issue no. 70 cyclistnews july/august 2002stevebriggs.netfirms.com/rcn/rcn_070.pdf · 2003-02-14 ·...

RecumbentNewsC y c l i s t

2 Editorial License

3 Recumbent News

5 Toronto Bike Show Report

9 Road Test: Lightfoot Ranger

The CycleGenius CG24

15 Road Test: Rotator PursuitDual 700c

18 Road Test: Cycle Genius

21 Pantour Suspension Hub

24 Kal-Haven Trail Ride

Issue No. 70July/August 2002

What’s Inside

2 Recumbent Cyclist News

Editorial License

Coming Trends and Other Ramblings

I was recently talking with a friend about bi-cycle disc brakes. You see, I’ve always dis-liked these high-tech wonders. They eitherdragged on the pads or required automobile-type fluid, oil, etc. in the lines. Up until lastyear, I hated every set I tried.

Besides the disc-drag squealing on earlymodels, my other problem is with the skillsnecessary for maintaining brakes with variousfluids in the lines (especially automobile-typefluids). This dates back to Slumgullian ‘97,when nobody in a seeming who’s who of re-cumbent people could repair a broken Maguraline.

I’ve recently changed my tune. I first re-viewed the Greenspeed GTO with Hope discs.I loved the brakes, but they are costly and stillhave fluid in the lines (which will eventuallyrequire an experienced technician for mainte-nance).

Then came the Cannondale Easy Rider. Ithas the disc-brake wonder of the universe—the Avid mechanical disc. I’m sold on thesebrakes. Finally, disc technology has comedown to my own pedestrian level. I can actu-ally change pads and cables and repair andmaintain this system all by myself. Wow!

So, back to my conversation. This friendtells me of his brother, a masterful bike dealer/mechanic, and his brother’s bike shop. Appar-

ently, you can now get disc brakes on $500mountain bikes. So all of the sudden, nobodywants a MTB with V-brakes if it costs over$500. I was slow to jump on the V-brake band-wagon (liking retro sidepulls or BMX brakes),so it was with some delight when my thoughtsturned to V-brakes heading to the pasture.

Near this time, I was having trouble withmy own V-brakes: premature pad wear, blackdust, finding replacements, etc. I was cursingthem. I then peruse the RCN buyers’ guide(#67) and notice how few recumbents use discbrakes. I then go to a bike parts catalog to checkprices. LX V-brakes were about $50 per set,and Avid Mechanical discs were $200 per set(outright; retail price). So why don’t all fancyrecumbents have disc brakes? It is about timemanufacturers look into offering discs as anoption, an upgrade, or even as standard equip-ment. Mark my words: discs are a comingtrend. The technology is finally within therealm of affordability. Heck, their coming on$500 MTB’s.

Bob in ERRCConnie and Laurie of the Easy Rider Recum-bent Club newsletter have interviewed yourstruly. It’s a lengthy article—my recumbentstory. Much of it has never been told in thepages of RCN. If you’re not a member ofERRC, see the contact info on page 3 of thisissue, send them five bucks, and ask for the“Bob Bryant Interview issue.”

Pedal Boats IIWe forgot to list these informative sites wherereaders can find more info on recumbent

boats: www.pedalpoweredboats.com andwww.humanpoweredboats.com.

Pedal Boats III—HobieIf you’re interested in recumbent pedal boats,we’ve found a very cool one. Hobie, the makerof sailing cats, is now a big name in plasticSOT (sit-on-top) kayaks. They have a reallycool drive system twin underwater flippers(MirageDrive pedaling system). They are saidto go really fast. Hobie has just introduced anew model called the Odyssey. This kayak iswider, is set up for paddling, pedaling, and fish-ing, and even has an optional sail so you cando some sailing. Check out their website atwww.hobiekayaks.com.

Viva Recumbency!Bob Bryant

[email protected] ◆

Canada’s Premiere CustomRecumbent Builder/Dealer

Call Toll Free 1-877-414-8999

www.cambiecycles.com

Cambie Cycles

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6 Info-packed issues

July/August 2002 3

Recumbent News

The New “Spirit” from HP Velotechnik

Bike designers are at last beginning to addresspeople’s real needs. For too long cycling hasbeen perceived as difficult and stressful.Nowadays people expect more.

At the bicycle future conventionfahrrad.markt.zukunft, held in Bremen, Ger-many, on the weekend of March 2-3, 2002, thedesigners Paul Hollants and DanielPulvermüller from HP Velotechnik unveiledthe new Spirit, their latest vision of an evolu-tionary comfort cycle.

Start from the point of view of users. Theywant to be comfortable and relaxed and to havea position on the bike that makes cycling aseasy and efficient as possible. This is only pos-sible by starting right from the beginning. Fortheir new Spirit, HP Velotechnik combined areclined, easy-riding position with the latestfull-suspension bicycle technology.

HP Velotechnik is well known among bi-cycle enthusiasts for sport and touringrecumbents. Now the company has applied itsexpertise to the needs of the everyday cyclistand leisure rider. The result is a fast, comfort-able, and easy-to-ride machine that challengesconvention.

Step over the low frame, sit down, and re-lax into the comfortable seat. Both feet resteasily on the ground. Your arms can grip thecontrols with no stress on the wrists, shoul-ders, or back. You have a clear view of theroad ahead and complete control of your brak-ing. Between you and the road is an advancedfull-suspension system, and every Spirit isequipped with full disc brakes for completeall-weather control.

The designers from HP Velotechnik wereespecially keen that their bike should be suit-able for the widest possible range of people.“There are many ordinary people who findconventional bikes unpleasant or even impos-sible to ride,” says Paul Hollants. “Shorterpeople can’t reach the ground when they stop,many people find the normal riding positionawkward and uncomfortable, and women of-ten find normal bike saddles painful. Our bikeis suitable for the young and sporty as well asthe active silver generation, people with a va-riety of health problems and people who areoverweight. And it is an excellent way to in-troduce easy, non-stressful exercise to yourlifestyle. Most important, it is great fun to

ride.”Due to its low step-over height and well-

balanced geometry, the Spirit is easy to handle,even for untrained cyclists. The compact de-sign gives good control even in narrow andcrowded streets. And at 170 cm (67") long, theSpirit is no longer than the average touringbike—handy when you want to transport yourSpirit with your car or on the train or whenyou need to carry it downstairs to the bike shed.

Not that this means you have to sacrificeperformance. The Spirit will carry a full loadof luggage with no adverse effect on the han-dling, and the suspension makes it ideal forrough tracks and off-road trails. It offerstourers all-day comfort and a fantastic viewof your surroundings. You will find you canride further and with less effort and withoutany of the discomfort you would expect froma long day in the saddle.

For everyday riding there is a waterproofbag that quickly clips on behind the seat. Forlonger trips you can attach two extra conven-tional bike panniers to a secure mounting pointon the luggage carrier under the seat. Thismeans the load is carried at a central point onthe bike, lowering the center of gravity, in-creasing stability, and stabilizing the steeringeven further. There is a full range of essentialaccessories, including the most advanced light-ing systems available, full mudguards forweather protection, and a prop stand for easyparking.

The complete bike weighs approximately16.9 kg (39 lbs.). It will be available from spe-cialist dealers from June 2002, with a startingprice of 1,695 euros including 16% VAT (ap-proximately £1,070/US $1,495 excluding tax).

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Reynolds Weld Lab—George Reynoldshas ceased production of his Wishbone, No-mad, and Redundant models. George has toldRCN that he will now be working exclusivelyin titanium. The two new models will be calledthe T-Bone. These extreme racers will outfit-ted with your choice of ASS or USS and withdual 26 or 26/20 wheel configurations. Georgewrites: “The 2” x 3" titanium tube is simpler,lighter, and stiffer. With the T-Bone I don’thave to outsource bending, powdercoating, andnickel plating. This offsets the additional costof titanium tubing and gas. The ovalized 2” x3” tube makes a great mono frame; you can’tbend it, so a straight frame is way to go. I alsoovalize chainstays from 1 1/4” x .035” tubing,same as the head tube, so I only use two tubesto make the bike.”

George says that the previous models weretime consuming to build and that he can builda T-Bone for about the same price as aCroMoly Wishbone. The 26/20 will weigh inthe low 20-pound range, have Shimano XT-level components, and be priced around$2,500. The dual 26 is $2,600 and has a car-bon fiber fork. This pricing is extremely com-petitive compared to the competition (Rota-tor—low $4,000 range, Bacchetta—high$3,000 range, and Easy Racers—$5,000range). George will offer his Astroturf seat, aswell as seat options from M5 or Gary Hill.Check out George’s new website atwww.reynoldsweldlabs.com.

Greengear DoubleDay!—There is a newrecumbent tandem coming. This new tandemwill fold, pack into two suitcases. The bike willretail for between $3,000 and $5,000.

Greengear also has a new upright single/tan-dem conversion called the Project Q. This tan-dem has a removable mid- and tail sectionsand can be ridden as a single or a tandem. Theprice is slated to be $2,295. Contact:www.bikefriday.com.

