What you love about your recumbent bikes...

[Jon Meinecke]

Here's a topical thread

Many people here own or have owned many recumbent bikes.
Someone in CA seemed to be practicing serial monogamy for a
steady stream of recumbent bike models, seeking perfection...

What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
didn't?

No speculating on how wonderful (horrible) some bike you
haven't owned might be! No big ha ha's over the BigHa
unless you own one! %^P

Here are mine

'98 BikeE AT (original owner, still own, still ride)
- PURPLE!
- My first recumbent
- Still fun to ride
- Great utility bike,-- I have a 20 liter plastic storage
box mounted behind the seat (also purple)
- Quick handling and acceleration
- Good rough-road/trail handling
- Love the rear suspension
- Has been very reliable, low maintenance
- Now stays at work for exercise at lunch time
- Top speed 36 mph, down hill
- Often asked, "Did you make that bike yourself?"
- Two falls, minor bruises once

'00 Tour Easy (bought '01, original owner, still own, still ride)
- Red frame, white rack
- Wonderful bike, great cruiser
- Touring platform, underseat panniers
- Comfortable, Koolback Seat
- 7000+ miles so far, many more planned
- Front fairing only off the bike for transport, I really like it
- Classic look and feel, great quality construction
- Top speed ~46 mph, down hill, coulda gone faster! %^O
- Four falls, moderate road rash twice

'04 Volae Sport (bought '05, second owner, still getting acquainted)
- Silver frame, red seat bag
- Lightweight and, umm sporty %^)
- previous owner bought with upgraded wheels!
- 650C (571x23) few tire choices
- really glides on smooth pavement
- No bottle cage %^(
- Nice seat bag
- Mildly noisy drive chain (idler)
- No falls, so far %^)

[The Real Johnny NoCom]

What I luv about the NoCom is that it IS the Fastest Stock Bike in All the Known Universe.
No other stock recumbent will ever be faster than the NoCom. EVER.

Cheers,
Johnny NoCom
Fastest Bike in All the Known Universe

[LioNiNoiL_a t_Y a h 0 0_d 0 t_c 0 m]

> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned?
> What attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"?
> Which didn't?

Tour Easy: still fast, still comfortable, still eight feet long and a
hassle to park or transport by motor-cage.
http://www.easyracers.com/images/side.jpg

M5 CMPCT: still folds quick and small, still only 7-speed.
http://www.m5-ligfietsen.com/images/models/cmpct.jpg

Cambie Recumboni X2: still fast, still comfortable, still ten feet long
with the turning radius of a city bus, and even more of a hassle to park
or transport by motor-cage than the Tour Easy.
http://www.cambiecycles.com/x2.jpg

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

[[email protected]]

Since I can't find a political or H*lm*t thread I suppose I might as well
bite on Jon's topical troll. I do love my recumbent bikes, but I believe in
bike diversity and also have a bunch of road and mountain bikes that I also
love dearly.

My favorite recumbent for touring is an early model Ryan. The frame was in
the first batch made by Burley in Oregon. It is the most comfortable bike
I've ever ridden and when I refer to comfort I'm talking about all day
comfort. I've never had a hint of RB from the Ryan sling mesh pocket seat
nor have I ever heard of anyone else claiming RB from a Ryan seat. I can
ride that bike in complete comfort for as far as my legs will take me. In a
touring bike I'm looking for bullet proofing. If I'm 10 miles past BF Egypt
and a 100 miles from the nearest bike shop I don't want something to break
on the bike. The Ryan is remarkably bullet proof. Add quality friction
shifters, a quality drive train, strong wheels, phil hubs and BB and I have
supreme confidence the Ryan will make it through the Apocalypse without even
noticing. I've ridding this bike for 15 years (I was recumbent before
recumbent was cool) and never had a single problem. Once I was touring with
a small group and a guy using a Cannondale rear rack (Blackburn lookalike)
and it broke the third day out. The others of us had to split this guy's
load up and haul it for about 125 miles to the nearest bike shop. He's
lucky he was with friends. I use old Blackburn expedition racks or old
Bruce Gordon racks I bought from Robert Bryant years ago. Nothing I tour
with is wimpy, of unknown quality, or on the bike without a purpose.

