I used to haul my EZ Sport(which is longer) on my regular bike rack. But I had to take the seat back mesh off so it wouldn't wobble with the wind catching it.

Something else to remember riding the EZ-1. Since you have a lot of stops, be sure to down shift before you come to a stop. It will be much easier to start again.

An EZ-1 will go on most 2-arm racks. To prevent it swinging, you just bungee the wheels to the bumper or hitch. And of course, secure it to the rack arms too. The tubing is square, so it won't cradle perfectly, but it'll work.

As far as accessories go, start with the standard water bottle cage and speedo (if it doesn't already have them,) and some sort of storage. There's a couple of options for handlebar or seat bags on this page, just for ideas, or you can fit something on it yourself.

When I did my test rides, the most important thing I learned from my dealer was to stay leaning back on the seat, especially when starting. He said many non'bent riders tend to lean forward when trying to start( yup, I did big time), and it made a huge difference for me to stay leaning back.
I have a seat bag I got when I had a Lightning bike for a short while, but the Lone Peak on this page looks like a decent bag without spending $100, and it should fit the EZ-1 seat.
http://www.calhouncycle.com/productc...?idCategory=14

I own three bents and use my EZ-1 for more casual city/neighborhood cruising. It's easy to ride and handles well, particularly in stop and go situations. With the small wheels and heavier weight, don't expect to go very fast. However, you'll find the bike accelerates well. You will also be fairly visible, sitting in a more upright position compared to other recumbents. The price seems reasonable. Many people end up selling their EZ-1s when they realize they want a recumbent that goes faster and handles a wider variety of road/trail conditions.

Kevin

The only things my EZ Sport didn't come with that it needs are a beer and a meatball sandwich. It is that comfortable. Gary, an EZ-1 for $250 is the perfect way to try bent riding. If you maintain it, you can always get the money back. I'll bet you like it and upgrade to a better bent in no time. bk