Recumbent bike addresses
N. CHRIS PAULHUS DTN 223-6871 MLO8-3/T13
The following is taken from the DEC Notesfile on Bicycles (having
the world's largest non-military network does have its benifits).
I've given workshops at GEARS on recumbents, ride an Avatar. Would
be pleased to answer questions directly. I'm firmly convinced that
recumbents are absolutely superior (except for hill-climbing) to
diamond framed bikes, for safety alone, or comfort alone, or speed ...
Recumbent Mfgr's Addresses
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Counterpoint Conveyance Ltd
P.O. Box 33475
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 365-6837 Tandems, free catalog
DeFelice Recumbent Bicycle Corp.
26 N Depot St.
P.O. Box 321
New Palestine, IN 46163
(317) 861-6145 Complete or frameset, free catalog
(my choice for a recumbent)
Easy Racers Inc.
P.O. Box 255
Freedom, CA 95019
(408) 722-9797 Complete, framesets, or plans. $1 catalog
Infinity Bicycles
P.O. Box 326
292 W. Harrison St.
Mooresville, IN 46158
(317) 831-8798 Aluminum bike, catalog $1 (nice folks)
RANS
1104 E. Highway 40 Bypass
Hayes, KS 67601
(913) 625-6346 Bikes & framesets, catalog
The Avatar man be back in production this year at a much more
reasonable cost. If so, it would become my #1 choice.
plus a bunch of other, less established ones. Mail me for more info -
N. Chris Paulhus decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-euclid!paulhus
Gerry Gleason
resistence, more comfortable riding position, less exposure to head injuries,
but there are also a number of drawbacks. The most serious is the lack of
visibility; you can't see over most cars, and they can't see you as well.
I have experience with a cheap recumbent that a friend and I build
(it was called a Hypercycle). It was fun to play around on, but the
frame flexed so much that it wasn't very efficient, and the seat back
was rigidly attached to the frame, so it directly transmitted bumps
to the middle of your back. I would guess that frame flex is a problem
on recumbents with the pedals in front on the wheel. I havn't ridden
one with the wheel in front, but they have the disadvantage of being
difficult to maneuver in and out of your appartment/house etc.
Maneuverability on the road is also a problem, the tightest circle
we could do on the Hypercycle was almost 20 feet across, and its got
to be worse with a longer wheelbase. (compare this to a 5 or 6 foot
circle on a normal bike).
Don't get me wrong, I think the recumbent has potential, but the standard
bicycle has been refined over a long period of time and there are many
manufactures. Consequently, a recumbent will cost more than an equivalent
upright bicycle, and you will be an experiementer. Someday I'll probably
get the bug to experiment and get another recumbent. I'd be interested
in hearing of about other recumbent experiences.
Gerry