Here's my B-stick:



The company name is a play on words. Bacchetta is eyetalian for "stick". The frame is stick-like. Calling them "B-sticks" is a bit redundant but their loyalists like the sound of it, and it's good enough for me.

I've put around 120 miles on a bent, and about 40 miles on my Giro.

With great trepidation I joined the Yellow Lot group ride downtown. It's slated as a "slow and easy" ride, but the lead-out riders go pretty fast.

I felt a bit weird as one of two bents out of about 50-60 bikes. I haven't mastered the standing start, and I have to Flintstone to get underway.

However, like a dog seeing a bright red sports car just down the road, I had to get in with the lead-out group, tucked in the very back of it where I belonged.

First, I was pleasantly surprised with how safe I felt. The panoramic view afforded by bents kept me much more in tune with the group than I had felt on a DF.

It didn't hurt that we caught all the green lights.

But the nicest thing was being tucked in back and cruising at 18 mph without exerting much effort.

And when I got back, my neck and back didn't hurt. Several people started asking me about it. I have a feeling I should work on a commission basis.

Sorry, but I couldn't contain my enthusiasm.

No harm. Most everyone enjoys an upbeat story.

Standing starts should soon prove a piece of cake. Relax totally, make that first pedal stoke a nice smooth easy one and be in no rush to get your other foot clipped in.

Yeah, well... the enthusiasm wanes after you've answered the same questions 10¹°° times. I'm not naturally conversational, so YMMV.

Good on you.

Love the color!

I don't. But I liked everything else about it. I think I'll get half of it painted red so it looks like a giant firecracker.

Everyone knows that yellow is the fastest color!



OTOH, a bright color like that gives everyone else a good target.

True dat:

I like that "training wheel " sticking out :-)

It took me longer than I like to admit to learn to launch my SWB recumbent with any degree of confidence. I can't imagine riding that thing in an urban area with a lot of traffic signals.

I was hoping that the thread would degenerate, oops I mean evolve into a "I crushed a roadie's soul" narrative. Friday I had stopped at the top of a hill to catch my breathe/regain consciousness and had a team-kit roadie sneer at me as he rode by.

In best DuraAce6000 fashion, after I gave him a 300 yard head start, I flexed my guads, dialed up to 400 watts, and droped the hamer on the sucker. I came within ten yards of his backside when he glanced at me with an expression of terror, and kicked it in up a hill. Then he was gone.

Sure, some of you would point out that 1. He didn't know I was behind him 2. If he did know, he didn't really care 3. He was at the end of a 75 mile LSD ride and didn't have the energy to engage 4. He was worried about his new puppy who was sick at home with distemper.

It's all likely true, but I'll have none of it.

BTW, that is a hot bike.

Just a suggestion (i'd do it myself but I'm just a n00b): we should have the bent version of "Hot or Not".

As laid-back benders, everyone would find all submissions hot, which works for me. Just a thought.

Did you buy new or used? Was the other 'bent at the Yellow Lot Tom Armstrong?

I haven't ridden my 'bent in a while. I really need to.

It's not as nice looking as yours.

Yeah- it's retractable, but not enough. The bike's speed-restricted in left-hand corners. Gotta fix that.

@dcrowwell - the bike was being used as a demo at Bluegrass Bikes. Technically it's used, but it only had minimal scuff marks that I put there myself on my first test ride.

Yours looks like a Bella, and I thought very seriously about it as well. I was just more comfortable with a high rider.

Tom wasn't there Saturday. The other rider was a woman on a Rans. I didn't see her once we started, as she was saving some for the Iroquois loop. I knew from the outset I was only going to do the downtown loop.

The term is high racer (not high rider). A high rider is a rider who is..well... high.

Congrats on the bike. I've got the same one, modified though.

Ah, I think I'd seen that bike at Bluegrass before.

Mine's an Agio. It's been discontinued. It has a higher bottom-bracket than a Bella, but not as high as your Giro.

I think I've met the woman on the Rans before too, but I don't remember her name. Long-wheelbase like mine?

Enjoy the new bike!

Whoa, dude! did somebody say LSD ride? Its all coming back to me now............ and I thought I forgot the 60's

That was the bike. It probably had many a twitchy n00b on it in the parking lot.

And I believe that was the woman, too. LWB bike. She said she was recovering from an injury and would be a while before she got back on her DF. Seemed like a nice lady.

BTW, +1000 insanity points for your Gravel Grovel. Next time, do it on a 'bent ;^)

I opted for the Giro 20, figured it would be easier to get my feet up in time. I like that it fits on a bus rack. Its done a century, a half century and a lot of commuting.



Never heard them called B-sticks before. What an appalling appelation.

Artkansas: what kind of fenders are you using? I might want to go and get some.

Whatever fenders you end up with (I use Planet Bike Hardcore), keep in mind that 'bents generally require creativity for mounting fenders. Especially if disc brakes are involved.

Unless you buy the fenders from Bacchetta. Those mount pretty easily.

Thanks! It was a blast. I would have been much slower on the 'bent and would have had to walk nearly all of the Combs "Road" section.

I guess I should chime in here as a fellow "B-Stick" rider. I have a Corsa. Love the bike. My arthritis prevents me from enjoying a century (or too many of theme anyway...) on my regular road bikes. Although I did do the Six Gap on my CX bike this year for a change.

I will post some photos later of my bike. It's the bike I did my fastest speed record on a downhill on. 62.7 mph on the Burnt Mtn Century a couple of years ago. We staged the run and had some guys sweep the road for debris and such. All I wanted to do was to hit 60. But I managed to go a bit over. I had a 55t big ring to help me get the speed...

Needless to say, I called it quits on trying to go any faster unless I get out to Colorado and can hit new record on some of the giant hills they have out there.

LOL... those are called, "mountains." As in, "let's not make molehills out of mountains."