I've also got a '98 GRR that I bought used and nicely upgraded with Campy
components and some speedy wheels. I use Shimano XL thumbies (friction mode
of course) for some really smooth, can hardly feel it shifting. I love the
GRR and spend most of my time on it. GRR attributes are well known. I love
to polish the unpolished Al frame - a hands on labor of love. Love the '98
RANS seat on the GRR, considered by many to be the best RANS seat ever.
There's a lot to love about that bike.

My son bought one of the dumped Trek R200 Treks from Valley Bikes with the
$600 check he got from the first Bush tax cut. Unfortunately he doesn't
ride it now and I've inherited it. I like the bike, its comfort, and
handling. The bike gets no respect I'm sorry to say. Trek and Canondale
could have made some possibly world class recumbents, but that wasn't to be.
I would never trust the R 200 on a tour - way to much stuff to go wrong -
real wrong. Plus I see no way to get a real rack on it. The rack Trek
offered was inappropriate for touring.

So what would you like to hear about next - my Bridgestones, my vintage road
bikes, my mountain bikes, or my folders? Don't worry I have no
grandchildren to tell you about.

skip

[The Real Johnny NoCom]

Skip,
You can have your diversity. The Real Johnny NoCom has no use for bicycle diversity and is only interested in one thing. Going fast as hell on two wheel low splitterbikes. Nothing else will do it. I can guarantee you the REal Johnny NoCom will never be caught any where near a bubble bike or trike freak show. I have my aesthetics and besides wheel chairs are faster than trikes.

The Real Johnny NoCom has been around long enough to know what is fast and what is slow. Slow does not cut it in the Real Johnny NoCom world.

Enjoy your vintage two wheelers Skip. Bring one of your two wheelers to a race sometime.

Cheers,
The Real Johnny NoCom

[Al Luminium]

"Jon Meinecke" > wrote in message
news:1107455117.97e1785091f4f5dc12049c099241e8db@t eranews...
> Here's a topical thread
>
> Many people here own or have owned many recumbent bikes.
> Someone in CA seemed to be practicing serial monogamy for a
> steady stream of recumbent bike models, seeking perfection...
>
> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
> attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
> didn't?
>
> No speculating on how wonderful (horrible) some bike you
> haven't owned might be! No big ha ha's over the BigHa
> unless you own one! %^P
>
> Here are mine
>
> '98 BikeE AT (original owner, still own, still ride)
> - PURPLE!
> - My first recumbent
> - Still fun to ride
> - Great utility bike,-- I have a 20 liter plastic storage
> box mounted behind the seat (also purple)
> - Quick handling and acceleration
> - Good rough-road/trail handling
> - Love the rear suspension
> - Has been very reliable, low maintenance
> - Now stays at work for exercise at lunch time
> - Top speed 36 mph, down hill
> - Often asked, "Did you make that bike yourself?"
> - Two falls, minor bruises once
>
> '00 Tour Easy (bought '01, original owner, still own, still ride)
> - Red frame, white rack
> - Wonderful bike, great cruiser
> - Touring platform, underseat panniers
> - Comfortable, Koolback Seat
> - 7000+ miles so far, many more planned
> - Front fairing only off the bike for transport, I really like it
> - Classic look and feel, great quality construction
> - Top speed ~46 mph, down hill, coulda gone faster! %^O
> - Four falls, moderate road rash twice
>
> '04 Volae Sport (bought '05, second owner, still getting acquainted)
> - Silver frame, red seat bag
> - Lightweight and, umm sporty %^)
> - previous owner bought with upgraded wheels!
> - 650C (571x23) few tire choices
> - really glides on smooth pavement
> - No bottle cage %^(
> - Nice seat bag
> - Mildly noisy drive chain (idler)
> - No falls, so far %^)

I'm a wimp. I only have two bents. '99 Vrex. Looked cool. Was scary to get
going the first few times I rode it. I figured that thousands of owners
figured out how to ride and I would too. All in all a pretty good ride,
except for the butt discomfort and weird untanned bits of arm from the
preying chipmonk riding posture. Replaced the seat fabric and used some JB
weld and big assed pop rivets to fix the seat frame.

