Recumbent
- Thread starter Bobajob
- Start date
I once had a semi-recumbent HP Spirit. It got little use as it was a liability in town. Too low and unwieldy. You have to use a different set of muscles too, and that takes some getting used to. On www.yacf.co.uk there is a board for recumbents and someone there has converted one to electric assist.
The Flevo's are a bit unusual with the front drive wheel/derailleur set up, apparently very hard to master with center hinged set up. You are better talking to the folks in the sub forum link below.
Try before you buy is the most common word banded around and more so for Bent's, they are marmite bikes. The large wheels also makes them a high rider and likely not pleasant as you topple over, a bit harder to put a decent foot or hand down.
The users on CUK say although you soon master how to ride the bike after a few efforts and falls it takes several months or more to be at one with the bike, slow speed is one problem as one tries not wanting to lean the bike in the prone/semi prone position.
I keep toying with getting one but know in my mind I wouldn't use it much.
Be prepared for a new set of leg muscles to start aching.
Try before you buy is the most common word banded around and more so for Bent's, they are marmite bikes. The large wheels also makes them a high rider and likely not pleasant as you topple over, a bit harder to put a decent foot or hand down.
The users on CUK say although you soon master how to ride the bike after a few efforts and falls it takes several months or more to be at one with the bike, slow speed is one problem as one tries not wanting to lean the bike in the prone/semi prone position.
I keep toying with getting one but know in my mind I wouldn't use it much.
Be prepared for a new set of leg muscles to start aching.
Last edited:
I too am toying with the idea as I hope it would ease the neck/shoulder ache I get fron arthritus. I've been looking at the Velotechnic street machine, but boy are they expensive and hard to get hold of.
i to have been looking at bents and your post reminded me of this.
Although the one I’d like to test ride is a Lightfoot Bigfoot Ranger
My advice is to find a Recumbent dealer, and discuss with them what you would like, then try as many different types as you can.
The problem is there are not many in the UK, there are more on the continent, The Netherlands will be a good place to look, as many run try before buy weekends.
In Britain, there is D.tek cycles in Cambridgeshire fens, but Kevin Dunsheath is terribly hard to contact, but once you deal with him , is a good bloke, Laid back cycles in Edinburgh another dealer worth trying, London recumbents in South London, & Binefix in Central London ,tho I can't say I can recommend him.
I have owned 3 trikez over
The problem is there are not many in the UK, there are more on the continent, The Netherlands will be a good place to look, as many run try before buy weekends.
In Britain, there is D.tek cycles in Cambridgeshire fens, but Kevin Dunsheath is terribly hard to contact, but once you deal with him , is a good bloke, Laid back cycles in Edinburgh another dealer worth trying, London recumbents in South London, & Binefix in Central London ,tho I can't say I can recommend him.
I have owned 3 trikez over
The Velotechnic I’ve not looked at though I feel it would be out of my price range by the sound of it. How expensive?
neil
Thanks for that link. After looking I’ve seen a chap on a trike saying he’s just visited the factory in Falmouth. The factory being about a mile away from my home. I’ll pop up and have a chat with them.
thanks again.
rob
Tricky to say as they are all built to order and the spec choices are many. I was looking at a fairly basic spec only upgrades being shimano 3x10 gears (to allow rear hub motor - standard gears are hub) and rear pannier rack. Seemed to be in the region of £2500, my wallet retired to a dark room and hasn't been seen since !
I suppose he's saying that because the motor would be right up the front of the boom putting power through the drive chain. In the case of the street machine this would mean it could be specced with their standard hub gears (which, believe it or not, actually works out cheaper). With such a long drive train I can't see there being any chain line issues. I think with a TDZ2 you could still get a double chain ring but not with a Bafang, could be wrong on that. The former is torque sensing the latter pas.
For me I'm not a fan of crank drives - personal bias really.
For me I'm not a fan of crank drives - personal bias really.
The bent option I think just opens a few more options for mid drive, transferring some of the weight forward without affecting the lower gravity affect. chance of fitting the battery over the wheel if required or combine with touring bag/panniers for kit
The new laid back seat position will allow you a back support so you can power through the leg stroke better utilising the mid drive better, at first it might prove bo such a good idea until the new found leg muscles develop. You can fit a double ring set up to I should think most Mid drives, I have with the BBS but a 32t is the lowest you can go with out the chain fouling the motor case. The motor is up out of the way so no issue with ground clearance or wiring /controller continually being in the wet/spray zone. Chain line isn't going to be critical and it might be even possible to push it out a little more to fit an inner spacer and a smaller ring so the chain doesn't foul the casing and as mentioned if you like hub gears you can have or keep them.
The new laid back seat position will allow you a back support so you can power through the leg stroke better utilising the mid drive better, at first it might prove bo such a good idea until the new found leg muscles develop. You can fit a double ring set up to I should think most Mid drives, I have with the BBS but a 32t is the lowest you can go with out the chain fouling the motor case. The motor is up out of the way so no issue with ground clearance or wiring /controller continually being in the wet/spray zone. Chain line isn't going to be critical and it might be even possible to push it out a little more to fit an inner spacer and a smaller ring so the chain doesn't foul the casing and as mentioned if you like hub gears you can have or keep them.
You can cope better in traffic on a trike, they are far more visible, motorist do take a lot more care when they see one, mainly cos they wonder what it is, there isn't the stop /start issue in traffic,nor any balance problems , apart from counterbalancing on sharp twisty bends, that is the downside, get that wrong and you will flip, even still after years of experience, you never master a tri
Related Articles
-
MTF Enterprises announces acquisition of EMU Electric Bikes- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Wisper 806T folding bike wins Which? ‘Best Buy’- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Sustrans calls for protected cycle lanes- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Amazon launch their first UK e-cargo micromobility hub- Started by: Pedelecs