New Canadian Recumbent—Canadian in-dustrial designer Max Ahmady unveiled hisnew Maxarya CLWB at the Toronto bicycleshow. The new recumbent has a CLWB for-

mat and a fairly high seat (28 inches) with anupright seat back. The pedals are a bit lowerthan the seat.

There will be two versions of the new bike,which will be designed and developed inCanada and built in Taiwan. Both models willhave a curved, heat-treated aluminum 7005 T6frame, rear suspension with 3 inches of travel,and mid-drive. The mid- drive allows greaterflexibility in gearing (especially important witha small rear wheel) and also locates the frontderailleur under the seat, leaving the front ofthe bike with a cleaner look. The bikes willhopefully be available by late spring.

The base model, the Ray-1, comes in yel-low and blue has an estimated price of $1,000US. The Ray-1X has upgraded componentsand front suspension and has silver and metal-lic charcoal colors. The estimated price is$1,500 US. For more information, visitwww.maxarya.com.

Linear Update—It has been confirmed tous that Linear is out of business. In a final e-mail, the short-term third owner of Linear sug-gested that Linear riders may want to contactPeter Stull of The Bicycle Man in upstate NewYork (tel. 607-587-8835) for parts.

Sun/Easy Racer Update—The GardnerMartin designed Sun EZ Sport, the LWB ASS,curvy tube, 26/20 model is now available fromSun dealers or Easy Racers in Watsonville,California. There is also an aluminum versionin the works. We have the first one here fortesting. With the introduction of the Sportcomes an underseat pannier rack for EZ seriesrecumbents as well as a very cool seat bag.

BikeE News—The BikeE FX mountain re-cumbent is being discontinued. Apparentlythe majority of FX models were converted toroad use (a road FX is an RX). “We are nolonger pushing the FX model, but we still haveit in-stock. Although a fun bike, it simply didnot take off as we all thought it would,” ac-cording to BikeE’s Lee Eckroth.

The BikeE CT models are now beingshipped with the SRAM Dual Drive System 3x 8 (24-speed), as the 3 x 7 hub is no longeravailable. The CT has dual sided shifters de-veloped in cooperation with BikeE. It will alsohave an interchangeable handlebar system.

BikeE has sold out of 2002 AT’s and theyhave not decided on whether to order any more.“The AT is getting squeezed on both sides fromCT and RX, especially the RX. We have seentremendous sell-through on the RX this springand the order rate is way up.”

There is a management shuffle going on atBikeE. Gone are John Moreland (formerCEO), David Ullman or Richard Rau (bothwith BikeE since the company’s inception). Wewish them well.

Some good news—the new BikeE fairingis now available (it will fit CT, RX and othermodels).

Aerolope—The fully faired SWB (S&B Re-cumbent based) is available again. Seewww.aerolope.com.

Bent Wheel Recumbents—Shane Harris ofBent Wheel will be producing a 23-poundSWB recumbent called the Renegade, as wellas an off-road recumbent called the X-STREME. Bent Wheel is also working on anew composite low racer. For more informa-tion, see www.Bent-Wheel.com. ◆

The 2002 Reynolds T-Bone

Recumbent News

July/August 2002 5

Toronto Bike Show Reportby John Riley

The Maxarya Ray-1 (John Riley)

The Toronto International Bicycle Show is a consumer show held ev-ery March at the National Trade Centre at Exhibition Place in Toronto,Ontario. Unlike in previous years, there was nary a Vision, RANS, orBikeE to be seen on the show floor. But there were some very interest-ing recumbents nonetheless.

The Canadian-designed Maxarya CLWB, called the Ray-1, made itsdebut at this show. The bike’s designer, Max Ahmady, has started acompany called Maxarya Design and Manufacturing, and this bike isits first product. According to Ahmady, the bicycle is result of threeyears of research, design, and development. His goal was to design abike that would have broad appeal and be easy for a wide range ofpeople to feel comfortable on, so he chose the CLWB format.

Trike Trails had an assortment of Optima recumbents as well as avariety of bikes for people with special needs. The Optima Stinger andHopper made their first North American appearances, along with a Ridertrike and a Baron. The Stinger is a low, laid-back bike with dual 20-inch wheels, rear suspension, and disc brakes. The rear swing arm hasa unique elevated right stay that allows the chain to run beneath thestay rather than over. The Hopper is an entry-level bike with a 26-inchrear wheel and a 16- inch front. It has hub brakes, hub gears, and rearsuspension.

Some bikes in the Optima line had been available in the United Statesthrough Yellowbike. At the moment, it looks like the Optima bikes willbe available from Trike Trails, or direct from the Netherlands throughYellowbike, but under the Optima name, not the Yellowbike name.

At the show, Canada featured the Australian-made MR ComponentsSwift trike. This trike is attractively priced at around $1,700 US.

BikeE / Vision / Lightning / Easy Racers /Greenspeed....& more for test rides & showroom

CALL Tel. & Fax: 973-239-89689 Wayland Drive, Verona, NJ 07044

Coventry Cycle Works

2025 SE HawthornePortland, Oregon 97214

Tel. 503/230-7723www.coventrycycle.com

Oregon’s Recumbent Headquarters

• Easy Racers• Vision• BikeE

• Haluzak• Burley• RANS


Recumbent MailA Long BikeAttached is a picture of my just-completedhomebuilt LWB ASS tandem I thought youmight be interested in seeing. It has 48-speedintermediate drive and hydraulic discs and usesRotator seats and handlebars. Steering is di-rect with no tiller motion, thanks to a 39-de-gree head tube angle and a centering spring.Though it has a large turning radius, it doesordinary street turns just fine. Handling is goodand predictable, especially at speed. Monotubeframe irons out bumps nicely.

[email protected]

Turner T-FunThanks to Harvey Stackpole of Tucson, Ari-zona, we have been installing a 406 mm rearwheel and a larger set of chainrings (60T large)on our Turner T-Lite. The bike is more fun thanany other model we sell. This bike has a 349mm front wheel, both tires are 120 psi. Sev-eral of my customers are now doing this.

Milton TurnerTurner Recumbents

Pedal Height WarsI found the two articles “Pedal Height Wars”and “Numb Feet” very informative in that Ihave had troubles when I ride my recumbentexerciser with my legs to the point that Istopped. I had a chance to ride a Easy Racerwith its lower bottom bracket placement anddid not have problems with my legs. The rideconvinced that the exerciser is going and tobuy an Easy Racer.

[email protected]

Wants Big Shipping CaseI just bought a RANS Velocity Squared. I amgoing to be doing a century ride with the Leu-kemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team InTraining. Do you know where I would find ashipping case for my cycle?

[email protected]

Editor Comments: I don’t know of anyone whomakes recumbent cases. There are tandemcases, but I don’t know that a recumbent wouldfit due to odd bits like the seat and fairing.Here are some ideas:

✓ Order a set of Easy Racer cardboard ship-ping boxes. These are large boxes that thebike should fit in. With a bit of luck, youcan recycle and ship both ways.

✓ Try Crateworks at www.crateworks.com.✓ Contact your airline about how to bring

the bike to the airport. I have heard ofsome tandem riders bubble-wrappingtheir bikes at the airport so that the han-dlers can see that it is a big, expensive

bike. Taking your bike on the plane ismuch cheaper than shipping it in ad-vance.

✓ Build your own custom box from plywood.Lightfoot Cycles does this. Perhaps youcould buy one from them. Our Ranger 26/26 LWB test bike came in such a box. Ionce saw a Euro trike manufacturer usethis case method; the box was trans-formed into a trailer he used on his USAtrip.

Many recumbent riders buy a compatiblebike for such events. The Greengear Sat R Dayis the most compact recumbent money can buy.Word has it that there have been many updatessince our last review. The Boulder Galaxy/Angletech Altitude also comes apart for travel,and there is the Brompton recumbent conver-sion.

Fold GoldGreat publication and great article about theFold Gold in the most recent issue (68). Howtotally informative and captivating! Tempts meto abandon my SWB and numb feet!? I appre-ciate all the hard work involved in this greatpublication. Keep it up—the recumbent worldneeds you!

Kathryn [email protected]

Marketing 101 ResponseRegarding Robert Clay’s “Recumbent Market-ing 101” article from RCN 68: My cyclingexperience is considerable. Twenty years rac-ing, riding, designing, building, selling recum-bent bicycles. Nothing less then a third-placefinish in any competition, including interna-tional, national, or local level since 1995, and40 years of commuting by bike.

Your comments about the recumbent manu-factures are misinformed. The implication isthat unless the product is mass produced it hasno merit. I contend that the truly elegant thingsin life are done by hand in low volume. Rota-tor Bikes has invested in shows at both thedealer and consumer level many different timesover the years and has not found enough or-ders to repay the investment. Color brochureshave been done to about the same results. Theidea of the Midwest points racing series camefrom the 3 years that Rotator sponsored theconcept in California from 1989, 1990, and1991.

We have done press releases on a routinebasis. Magazines don’t always use them. RCNis not the most reliable way to get the messageout. Our first review with them took 5 yearsand 5 bikes before it was published. We sent atest bike last July for a review that was to ap-pear last fall. It is now spring. The internet

works for us with very little bother. May I aska question of you? With all that experience,why did you settle, for what in the recumbentworld would be considered a Big Mac?

