Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Recumbents

« on: May 16, 2009, 12:31:15 pm »

Thanks.  One last thing and then I'm done.  I notice that Terra Trike has been an Adventure Cycling advertiser for a long time...my guess is the magazine would be more attractive to other recumbent manufacturers of touring bikes if their designs got some photo recognition as well. 
My mom says that anything worth doing is worth running into the ground.  I think I've achieved that beyond my wildest expectations.  So let's talk about something else.  And thanks for listening.

2

General Discussion / Re: Recumbents

« on: May 07, 2009, 03:31:35 am »

I absolutely agree that recumbents aren't for everybody...but what bikes are?  

What's interesting to me about recumbents that doesn't seem to be true about DF's is the amount of creative design that continues to go into them...new frame designs appear all the time, many with touring applications.  Tadpole trikes, suspended and foldable, equipped with mountain bike components...great for touring; short and long wheelbase recumbents with underseat racks, mtn bike components, incredibly comfortable seats, panniers specifically designed for recumbent touring; my partner and I toured last summer on our Rans Screamer tandem pulling a BOB...and now even more exotic machines like front wheel drive suspended bikes.  While materials and components continue to evolve for DF's (and then get used in and on recumbents), basic frame design changes very little.  And I don't buy that it's because the DF frame has achieved perfection.  The newer seats look like they're intended to be taken internally.  :0)

Like you said, no design's for everyone.  And I toured for years on a great old Trek so I have absolutely no issue with what people use to tour...it's the going that matters, not the wheels one chooses.  I just think it'd be nice if bents got the visibility they deserve within an organization devoted to touring.

3

General Discussion / Recumbents

« on: May 04, 2009, 11:18:13 pm »

I've been an ACA member for awhile and it was nice to see recumbents getting some coverage in John Schubert's article about choosing a touring bike.  And while it's a nice start, in all fairness I think he, and Adventure Cycling, could do better.  In his article, John says, "Over the years, thousands of touring cyclists have visited Adventure Cycling's headquarters in Missoula and a good chunk of these were riding recumbents."  Since there was room in his article for a photograph entitled, "Missed opportunities." illustrating bike shops that don't keep touring bikes on their sales floor, it'd be nice if the article had at least one photograph of some of the recumbents that are superb tourers.
Over the past twenty years I've crossed the US and cycle toured in New Zealand and Ireland, all unsupported, on my homebuilt long wheelbase recumbents.  I realize there are recumbent-specific websites, but ACA is for touring, and I think it'd be nice to share a bit more about some of the wonderful alternatives to DF touring equipment.  Am I the only one who thinks so?