Had a chance to buy a used red Speedmachine. Lots of upgrades needed. I had
to buy a small seat because the medium one on the bike was way too long.
Took a couple of different mechanics to get the Magura Claras dialled in and
aligned to the rotors. I replaced the rear shock and put on a set of
Stelvios. If I can get the miles up and my weight down, I hope I can get the
machine up to it's name of speed machine. I would like to find a new handle
bar (überman style) that has an inch more length before the bend to gain a
bit of knee/thigh clearence. Did I mention that it's red?

Re: NoCom. It probably is the fastest bike in the world, but like any
hardcore racer it isn't for everyone. Just like a race prepped Suby WRX
isn't much like an off the shelf WRX...way noisy, stiff and uncomfortable,
just super fast and agile. Not what you'd want to be your daily driver.

Most fun bit of a ride: A couple years ago, I was riding the 'Rex on the
local trail. A young guy, late teens perhaps, blows by me and my Trice
riding buddy on a GT MTB. I bolt and chase the kid down and latch onto his
back wheel. He hammers. I hammer and I hang on. I can see the kid hit the
hooks going into the twisties and see his rear suspension go squat when he
powers out of the turns. I maintain my velocity, don't use any brakes, take
good lines through the turns and the kid can't shake me for the mile or so I
chased him. We finally get to a cross street and have to stop. The kid's
breathing is a bit ragged and I'm carrying a huge grin. "Hey kid, want a tip
on how to go faster?" He glowers at me. "Don't use your brakes so much". He
takes off across the road with an angry expression, but I hang back to wait
for my bud to catch up. Lots of fun, pouncing on the young and slow like
that.




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[BikingBill]

The Real Johnny NoCom wrote:
> What I luv about the NoCom is that it IS the Fastest Stock Bike in
All the Known Universe.
> No other stock recumbent will ever be faster than the NoCom. EVER.
>
> Cheers,
> Johnny NoCom
> Fastest Bike in All the Known Universe

I really want to buy one. Will you accept a check written in Crayon?

Thanks,

Bill

[BikingBill]

I've been riding recumbents for over 10 years.

1. S&B USS Custom (16" front, 700c rear, Rans seat).

I originally got the S&B in 1994, but had a custom frame built by them
in 1996. With the Rans seat and the bar-cons on the extensions, this
was a very 'plush' bike. I have over 15,000 miles on it ... but it's
time to sell it.

2. Homebuilt 'Heavy Metal"

Built as an expriment to see if climbing issues were related to frame
flex. Proved that theory and in the process ended up with a dual 20"
recumbent that could be ridden hands-free. Destroyed by an idiot who
opened a door on it at a train station. 10,000+ miles of riding fun.

3. Zox Dual 26" FWD Z-Frame

Fastest bike on the flats that I ever had. TT'ed one of these to a
31:04 20km in 1998. Over 15,000 miles and it has to be sold too....

4. Bachetta Strada

The bike I really wanted to build. Rides and handles perfect, and
climbs as good or better than Heavy Metal. Cleanest design and my girl
friend doesn't think it looks 'geeky'.

[[email protected]]

We're in different worlds Real Johnny. You are a speed freak. I am a
tourist. I want to ride places I've never been before. I want to be a part
of the world I'm riding in. You want to be apart from it and in the world
of speed. Slow does not cut it in your world. Speed does not cut it in the
touring world.

On the other hand I do have this one road bike that is kinda speedy like.

skip

[The Real Johnny NoCom]

I never knew this was not a racing forum.
And I never knew this was a touring newsgroup.
Now the negative reaction to my posts makes sense.

Geez. What the FOCK am I doing on this newsgroup?
I gotta go.

Later,
Johnny

[BikingBill]

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The Real Johnny NoCom wrote:
> I never knew this was not a racing forum.
> And I never knew this was a touring newsgroup.
> Now the negative reaction to my posts makes sense.
>
> Geez. What the FOCK am I doing on this newsgroup?
> I gotta go.
>
> Later,
> Johnny

[Mike Vermeulen]

>What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
>attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
>didn't?

