Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => The Dark Side => Topic started by: Socks on 24 August, 2017, 07:29:47 pm
-
I have acquired my second recumbent (the first one is a Kingcycle). Aerobike - a touring / commuting style long wheelbase and fairly high seat position. A sophisticated design for the time, with an aero shock rear suspension; front fairing, dynamo lights with re-chargeable backup. Only a few were produced, in Edinburgh, in the 1990's.
If the links work, here's a couple of pictures of progress so far. I'm aiming to lower the weight a bit and leave off the fairing, which means changing the stem and handlebars as these were integrated with the fairing. Plus a couple of upgrades, in particular a very nice (but expensive) set of idlers from icletta.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/143770804@N02/shares/1Rgp5U
https://www.flickr.com/photos/143770804@N02/shares/Gr7dR2
Anyone else come across this bike?
-
looks interesting, how does it ride?
-
Blimey! Does it have any torsional stiffness? Bet it's light though.
-
I will have to have a look around, there was a second model which I nearly bought at one point, a sportier version.
IIRC this one came with a front fairing as part of the design, I am sure I have an article about this one somewhere
Google - it was in the Encycleopedia (https://issuu.com/encycleopedia/docs/enc03_opt2/8)
(There is also a small photo of the one I looked at)
-
They did make a handful of SWB models, one of which was stolen and IIRC never recovered.
-
First test ride on the aerobike this morning, some on tarmac, some on gravel / grass along a bridlepath. It is very comfortable, with the airshock rear suspension. A bit of bounce so I might try a bit more pressure in the shock. Quite a high seat position, so the visibility is good however I'll still fit a mirror. It seems to live up to the original advertising as a comfortable, easy to ride commuter or touring type bike although without the fairing and re-chargeable lighting system it seems quite light.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/143770804@N02/0ZvDWK
-
Can I ask where you got your handlebars? They look just like what I need for my home built beastie.
I do like the bike – Kinetics had one secondhand a while ago and I was sorely tempted!
-
(In fact it may still be there…)
http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/for-sale/aerobike/
-
I think his pricetag explains why it's still there. It does look in good nick though
-
Can I ask where you got your handlebars? They look just like what I need for my home built beastie.
I do like the bike – Kinetics had one secondhand a while ago and I was sorely tempted!
The handlebars are a standard set from velo orange (I think they call them 'Left Bank' handlebars) with an extension to lengthen the bars and get them closer to the seat. They are flared slightly, so the bars are quite wide at the end and provide plenty of clearance for my legs. The extension was made from the original aerobike handlebar / fairing frame. It includes an internal tube to join two sections of handlebar together, and an external bracket to hold it in place.
Interesting to see the price for the kinetics one - from some adverts that a friend found from the 1990's this model cost £1,450 new.