The Problem with Marketing the Recumbent isThe Name

"Tom Sherman" wrote
For what it is worth, I was told by a couple of dealers that most of their
customers that found the BikeE comfortable for longer distances were
women.

I never found the BikeE seat uncomfortable, even for 50 mile
rides. I don't find it uncomfortable today, now that my BikeE
is mainly used as a short errand/utility bike ( 5 miles).

Of course, the BikeE seat was plush and comfortable compared to the
original (pre Cobra) Easy Racers seat.

I have the pre-sweet BikeE seat with the shorter seatback. I went
from that to Tour Easy with Kool-back seat, much taller. I like the
fact that the BikeE seat base could be adjusted for 'tilt', a feature not
available with the Kool-back seat base. I also like that the BikeE
seat position is easily adjustable over a wide range. Adjusting the
Easy Racers seat for someone else to try is not something I enjoy
doing. It is complicated by the fact that I have a rear rack that
attaches to the seat support rods. Overall, that's a minor issue.
The Kool-back seat has worked very well for me.

Maybe I'm just not very picky about recumbent seats. I don't
have a problem moving back and forth between my Tour Easy
and my Volae even though the "euro-style" fiberglass seat on
my Volae is very different, both in angle and in support from
the Kool-back.

I just rolled over 10,000 miles on my Tour Easy odometer.
I had the bike about a week or so before I got the cyclometer,
so I crossed 10,000 miles on the bike somewhat sooner.
Still turning over 9999.99 to 10000.00 was fun!

I suspect the foam seat padding on the Tour Easy could benefit
from replacement. There are a few worn places on the seat cover
fabric. The seat back fabric seems to have worn very little.

Jon

"Jon" wrote in message
.. .
"Tom Sherman" wrote
For what it is worth, I was told by a couple of dealers that most of
their customers that found the BikeE comfortable for longer distances
were women.

I never found the BikeE seat uncomfortable, even for 50 mile
rides. I don't find it uncomfortable today, now that my BikeE
is mainly used as a short errand/utility bike ( 5 miles).

Of course, the BikeE seat was plush and comfortable compared to the
original (pre Cobra) Easy Racers seat.

I have the pre-sweet BikeE seat with the shorter seatback. I went
from that to Tour Easy with Kool-back seat, much taller. I like the
fact that the BikeE seat base could be adjusted for 'tilt', a feature not
available with the Kool-back seat base. I also like that the BikeE
seat position is easily adjustable over a wide range. Adjusting the
Easy Racers seat for someone else to try is not something I enjoy
doing. It is complicated by the fact that I have a rear rack that
attaches to the seat support rods. Overall, that's a minor issue.
The Kool-back seat has worked very well for me.

Maybe I'm just not very picky about recumbent seats. I don't
have a problem moving back and forth between my Tour Easy
and my Volae even though the "euro-style" fiberglass seat on
my Volae is very different, both in angle and in support from
the Kool-back.

I just rolled over 10,000 miles on my Tour Easy odometer.
I had the bike about a week or so before I got the cyclometer,
so I crossed 10,000 miles on the bike somewhat sooner.
Still turning over 9999.99 to 10000.00 was fun!

I suspect the foam seat padding on the Tour Easy could benefit
from replacement. There are a few worn places on the seat cover
fabric. The seat back fabric seems to have worn very little.

An awful lot of guys who ride recumbents have iron asses. I mean, they could
sit on a fence rail all day and not complain. I on the other hand am like
the canary in the mine. I will warn you early on what is wrong with every
recumbent seat. That is because I do not have an iron ass. I am sensitive
back there.

The BikeE seat was an abomination as was the early Tour Easy seat. The Cobra
seat was also strictly for those with iron asses. Any recumbent seat must be
adjustable for the lean back, that goes without saying. All the RANS seats
are comfortable provided you get the seat base foam right. But the most
comfortable seat ever designed was the Vision seat. Nothing else can compare
to it.

When you get a recumbent, you might as well got the comfort right because
that will determine what you will ride. Only masochists like to ride bikes
that give them pain.

Regards,

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

Edward Dolan wrote:

An awful lot of guys who ride recumbents have iron asses. I mean, they could
sit on a fence rail all day and not complain. I on the other hand am like
the canary in the mine. I will warn you early on what is wrong with every
recumbent seat. That is because I do not have an iron ass. I am sensitive
back there.

Well, there was the person who replaced his BikeE seat base with a piece
of plywood covered Astroturf® [1].