I've had one recumbent bike, a 2003 TE. What I like:
- stable ride, particularly down canyons at speed
- touring machine
- exercises different muscles than upright bike
- great look and feel, aerospokes, body sock,...

What I don't like as much:
- tough to transport e.g. airlines
- not as stable on snow/ice as my upright bikes

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

[Peter Clinch]

Jon Meinecke wrote:

> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
> attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
> didn't?

Orbit Crystal (Speed Ross clone)

Got me into recumbents for a very cheap second hand deal
and was fast and fun. On the downside, if you hung big weights on the
back the handling went a bit off, and being a tourer by inclination this
was a problem. Was a bit of a rough ride on rough tracks, having no
suspension. Died in an accident, RIP :-(

Streetmachine GT

A wonderful touring bike, incredibly comfortable and takes loads better
than any other touring bike I've come across. Superbly built and well
designed and specified. The suspension works very well and helps the
bike cope with poor back roads as well as anything.
It's rather heavy and a bit unwieldy if you have to carry it anywhere,
and not that fast if you're not going downhill. I'd buy another,
certainly.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

[Freewheeling]

I've only owned one recumbent, though I've modified it quite a bit. I've
had a V-Rex since about 1998. It currently has a Bachetta-type stem and
handlebars and a Rohloff Speedhub with no deraileurs or idlers, set up like
a single speed. I suppose there are faster bikes, and it's a bit heavy with
the Rohloff. I've been thinking about switching to a carbon fiber seat if I
can find one with the right top tube bracket and "sprint braces."

--
--Scott
"Jon Meinecke" > wrote in message
news:1107455117.97e1785091f4f5dc12049c099241e8db@t eranews...
> Here's a topical thread
>
> Many people here own or have owned many recumbent bikes.
> Someone in CA seemed to be practicing serial monogamy for a
> steady stream of recumbent bike models, seeking perfection...
>
> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
> attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
> didn't?
>
> No speculating on how wonderful (horrible) some bike you
> haven't owned might be! No big ha ha's over the BigHa
> unless you own one! %^P
>
> Here are mine
>
> '98 BikeE AT (original owner, still own, still ride)
> - PURPLE!
> - My first recumbent
> - Still fun to ride
> - Great utility bike,-- I have a 20 liter plastic storage
> box mounted behind the seat (also purple)
> - Quick handling and acceleration
> - Good rough-road/trail handling
> - Love the rear suspension
> - Has been very reliable, low maintenance
> - Now stays at work for exercise at lunch time
> - Top speed 36 mph, down hill
> - Often asked, "Did you make that bike yourself?"
> - Two falls, minor bruises once
>
> '00 Tour Easy (bought '01, original owner, still own, still ride)
> - Red frame, white rack
> - Wonderful bike, great cruiser
> - Touring platform, underseat panniers
> - Comfortable, Koolback Seat
> - 7000+ miles so far, many more planned
> - Front fairing only off the bike for transport, I really like it
> - Classic look and feel, great quality construction
> - Top speed ~46 mph, down hill, coulda gone faster! %^O
> - Four falls, moderate road rash twice
>
> '04 Volae Sport (bought '05, second owner, still getting acquainted)
> - Silver frame, red seat bag
> - Lightweight and, umm sporty %^)
> - previous owner bought with upgraded wheels!
> - 650C (571x23) few tire choices
> - really glides on smooth pavement
> - No bottle cage %^(
> - Nice seat bag
> - Mildly noisy drive chain (idler)
> - No falls, so far %^)
>
>
>
>

[Arne]

I have one swb and one lwb.

Rans Vivo (original model, 1998?): Soft ride, nice for goofing around on,
like riding boardwalks, sidewalks, neighborhoods, etc. Not so good for
riding a ton of miles in one day. A bit twitchy. Used on the NYC 5 boro bike
ride a couple of years back (42 miles).

GRR FoldRush (polished aluminum, ser no. F003; 2001): fast, nice seating
position (for me), Mueller fairing, covers a lot of distance comfortably. At
65 y/o, a 'lot of distance' is 25-30 miles. Really nice on bike trails and
wide open roads.

Didn't use the GRR on the 5 boro 'cause went down on a 'bike train' and
didn't want any dings.

