stuckonbents

The LBS has a Bike E for 700 (used) It had Maxiss? tires and suspension. I think Usenet determined that it was the RX. So I liked the rear suspension of the RX but, Bike E is (from what I heard on Usenet) out of business. Is this an issue, since I have an LBS?


I can buy a Ez-1 lite special ordered for 7xx, but then I'm committed they said, if I order. I've ridden both, RX and the EZ-1 not the Lite though. My experience on the Bike E is limited at best as it was the first time I was ever on a recumbent bike, and you know how that goes. By comparison, after a little help from the retailer, I was riding the Ez-1 like a pro.

I'm not a racer. I'm not looking to set any records for distance covered. I'm a person who found the seating of a 'bent far more comfortable than that of my DF. My commute is short. The max commute would be 30 miles RT.

Are there other Manufacturers I should be looking at?

Thanks for all the help, in advance

Stuck.

bnet1

Take a look at Cycle Genius, Burley, and RANS too. RANS is more that $700 though for their entry level bikes. If you are willing to drop $1000 to $1500 you should be able to find a nice 'bent.

stuckonbents

So, what's the difference between the above mentioned bikes and the ez-1/bike E?

Thanks.

Stuck

stuckonbents

....and would they (the ones you mentioned) be suited for my purposes?

Thanks.

S.

spambait11

Weight...
Components...
Ergonomic adjustability...
Intangibles...

I've found the tricky thing about recumbents is that they can look good and feel good initially, but once you've ridden one for more than 500 miles in all seasons, you begin to find out fairly quickly what you like and don't like.

For example: does your seat retain heat/moisture when it is hot? If you get recumbent butt, can you adjust it out of your seat? Do you get foot numbness? Can you adjust it out? Do you like sitting up or being reclined? Can you ride reclined without hurting your neck? Can you fix a rear flat tire on a recumbent? Can you transport your recumbent? Can you lift 50lbs. easily? Is your bike too long? Would you like the ride better if you rode a short-wheel base? Can you easily buy accessories? Is the company a good company to go to if you have problems? Do you have people in your area who know how to work on recumbents? Do you have the money to spend?

That should get you started.

bentcruiser

Burley sells some nice models for $736. They have a large back wheel, passive suspension plus they have remained in business. BikeEs did have some proprietary parts that are hard to come by currently. I know because I still have one for my wife.

Take a look at Burley's offerings: https://www.calhouncycle.com/productc...?idCategory=76

megaman

Well said.

stuckonbents

I found the Burley online at a nice price, but it's an LWB. Is it advisable to ride an lwb in an urban environment? (I don't want to get hit by someone opening their door at the last second.)

I like how the Burley looks and the other lwb's I've seen, but where do you park them, as they are so long. My DF has only a 40 inch wb. I think the Burley is double that.

You can ride a 'bent in all seasons? Like rain and snow? I know you could get wet, but what about the bike and it's gears? They told me at the LBS not to get them wet on my DF that I have now, so I never rode in bad weather. And the spokes on my DF will rust if they get wet. To me it just wasn't worth the time to dry every one of them off.

But I'm curious, how do you do it?

And why is it I should be able to lift 50 pounds if the bike weighs only 30 or so?

Thanks for the help, spambait11 (great post) and everyone else who has contributed to this thread.

Stuck

bnet1

To quantify the differences between the bikes I mentioned in the earlier post you would want to go to the manufacturers web sites and make some basic comparisons. Adjustability, level of components, and weight to start. I happen to be a RANS fan, and RANS has a reputation for making solid bikes. I believe their Rocket SWB is under 30 pounds. I would recommend sticking to a manufacturer who has been around a while. They have the formula to build a good bike, and they will be around later when you need parts. As to rusting spokes, I've never had it happen, not on any of my road bikes, even when I lived in the wet Pacific Northwest.

JohnH

I ride my DF year-round in Seattle - minimal/zero snow, occasional ice. When it's icy I fall :-(. If I didn't ride in the rain, I wouldn't ride much. I use a good-quality chain lube as directed on the package and wash off my bike once in a while. The lube does a nice job of protecting the gears, too. 3500 miles of this last year. My bike still works. When my new Rotator Tiger gets here next month I'll ride it in all weather, too. I may clean it off a bit more, at least until the "new" wears off. (Maybe I'll stud the old knobby tires and put them back on my DF for snow & ice, but I'll probably be too lazy for that.)

Enjoy the ride,

John

megaman

I doubt it is any more dangerous to ride a bent in an urban environment than it is to ride a DF.