The BikeE seat was an abomination as was the early Tour Easy seat. The Cobra
seat was also strictly for those with iron asses. Any recumbent seat must be
adjustable for the lean back, that goes without saying. All the RANS seats
are comfortable provided you get the seat base foam right. But the most
comfortable seat ever designed was the Vision seat. Nothing else can compare
to it.

Nonsense. The Earth Cycles seat is the most comfortable, particularly
when it is used on a suspended Dragonflyer.

When you get a recumbent, you might as well got the comfort right because
that will determine what you will ride. Only masochists like to ride bikes
that give them pain.

Like those odd looking bicycles that have a little wedged shaped saddle
and put the rider in the same position as an equestrian?

[1] For E.D., ® is ALT0174 (numbers on the keypad, not those above the
letters).

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

Jon Meinecke wrote:
...
I suspect the foam seat padding on the Tour Easy could benefit
from replacement. There are a few worn places on the seat cover
fabric. The seat back fabric seems to have worn very little.

I know several Easy Racers owners have commented that the foam does
break down over time/use. I believe that Easy Racers will replace the
foam - call them and ask.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
Edward Dolan wrote:

An awful lot of guys who ride recumbents have iron asses. I mean, they
could sit on a fence rail all day and not complain. I on the other hand
am like the canary in the mine. I will warn you early on what is wrong
with every recumbent seat. That is because I do not have an iron ass. I
am sensitive back there.

Well, there was the person who replaced his BikeE seat base with a piece
of plywood covered Astroturf® [1].

The BikeE seat was an abomination as was the early Tour Easy seat. The
Cobra seat was also strictly for those with iron asses. Any recumbent
seat must be adjustable for the lean back, that goes without saying. All
the RANS seats are comfortable provided you get the seat base foam right.
But the most comfortable seat ever designed was the Vision seat. Nothing
else can compare to it.

Nonsense. The Earth Cycles seat is the most comfortable, particularly when
it is used on a suspended Dragonflyer.

All full sling mesh seats will benefit from a foam pad. It is easy to get
recumbent butt without the foam.

When you get a recumbent, you might as well got the comfort right because
that will determine what you will ride. Only masochists like to ride
bikes that give them pain.

Like those odd looking bicycles that have a little wedged shaped saddle
and put the rider in the same position as an equestrian?

I challenge anyone who can ride an upright for 6 hours a day for a week at a
time and experience not only lots of discomfort, but some pain. Pain is not
good. It is your body's way of telling you to do something different.

[1] For E.D., ® is ALT0174 (numbers on the keypad, not those above the
letters).

It is probably good to know details like this, but we needn't bother for
Usenet. Most posters here border on being illiterate and I am pleased if
their simple sentences make sense.

Regards,

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

On Jul 16, 3:15 am, Peter Clinch wrote:
wrote:
I have been around recumbents for 25 years and I can tell you that there are
very few young people who have any interest in this style of bicycle.
Serious young cyclists want to be fast and recumbents are as slow as
molasses going up hills.

Oh, slow on hills ? ? ?

you better not watch this then . . . heh heh

http://www.lightningbikes.com/lcd-climb.mpg

Plus of course what goes up, must come down. And going down hills my
rather flabby touring 'bent with no pretensions at speed can cruise past
most uprights freewheeling...

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/

Here's the advertising generated by the term recumbent on google, it
appears along side posts in this group: (urls changed so they don't
work)
Sponsored Links

Top 10 Excercise Bikes
Ranked by Popularity and Quality.
Compare Excercise Bikes Here!
www.Smartguiderzzz.comz
Buy Recumbent Bikes
Huge variety of exercise equipment,
including Recumbent Bikes.
www.eFitnessDirectzzz.comz
Reconditioned New & Used
Commercial Fitness Gym Equipment
Treadmills Ellipticals Bikes SAVE$$
www.keystonesportszzz.caz
just to prove my point about the name.

wrote:

Here's the advertising generated by the term recumbent on google, it
appears along side posts in this group: (urls changed so they don't
work)
Sponsored Links

Top 10 Excercise Bikes
Ranked by Popularity and Quality.
Compare Excercise Bikes Here!
www.Smartguiderzzz.comz
Buy Recumbent Bikes
Huge variety of exercise equipment,
including Recumbent Bikes.
www.eFitnessDirectzzz.comz
Reconditioned New & Used
Commercial Fitness Gym Equipment
Treadmills Ellipticals Bikes SAVE$$
www.keystonesportszzz.caz
just to prove my point about the name.

That's because the recumbenty exercise bike market is bigger than the
recumbent bike market, so no surprises.

Go is one of the world's most popular boardgames. See what you learn
about it as a game by typing "go" into google. That doesn't mean the
name needs changing.