Steve DelaireRotator Bikes

[email protected]

Editor Comments: “Recumbent Marketing101” was a freelance submission by RCNreader Robert Clay, who spent a lot of timewriting and rewriting this article (to bring itdown to printable length). Nobody will agreewith every point in an article like this. If youcome away with one good idea, the author hasdone his job.

Your comment that “The internet works forus with very little bother” is absolutely true.For the internet, you say what you want. Thead writer controls completely what is said inthe marketing message. With RCN the messageis more complex. It can be sent out in severalways:

1. Buy ads. This is easy. We sell ads; youcan buy them if you like. They have nothingto do with our editorials or road tests.

2. Send press releases: We print them. Mostsound contrived with phony quotes, andmost are long winded. We use most of theinformation from press releases in one wayor another, but we print the source.

3. Ask us to review your bike: With a dozenyears of my being a known recumbent critic,there should be no surprises. If you’re will-ing to go through the process, you do it. Ifyou don’t like it, don’t do it. It’s very simple.If you don’t want me to review your bike,help me find somebody who is willing andcapable.

The bottom line: critical editorial reviewsshould NOT be compared to internet websitead copy or ADvertorial. They are not the same.

I don’t even remember that first review de-lay years ago. I didn’t keep a time line or afirst draft. Your bike evolved, most of our criti-cisms were worked out. I don’t recall any re-view taking 5 years, but the final test bike wasthe best and the article was the best it couldbe. I’m still very proud of that article.

V2 DefenseI’ve tried to ignore the article “Easy Racer TourEasy vs. RANS V2: A Comparison,” but Ican’t keep quiet any longer. Let me identifymyself as owner/rider of Velocity Squaredframe #47; 2 years and 5000+ miles.

I was thrilled when I saw the title of the ar-ticle; a subject of great interest to many. Uponreading the article, it became clear that thiswas no comparison of bicycles. It was a com-

July/August 2002 7

parison of steering ergonomics by a fellow thatwas irritated because the V2 riding positionwas different from his position sitting at hiscomputer. Adding insult to injury, the shop thatassembled the test V2 installed the stem riserupside-down, an issue that affects the conclu-sions of the article profoundly. Yet the onlyacknowledgment by your mag is a half-heartedcomment below a letter pointing out the dis-crepancy.

My experience on the V2 includes regularcommuting, riding for exercise, and a crossstate, supported tour that averaged 61 miles/day for 7 days on terrain that varied from theBlue Ridge Mountains to the coastal plain. Inall those varied circumstances, I have neverexperienced the lack of control alluded to. Ifanything, the V2 steering position mimics thatof an automobile, while that of the Tour Easyapparently is more like that of a computer op-erator. An objective look at the pictures in thearticle reveals that the higher bottom bracketof the V2 requires a higher handlebar position.As far as customer satisfaction with riding

position goes, I’m a very happy owner.Your often repeated generalization that V2

riders are converts from SWB has no relevancehere. I'm a LWB man through and through,who's realized that increased comfort and aero-dynamics come from a higher bottom brack-ets and open riding position.

Sandy [email protected]

Editor Comments: Please keep in mind thatthis was a reader-written submission to RCN.If you have a differing opinion, please by allmeans write an article about it.

Looking for BebopsI have searched everywhere I know but havebeen unable to find any information concern-ing Bebops Clipless Pedals. Any help you canprovide is appreciated. Thank You.

Dale Hostetter

Editor Comments: Apparently we misspelledBebop. Try www.bebop.com.

Send Letters to the Editor of RCNIf you have something to say, a differing viewpoint or experience—we want tohear from you! Please limit letters to 300 words. No charity ride sponsorshiprequest letters. RCN reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity, content, andspace limitations.

Send to [email protected]

or RCN, PO Box 2048, Port Townsend, WA 98368

Tandem TalkI was one of those “wedgie” types that sworeby my upright bike. My husband kept com-plaining that we didn't really ride “together.”I suggested we get a tandem recumbent. Iwasn’t sure about the recumbent style or thatit was “cool” enough. The new bike arrived,we rode together, talked together, laughed to-gether. What a complete joy. A whole newworld has opened up for me and us. I am nowa believer!

Joan SternSt. Louis, Missouri

RCN Kudos and an E-WizRCN is the most informative, honest and help-ful magazine, in such a special and uncoveredarea, I have ever received. I originally waslooking at recumbent bikes because I was be-ginning to feel the aches of age (71) and somedifficulty breathing. After getting the RCN andsome back issues I finally acknowledged sometrouble in balance and decided on a tadpoletrike. In issue 63 I saw the article by TomBeuligmann about an electric-assist BikeE. Ie-mailed him and he was very helpful.

I now have a Wizwheelz Terra trike andhooked up a Currie electric motor to help onthe Colorado hills. I would not have been ableto continue cycling where I live without all ofyour help.

Gene [email protected]

EZ Sport ReportHere is the best recumbent deal of 2002—theSun EZ-Sport. My wife bought one throughour local bike shop. It came in five days. Ithas a beautiful candy-apple red paint job anddecent components It is amazingly light foras long as it is. It has an entirely different feelthan EZ-1 and BikeE CT. It tracks more likewhat I suppose the Easy Racer does. It is avery comfortable bike with a stunning framedesign. She got it for same price as new BikeEand it’s a lot more of a recumbent. I read yourmag from cover to cover.

Marv [email protected]

Cannondale CommentsThanks for your great article on theCannondale recumbent (ex Easy Rider). Iwrote it off early but have fallen in love withit after riding one with some minor upgrades:better tires (Kenda Qwest up front and ContiTop Touring 1.75 in the rear), handlebars withmore rise, and better pedals

My one issue is to find a rear rack that thebike easily fits into. Can be a trunk rack or(better) a hitch rack.

Peter [email protected] ◆

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ContactRCNPO Box 2048Port Townsend, WA 98368Email: [email protected]: www.recumbentcyclistnews.com

Fine PrintRCN is copyright © 2002 by Recumbent Cy-clist News. Contents may not be reproducedin whole or part unless expressly autho-rized in writing by the editorial office. Al-

though we make every effort to provide use-ful and accurate information, we do notclaim to have definitive answers particularlywith regard to safety, technique and equip-ment.

RCN DatabaseWe do not release, sell or, give out your per-sonal information, address, or anything ofthe like. In fact, we will not release your ad-dress, phone numbe,r or e-mail address,even to other RCN readers.

International Service

Canada Cambie Cycles in CanadaTel. 604-874-3616http://www.cambiecycles.com

Future Cycles in the UK/EuropeTel. 011 +44 1342 822 847or [email protected] www.futurecycles.co.uk

Greenspeed in Australia/New Zealandwww.greenspeed.com.au


July/August 2002 9

RCN Road Test

The LightfootRanger Dual 26

by Bob Bryant

Lightfoot is an impressive little companyfrom Darby, Montana, whose mission is sus-tainable bicycles for transportation and util-ity. The bikes are designed by Rod Miner, whohas been designing recumbents since 1983. Heand his significant other, Martha Stromberg,run Lightfoot. They build the frames, seats,handlebars, and even some of the forks for theirbikes. We first met Rod and Martha at the Se-attle Bike Expo eighteen months ago, thoughwe were aware of their bikes long before thistime. We then started discussing the possibil-ity of a test bike for RCN.

The Ranger is a dual 26-inch-wheeled ver-sion of the Lightfoot 26/20 Explorer LWB ASSrecumbent. This bike is not meant as a wimpylight-duty performance bike—it’s a big boywith big, fat tires and a big, tough frame andfork, along with a big, plush sling/mesh seat.Although it’s designed to be a “rough countrytourer,” the Ranger is equally at home cruis-ing on city streets.

If you’ve read my reviews and rants, youknow I’ve been looking for a super-tough bikethat can haul a load as well as handle ridingover diverse terrain. Well, I’ve finally met mymatch. This is perhaps the toughest, most tour-ready road warrior recumbent we’ve ever re-viewed. This brawny bike will takes on un-even road surfaces, potholes, abrupt pavement,gravel fire roads, singletrack, or the like withease.

SystemsFrame and Fork—The Ranger frame is hand-

built of CroMoly and high-tensile steel. Thetop tube is a square section, for an easy seatmount. An inverted “U” aluminum seat mountchannel matches to the square steel top tube.The frame is nicely built to a more utilitarianstandard, though we cannot criticize it at all.The finish looks better than that of a Taiwan-built entry-level recumbent, but not as refinedas what you see on a more mainstream brand.The fork is a CroMoly behemoth custom builtby Lightfoot for this bike—it’s huge, stiff, andstrong. Lightfoot makes all of their own forks.

Paint—The powdercoat finish is excellent,though not as shiny as some fancier paint.

Steering—The ASS unit relies on a typicalMTB high-rise Aheadset stem, which attachesto alloy bars that are custom made for the bikeby Lightfoot. The aluminum has a brushed fin-ish, rather than polished. There is a bolt-oncross-brace. The bars are wider and morecomfy than the Easy Racer bars, though not asaerodynamic.

