Author Topic: Living with a recumbent bike / trike. (Read 11836 times)

BrianI · « **Reply #25 on:** 09 May, 2016, 08:49:12 am »

I definitely plan on visiting laid back bikes, as well as kinetics at Glasgow. The majority of my cycling is done on my own (Billy no mates!!), so perhaps a nice folding recumbent bike would be a nice compliment to my fleet as i have a pinnacle dolomite road bike for fast rides /audaxes a decathlon rigidified MTB for commuting / off road pootling. A second hand machine would be a better investment, that way if I didn't get on with it, I could sell it in for not as much loss compared to buying new.

Anyway it will be a few months before I can save up enough to consider a second hand dark sider

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swscotland bentrider · « **Reply #26 on:** 09 May, 2016, 10:52:43 am »

I agree with the comments on light / fast bikes. I'm a tourer in the main and the weight of the bike is less relevant than having strength and load carrying capabilities. The fastest bent I've owned was a Corsa SS. It would accelerate rather than gain speed could climb reasonably well and was ideal in group rides with DF riders.. Ergonomically it was poor, high seat and narrow bars meant steep uphill turns were a nightmare! I'm now finding myself drawn to an Encore. Pretty much can be built to any purpose but still retain a light weight.

cycleman · « **Reply #27 on:** 09 May, 2016, 08:51:55 pm »

Sorry quint

. I started on recumbents with a rans rocket 2 wheel recumbent. I rode it round the Dorset coast 200 and it climbed every hill with no problems. Descents were great fun

. Then I got a trice explorer which was slower but was a great touring machine. After a year I made the mistake of looking for a faster tourer so I traded it in for a radius long wheelbase 2 wheel recumbent. This never really fitted me very well being to big for me so it was replaced by a rare gnat folding recumbent. That was quite maintenance intensive so was replaced with a qnt trice trike. This was replaced by a trice adventure trice as the higher seat is easier for me to get in and out off. For audax I would recommend the rans rocket as it is a good Hill climbing machine and fairly fast. For touring and utility riding the trice trikes are hard to beat.. As a final thought trice do the very light vortex trike which is probably audax friendly

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #28 on:** 10 May, 2016, 02:23:23 am »

The downsides of many USAnian recumbents, though, are:

UK availability, and
those horrible foam seat bases which nip like irritable lobsters and go as soggy as Weetabix in no time

BrianI · « **Reply #29 on:** 11 May, 2016, 10:02:31 am »

Well, I think I'm going to shelve my plans for entering the dark side. I think the costs are the main thing, along with the issues of storage / transport. A shame, but need to be realistic!

Quint · « **Reply #30 on:** 11 May, 2016, 11:27:07 am »

With the greatest respect, life is short, do what your heart tells you even though your head says foolish, tis very rewarding.

BrianI · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 May, 2016, 07:03:00 pm »

Well recent events in the family show that yes, life is short. So perhaps i may as well get enjoyment from a recumbent, even if it is shockingly expensive!! But what is money for, apart from be used. After all you cant take it with you.

Will need to save for a while though...

Nethypete · « **Reply #32 on:** 11 May, 2016, 07:34:07 pm »

A couple of years ago a friend and I cycled from the Highlands to Yorkshire for the TdF. David was on a perfectly lovely Eastway bike......halfway through day two it all got the better of him, 'I JUST WISH ONCE, JUST ONCE THAT SOMEONE WILL NOTICE MY BIKE, THAT SOME SPOTTY TEENAGER WILL STICK HIS THUMBS UP AT ME AND SHOUT 'COOL BIKE MR' '. Worth every penny.

Kim · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 May, 2016, 10:58:11 pm »

Quote from: Nethypete on 11 May, 2016, 07:34:07 pm

A couple of years ago a friend and I cycled from the Highlands to Yorkshire for the TdF. David was on a perfectly lovely Eastway bike......halfway through day two it all got the better of him, 'I JUST WISH ONCE, JUST ONCE THAT SOMEONE WILL NOTICE MY BIKE, THAT SOME SPOTTY TEENAGER WILL STICK HIS THUMBS UP AT ME AND SHOUT 'COOL BIKE MR' '. Worth every penny.

Dunwich Dynamo, 2010, YACF Team Slow: That the Pikes were towing a trailer was for some inexplicable reason much more worthy of comment than the presence of bikes with unusual geometry.

I think that's the only time, though...

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #34 on:** 12 May, 2016, 09:49:43 am »

Quote from: Kim on 11 May, 2016, 10:58:11 pm

Quote from: Nethypete on 11 May, 2016, 07:34:07 pm
A couple of years ago a friend and I cycled from the Highlands to Yorkshire for the TdF. David was on a perfectly lovely Eastway bike......halfway through day two it all got the better of him, 'I JUST WISH ONCE, JUST ONCE THAT SOMEONE WILL NOTICE MY BIKE, THAT SOME SPOTTY TEENAGER WILL STICK HIS THUMBS UP AT ME AND SHOUT 'COOL BIKE MR' '. Worth every penny.

Dunwich Dynamo, 2010, YACF Team Slow: That the Pikes were towing a trailer was for some inexplicable reason much more worthy of comment than the presence of bikes with unusual geometry.

