GrassHopper fx
 

I am looking to buy a recumbent bike, and I came across the GrassHopper fx by HP Velotechnik. I have limited space as I live in a small apartment, and I'd also like to be able to take the thing on the train. So, I really like the fact that it collapses down. I plan to take some long multi-day trips on it, so I am also looking for a bike that has good storage capabilities, which this one appears to have. My one concern is that on their product page, it says it is "comfortable even for shorter riders," and "the GrassHopper fx is only 1,60 m in length, the most compact bike in our model range." I'm 6 feet tall, so I wonder if it would be uncomfortable for me. Are there any taller riders on this forum who ride this bike? If it's not a good bike for a taller rider, can anyone recommend a good foldable recumbent for taller riders? Or, are foldable recumbents just better suited for shorter people? Thanks!

I'm a short rider at 5'6" so I can't directly answer the question but I did just purchase the Grasshopper FX. I don't see any reason why it would not work for you. In order to get it to fit me we had to remove some length from the boom. The BicycleMan shop (NY) website lists it as suitable for him and he is 6'. Maybe you could give them a call to find out more.

Justducky,

Can I ask how much you paid for the grasshopper fx? I been searching endlessly for a used one to knock down the price a bit. I'll probably have to wait another couple of years for one to surface. Having a Bacchetta Giro and Bike Friday NWT just makes me want one more!

kurtis - I paid the same as the list price that is posted on the hpvelo website. You might be able to negotiate something lower though. The shop I bought it from gave me such good service I didn't feel right about trying to get a lower price. It wasn't cheap and shipping from Germany added a couple hundred more. I'm a bit of a tightwad so it was a huge leap for me to spend so much money. After researching for months and test riding the few bikes available around here I really felt this was the right bike for the long haul.

He did offer accessories, panniers, etc at his cost though. I really wanted the rohloff but sticker shock got the best of me so I skipped it for now. My wife is also thinking about getting a hopper after she test rides mine a bit more. If we follow though on our extended touring plans I'll upgrade to a rohloff before we set off but that is still many moons away.

After the weather improves where I'm at and the miles begin to add up I plan to write a detailed review that I'll post here - along with some video of folding it and the bike in general.

Would love to hear your reviews. The Grasshopper Fx will almost certainly fit a taller rider. Germans are averaging 6 feet tall these days! (Seriously.)

Kurt--There is a lower cost folding option. The Cobra is a bike made by TW-Bents. It's got ugly stickers and looks cheap, but the MFR has a very good reputation. You are not going to get German quality, but something close. There is a review of it on Bentrideronline.

Other options include: 1) the beautiful and inexpensive Performer Low Racer by Performer.tw. That one has a frame coupler, so it takes a long time to get apart. And it's no good for multi-modal transit. 2) The CMPCT by M5. Not pretty, not fast, but high quality. 3) Any bike with a frame hinge and shocks. These bikes can be folded by detaching the front wheel and the shock absorber. That will cram it into a closet, etc.

I've been looking into a folding recumbent. I wanted something a bit lighter but very durable b/c I put in a lot of miles. I ended up deciding to just live with my beautiful titanium monster and ride a folding bike on errands or overseas tours.

Finally, if any of you New Yorkers want to go for a long ride this weekend, let me know.

I think the reason they state that it is comfortable for shorter riders is that some of us vertically challenged riders find the seat height a bit too far off the pavement on a short wheelbase recumbent. I happen to own an Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent and indeed it is a stretch to reach the ground with my feet flat on the pavement. Haluzak made a version (Leprechan) with an 18 inch front wheel just so that the seat would be lower for shorter riders. As long as the boom on the Grasshopper fx can be extended so that you are comfortable riding it, go for it.