Weight—The Ranger is rather heavy at 37-39 pounds. Ours weighed just over 40 poundswith pannier rack and fenders. Lightfoot istruthful about weights. This bike weighed isin the same range as the Cannondale EasyRider and BikeE RX XL/XXL.

Drivetrain —The Ranger has nearly a com-plete Shimano group—tried and true Deore 24-speed (chosen for its touring durability overthe 9/27-speed)—including the brakes and le-vers. The exception is the shifters. The SRAMtwistgrips worked perfectly with the bike. I hadwondered how bar-cons might have worked,

but the Lightfoot bars are probably too widefor them. Chain management is very good. Thechain tube is effective but somewhat noisy.There is an MTB-style lower chain idler thatis nearly silent. It’s not the type that spring-loads additional chain for wide-range gearing(a la Easy Racer).

Braking—The V-braking was strong, andthe Shimano stoppers worked flawlessly.

Wheels and Tires—The Ranger came out-fitted with a big, beefy IRC Advantage Pro 26x 2.0 tire. It certainly wasn’t fast, but it wasideal for our test course’s varied terrain.

Integration—This small company takeslots of time to make sure your bike is road-ready before it goes into the box. Our experi-ences with Lightfoot have been excellent.

ComfortSeat—Some have criticized the previousLightfoot seat as being rather homebuilt inappearance. It has a sliding aluminum framewith a base section and a back section. Theseat back and pad are covered with vinyl, mak-ing them perfect for utility or commercial useor for commuting/touring in wet climates. Rid-ers who have gotten their Lycra-covered seatbase wet will know what I’m talking about.

We were the first to try Lightfoot’s new full-mesh seat. It is generously sized. The back isfairly typical, though not as form-fitting assome. The suspended feel of the mesh seat baseshould be popular among LWB customers.

Lightfoot’s Rod Miner had this to say aboutthis new seat: “We are working on movableadd-on pads that can be placed for customizedlumbar and shoulder support and multiplefoam-pad set of seat cushions of differentthickness and density, to be configured to suitthe owner.”

The Lightfoot mesh base is similar to a Vi-sion base, but it is larger and more adjustable.A seat horn stretches the fabric forward, and a

Lightfoot MissionLight foot connotes not only

“fleet-footed and quick” but also

“treading lightly.” As individuals, we

enjoy cycles as an efficient and often

exhilarating way to magnify the power,

speed, and grace of our bodies. Beyond

this, practical human-powered vehicles

also hold great potential as a tool for

stewardship in our communities and

our world. Human power is an extremely

important element in a vital, resource-

wise economy in the forms of both

pedestrian local-scale and cycle

intermediate-scale transportation.


The Ranger as an urban commuter. The underseat pannier rack will taketwo panniers on each side. We also strapped our trusty L.L. Bean backpack

to the seat back with one bungee cord. This bike can haul lots of stuff.

belt allows you to adjust how far you sink intothe seat. With this seat you can also adjust theseat horn’s position. With the nonadjustableprototype and one foam layer, I was able tofeel the seat horn (until I added a second layerof foam).

The seat foam on our test bike was open-cell and compressed quickly. A mix of openand closed cell is probably needed. I was ableto experiment and did find it comfortable. Theseat base pad has a zippered pocket that al-lows easy access to the foam. The pocket al-lowed for easy installation of a second layerof foam. The base pad attaches to the basemesh with Velcro.

The seat slides on an aluminum channel thatsits over the top of the square-section steel toptube (similar to Sun EZ). The base clampworked fine, but it looked a little rough (thiswas a prototype seat). Seat slippage is virtu-ally impossible, since the seat is locked downsecurely at the base and back. At the seat backthere is a real bicycle seatpost and seat tubebehind the seat which allows adjustment of therecline angle and locks the seat in position.

Ergonomics—The Ranger has a wonder-fully comfy riding position with a low pedalheight (a la Easy Racer) and a fairly uprightriding position. The mesh seat can be adjustedto provide more recline than an Easy Racer.Those who prefer this riding position will lovethe Ranger (or any of the Lightfoot models).

Ride/HandlingI’ve tried all of the dual 26-inch LWBrecumbents on the market (HPM Ranger anddual-700 Rotator), and the Ranger has the beststeering geometry and fine-tuned handling ofany of them. This bike is truly optimized forthe 26-inch front wheel. I was ready to giveup on the concept of dual big wheels (for all-round use, not high performance) for LWB’suntil this bike arrived. It tracks straight, steersnice, and has very refined road manners andoverall handling. What it doesn’t have is thehigh-speed stability and handling feel of anEasy Racers bike. The Ranger was not as fastas the dual-700 Rotator or a Tour Easy/GoldRush, though it had lower gearing, more cargo-carrying capability, and was more suited to myhome terrain/riding style.

Maneuverability—With the low pedal po-sition and no heel or toe interference with thefront wheel, low-speed stability is excellent(and feels very refined). Maneuvering this longbike at low speed is easier than you’d think.Turning around on a narrow one-lane road willrequire some practice. I did it several timesand got good at it. If you have a fairing, you’llneed to tuck your inside knee inboard of thefairing to make a tight turn.

Speed/Efficiency—The Ranger is heavyand has a low pedal position and a morereclinable seat (mesh model). I found that thebike cruised and went down hills faster than

average, and climbed slower than a typicalSWB; it performed about the same as a high-end CLWB. Due to the bike’s overall length,it is also more difficult to climb whenswitchbacks are required. The Ranger was abit less surefooted at speed than an Easy Rac-ers LWB.

The Ranger is not geared for performance,nor did it have performance tires. Though notas fast as a roadie-like LWB ASS, it is noslouch either. Lightfoot does offer more per-formance- oriented models in their line.

User-friendliness—Despite its size, thelong and tall Ranger is easy to ride. The dualbig wheels make it feel like an upright bike insome respects.

Owning/PurchasingVersatility —LWB ASS recumbents areknown for their versatility. The Ranger couldbe used for nearly anything. Trying to haul itaround in anything short of a full-size truck orvan would be difficult (though not impossible;perhaps an ATOC LWB or tandem mount).

Shipping/Assembly—Lightfoot sellsmainly direct to the public (few dealers). OurRanger arrived by semi-truck/freight in a hugeplywood box. With the aid of my trustycordless screwdriver, I unpacked the bike andwas on the road in 30 minutes. It needed nodrivetrain adjustments and worked perfectlythe entire time we had it here.

Our test bike arrived as scheduled. A typi-cal delivery time can range from 7 to 9 weeksduring peak season down to 5 to 6 weeks dur-ing the off-season.

Quality/Durability —Lightfoot designstheir bikes supertough—for epic tours or to be

user-serviceable in remote locations.Cost/Depreciation—This is a custom-built

recumbent—built to suit the customer. It isbuilt in the USA by a bike-builder craftsman.Even the fork is built by Lightfoot. It is a bar-gain.

Sizing—From the Lightfoot brochure: “Thestandard size for the Ranger is Large (39pounds; with a 26” seat height), which will fitmost persons from 5’8" to 6’4”. Shorter per-sons to 5’4” may be able to ride the Largeframe, but likely will not be able to touch theground flat-footed without sliding forward inthe seat. The medium-size Ranger (37 pounds;with a 24” seat height) will fit most personsfrom 5’4” to 6’0”. Agile persons to 4’10” havesuccessfully ridden the Medium. Due to thelimitations of successfully combining seatheight, tiller steering, and 26” wheels, thereare no smaller sizes. For similar performancein a small package, consider the LightfootRambler with dual 20” wheels.”

Most other Lightfoot models come in sizesXS-XXL to suit riders 4’ to 7’ tall and up to450 pounds. The sizing factor alone moves itto the top of our list if you have special sizingneeds. The reason this is so important with aLWB is that they can be heavy, and you don’twant to be toting around any more weight thanyou have to.

Options and AccessoriesOur bike had a custom CroMoly underseatpannier rack that comes with a chain tube tokeep the chain from cutting into your panniers.This pannier rack is capable of holding fourpanniers (two on each side). The bike had fullfenders, a Super Zzipper fairing, and twin

July/August 2002 11

Explorer 26/20 (left) and Ranger 26/26 (right)

water bottle cages (behind the seat), and evenmore options are available. This basic bike canbe ordered with other wheel sizes (includingthe most popular 26/20) and even in a trikeversion (as seen in RCN 64).

Lightfoot offers optional fairings, bodystockings, racks, and cargo carriers and alsodoes factory power-assist options. If you don’tthink that’s enough, there’s a new heavy-dutycargo trailer (50” L x 24” W x 14” T) capableof carrying 8’ pieces of lumber and up to 1,000pounds!