My bent is 80" long and it is in the way when I park it. But I just park if further out of the way. I've riden my bent in the rain and I've gotten really, really wet. The bike suffered no ill effects. While I've used a regular rain poncho on my DF(which I no longer ride) and stayed fairly dry, a rain poncho on a bent will do you no good what so ever. Snow is another story. I rode yesterday and wound up riding(sort of) through some ice, slush and snow. I just couldn't do it. Maybe if it were just snow it would have been okay.
You need to be able to lift 50 lbs cause you may not be able to lift the bike in a normal way. You might have to lift it into a vehicle where you are lifting away from your body. You may add extras like bags which would add more weight.

Test ride, test ride, test ride.

spambait11

You got me there. Rain, yes; I haven't ridden in snow yet. (I'm from CA.)


As megaman aptly put it, lifting a bent can sometimes require creativity. The more you can lift, the better off you are. But you're right: I got the EZ-1 weight confused with the EZ-3 trike. My bad. Good luck with whatever you choose.

PS: Here's an EZ-1 Lite for sale:
https://www.bentrideronline.com/messa...ead.php?t=8662

bentcruiser

LWBs can be ridden in a urban environment with little or no fuss. When my Canto is in LWB (63" wheelbase), I can ride it comfortably on my urban commute. Where you park depends on where you are: setting, situation, etc.

Bents ride fine year 'round, even in sleet and ice.

stuckonbents

I was always under the impression, that the path that the chain follows ( comes in contact with) should stay dry. I *guess* so as ot to damage those parts.

So how is this issue addressed? I would Love to ride my 'bent (when I get one) every day of the year. You've got me stumped.

My current bike, a DF Bridgestone CB-1, which I really am riding reluctantly now, since taking my first ride on a recumbent, explains my username.

Stuck.

stuckonbents

Today (4-12-05) I went to a not so local LBS to try out the Rans Rocket, (which has a higher Bottom Bracket), and a Maxarya Ray-1.

The learning curve is higher with the Rans bike, which I didn't get to ride very long because of time constraints.

I also remember a post that did not reccomend the Rans Rocket for city riding. The poster said it was hard/annoying for him/her to start and stop all the time in city traffic and work up to speed again. I did notice a difference between the two bikes.

On the other hand, the LBS started me out on an Maxarya Ray-1. That went well, but I've never heard of the name before. What is their reputation? How long have they been in biz for? It came with Sram 7.0 and is only 31 pounds, which I could live with.

The EZ -1 that I tried was came with Sram 5.0, IIRC, and weighs 40 pounds.That one I really got to ride around the block a few times.

TIA,

Stuck.

funbun

Cycle Genius Comparison Page

Cycle Genius has a great comparison page. They compare their bike to other major bent manufacturers. For instance, they compare components of their LDX with the Rans Tailwind, Sun Easy Sport, Burley 's Koosah and Jett Creek. They do this with every model.

I think Cycle Genius is a great value. Disk brakes are standard on ALX, LTX, RDX models.

ChiliDog

Stuckonbents: Go over to www.bentrideronline.com and www.bicycleman.com and read some reviews. Also, post your questions over there as well.

My two cents on the BikeE RX vs. the Sun EZ-1 Lite: go with the Sun. The Bike E company is out of business, but more than that, the RX is heavy and there is "pogo-ing" on this bike, no matter how high you pump up that shock. I eye-balled one of these for myself and it is a tank. Go for an unsuspended rig...these bikes offer great frame flex and you don't need the added weight of suspension.

The Sun is a great starter bike on a very user-friendly wheelbase: the compact long wheel base. If you get into recumbents, you will learn that each configuration has it's advantages and disadvantages. LWB are more difficult to maneuver in tight spaces, but many use them to commute in the city. The Rocket is a tried and true all around bike, but you have to be willing to learn to ride with that configuration. This takes a little learning time, but not a lot.

In the bent community the CLWB is largely considered the easiest "learn", then the LWB. The LWB has disadvantages: transporting, maneuvering, storing. The SWB is my personal favorite and the Rocket shines as my favorite bike, though I am currently riding a Bacchetta Giro due to "fit" issues (I'm short and the Giro comes in a small size).

If you can anyways get to a good-sized bent dealership and do some test rides, then go for it. You don't say where you live, but some of us on BROL can advise you of what's close to your area if you post over there. There are multiple bent rallys in the country, 2 big ones in Wisconsin and in New York in August. Maybe see if you can get to one of them. Of course, if you're like me, you want your bent before then!

Many of us just started out with our "best guess" from test rides and then went on to learn what really "floats our boat" over the years! It is all fun and all an experiment! Once you get a bent, you will wonder how you ever did not ride one! They are a blast! And bent riders are a warm, friendly, and fun community...keep us posted and good luck!

stuckonbents

Hiya ChiliDog and the Goup,

Thanks for the tips about Bentridersonline.com. I'll post my Q's over there as well.

