primer on recumbents vs car

For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?

could somebody write me a primer that I could post on my blog:
pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com?

I am looking for reasons to give up the car.

"zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com" wrote
in message
...
For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?
[...]

I suggest an upright 3-speed trike, the kind with a big basket in the rear
between the wheels. You will always be very slow on this kind of
contraption, but it can't be beat for carrying a heavy load, which is what
groceries are. Just make sure it is a 3-speed - and you may even have to
lower the gears drastically. You will most likely have to raise the seat
drastically also unless you like to stress your knees.

Forget about recumbent trikes for hauling heavy loads unless they are a
special build for that purpose.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com wrote:
For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?

On the one hand yes, but on the other hand not particularly more than an
upright bike/trike. Either can be used as a trailer tug or pannier carrier.

I am looking for reasons to give up the car.

If you want something to do the job of carting cargo I would look for a
specific cargo machine. I use a Burrows 8 Freight, which isn't a
recumbent, for cargo but use a 'bent for touring. The 'bent takes loads
very well, but it's much more of a faff to load and unload than a proper
cargo machine, where you just put your crate into the cargo area and off
you go.

See http://www.velovision.com/mag/issue9/8freight.pdf for details of the
8Freight, http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models.php for details of some
Dutch cargo bikes.

There are some trailer possibilities given at
http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/trailers.shtml and these have the
advantage that they work with most bikes. If you don't have room or
budget for a separate freighter a trailer is probably the most cost
effective way of carting stuff by bike.

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/

Peter Clinch wrote:
zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com wrote:
For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?

On the one hand yes, but on the other hand not particularly more than an
upright bike/trike. Either can be used as a trailer tug or pannier carrier.

I am looking for reasons to give up the car.

If you want something to do the job of carting cargo I would look for a
specific cargo machine. I use a Burrows 8 Freight, which isn't a
recumbent, for cargo but use a 'bent for touring. The 'bent takes loads
very well, but it's much more of a faff to load and unload than a proper
cargo machine, where you just put your crate into the cargo area and off
you go.

I found one recumbent that looked like it could be used for
more cargo than other 2 wheel recumbent and normal upright bikes.
http://www.mcsbike.com/htm/i_spider.html
They do also make a real cargo bike that can handle alot more.
http://www.mcsbike.com/htm/i_truck.html


Other possible options is getting a cruzbike and extending it
with an xtracycle. You can see photo/drawings here
http://sports.ph.groups.yahoo.com/gr...os/browse/3482

Naturally since cruzbike has a kit for building your own bike,
you can possibly use a real cargo bike where the cargo is
behind the driver to built a recumbent cargo bike.



JonB

I have a trike and there is no way for me to pickup groceries. U would need
to get a hitch and than a trailer. Why not just get a big old three wheel
bike with a basket on the back they are very cheap
"zfolwick @ pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com" wrote
in message
...
For the dude/dudett that just wants to pick up groceries.... would a
recumbent trike/bike make sense?

could somebody write me a primer that I could post on my blog:
pennywise-poundfoolish.typepad.com?

I am looking for reasons to give up the car.