Power Assist—Lightfoot offers factorypower-assist options. They use the GermanHeinzman electric hub motor. They use three

varieties that vary up to 800 watts:

1. High-torque/low-speed carrier/cargo ver-sion for heavy loads and steep hills.

2. Medium-torque/medium-speed mountainversion for medium loads and hills.

3. High-speed city or commuter version forcontinuous assist at speed (20 mph) on levelor slightly rolling terrain.

“We use the mountain version most of thetime, except on Pedicabs or large cargo ve-hicles,” says Lightfoot’s Miner. He also rec-ommends powering the large (26-inch) wheel.Lightfoot is also working on both hybrid and

solar systems.The Heinzman power assist adds about

$1,000 to the price of a recumbent. For moreinformation, check out the “Power Assist” pageat their website.

Market Competition—There really is nocomparison when you consider the custom-built features of the bike. However, anyoneconsidering a Lightfoot will be comparing itto the Easy Racers Tour Easy and RANS Stra-tus.

Additional Notes—There’s a lot going onat Lightfoot these days. Although they’re busybuilding bikes, they seem to make time for newmodels, prototypes, and accessories. Lightfootoffers fifteen models of recumbents. There isa tandem (T42 and ME2), cargo- and people-hauling cycle-trucks (Greenway, Roadrunner,Courier, Transporter, Pedicab, and Microcar),a low, fast LWB (Gazelle), and a kid-size mini-LWB 20/16 (Pixy).

Lightfoot is currently working on a Darlexxwaterproof stretch-fabric foul-weather full-coverage body stocking. They have been test-ing Lycra, which doesn’t have nearly enoughabrasion resistance, nor is it waterproof. Theseare designed more for the lower Lightfoot ve-hicles, but they can be cut for the Ranger.

My AnalysisVerdict—You’ll be hard pressed to find a


manufacturer so committed to their mission(there is a great article about it at their website:Our Ecological Footprint)—especially onewho will handcraft a bicycle especially to suityour needs, and at prices similar to those ofproduction bikes.

The big Ranger many not be for everyone,though with the Lightfoot’s many models, thechances are good that something in their linewill work for you. What I’m finding out aboutdual-big-wheel recumbents is that althoughthey look cool and they’re all the rage, thebottom line is that you really need to have agood reason to want dual big wheels, or youshould probably stick with the 26/20 wheelcombo.

The Ranger has the most refined handlingI’ve experienced in a dual-big-wheel LWB.The upside to the dual big wheels is that you’llhave one wheel size, they roll over anything,and they’re very robust. As Rod Miner says,“The Ranger is a big bike with enhancedmountain bike qualities.”

The downside is the added length, (makesthe bike less aero, and with a higher seat), theslightly worse aerodynamics, a more rearwardcenter of gravity, and less weight on the frontwheel (though the latter two were barely de-tectable).

Though the Ranger is similar in design toother classic style LWB ASS machines, theLightfoot design is from a different perspec-tive. While others may focus more on perfor-mance, the Ranger (and Explorer) are designedmore for comfort, utility and touring depend-ability. This is a very worthwhile mission.

The Ranger is really an excellent bike. Ourexperience with Lightfoot was better thanwe’ve had with 90% of the bikes that comethrough here. This is an excellent small manu-facturer that caters to recumbent cyclists whoneed real bikes for real-world uses. I enthusi-astically recommend these bikes and canhardly wait to get my hands on a LightfootLWB ASS delta test trike.

Note underseat CroMoly pannierrack (holds four panniers)

Rating/SummaryComfort: A-Design/style: B+Drivetrain: B+

My trusty L.L. Bean backpack strapson the Ranger with ease and restson the rear seatpost forks (underbackpack). Lower- and mid-levelstraps connect to the seat crossmember, and a bungee cord is

strapped from the backpack’s topstrap loop, down the inner frameworkof the seat back, and back up to thetop strap loop. After fifteen years of

recumbent riding, I’ve just discoveredthis simple cargo-carrying benefit of

backpacks on sling/mesh seat backs.It’s truly the simplest and most

affordable way to go. I’ve adaptedthis setup to several recumbent

seats, including those from RANS,Easy Racers (with a rear fender),SUN EZ, Cannondale, and CycleGenius— and I’m sure it will fit

others.

Lightfoot rear seatpost forks allowfor recline adjust and keep the seat

from slipping

Chain management: BBrakes/braking: B+Finish quality: B

ProLWB ASS with a full-mesh seatRugged, utilitarian LWB ASSBest dual-big-wheel handling/steeringCustom built for you (lots of options, etc.)Factory electric-assist optionsSmall, friendly company

ConHeavyHuge (72-inch wheelbase)Chain tube noiseSomewhat utilitarian look and finish levelNo rear rack or seat bag (though see below)

AccessLightfoot CyclesTel. 408-821-4750www.lightfootcycles.come-mail: info@l ightfootcycles.com

SpecificationsModel—Ranger; Type—LWB ASS dual 26;Steering—ASS; Wheelbase—72.5" (range 68-72”); Seat height—27.5”; Pedal height—17.5”; Weight—40 lbs.; Frame—TIG-weldedCroMoly; Fork—Lightfoot CroMoly

Price:Bike $2100.00Color upgrade $0075.00Super Zzipper fairing $0295.00Fenders $0052.00Two water bottle cages $0021.00Underseat pannier rack $0075.00Kickstand $0020.00Crating $0085.00*Est. shipping (motor freight) $0065.00

Price as tested $2788.00

* Lightfoot sets the bike up completely andthen packs it in a custom plywood crate. Thefront wheels, seat, fairing, front fender, andhandlebars are removed before packing (nocables are disconnected).

ComponentsCrank—Shimano Deore 22/32/44; Bottombracket—Shimano sealed; Headset—Aheadset; Derailleurs—Shimano Deore;Shifters—SRAM MRX Plus twistgrip 24-speed; Cassette—Shimano 11-34 8-speed;Chain—SRAM (Sachs) PC-48; Gear-inchrange— 17-104 gear inches; Pedals—WellgoATB; Wheels—26”; Rims—Odyssey T-1000;Tires—IRC Advantage 26 x 2.0” 60 psi (off-road) or IRC Metro Tour (on-road); Hubs—Shimano Deore; Brakes—Shimano Deore V-brakes and levers; Colors—powdercoat. ◆

July/August 2002 13

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Ever want to take a voyage? A great way to hit the trails isto do it with our 64 gear VOYAGER trike. RememberPENNINGER is a name that stands for quality, integrityand guaranteed workmanship.Contact your local dealertoday for a demo, or visit us on the web.

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July/August 2002 15

RCN Road Test

The Rotator PursuitDual 700c

by Bob Bryant

With big-wheel SWB recumbents all the buzz,we knew it wouldn’t be long until we saw aperformance big-wheel LWB. Steve Delairehas now adapted his Rotator Pursuit to dual700c. It is definitely is a big-wheeler with adifferent bent.

Steve Delaire has been building and sellinghis Rotator recumbents for years from his smallshop in Santa Rosa, California. The Pursuit isunique among LWB ASS recumbents. First, ithas a monotube frame with cantilevered rearstays which offers a built-in passive suspen-sion. Second, it has a higher pedal position(there are higher and lower seat options onthis bike) with a more reclinable seat (fullmesh).

The Pursuit has traditionally had dual 20-inch wheels with a dual rear derailleur cassettemid-drive. A few customers asked for non-mid-drive versions, and another asked for a largerdrive wheel. The natural progression was to amodel with dual big wheels and a standard roadbike drivetrain.

SystemsFrame and Fork—Delaire’s Rotators arehandcrafted in California one at a time ofCroMoly (or titanium). The frame are brazedto perfection. This is unique these days, as mostrecumbents are TIG-welded. The forks vary

depending on front-wheel size. Our test bikehad the ability to accept a 20-inch or 700c frontwheel (and both rode great).

Steering—When you take a LWB, raise thepedal height, and recline the seat, you movethe rider farther away from the controls. Thisrequires a long handlebar stem and creates atrait known as “tiller effect.” Tiller can be de-fined as the front wheel wanting to gravita-tionally pull (slightly) to one side or the otherin low-speed tight turns. The bars also tend tofall to the right or left when the bike is parked.Some describe this as “fork flop.” Tiller isnot a positive or a negative trait—it can be con-sidered either, depending on the rider’s view-point. The dual 700 Pursuit has a fair amountof tiller effect.

The benefit of tiller is in rock solid highspeed stability. With a fairing mounted, thetiller handling and fairing can also act like aweather vane, which further improves highspeed handling.

Those who don’t like the tiller-type handlingfeel may want to opt for a SWB. Rotator buildsa heck of a nice one in the Tiger.

Seat/Comfort—The Rotator full-mesh seatis very comfortable. Full-mesh seats are rareand are truly the most comfortable type of seatif you’ll be on the road for a long ride. Rotatoroffers five sizes of their seat with varyingheights and widths (which allow you to fur-

ther refine your riding position).Drivetrain —The drivetrain on our test bike

was high- performance Shimano Ultegra. Thegears were high and set up for a fit roadie do-ing performance riding. The drivetrain wassmoother than the mid-drive version andworked great.

The Rotator mid-drive is time-proven anddurable. Some may find it less intuitive than astandard drivetrain, but Delaire has been mak-ing it for years and it works well. Mid-driveoffers a vast range of gears in smaller incre-ments than is possible with a normal drivetrain.The mid-drive comes in a 6 x 8 (48- speed) or6 x 9 (54-speed) drivetrain with an incrediblerange from 20-150 gear inches.

