newbie needs advice

Hi,

I live just south of Calgary Alberta (in redneck cattle country where
F350 dually's are more the order of the day than anything human powered. I
am very interested in getting a recumbent and tried out a Burley Caito back
in Ontario a couple months ago. It was a blast to ride, but dropping $2600+
dollars is not something I want to do till I know that is absolutely the
best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
experiences. For the record, if anyone cares to recommend, I'm 42, 6'2 and
215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

TiA

Greg

Greg, plan a vacation at a bent dealer with a liberal test ride policy and a
large inventory. Oh, take money too. I don't think anyone on this newsgroup
can give you the absolute best bike to buy, you need to do this yourself
grasshopper. BTW if you like riding what you buy, don't plan on it being
your last bike.
Denny in Sayre, Pa
"Bent but not broken"
"Greg McAllister" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

I live just south of Calgary Alberta (in redneck cattle country where
F350 dually's are more the order of the day than anything human powered. I
am very interested in getting a recumbent and tried out a Burley Caito
back
in Ontario a couple months ago. It was a blast to ride, but dropping
$2600+
dollars is not something I want to do till I know that is absolutely the
best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
experiences. For the record, if anyone cares to recommend, I'm 42, 6'2 and
215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

TiA

Greg

Greg, plan a vacation at a bent dealer with a liberal test ride policy and a
large inventory. Oh, take money too. I don't think anyone on this newsgroup
can give you the absolute best bike to buy, you need to do this yourself
grasshopper. BTW if you like riding what you buy, don't plan on it being
your last bike.
Denny in Sayre, Pa
"Bent but not broken"
"Greg McAllister" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

I live just south of Calgary Alberta (in redneck cattle country where
F350 dually's are more the order of the day than anything human powered. I
am very interested in getting a recumbent and tried out a Burley Caito
back
in Ontario a couple months ago. It was a blast to ride, but dropping
$2600+
dollars is not something I want to do till I know that is absolutely the
best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
experiences. For the record, if anyone cares to recommend, I'm 42, 6'2 and
215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

TiA

Greg

Greg McAllister wrote:

: best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
: bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
: they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
: I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
: experiences.

I don't know. Every bent is great but none of them is perfect. You
can find my experiences at my HPV page.

Be sure to read this newsgroup! :-)

: 215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
: 60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

Sounds like a nice commute. If the route is interesting you could
do it maybe once or twice a week, as a roundtrip.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html
varis at no spam please iki fi

Greg McAllister wrote:

: best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
: bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
: they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
: I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
: experiences.

I don't know. Every bent is great but none of them is perfect. You
can find my experiences at my HPV page.

Be sure to read this newsgroup! :-)

: 215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
: 60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

Sounds like a nice commute. If the route is interesting you could
do it maybe once or twice a week, as a roundtrip.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html
varis at no spam please iki fi

"Greg McAllister" wrote in message ...
Hi,

I live just south of Calgary Alberta (in redneck cattle country where
F350 dually's are more the order of the day than anything human powered. I
am very interested in getting a recumbent and tried out a Burley Caito back
in Ontario a couple months ago. It was a blast to ride, but dropping $2600+
dollars is not something I want to do till I know that is absolutely the
best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
experiences. For the record, if anyone cares to recommend, I'm 42, 6'2 and
215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

TiA

Greg
One thing you want to know before you drive long distance to try
bikes is your outseam length. You get this by sitting against the wall
and measuring from your hip to the bottom of your heel. At 6'4" you my
have a long leg with more then 47" on the outseam. Many bents would
not fit you. Once you know your measurment you can call ahead for
info. on bents in stock your size at different shops.
Good luck!

"Greg McAllister" wrote in message ...
Hi,

I live just south of Calgary Alberta (in redneck cattle country where
F350 dually's are more the order of the day than anything human powered. I
am very interested in getting a recumbent and tried out a Burley Caito back
in Ontario a couple months ago. It was a blast to ride, but dropping $2600+
dollars is not something I want to do till I know that is absolutely the
best bent to buy. So therein lies the problem... how do I test different
bents or at lest feel confident that I'm buying the right bike for me when
they are about as scarce as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs ?
I'd very much appreciate advice from people who have bought and their
experiences. For the record, if anyone cares to recommend, I'm 42, 6'2 and
215 lbs. This is just a hobby for me as I don't see myself commuting the
60km's each way to work so it should be reasonably priced as well.