I think that's the only time, though...

1993 and a convoy of six rode across Denmark. Five Kingcycles (one towing a trailer) yet the Natives seemed more interested in Dave Low's Moulton!

BrianI · « **Reply #35 on:** 12 May, 2016, 12:23:58 pm »

Quote from: BrianI on 11 May, 2016, 07:03:00 pm

Well recent events in the family show that yes, life is short. So perhaps i may as well get enjoyment from a recumbent, even if it is shockingly expensive!! But what is money for, apart from be used. After all you cant take it with you.

Will need to save for a while though...

However, I don't do a lot of cycling,(i'm lucky if I did 300 miles last year, or the year before! ) so to spend used car worth of money on a recumbent bike is not sensible at all, despite what my heart thinks.

Quint · « **Reply #36 on:** 12 May, 2016, 01:53:49 pm »

I do what trikling I can and intend to enjoy as many (or few) as I can, right off to work, just a wee (compared to an awful lot of people) 9 miles each way, even the return at 03-00/04-00 is a pleasure on my ICE Recumbent Trike

Binka · « **Reply #37 on:** 18 May, 2016, 08:17:50 pm »

I have an Ice Sprint. I'm 5ft tall and not particularly strong.

To get it into my garden I have to go down a side passage beside the house which is only just wider than the trike, I actually have to fold my wing mirror in. There is then a right angle turn through a normal width side gate. It goes through no problem, I have to shunt it back and forth a couple of times.

Once in the garden I have to go up three steps. I pull it backwards up the steps, pulling it up via the rear pannier rack. It lives in a shed unfolded.

I have a Ford Focus estate and it goes in there folded up no problem.

Quint · « **Reply #38 on:** 18 May, 2016, 08:30:16 pm »

We have a Volvo V40 estate (2003) I can get both our ICE Sprint 26 (folded) and manage to wiggle two Vaude and two Ortlieb panniers in as well and the luggage space isn't that big. We used to have a Peugeot 206 and with the back seat down I almost got the two in, had I not run out of time maybe if I had got the front wheels off as well it might have done it, very close.

BrianI · « **Reply #39 on:** 18 May, 2016, 08:47:50 pm »

Much as though a recumbent trike would be fun, I can't justify the cost.

ElyDave · « **Reply #40 on:** 18 May, 2016, 10:39:48 pm »

Quote from: BrianI on 18 May, 2016, 08:47:50 pm

Much as though a recumbent trike would be fun, I can't justify the cost.

Then go recumbent bike, cheaper, fewer wheels

Kim · « **Reply #41 on:** 18 May, 2016, 10:45:22 pm »

Quote from: ElyDave on 18 May, 2016, 10:39:48 pm

Quote from: BrianI on 18 May, 2016, 08:47:50 pm
Much as though a recumbent trike would be fun, I can't justify the cost.

Then go recumbent bike, cheaper, fewer wheels

Reminds me of a friend's mum wanting computer advice back in the 1990s. She'd decided she wanted a laptop rather than a desktop, because they're smaller and therefore must be cheaper...

firedfromthecircus · « **Reply #42 on:** 19 May, 2016, 07:35:17 pm »

Quote from: BrianI on 18 May, 2016, 08:47:50 pm

Much as though a recumbent trike would be fun, I can't justify the cost.

How about secondhand? Might be something available nearby if you ask.

Quint · « **Reply #43 on:** 19 May, 2016, 07:43:57 pm »

I wish this thread hadn't started because I have the feeling it is going to get me into Barbaras bad books by me spending a lot of money, looking at Nazca Fuego and a Speedmachine and feeling lustfull

Jay-Eye · « **Reply #44 on:** 20 May, 2016, 07:42:21 pm »

Quote from: BrianI on 11 May, 2016, 07:03:00 pm

Well recent events in the family show that yes, life is short. So perhaps i may as well get enjoyment from a recumbent, even if it is shockingly expensive!! But what is money for, apart from be used. After all you cant take it with you.

Will need to save for a while though...

£500 or so should get you a perfectly good used 2-wheeler 'bent, and a trike for £750 or thereabouts. Not the lightest or sportiest, nor in the first flush of youth perhaps but cared for and perfectly serviceable with no major faults. You could easily be lucky and find one for less. On the plus side, you'll almost certainly be able to sell it for what you paid for it when you are a bit more flush and ready to upgrade, perhaps even show a small profit! The bargains are out there.

Nethypete · « **Reply #45 on:** 21 May, 2016, 06:43:31 pm »

A man old enough to forget that he'd met me before questioned me outside Boat of Garten Post Office today, 'D'you mind if I ask, what is the main advantage of that configuration of bike?'....'That strangers approach you and ask questions about your bike'. He wasn't amused.

woollypigs · « **Reply #46 on:** 21 May, 2016, 06:51:25 pm »

Jay-Eye · « **Reply #47 on:** 27 May, 2016, 09:56:26 pm »

Quote from: Nethypete on 21 May, 2016, 06:43:31 pm

A man old enough to forget that he'd met me before questioned me outside Boat of Garten Post Office today, 'D'you mind if I ask, what is the main advantage of that configuration of bike?'....'That strangers approach you and ask questions about your bike'. He wasn't amused.

Ha!