Rotator has used KMC chains for years.Though KMC is not a premium brand and ismostly found used as original equipment bymanufacturers, it could be less trouble than the9-speed SRAM chain, which we’ve had troublewith recently.

Chain Management—The mid-drive (dual20) and idler (700c) offer excellent chain man-agement. The chain line is good, and the powertransmission is directed with minimal noise.The dual- 700 non-mid-drive was quieter andseemed to run smoother and with less friction.You’d think the mid-drive would add frictionand slow you down. However, we have no fac-tual data that it actually does in real-worldriding conditions. Our suggestion is to go withwhichever one best suits your needs.

Braking —Our test bike had Tektro V-brakes. These aren’t the best you can find, butthey stop well and they’re durable and trouble-free.

Wheels and Tires—The stock wheels haveShimano 105 hubs, a Sun rim, and stainlessspokes. Our test bike had optional skinnyShimano Ultegra performance wheels. Thesewheels have 16 radially laced bladed 14-gaugespokes. This option adds $350. These wheelsare light and roll fast, though they have morelateral flex than a standard spoked wheel. Per-haps they’re OK for roadies, but it’s not some-thing a commuter/utility rider would opt for.Delaire says that several customers have optedfor a Velocity Deep V rim/wheel combo. Thisadds about $100 to the price of the bike. Werecommend the Velocity wheels over the stockSun wheels.

Pedals—I’m generally not one to rant onabout pedals, but I love the pedals that comestock on Rotator bikes. They’re a basicCroMoly steel beartrap pedal—semi-oval withjagged teeth on them. Some bike shops don’tsell them because they have a tendency to biteyour legs (and scratch them). They’re wide,offer lots of support, and are cheap. When thebike went back to Rotator, I kept the pedals.


ComfortThe Rotator Pursuit is unique in that it com-bines a world-class full-mesh seat (perhaps thebest mesh seat available today) with a LWBframe and a relatively high pedal position. Theseat height can actually be set up for the rider,as there are both low- and high-profile mod-els. Ours was the taller/wider seat. The Rota-tor seat clamps to the bike with radiator hoseclamps. These have never been my favorite,but once set (and not messed with often) theywork fine.

Another aspect of Rotator comfort is thelong handlebars. On recumbents with higherpedals and the ability to recline the seat, thebars get farther away from the rider. I have along torso, and this has been a problem for meon this and previous Pursuit test bikes. If it’s aproblem for you, Rotator can fabricate a longerstem/bar.

On the RoadStability—Once at speed, the dual-700 Pur-suit tracked with ease and was very stable.With its big front wheel, long ASS bars, andmore reclined head tube, this bike is a bitfloppy. The front end holds straight, but itwants to fall to one side or the other when youmove away from the center. This bike is opti-mized for the dual 20’s, but the 700/20 anddual 700c work well.

Maneuverability—This is not the Rotatordual 700’s strong point. The laid-back seat,high pedals, and big wheels make it more dif-ficult to maneuver in tight spots. This perfor-mance machine will do best on the open road.Even our daily commute was a bit difficult onthis bike.

Performance—Most dual-big-wheel LWBASS’s feel faster than their smaller-wheeledbrethren. The dual-700c Pursuit seemed to rollup to speed faster, but we’re not sure the bikewas actually any faster than the 700/20 ver-sion. However, it did coast farther.

Steve said that in coast-down tests on hisstandard road (which is somewhat rough) thedual-700 and dual-20 models coasted the samedistance, but the dual-20 model reached ahigher maximum speed. This makes sense. The20-inch wheels’ aerodynamic advantage gavethem a higher maximum speed, while the lowerrolling resistance of the 700c wheels allowedthem to continue rolling farther at low speed.

User-friendliness—This particular Pursuitmodel is not the most user-friendly, but it iswithin the realm of any experienced recum-bent rider.

Market CompetitionThe only other big-wheel LWB recumbents arethose that fit in the “all-rounder” category, notperformance bikes (HPM Roadster andLightfoot Ranger). The dual-700 Pursuit istruly in a league of its own. Due to the long

bars, steering geometry, and shifting (rear de-railleur mid-drive), it can take longer to getaccustomed to this bike than to a more tradi-tional LWB ASS recumbent.

ExtrasThe Pursuit will accept different wheel sizes,fenders, racks, fairings, and just about anythingelse you can think of to mount on the bike.Just be sure you consult with Steve Delaireabout what your plans are in advance.

One of the neatest options is the Rotatorcorrugated plastic (coroplast) fairing. This sellsfor $500 for either the Pursuit or the Tiger.Steve uses high-tech tape, combined withstructural plastic inside for strength. An ex-tended version is available in kit form (theSprint; see RCN 69, p. 6). There are also morecustom full-body streamliner and carbon fiberfairing options.

VerdictI’ve long been a fan of Steve Delaire and Ro-tator Bicycles. Steve builds them the way hefeels they should be built. No apology or ex-planation is needed. He’s an HPV pioneer andknows his business. He oversees the entireprocess, and he’s not afraid to go against thegrain. He rides, races, and uses bikes for trans-portation and utility. Unlike many other manu-facturers these days, Steve walks the walk—or should I say rides the ride—by advocatingbicycle use over automobiles. Builders like thisare the real deal.

Rotators are fast bikes that perform well.Delaire can provide fairings and modificationsand can give you advice on how to build upyour dream Pursuit. After riding them all, I dosee a benefit to big wheels and a more stan-

dard and simpler drivetrain. I found this big-wheel performance machine a bit too muchbike for me (roadie gears, skinny tires and all).During my research and communications withSteve, he convinced me that the reasoning be-hind the dual-20 model with a mid-drive metmore with my real-world criteria for a (fast)daily commuter. For more roadie-oriented rid-ers, who want something completely different,the dual-700 model may be the way to go.

Rating/SummarySeat Comfort: ADesign/style: B+Drivetrain: B- (standard); A- (mid-drive)Brakes/braking: BFinish quality: B

ProBuilt in the USA by Steve DelaireYour choice of steel or titaniumGreat mesh seat (in five sizes)A fast roadie LWBNothing else like it on the road

ConTiller steeringPassive suspended frame (flex)High roadie gearsSkinny Shimano wheels*Not the best all-rounder*Mid-drives are more complicated, can add fric-

tion and are less intuitive for some.*** Dual skinny big-wheel model.** Mid-Drive equipped dual 20-in. model.

ContactRotator Bicycles707-539-4203www.rotatorrecumbent.com

The dual-20 Rotator Pursuit

July/August 2002 17

700/20 Pursuit (same bike, different front fork and wheel)

SpecificationsModel—Pursuit Dual 700c; Type—LWB ASS; Steering—ASS; Wheel-base—75”; Seat height—18-23”; Pedal height—18-21" (700c);Weight—see below; Frame—brazed CroMoly; Fork—CroMoly;Price—$1,735 (level 1), $2,850 (level 2), $4,700 (level 3)

Our test Pursuit had the taller and wider seat

ComponentsRotator Pursuits are offered with one of three component groups:

1. CroMoly frame and fork with SRAM Attack/Shimano 105 mix withTektro V-brakes. Weight: 31-32 pounds.

2. CroMoly frame and fork with SRAM Attack/Shimano Dura-Ace mixwith Paul Motolite brakes. Weight: 27 pounds.

3. Titanium frame and fork (3.2-pound frame) with components fromgroup 2. Weight: 23 pounds (2 pounds heavier than dual-20 ver-sion).

Dual-20 versions are equipped with 48- or 54-speed mid-drive. Thedual-700 version is a 3 x 9 27-speed. ◆

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RCN Road Test

The Cycle GeniusCG24 CLWB

by Bob Bryant

The Cycle Genius CG24 is a new entry-levelrecumbent that sells for just $550. The CG hasthe feel of a SWB, but in a CLWB package.This means no heel overlap or overly quickhandling—both of which can be importanttraits for new riders. The bike has a full-meshsling seat—which is an added treat and a rar-ity these days. Best of all, here’s a new, veryaffordable CLWB that offers exceptional re-cumbent value. I was pleasantly surprised atjust how ridable and comfortable this new bikeis.

So, who are these folks who have come outof nowhere to label their bike a “Genius”? Thefriendly folks from Texas are Adam Potter andDanny Savitzky. They are the designers andprincipals in Cycle Genius. Both have runPlanetary Cycle over the last seven years. Be-sides the CG, they sell RANS, Vision, BikeE,and Sun recumbents.

SystemsFrame and Fork—The CG has a unique X-frame design that mixes square high-tensile(mild steel) steel and round CroMoly steel. Thefork is high-tensile. This isn’t as good asCroMoly, but the CG is overbuilt and stiff. TheX-frame doesn’t have the design simplicity of,say, a BikeE, but it’s unique, different, and itworks—and we like that.

Paint—Our CG came in a unique green-blue fade. This isn’t your usual recumbentpaint job, and we’d prefer the other choice ofbasic red.

