"Richard Greenberg" wrote
I've noticed that there are a few Bikee's (or is it Bike E's) for
sale now and then on Ebay. Are these bikes a reasonable place to start?

I've had a BikeE AT/XL since 1998. I've acquired two other
'bents since, but I still regularly ride the BikeE for errands and
short trips.

So, a BikeE is a reasonable way to start. But be careful,
recumbents are addictive! %^)

As others have pointed out, a BikeE isn't likely to set speed records,
but in my experience, BikeEs are great utility bikes and fun to ride.
They are very adjustable for rider height, but if you're 6 feet tall or
more or a heavier rider, you probably want to look for an XL
(extra-long) model. The weight distribution is better, I believe
if the seat isn't adjusted too far back.

What at first may seem like "squirrelly" handling will fairly quickly
become responsive feeling. This is not a bike you can ride
without hands, but a light touch on the handlebars is all that is
needed. It will take some practice to hold a straight line at
slow speeds.

BikeE's are out of production, so any specialized parts will
be difficult to come by. For the most part, however, I think
they are quire reliable. Most parts, including the drive train
are standard components and very maintainable.

Finding one for $300-400 seems like a good price to me.
There were many with very low mileage, for a time, but I
don't know what the market is like today. Check the for
sale message board at www.bentrideronline.com and the
classified ads at www.hostelshoppe.com and other lists.
Other "entry level bikes you might consider include
the "EZ" line, RANS Tailwind, Rocket, etc...

Good luck,

Jon Meinecke
BikeE, Tour Easy, Volae Sport