I've tried others, but am not inclined to change anything (right now).
..
Arne, USA
..
"Freewheeling" > wrote in message
...
> I've only owned one recumbent, though I've modified it quite a bit. I've
> had a V-Rex since about 1998. It currently has a Bachetta-type stem and
> handlebars and a Rohloff Speedhub with no deraileurs or idlers, set up
> like a single speed. I suppose there are faster bikes, and it's a bit
> heavy with the Rohloff. I've been thinking about switching to a carbon
> fiber seat if I can find one with the right top tube bracket and "sprint
> braces."
>
> --
> --Scott

[Dan B.]

Jon Meinecke wrote:
> Here's a topical thread
>
> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
> attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
> didn't?
>

I'm finishing up the build of my first recumbent, actually...a Tour
Easy clone LWB. Assuming weather holds up tomorrow (Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, USA), I'll finally get to see how it handles off the
trainer.

What do I like about it? The comfort. The aesthetic. The honkin'
enormous cargo potential (Have I mentioned I want to start unsupported
touring?). The flexibility; with proper tires, I feel comfortable that
this bike will take me on any terrain on which I wish to travel. Oh,
yeah...the pleasure of building it; it cost me slightly less cash (just
under $500 so far), and I had a lot more fun than just buying a used
one on EBay. I'm looking forward to seeing how it evolves, as I add the
fun extra bits; the fairing, the bags, the clipless pedals.

What don't I like? Dunno yet...I'll let you know in a couple of months.
<grin>

(Oh, yeah...and having a hobby that doesn't involve as much sitting in
front of a computer is a pretty nifty concept too.)

Dan

[Perry Butler]

Current Bikes

98 TAILWIND
Pros:
+ Price
+ Easy on, easy off
+ Beginners can ride it easily
+ Old RANS seat that was made correctly
+ On nice tar a extremely comfortable ride.

Cons:
- RANS sells a intro bike with racing gears! Changed the gearing to 27
speed with 52-42-30 front rings. Actually made this bike faster (except for
top speed)!
- 20" rear tire = rougher ride
- Front wheel slips out easily. I have gone down on this on bike more than
all the rest of my bikes combined.


04 TOUR EASY
Pros:
+ Awesome ride. A very comfortable ride.
+ Stable in rain - have a 2-300 miles in the rain (not sprinkles but rain)
and now fully trust the bike. You do need to dress for rain to be
observant.
+ Climb any hill - installed 46-36-20 chainrings and 26" rear tire for
touring.
+ Stop on a dime - rear disk brake when running the 26" rear tire.
+ Convertible - can put on narrow 700 rear tire for slightly faster speed.
+ Faster bike - with the 700 rear, 451 front, GRR upgrade, and fairing this
bike is fast. Of course, fast is relative!
+ Surprisingly the 26" wheel is not that much slower than the 700 wheel!
+ Airline bike - S&S couplers make this bike "airline legal"
+ Stable - have never gone down on any of the Easy Racers bikes I've owned
(I've just cursed myself!)
+ Comfortable seat - I would get recumbent butt on the RANS seat but not on
the Easy Racers. YMMV
+++ This bike is a keeper!

Cons:
- LWB is hard to haul. Stairways are a pain. I imagine trains can be a
pain.
- Stock gearing is too high for our type of biking
- Seat adjustment and removal is a PITA. Easy Racers needs to do something
about this!


97 V-REX(previously owned a 2001 V-Rex)
Pros:
+ Great Seat - only if it is a pre-2001. Great Ride for a swb - with a
pre-2001 seat and wider tires this bike has a very nice ride.
+ Climb any hill - I installed 46-36-20 chainrings
+ Easy to haul - fits in the back of our vehicles. Am thinking about S& S
coupling this bike
+ Good Geometry - bb is about as high as I can tolerate. I have a bad hip.
I've tried and don't like high bb bikes.
+ Great Hauler - this bike can hold as much as any bike.
+++ This bike is a keeper

Cons:
- 2001 & newer seat - My 2001 had the incorrectly manufactured seat. Yes,
I have seen some newer seats that were manufactured within specs. I have
seen more incorrectly manufactured seats on the new bikes though.
Unfortunately, for some customers, some seats were out of tolerance and RANS
denies their problem.
- SWB ride - If I ride rough roads all day I pay for the ride.
- Suspension Fork - need I say POGO! I changed to the solid front fork.
We like to climb mountains and this suspension fork sucks in this
application. In rolling hills like in our area this is a nice fork.
- Old original running gear is dated. In the next year I will have changed
out the entire running gear.