Steering—The CG has an all-aluminum barand stem with a quick height-position adjuster(ball detent pin; neat idea). No tools are nec-essary for adjustment. The handlebars remindme of those on a Lightning P-38.

Weight—At 40.5 pounds, the CG24 isheavy, though it’s a lot less expensive thansome other 40-pounders we’ve recently tested.

Drivetrain —“Bargain basic” is how to bestdescribe the CG drivetrain. The SRAM mixshifted fine, and the bike has excellent chainmanagement (relatively short chain; no idlers).The drivetrain operated smoothly and quietly.

Braking—The basic model Alhonga V-brakes stopped the CG with ease.

Wheels and Tires—The CG has a 20/16wheel combo. I highly recommend changingout the tires before you roll the CG off theshowroom floor. The stock tires are low-pres-sure recreational bike tires. We had a seriousblowout on one test ride that blew the rear tireoff the rim and ruined both the tire and thetube. The optional tires are Primo Comets(1.75- or 1.35-inch)—though these are still abit on the wimpy side (performance tires), thequality is superior. The optional Kenda Kwestsare the right choice for the bike.

ComfortSeat—The CG offers a full-mesh sling seatwith a unique spring system. The seat lookslike your standard full-mesh recumbent seat.The seat back and base are separate and hingetogether. The independent back and base meshsections attach under the seat with two rods(one on each end) that are zip-tied together.I’d never seen a seat go together like this.Though more complex than some, it worksvery well.

The CG has chrome-plated “S” spring stripsrunning across both the seat back and base.These unique springs are held into the frameby spring tension. You can remove one or allto custom adjust how springy you want theseat. The result a very comfortable CLWB seat.I’ll admit to not having any problem with anyCLWB seats, but having a full-mesh seat wasreally nice.

The folks at Cycle Genius suggested that tooptimize comfort, first try removing two bot-tom springs first and perhaps all. You mayspend an hour or so messing with this.

The CG has a seat-back recline adjustment.A monostay with a quick-release holds the seatback up, and when detached it allows the seatto fold forward.

The seat easily slides on the square frameto adjust for different rider heights.

Ergonomics—The CG has more extremeergonomics than do the CLWB models fromSun, BikeE, Cannondale, or RANS. The higherpedals move the rider rearward, away from thecontrols. Some larger/taller riders may find aslight hyperextension problem (long reach tothe controls) and even a heavily loaded rearwheel/light front end. I was initially concernedabout both, but I didn’t experience either.

Pull-back handlebars are available as anoption, though these may increase knee inter-ference with the bars.

Ride/HandlingStability—The CG rides like a very stableSWB. It handles and tracks with ease, offer-ing a pleasant and unique road feel. The smallfront wheel gives the bike the zip of a SWB,but the longer wheelbase gives it more stabil-ity. The front end did feel lighter than on mostSWB recumbents.

The CG is very maneuverable and easy toride, though the higher pedals are more enthu-siast oriented and take longer to get accus-tomed to in comparison with other CLWBs.

Speed/Efficiency—The CG is a quickCLWB. I was getting around town faster onthe CG than on my BikeE RX, and it was per-haps even a bit faster than our CannondaleEasy Rider. The added CLWB performance ofthis bike comes from the stiff frame, a lack of

July/August 2002 19

The optional CG Zzipper fairing

Above and below: The CG24 sling/mesh seat. Note removable springs.

rear suspension (no possibility for pogo), anda smooth-running drivetrain (no idlers/mid-drive). The package offers superior powertransfer from the pedals to the rear wheel (overwhat is currently available in CLWBrecumbents). The only performance detractorwas the bike’s weight.

The downside of this design would be themore heavily loaded rear end, which could bea concern for larger/taller riders. I thought itwould be more of a problem than it turned outto be. During our CG review, it rained or thepavement was wet on most of my test rides(wet pavement can make a lightly loaded frontend more easily lose traction) I had no prob-lem pushing the bike on my usual daily ride.

User-friendliness—The Cycle Genius isnot quite as user-friendly as a some otherCLWB models. The pedals are higher than onmost other CLWB’s, and the mesh seat base isless suitable for shorter riders because the baseside rails make it more difficult to put yourfeet down. The use of clipless pedals is alsomore difficult because it takes longer to getyour feet up to the pedals to clip in/out.

Fun Factor—Given the great price and themore advanced feel of this bike, you can’t helpbut to have a blast on it.

Owning/PurchasingVersatility—Though probably not as versa-tile as a BikeE or EZ1 (due to its more enthu-siast/less user-friendly riding position), the CGcan be set up to do most anything.

Shipping/Assembly—The CG is built to beassembled by your local bike shop. I don’tsuggest buying this bike mail-order and set-ting it up yourself. If you do buy it mail-order,take it to your local bike shop for setup.

Quality/Durability —The Cycle Geniusrecumbents are built in the same Taiwan fac-tory as the Sun EZ1, so the quality is very simi-lar. We did have some minor problems. Webroke a seat quick-release, and the bike hadsome missing parts. The folks at Cycle Ge-nius were quick to send us everything weneeded in quick fashion. Ours was one of thefirst production models from Taiwan. Thoughglitches like this can be a hassle, it wouldn’thave happened if I was buying from a recum-bent dealer.

Cost/Depreciation—At $550 retail, youcan’t lose much. The CG should hold its valuebetter than most recumbents (the more youspend, the more you lose when you resell).

Options and Accessories—Fenders arecoming. We haven’t heard about a seat bag yet,though our BikeE bag and my trusty L.L. Beanbackpack both strapped on with ease. Thereare optional tire choices and even componentupgrades. A matching Zzipper fairing sells for$250. Kenda Kwest 1.5-inch tires with a punc-ture-resistant casing are a listed option, but

they were not yet available when this articlewas written. A comfort seat pad is also in theworks (not that this bike really needs it). Akickstand is available. A performance Shimano30/42/52 triple crankset is an available option.

The CG24AL, an upgraded aluminum-frame model, is due out in 2003. It should beseveral pounds lighter and will sell for about$800.

Market Competition—The CG models arevery similar in value and pricing to the EZ1and EZ1 SC Lite. There is more value in theCG than with the BikeE CT. The CG doesn’thave the refined looks of a BikeE or the trackrecord and design heritage of the Sun EZ1, butit’s an excellent addition to entry-level recum-bency. From what we are hearing, the bike isselling quite well.

Low-cost entry-level recumbents have a his-tory of price fluctuations. The most recent ex-ample is with the $550 BikeE CT, which isnow selling for $699 (without Sweet Seat).Sometimes the deals don’t last very long. Cur-rently the Cycle Genius and Sun EZ1 are theexceptional buys in recumbency.

My AnalysisVerdict—A few problems: our bike was miss-ing some washers for the seat mounting, webent a seat quick-release (you don’t need toovertighten these), and the derailleur hangerthreads were full of powdercoat. We couldn’tthread the derailleur and didn’t have chasingtool, and before we realized there was a prob-lem the threads were messed up. It took ourlocal bike shop about 10 minutes to fix theproblem. According to Cycle Genius, the rea-son for shipping with the derailleur off is toavoid bending the derailleur hanger—whichmakes sense to us.

The Cycle Genius has a slick “no tools”adjustable (ball detent) ASS steering column,a comfy full-mesh sling seat, and a robust steelframe. The lack of suspension will make for astiff ride, but you won’t have pogo or shockproblems with this bike.

What sets the CG apart from all other Ameri-can CLWB’s is the higher pedals and the ad-justable (full-mesh sling) seat. This will allowbetter comfort on long rides than the competi-tion. This is primarily due to the seat, but thehigher pedals and reclinability allow the ridingposition to be tilted back. The competition of-fers lower seat heights, which means a moreupright riding position (more possibility forrecumbent butt).

The bottom line is that the CG24 is a decentand affordable performance-oriented CLWB.At $550, the bike is a supreme bargain andexcellent addition to the recumbent market.Given the fact that it comes from a new up-start company, we’re quite impressed!


Our CG24 test bike with Primo Comet replacement tires

Rating/SummaryComfort: A-Design/style: B-Drivetrain: BChain management: ABrakes/braking: BFinish quality: B-

ProAn exceptional buyDecent CLWB performance

Excellent CLWB comfort (mesh sling seat)Unique bikeUpgrades available

ConHigher pedals are less user-friendly for first-

time ridersSomewhat complex seat was not as intuitive

as some to assembleSome low-grade parts (easily upgradable)Heavy

May be hard to find/test-ride

AccessCycle Genius713-666-BIKE (2453)or 866-901-BIKE (2453)www.cyclegenius.com

SpecificationsModel—Cycle Genius CG24S; Type—CLWBASS; Steering—ASS; Wheelbase—-52”; Seatheight—24”; Pedal height—21.5”; Weight—40.5 pounds; Frame—High-tensile square withCroMoly secondary; Fork—High- tensile;Price—$550

ComponentsCrank—Dotek 170 mm triple 28/38/48; Bot-tom bracket—Shimano; Headset—NA;Derailleur(s)—SRAM 5.0 (r), Falcon (f);Shifters—SRAM 3.0 twist; Cassette—11-288-speed; Chain—KMC; Gear-inch range—19-83; Pedals—-composite; Wheels—406 mm20” (r)/305 mm 16” (f); Rims—alloy;Spokes—14g w/brass nipples; Tires—Kenda40 psi; Hubs—alloy QR; Brakes—Alhonga V-brake (r); Colors—Red or green-blue fade.

