Recumbent bikes off-road?

I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)? I live in
Southern Maine, but I make it to Boston about
once a month. Any good bike stores in Boston or
Cambridge? How about Portland, Maine? I would
greatly appreciate any suggestions or advice.

George W. Cherry

In article ,
"George Cherry" wrote:

I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)?

George:

I've done a bit of riding on dirt roads and trails on my Gold Rush. All
but the last of these are on the San Francisco Peninsula.

Stevens Canyon
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/9yuxk

South Butano
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/br4cs
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/bg6a7

Montara Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/5kp9c

Black Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/3wyt6

Bolinas Ridge, Marin County
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/4lkk6

--
Bill Bushnell
http://pobox.com/~bushnell/

George Cherry wrote:
I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)?

Depends on the bike. An out and out lowracer with smooth skinny tyres
wouldn't be exactly best suited to the job, but anything remotely
touring or general purpose oriented should do fine. My Streetmachine GT
often takes on unpaved trails and hasn't had any particular difficulty,
and my gf's lower and sportier Nazca Fiero has managed pretty boggy
disused rail lines and woodland trails while fully laden for touring
without any obvious grief.

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:
My Streetmachine GT
often takes on unpaved trails and hasn't had any particular difficulty,
and my gf's lower and sportier Nazca Fiero has managed pretty boggy
disused rail lines and woodland trails while fully laden for touring
without any obvious grief.


Not even from Roos?

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Tony Raven wrote:
Peter Clinch wrote:

My Streetmachine GT often takes on unpaved trails and hasn't had any
particular difficulty, and my gf's lower and sportier Nazca Fiero has
managed pretty boggy disused rail lines and woodland trails while
fully laden for touring without any obvious grief.

Not even from Roos?

Especially not from Roos...

She's bigger and tougher than me, I'm not going to do anything to upset
her...

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/

Tony Raven writes:

Peter Clinch wrote:
My Streetmachine GT
often takes on unpaved trails and hasn't had any particular difficulty,
and my gf's lower and sportier Nazca Fiero has managed pretty boggy
disused rail lines and woodland trails while fully laden for touring
without any obvious grief.


Not even from Roos?

I'm usually the one hogging the map so if the route choice is a bit
unfortunate it's my fault. Not that it stops me blaming Pete of course

The main grief on that boggy route was when I grinded to a halt, and put
my foot down for balance in the middle of a big slimey ditch wearing
sandals....

Did Pete mention suspension in his earlier post? I was surprised how well
that worked going downhill on a rocky trail.

Roos

"Bill Bushnell" wrote in message
...

Stevens Canyon
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/9yuxk

South Butano
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/br4cs
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/bg6a7

Montara Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/5kp9c

Black Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/3wyt6

Bolinas Ridge, Marin County
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/4lkk6


Great photos, Bill.

I'm curious about that piece of cloth draped over the recumbent. I believe
it's used to prevent wind drag. Does it work?

If it does, I'm going to satisfy my daughter and search for a pink polka dot
one.

Cully_J

"Bill Bushnell" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"George Cherry" wrote:

I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)?

George:

I've done a bit of riding on dirt roads and trails on my Gold Rush. All
but the last of these are on the San Francisco Peninsula.

Stevens Canyon
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/9yuxk

South Butano
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/br4cs
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/bg6a7

Montara Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/5kp9c

Black Mountain
Picture album: http://tinyurl.com/3wyt6

Bolinas Ridge, Marin County
Ride story: http://tinyurl.com/4lkk6

Thanks. The pictures "are worth a thousand words".
The trails you ride are quite a bit more level and smooth
than the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuges I have in mind
here in Maine. And you appear to be about half my age,
so I'm skeptical I could trike on my trails.

George

"Peter Clinch" wrote in message
...
George Cherry wrote:
I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)?

Depends on the bike. An out and out lowracer with smooth skinny tyres
wouldn't be exactly best suited to the job, but anything remotely touring
or general purpose oriented should do fine. My Streetmachine GT often
takes on unpaved trails and hasn't had any particular difficulty, and my
gf's lower and sportier Nazca Fiero has managed pretty boggy disused rail
lines and woodland trails while fully laden for touring without any
obvious grief.

Duly noted. Thanks.

George

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/

George Cherry wrote:
I'm very interested in recumbent biking. Are they
hard to ride on woodland trails (not really steep
or very rough, but still not pavement)? I live in
Southern Maine, but I make it to Boston about
once a month. Any good bike stores in Boston or
Cambridge? How about Portland, Maine? I would
greatly appreciate any suggestions or advice.

George W. Cherry


Hi George

If you are near Boston, stop in and see Scott Chamberlain at
Belmont Wheelworks. I'd give them a call first to make sure Scott will
be there, he is the man when it comes to bents at Wheelworks.

A truly amazing relatively small store, with over 60 employees
the last I checked!

www.wheelworks.com



Rich Pinto
Bacchetta Bicycles