80' TE
Pros:
+ Due to the relaxed geometry this is the most comfortable riding bike I
have ever ridden
+ People point and stare at this classic.
+ Is my winter riding bike with studded tires and fairing.

Cons:
- Due to the relaxed geometry this bike is slower than my 04 TE
- Old vinyl seat is extremely uncomfortable. Need I say sweatback and
recumbent butt? Fortunately I have an early Kool Back seat for this bike.
I also have a newer Cobra seat that I use in the winter.
- 126mm rear dropouts/rear derailleur hanger - will not allow 9 speeds. I
can go to a narrow 8 speed. I just don't trust the people I have talked to
so far to spread my rear dropouts. Perhaps I'll ship it to Sheldon Brown!


BIKES I HAVE SOLD

2000 VIVO

Pros:
+ Nice Ride
+ Old Style RANS Seat

Cons:
- BUZZ - I live in the country and the idler on the old style Vivo's
buzzed. Drove me crazy. I bought it in December and waited all winter to
ride the bike. When I finally got to ride the bike, BUZZ.............! Was
told this was an inherent problem by dealers I talked to. I don't think I
rode this bike 200 miles. For someone in an urban area this probably would
not be a problem.


2001 POLISHED ALUMINUM GOLD RUSH

Pros:
+ Polished Aluminum is beautiful and low maintenance
+ Fast - light narrow wheels, fairing with body sock. This bike flew!
+ Other Easy Racer pros apply

Cons:
- Narrow high pressure tires create a rough ride
- Handle bars were cut off to accommodate a body sock
- Other Easy Racer cons apply
- Owned too many bikes so I sold it instead of the Fold Rush. Wish I had
kept this bike and sold the Fold Rush.



2003 FOLD RUSH

Pros:
+ Folds to fit on a rear car rack easier
+ Cushy ride
+ Can use the underseat sprint braces to hold underseat bags.

Cons:
- Installed the firmest elastomer from Easy Racers and the bike still
POGOed climbing steeper hills. Terry had a medium/small and that bike
POGOed even more. Perhaps the longer the Fold Rush the less it pogo's. I
do have ideas on how to prevent this.
- Does not really fold into a small package. Even folded does NOT fit in
the back of my vehicles. You have to remove the seat
- Removing a Fold Rush seat takes longer than removing a seat on a
TE/GRR/TRR.
- Due to the pogoing this bike is slower than my 04 TE. Last fall I took
56 timings on my commute to work and back to reach this conclusion. It was
slightly faster on the downhill route to work but definately slower on my
uphill on the way home.

Enjoy,

Perry B




"Jon Meinecke" > wrote in message
news:1107455117.97e1785091f4f5dc12049c099241e8db@t eranews...
> Here's a topical thread
>
> Many people here own or have owned many recumbent bikes.
> Someone in CA seemed to be practicing serial monogamy for a
> steady stream of recumbent bike models, seeking perfection...
>
> What do you love about each of the bikes you've owned? What
> attractive attributes lasted longer than the "honeymoon"? Which
> didn't?
>
> No speculating on how wonderful (horrible) some bike you
> haven't owned might be! No big ha ha's over the BigHa
> unless you own one! %^P

[Joao de Souza]

Lets see, in order of purchase:

---

2000 Haluzak Horizon (new)

Pros:
- Good price
- Excellent handling at any speeds from walking pace up to 50mph
- A fun bike to ride. It’s hard to explain. Must be experienced.
- Not as heavy as one would expect
- Very comfortable once you learn to adjust the seat straps
- Flexible rear stays work better than many suspensions on rough roads
- You can carry a LOT of gear attached to the back of the seat
- 100% reliable

Cons:
- Not very aero
- Very wide.
- The flexible frame starts acting like gel-lo above 50mph
- Very flexible frame steals a lot of your energy when going uphill
- Seat frame starts creaking after not too much use
- Don't even think of attaching a whole lot of weight to the rear rack
- Front wheel set too far back.