TiA

Greg
One thing you want to know before you drive long distance to try
bikes is your outseam length. You get this by sitting against the wall
and measuring from your hip to the bottom of your heel. At 6'4" you my
have a long leg with more then 47" on the outseam. Many bents would
not fit you. Once you know your measurment you can call ahead for
info. on bents in stock your size at different shops.
Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies both to the group and my email !

Greg


"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
m...
"Joshua Goldberg" wrote in message
...

Not sure about this different shops idea...this is Alta where he lives
and
the selection of recumbent stores Greg could visit is pretty well
limited to
ONE in 1,000 miles in every direction except SW into the USA. Canada is
a
vast country with 1/10th the USA population. We have this huge 2,000
mile
stretch of nothing recumbent between Vancouver and Windsor Ontario.

I did a week long organized ride in North Dakota (Candisc) several
years ago and there were 3 recumbent cyclists who came down from
Gillam, Manitoba to do the ride. They considered themselves to be in
the Southland in North Dakota as they were from near Hudson Bay. Where
they got their recumbent bicycles from I haven't the foggiest.
Probably mail order. Like all Canadians, they were super strong
cyclists. They said they only had very limited roads up there on which
to ride their bikes. They all worked in a power plant facility
(hydro).

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Thanks for all the replies both to the group and my email !

Greg


"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
m...
"Joshua Goldberg" wrote in message
...

Not sure about this different shops idea...this is Alta where he lives
and
the selection of recumbent stores Greg could visit is pretty well
limited to
ONE in 1,000 miles in every direction except SW into the USA. Canada is
a
vast country with 1/10th the USA population. We have this huge 2,000
mile
stretch of nothing recumbent between Vancouver and Windsor Ontario.

I did a week long organized ride in North Dakota (Candisc) several
years ago and there were 3 recumbent cyclists who came down from
Gillam, Manitoba to do the ride. They considered themselves to be in
the Southland in North Dakota as they were from near Hudson Bay. Where
they got their recumbent bicycles from I haven't the foggiest.
Probably mail order. Like all Canadians, they were super strong
cyclists. They said they only had very limited roads up there on which
to ride their bikes. They all worked in a power plant facility
(hydro).

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

That Hydro Power facility you mention would be Thompson, Manitoba. I am
amazed anyone that far North would get bent. Thompson has more Polar Bears
walking around free than anywhere else in Canada. Over the years I have
heard of a few bent cyclists in Saskatchewan and Manitoba...but no bents in
stores.
Saskatchewan would be Ideal for bent riding....not a single hill anywhere
and the well paved roads see little car traffic....but it would get boring
fast.

Hope you find the perfect bent....I was thinking, maybe contact Cambie in
Vancouver and see if they'll ship a Recumbini or Recumboni to you. They used
to have a 30 day try before you buy policy and shipping BC to Alta ain't
that costly...about $55.00. A day trip to Vancouver would still be your best
choice.
***********************

"Greg McAllister" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the replies both to the group and my email !

Greg


"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
m...
"Joshua Goldberg" wrote in message
...

Not sure about this different shops idea...this is Alta where he lives
and
the selection of recumbent stores Greg could visit is pretty well
limited to
ONE in 1,000 miles in every direction except SW into the USA. Canada
is
a
vast country with 1/10th the USA population. We have this huge 2,000
mile
stretch of nothing recumbent between Vancouver and Windsor Ontario.

I did a week long organized ride in North Dakota (Candisc) several
years ago and there were 3 recumbent cyclists who came down from
Gillam, Manitoba to do the ride. They considered themselves to be in
the Southland in North Dakota as they were from near Hudson Bay. Where
they got their recumbent bicycles from I haven't the foggiest.
Probably mail order. Like all Canadians, they were super strong
cyclists. They said they only had very limited roads up there on which
to ride their bikes. They all worked in a power plant facility
(hydro).

Ed Dolan - Minnesota