Bicycle Travel > General Discussion

recumbent steering tiller versus linkage

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BAILEY:
I have a Lightfoot Ranger recumbent that I find very hard to handle on slow speed climbs . Would changing to linkage steering( a $300 option ) give me a big improvement ??

bogiesan:

--- Quote from: BAILEY on March 09, 2013, 02:49:58 pm ---I have a Lightfoot Ranger recumbent that I find very hard to handle on slow speed climbs . Would changing to linkage steering( a $300 option ) give me a big improvement ??

--- End quote ---

You mean converting to underseat steering? That's known in the 'bent crowd as USS.
Probably not. The bike's center of gravity and your ability to make microcorrections to the steering that affect slow speed handling on most recumbents. Other factors include the contents of and location of panniers and bags, width of the front tire and forward velocity.

I usually run a bodyskin on my Tour Easy when I'm touring. The springy Lycra provides a huge steering damping effect. But I've 40+thousand miles on her and I really enjoy climbing so I train on hills.

YOu mgiht want to visit the site known as Bent Ride Online There you will find some other Lightfoot owners, plenty of climbing adviace as well as comparisons between USS and ASS.

BAILEY:
Thank you for the info. but I was not thinking of USS .Lightfoot has an option for linkage steering that eliminates the tiller .See there web for a picture . It's expensive but I will get it if it is a big improvement.

bent4me:
Lightfoot cycles is not a large mfg and finding someone with the linkage steering will be difficult. You will have better luck posting on Bentrideronline.com. You could ask Rod of Lightfoot. Slow climbing on any 2 wheel recumbent is challenging.  That is one reason so many recumbent trikes are sold. I own a Rans Stratus(like the Ranger) with major tiller steering. I have climbed the Blue Ridge mts 4 times. I once climbed a hill drafting off someone walking.
www.Thejerseypedaler.com

bogiesan:

--- Quote from: BAILEY on March 11, 2013, 02:40:25 pm ---Thank you for the info. but I was not thinking of USS .Lightfoot has an option for linkage steering that eliminates the tiller .See there web for a picture . It's expensive but I will get it if it is a big improvement.

--- End quote ---

Sorry I couldn't address this esoteric option of Lightfoot's. Tiller is as much a misperception of newbie
s inability to handle a 'bent as it is a literal effect of how the geomotery of the handlebars  pivot the fork. Never heard of linkage as an option to counteract tiller and I've ridden a lot of 'bents though never had a chance to sit on a Lightfoot.

If you get it figured out, please ocme back and tell us what you decided.

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