UPDATE:

I tried to ride a SWB for the second time at a LBS that was closer to me, with the same results as the first time last Saturday. Almost fell, rode a couple feet, almost fell again. He, like the the other person in the not so local LBS, wanted to start me off with a CLWB, which I can ride easily.

Which would you say is the better bike: a Sun EZ-1 or a Maxarya Ray-1? Has anyone ever heard of Maxarya? The Maxara comes with SRAM 7.0,/24 gears, while the EZ-1 *I think* comes with SRAM 3.0 and only 24 gears as well, IIRC. The bike shop that carries it, is 40 or so mins away. (the Maxarya)

The specs for the bikes can be found here: ez-1: https://www.easyracers.com/ez_1_sc.htm Maxarya: https://maxarya.com/phpcode/ray1.php

And can either be fixed by my LBS that is closest to me? (That bike shop only had the BikeE, and as a rule they don't carry 'bents.)

Those are the $64,000 questions. Kinda like playing "Who Wants to be a Millionare?"

Thanks in advance,

Stuck

P.S. Is the RANS Tailwind considered a CLWB with a WB of 61"? (didn't they exceed that catagory by one inch?)

mobilemail

Don't forget to look at used bikes, too. There are a lot of good deals on the internet for 'bents that appear to be quite respectable. Vision (now out of business) made a very good recumbent that you can now sometimes find for about $700, give or take. If you like the long jobs, I've seen some good deals on Linear 'bents as well. It's just my personal preference, but I'd rather have either of those (or a Rans, or an Easy Racers) before BikeE.

ChiliDog

Good point!

JohnH

"Stuck":

re: Tailwind and used 'bents:

I don't know whether a Tailwind is a "true" CLWB or not, but you should be able to find a used one in good shape for about the same cost as the used BikeE or new Sun you mentioned in your first post. The Tailwind has the advantage of being made by a company that's still in business, and is one of the top 3 US brands. It should be pretty easy to find one to ride - you should try one if you get a chance. Rans lists the current model at 33 lbs - not too bad.

For myself, I'd take the used Rans over the new Sun - it's lighter, current equipment spec is a bit better, and resale (if you buy used) will be close to what you paid for it.

Enjoy Shopping,

John

sbhikes

From what I've read people who go for the CWLB because they are easier to ride first off end up wanting something else right away.

I bought an SWB and the first two tries in the parking lot were frightening, and the first two real rides were tricky, but after that I felt at one with the bike. Don't write them off because you had some trouble.

Also, try to figure out what factor is most important. If it's being able to ride in ice and snow, maybe you need 3 wheels. If it's being able to go up hills (which was my #1 concern) then you may prefer a SWB with a reputation for being good on hills. I feel I did well by researching these qualities online.

I am not personally famililar with Sun bikes, but of those I have seen they are very well made, very nice to look at and people seem very happy with them. People like their Bike E's too, but don't seem really excited by them. They kinda look homemade to me, not really cool homemade, but high school shop class home made.

I think I have heard the name Maxarya before. But I haven't seen one. But I haven't seen a Bachetta, either.

Cricket

Ditto 'Bent Brian. You have to look at the RANS bikes. I've had bents, uprights, and everything in between and the RANS bikes are, in my opinion, the best blend of high quality, lowest priced bikes on the market.

I'm currently riding the RANS Zenetik, a 23 lb. "semi-bent" that is fast, very comfortable, and is a joy to ride. I am hooked on this type of bike. They have three other bikes in this series, addressing different riding styles.

Good Luck,

Cricket

Wheel Doctor

If you have about 1K, look for a Bacchetta GIRO used on BROL or elsewhere. It will fufill your needs very well.

bnet1

Cricket, It's nice to see another RANS fan. Another poster, Sukispop, has one of the Fusion bikes and really likes it too. He also has a Stratus. It seems that everyone who has one of the Fusion type bikes really like them. I think RANS has a hit in that lineup. I'm quite happy with my Tailwind. I consider it a neat "jump-on-and-go" type of bike. So far the problems have been nil and the support from the LBS has been great. I once read in a review somewhere that "RANS bikes are the workhorses of the recumbent industry". I'm sure inclined to believe that statement. The Tailwind is my first 'bent. If I get another bike I would consider the Rocket, or the V-2. At any rate I would still keep the Tailwind. I might add that my other bike is a Trek 1000 road bike, but since getting the Tailwind I haven't been on the Trek.