2004 Catrike Speed is on its way!

Before I begin my story, have a look at this archived email message from the
recumbent trikes listserv from only 4 years ago:
http://www.ihpva.org/pipermail/trike...q1/000597.html

It hasn't even been four years since Paulo Camasmie began producing Catrikes
in the USA. He has already won Trike of the Year two years running in that
short time.

I've wanted a Catrike Speed since they were introduced; but I already had a
nice late-80's-vintage Leibold tadpole trike, and couldn't justify the
expense. I was tempted to foolishness too many times by Ebay deals, and
have added 5 bikes to my stable (while in grad school) over the past couple
of years. Anybody else here have a hard time parting with nice bikes or
walking away from good deals? Then you know how it is.

So, in the past several years, I've had some fun riding a M5 low racer, a
RANS Rocket (great bike), doing club rides on my Soulcraft Royale (Spring
Yellow, w/ DuraAce) and riding everywhere on my 2001 Klein Attitude (Aztec
Gold), a WTB titanium hardtail, and 10 other bikes. All the while, I kept
coming back to wondering what a really well-designed, speedy-yet-comfortable
trike might be like.

When I reviewed my cycling past, I knew that the most relaxing and fun
pedaled vehicle I had owned was a tadpole trike. There's something
wonderful about gliding to a stop at the edge of a trail to gaze at a hawk
flying overhead, or at a lovely tree, without any need to clumsily dismount
or worry about even balancing. It's effortless, as if the trike is truly an
extension of one's body. There's nothing else like it.

A couple of weeks ago, I got up the nerve to sell my beloved and rare
Leibold trike on Ebay, and make the step up to the most expensive pedaled
vehicle I have ever owned. With income now pouring in as never before, the
$2095 price (including UPS shipping) didn't faze me too much. Prior to
this, the most I have ever paid for a bike or trike is $1600 for a
lightly-used DuraAce/Veloce equipped 2001 M5 Low Racer (Euro spec) from Ed
Deaton at Fool's Crow in FL. The M5 was a sleek, heavy, fast, beast of a
bike, which I thought I might never learn to ride; but which I actually miss
sometimes. M5's are magic once you learn to ride them. They attract college
co-eds like nothing I've ever seen. ;-)

So, this past Monday, I bought a brand new 2004 Catrike Speed from Luke at
Calhoun Cycle in Minneapolis. He had the best price I found (list price plus
free Catrike fenders *and* headrest), he had the Speed in stock, offered
knowledgeable advice and fast email response. I'm a happy customer.
www.calhouncycle.com I spent several weeks thinking about which Catrike
model to buy. The choice was very difficult; but I predict that Catrikes
will be sold out very quickly this season. Better buy one real soon, and
expect to wait a few weeks. I'm curious to see how many Pocket trikes are
sold, since I predicted that a really nice sub-$1,500 performance-oriented
trike would cause US trike sales to skyrocket. We shall see.

Will the Catrike meet or exceed my expectations? Very probably. Paulo
Camasmie's work speaks for itself, and the rave reviews and awards only
confirm what is evident. He's an extremely clever engineer and a canny,
dedicated, hard working businessman. He thinks outside the box, and has a
rare eye for the aesthetic that seems lacking in the US recumbent market
(OK...I said it). I have a feeling that the Catrike Speed may be one of
those "keepers" that I hang onto for a long, long time.

Barry
AKA Rocketman

Rocketman wrote:

Before I begin my story, have a look at this archived email message from the
recumbent trikes listserv from only 4 years ago:
http://www.ihpva.org/pipermail/trike...q1/000597.html

It hasn't even been four years since Paulo Camasmie began producing Catrikes
in the USA. He has already won Trike of the Year two years running in that
short time.

I've wanted a Catrike Speed since they were introduced; but I already had a
nice late-80's-vintage Leibold tadpole trike, and couldn't justify the
expense. I was tempted to foolishness too many times by Ebay deals, and
have added 5 bikes to my stable (while in grad school) over the past couple
of years. Anybody else here have a hard time parting with nice bikes or
walking away from good deals? Then you know how it is.

So, in the past several years, I've had some fun riding a M5 low racer, a
RANS Rocket (great bike), doing club rides on my Soulcraft Royale (Spring
Yellow, w/ DuraAce) and riding everywhere on my 2001 Klein Attitude (Aztec
Gold), a WTB titanium hardtail, and 10 other bikes. All the while, I kept
coming back to wondering what a really well-designed, speedy-yet-comfortable
trike might be like...

Former UIUC graduate student riding a RANS Rocket, a lowracer, and a
trike. What a weirdo!

--
Tom Sherman - MS, UIUC-2001
RANS Rocket, Sunset Lowracer, Dragonflyer Trike

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
Rocketman wrote:

Before I begin my story, have a look at this archived email message from
the recumbent trikes listserv from only 4 years ago:
http://www.ihpva.org/pipermail/trike...q1/000597.html

It hasn't even been four years since Paulo Camasmie began producing
Catrikes in the USA. He has already won Trike of the Year two years
running in that short time.

I've wanted a Catrike Speed since they were introduced; but I already had
a nice late-80's-vintage Leibold tadpole trike, and couldn't justify the
expense. I was tempted to foolishness too many times by Ebay deals, and
have added 5 bikes to my stable (while in grad school) over the past
couple of years. Anybody else here have a hard time parting with nice
bikes or walking away from good deals? Then you know how it is.

So, in the past several years, I've had some fun riding a M5 low racer, a
RANS Rocket (great bike), doing club rides on my Soulcraft Royale (Spring
Yellow, w/ DuraAce) and riding everywhere on my 2001 Klein Attitude
(Aztec Gold), a WTB titanium hardtail, and 10 other bikes. All the while,
I kept coming back to wondering what a really well-designed,
speedy-yet-comfortable trike might be like...

Former UIUC graduate student riding a RANS Rocket, a lowracer, and a
trike. What a weirdo!

--
Tom Sherman - MS, UIUC-2001
RANS Rocket, Sunset Lowracer, Dragonflyer Trike
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Great minds think alike, I guess ;-)

Barry
MS UIUC 2004
2000 RANS Rocket
2005 Catrike Speed