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/

wrote in message
...
On Jul 16, 3:15 am, Peter Clinch wrote:
wrote:

Edward Dolan wrote:

I have been around recumbents for 25 years and I can tell you that
there are
very few young people who have any interest in this style of bicycle.
Serious young cyclists want to be fast and recumbents are as slow as
molasses going up hills.

Oh, slow on hills ? ? ?

you better not watch this then . . . heh heh

http://www.lightningbikes.com/lcd-climb.mpg

Plus of course what goes up, must come down. And going down hills my
rather flabby touring 'bent with no pretensions at speed can cruise past
most uprights freewheeling...

Pete.

Here's the advertising generated by the term recumbent on google, it
appears along side posts in this group: (urls changed so they don't
work)
Sponsored Links

Top 10 Excercise Bikes
Ranked by Popularity and Quality.
Compare Excercise Bikes Here!
www.Smartguiderzzz.comz
Buy Recumbent Bikes
Huge variety of exercise equipment,
including Recumbent Bikes.
www.eFitnessDirectzzz.comz
Reconditioned New & Used
Commercial Fitness Gym Equipment
Treadmills Ellipticals Bikes SAVE$$
www.keystonesportszzz.caz
just to prove my point about the name.

The Google search engine, along with all the other Internet search engines,
is a Johnny come lately to the world of search. Please stay out of any large
university research library as you will be overwhelmed by the possibilities.

But the key to any kind of search is to zero in on detail as much as
possible. Entire year long courses are given in university library schools
in connection with cataloging and classification which mostly just deal with
just one thing - details, details, details!

For instance, you should have entered the term 'recumbent bicycle' and you
would have had much better results.

Regards,

Former College Librarian

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

On Jul 22, 2:48 pm, "Edward Dolan" wrote:
wrote in message

...



On Jul 16, 3:15 am, Peter Clinch wrote:
wrote:
Edward Dolan wrote:
I have been around recumbents for 25 years and I can tell you that
there are
very few young people who have any interest in this style of bicycle.
Serious young cyclists want to be fast and recumbents are as slow as
molasses going up hills.

Oh, slow on hills ? ? ?

you better not watch this then . . . heh heh

http://www.lightningbikes.com/lcd-climb.mpg

Plus of course what goes up, must come down. And going down hills my
rather flabby touring 'bent with no pretensions at speed can cruise past
most uprights freewheeling...

Pete.

Here's the advertising generated by the term recumbent on google, it
appears along side posts in this group: (urls changed so they don't
work)
Sponsored Links

Top 10 Excercise Bikes
Ranked by Popularity and Quality.
Compare Excercise Bikes Here!
www.Smartguiderzzz.comz
Buy Recumbent Bikes
Huge variety of exercise equipment,
including Recumbent Bikes.
www.eFitnessDirectzzz.comz
Reconditioned New & Used
Commercial Fitness Gym Equipment
Treadmills Ellipticals Bikes SAVE$$
www.keystonesportszzz.caz
just to prove my point about the name.

The Google search engine, along with all the other Internet search engines,
is a Johnny come lately to the world of search. Please stay out of any large
university research library as you will be overwhelmed by the possibilities.

But the key to any kind of search is to zero in on detail as much as
possible. Entire year long courses are given in university library schools
in connection with cataloging and classification which mostly just deal with
just one thing - details, details, details!

For instance, you should have entered the term 'recumbent bicycle' and you
would have had much better results.

Regards,

Former College Librarian

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

You misunderstand, I wasn't looking for recumbent bicycles, that's the
advertising that appears down the side of this newsgroup when I'm
looking at the post. It's automatically relating the term recumbent to
'exersize bike' without even a mention of road bicycle.

wrote in message
...
On Jul 22, 2:48 pm, "Edward Dolan" wrote:
[...]
The Google search engine, along with all the other Internet search
engines,
is a Johnny come lately to the world of search. Please stay out of any
large
university research library as you will be overwhelmed by the
possibilities.

But the key to any kind of search is to zero in on detail as much as
possible. Entire year long courses are given in university library
schools
in connection with cataloging and classification which mostly deal with
just one thing - details, details, details!

For instance, you should have entered the term 'recumbent bicycle' and
you
would have had much better results.


You misunderstand, I wasn't looking for recumbent bicycles, that's the
advertising that appears down the side of this newsgroup when I'm
looking at the post. It's automatically relating the term recumbent to
'exersize bike' without even a mention of road bicycle.

A 'recumbent' is not necessarily the same thing as a 'recumbent bicycle'.
That is what I meant by paying attention to details.

Regards,

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