---

2002 Bacchetta Strada (new)

Pros:
- Very comfortable seat
- Stiff frame transfers power to wheel really well
- Handles very well at high speeds
- Good aerodynamics without the need for a fairing
- Mixes well with road-bike pacelines
- High seating position equals good view of your surroundings
- Big wheels really do roll better than little ones.

Cons:
- High bottom-bracket not very friendly in stop and go conditions
- High center of gravity combined with pivoting stem makes bike very
hard to carry on stairs
- Grossly overtightened bottom bracket
- Grossly overtightened cranks
- Stripped crankset bolt
- Untrued front wheel with many lose spokes
- Worthless front brake pads
- Stem tilt mechanism that keept falling apart due to lack of thread lock
- Cantilever type rear brake lever matched to V type rear brake made the
rear brake useless
- Self-destructing chain
- Soft rubber chain idler that completely wore out in just a few rides
- Badly assembled chain idler missing basic parts and did not spin
- Bottle holder location makes it impossible to carry taller bottles
without overstressing and often braking the bottle holders
- Little gadget that was supposed to make-up for the wrong choice of
brake levers is hard to adjust, and ceases to work once dirty, thus
adding to the rear brake's worthlessness
- Worthless rear brake pads
- Untrued rear wheel with many lose spokes
- Seat support pins that felk out after the little holes where they go
into expand due to rider's weight
- Bent rear stays
- Bent rear derailer overhang
- Company refuses to pay for the repairs or parts replacement on a brand
new bike that they knew was defective in the first place
- Company refuses to address their quality control issues in the open
- You become persona-non-grata with the company if you ever publicly
voice any negative feelings about the bike. They won't even respond to
your emails eventhough you're a paying customer and still have the
warranty, and they'll go the extra length by publicly claiming you never
tried to contact them.

---

1996 Easy Racers Gold Rush Replica (used)

- Beautiful looking bike - looks like an Amish chopper ;)
- Much lighter than one would expect. 24 Lbs naked, 28.5 lbs fully faired.
- Stiff frame equals great transfer of power
- No need for chain idlers, thus making drivetrian very efficient and quiet
- Very comfortable seat
- Custom handlebars make it easier to put power down on pedals and tuck
behind fairing
- Custom handlebars also place more of the rider's weight over the front
wheel while reducing the amount of tiller, thus making bike track better
at slow ascends
- Climbs really well
- Very fast bike once you add a fairing
- Even faster once you add the bodysock
- Very stable at high speeds
- Seating position high enough to see around traffic
- Low bottom bracket is a major convenience in stop and go situations
- Very easy to add extreme cargo carrying capabilities for long distance
self supported touring, with very little aerodynamic penalty
- Long wheel base geometry, combined with Dura Ace brakes and Kool Stop
brake pads mean you can stop very fast without risk of losing control or
flipping over.
- Full bragging rights package (it was Fast Freddy's bike ;)
- 100% reliable
- About 1/3 the price of comparably-specked new GRR. A lot cheaper than
my low-specs Strada even before I had to raplace just about every
component on it.

Cons:
- Very long bike can be a problem when transporting or storing,
specially for us small-apartment urban dwellers
- You must add a fairing to go fast
- Since your draft is a lot lower than a road bike's, you're not welcome
in pacelines
- The forward-sitting position of the custom handlebars can cause
recumbutt after long use. Thankfully bars also include a more relaxed
position for most riding situations
- Now that I've injured my right shoulder, I won't be able to carry it
down the narrow twisty stairways in my building until my shoulder heals

[Edward Dolan]

"The Real Johnny NoCom" > wrote in message
...
> What I luv about the NoCom is that it IS the Fastest Stock Bike in All the
> Known Universe.
> No other stock recumbent will ever be faster than the NoCom. EVER.
>
> Cheers,
> Johnny NoCom
> Fastest Bike in All the Known Universe

Jesus Christ Almighty! This is God Damn tiresome nonsense. Is Ed Gin crazy
or what?

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota