Ten years bent
11-06-15, 03:13 PM
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Ten years bent
I just passed 10 years of being fully bent. I started out on an Rans Tailwind, and now have a Rans Stratus, and a Terratrike Cruiser. When I got the Tailwind my road bike and mountain bike really never turned a wheel again. The road bike got sold, and the mountain bike got traded in on the trike.
When I got the Tailwind, I immediately expanded my usual route by about 50%. It is amazing how much more you see riding upright, and not staring at your front wheel half of the time. Of course there is the number one advantage of comfort and no pain. I have saved big bucks over the 10 years by not having to buy clothes to protect me from the bike. I find that wicking t-shirts are fine, and $15 rugby shorts work great.
IMO probably 75% of cyclist would be far better off on a recumbent. There are the few percent that race, and of course the pig headed members of the UCI dont even think a bent is a bicycle. The big group is of course mountain bikers, where I readily admit bent dont work.
Riding at ease with my knees in the breeze.
When I got the Tailwind, I immediately expanded my usual route by about 50%. It is amazing how much more you see riding upright, and not staring at your front wheel half of the time. Of course there is the number one advantage of comfort and no pain. I have saved big bucks over the 10 years by not having to buy clothes to protect me from the bike. I find that wicking t-shirts are fine, and $15 rugby shorts work great.
IMO probably 75% of cyclist would be far better off on a recumbent. There are the few percent that race, and of course the pig headed members of the UCI dont even think a bent is a bicycle. The big group is of course mountain bikers, where I readily admit bent dont work.
Riding at ease with my knees in the breeze.
11-06-15, 03:57 PM
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Old Fart In Training
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Love my Tour Easy LE model,
It was the tool that got me in shape so I could ride this :
,,,,,,,,Like a Crazy Teenager 
Got strong enough to drop all the front gears for a faster leaner meaner quieter Mountain bike ~
I am 56 and now I have the body of a 30 something thanks mainly to my Recumbent Cadillac
Thank you Gardner Martin !
It was the tool that got me in shape so I could ride this :
Got strong enough to drop all the front gears for a faster leaner meaner quieter Mountain bike ~
I am 56 and now I have the body of a 30 something thanks mainly to my Recumbent Cadillac
Thank you Gardner Martin !
Last edited by osco53; 11-29-16 at 06:32 AM.
11-07-15, 04:37 AM
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The rear, I went wider for comfort, moved from a 28c to a 700x 35c Bontrager H5 Hard Case.
I lost no speed, noticed no harder pedaling or more rolling resistance going to a wider rear tire,
just a bunch more comfort and control..
I am 172 pounds plus shoes, clothes n gear in the bag,,say 185 pounds
Running 75 psi up front, in the 100 psi max tire and
75 psi out back, tire max pressure is 80 psi..
11-09-15, 06:25 AM
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I have been riding 'bents for 19 years, but I am not "fully bent" as I continue to ride our upright tandem and triplet. But my TiRush and the trike are certainly my most enjoyable bikes to ride.
11-09-15, 09:19 AM
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LBKA (formerly punkncat)
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I ride a trike and DF bikes, and see the advantage in both, particularly for social rides on rough urban streets.
11-09-15, 09:39 PM
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rebmeM roineS
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Approaching ten years since getting first 'bent in Spring 2006. Not fully 'bent till a Screamer replaced our KHS tandem just in time for 2011.
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03-12-16, 06:07 PM
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I started riding bent in 1994 when I bought a Tour Easy from Gardner Martin. I kept my Trek road bike until 1999 when I sold it. I guess you would say since 1999 I have been semi bent since I do ride RANS crank forwards. I cannot really tolerate the pain caused by DF's but find the CF's tolerable for short out the door rides or trips to the store. I am good for about 30 miles on the CF, anything longer and it's the bent.
03-12-16, 08:52 PM
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rebmeM roineS
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Ten years this month since I bought a 2000 RANS Tailwind that was listed, cheap, on the local club's classifieds.
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03-18-16, 01:43 PM
#10
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I can't estimate how many people would benefit if they switched to bents, but I wish a few more of my friends would do it so that I'd have someone 'sportier' to ride with.