An aluminum model (CG24AL) will beavailable next year and weigh 8 to 10 poundsless. It will have better components, includingdouble- wall rims and better/higher-pressuretires, and will sell for about $800. ◆

July/August 2002 21

by Matt Schneps, [email protected], andBill Cook, [email protected]

Bike Tech

The PantourSuspension Hub

Don’t ride down this road without amap! The complex internal workingsof the Pantour hub. The bearings aresealed inside the ring that surroundsthe cylindrical suspension chamber.

The “hot dog” is the elastomer.

Instant Suspension for Every Bike

Until now, recumbent riders yearning for af-ter-market suspension simply had to do with-out and endure rough roads—even chippedteeth. Under-seat steering, complex chain rout-ing, or unusual wheel sizes often made it im-possible to find a suspension that would work.And even when suspension forks are available,they add from one to four pounds to the weightof the bike.

Pantour, a small California company, has awonderfully innovative solution to this prob-lem. They put the suspension right into the hub.Suddenly, there’s a suspension option for vir-tually any bike—recumbent or upright. There’sno need to change the fork or modify the frame.With the Pantour hub, adding suspension is asalmost as simple as flipping a quick- releaselever and changing the wheel. And to top itoff, the Pantour suspension hub is light! It addsonly 50 to 100 grams to the wheel—hardlymore than a few good swigs of water. Thismakes the Pantour hub one of the lightest sus-pension options available.

Even better, the Pantour suspension hubworks really well. Our first impression on theroad with the new suspension was that the rideis surprisingly plush. The hub has only about12 mm of travel (as opposed to 25-35 mm oftravel on a typical suspension fork), but thisseemed to be plenty to deal with nearly every-thing my local New England roads dish out.Frost heaves, tree roots, and bad repairs werehandled without problem. Even deep, teeth-shattering potholes became manageable. In

fact, since the hub has very little stiction, itseems to handle the most common smallbumps better than the FOX Air RC suspen-sion I use for the rear, and better than the Bal-listic suspension fork I used previously on thefront. Bill’s experiences were similar. ThePantour hub makes those annoying road ripplesjust melt away.

No Stunts, PleaseYou have to pick your battles, though. There’sonly so much 12 mm of travel can handle.While the Ballistic suspension fork would letme ride up a two-inch-high cement curb at 16mph without even breaking speed, this samecurb proved too challenging for the Pantourhub. The thunk, though considerably lessened,was uncomfortable. The same curb at 12 mphwas no problem at all, however. (With no sus-pension I had to slow to a walking pace.) Still,I found myself slowing down for major ob-stacles I might have otherwise ridden throughhad I been using a standard suspension fork.

Bill concurs that the Pantour hub, as goodas it is, is not a complete substitute for a sus-pension fork. The superb, lightweight Action-Tec fork he uses on his Dakota S allows himto jump off curbs and hit potholes, somethinghe would not recommend with the Pantour. Butthe Pantour provides almost all of what youwant in a suspension fork—without the weight.

Why Suspension?Suspension helps smooth the ride for both rider

and bike. More important, it helps you main-tain control, keeping the wheel on the roadwhere it belongs. The faster you go on roughroads, the greater the advantage you’ll feel.Long, very fast downhill runs are simply lessdangerous with suspension.

A large bump taken at speed without sus-pension can send your steering flying—spokescan snap, rims can dent, tires can blow out, allwith disastrous effect. SWB recumbents,which put more stress on the (often small) frontwheel, are especially vulnerable. With suspen-sion, you can ride with greater confidence andspeed, particularly when conditions are lessthan certain. Once you get used to suspensionit’s hard to go back. Suspension makes the bikefeel more secure, all the while easing the stressof the ride.

Our TestsWe conducted independent tests of two Pantourhubs under varying conditions on differentbikes. I mounted my hub on a rear- suspendedSWB Challenge Wizard from Holland, and Irode the bike on familiar New England roadsbroken with frost heaves, potholes, and numer-ous repairs. Bill mounted his hub on an SWBBarcroft Virginia GT he builds, and he rode itover his favorite routes in northern Virginia.

The first thing you notice when you take thePantour hub out of its box is that this littlemiracle is packaged very small. Except for anoversized flange that houses the sealed rollerbearings, the suspension is hardly any biggerthan an ordinary hub. Once you put it on thebike, it just seems to disappear. And unlike big,imposing suspension forks, the hub is so un-obtrusive that it’s almost incredible that thistiny little thing can work. But it does!

Careful DesignThe Pantour hub is a very clever bit of engi-neering. The hub is easily opened for service,and it needs no special tools. Once you pry offthe dust covers, you can see the oversized bear-ings surrounding the aluminum suspensionchamber. The wheel spins freely around thesuspension chamber, which is held by an axlefixed in place by the fork with a standardquick-release lever. When the wheel hits abump, the suspension chamber slams into anelastomer, and this absorbs the bump without


The Pantour hub/wheel

restricting the wheel’s spin.Pantour sells the hub separately, or they can

build a custom wheel for you using virtuallyany rim you specify, so long as the brakingsurface is at least 12 mm wide. The hub comesin black or in polished metal. I ordered minein black to match my all-black bike. I had thehub built onto a black 406 mm Sun RingleRhyno Lite XL rim, to accommodate the ex-tra-wide Tioga Comp Pool tires I like to ride.The wheel arrived beautifully built and true,with radially laced spokes (cross lacing is notrecommended). Bill mounted his hub on aVelocity Razor rim using 32 spokes, radiallylaced, fitted with a Schwalbe Stelvio tire.

In all the excitement over the suspension,we have to remember that this is also a hub,and it has to perform like one. The bearingsare sealed against dirt and water, and they al-low the wheel to spin freely. The axle is heldfirm and square in the fork, and I didn’t noticeany mushiness or slippage when I leaned hardinto turns. Thirty-five mile per hour downhillswere a piece of cake—the bike ran rock-steadyand true. Bill took his bike downhill at about32 mph and found that, because the tire huggedthe road better, the ride felt more stable than itwould have without the hub.

Trailing Link SuspensionAny road bump can be thought of as combina-tion of small steps up or down. A step downwould be like launching off a curb: the forceof the impact on the wheel is largely vertical.And since most bike frames are fairly pliantin this dimension, many bikes can absorb ajump off a curb, for example, without addi-tional suspension. Riding up a curb (a risingstep) can be another story entirely. Here theimpact, at least initially, is largely horizontal.Bikes are often built stiff in this direction, sohitting a rising step up without suspension canbe quite a jolt.

While most suspension forks only compen-sate for motions along the long, vertical axisof the fork, the Pantour hub is a “trailing link”design: it pivots backward around an axis.When you hit a bump, the wheel moves di-

agonally back, damping both the horizontaland vertical components of the force. Smallsetscrews on the side of the hub allow you tovary this angle of attack. Different screw po-sitions change how the hub is held in the drop-outs so that the direction of travel is more ver-tical or more horizontal. (One nit I have is thatthese screws are not metric, and you need tocarry yet another tool on the road.)

You can further tune the hub to your ride bychanging the elastomer inside the hub. Pantouroffers three grades of elastomer, classed byuser weight. You may need to experiment tofind the right one. A LWB will need a muchsofter elastomer than an SWB, just as a lighterrider will need a softer elastomer than a heavierone. In general, you want to select the mostpliant elastomer you can get away with with-out introducing so much sag from your weightthat you lose effective travel. Changing elas-tomers is relatively easy, but I found the in-structions provided with the hub difficult tofollow. Reassembling the hub was like puttingtogether a watch without directions. (Pantourpromises to improve their directions.)

BrakingA major drawback of building the suspensioninto the hub is that as the wheel moves up anddown in the fork, the rim moves up and downrelative to the brake pads. At any given mo-ment, depending on the bumps, the brake padscan be higher or lower than their optimal po-sition along the center of the rim. If the totaltravel of the suspension is more than twice theheight of the rim’s braking surface, then it’spossible that at some point the brake pads may

actually miss the rim entirely.Pantour deals with this problem by restrict-

ing the suspension’s travel. By limiting travelto 12 mm diagonally, the pads cannot movemore than a few millimeters above or belowthe optimal line of braking. Most rims are tallenough to accommodate such a small range ofmotion. Shorter rims, of course, are not rec-ommended for use with this hub. Installationinstructions advise that the brakes be set sothat when the rider’s full weight is on the bike,the brakes fall along the center line of the rim’sbraking surface. Thus, even at the extremeranges of the suspension, more than half thebrake pad can be counted on to be in contactwith the rim.

In practice, both Bill and I found that brak-ing was not an issue; it was confident and as-sured. While Bill’s alloy rim with machinedsidewalls worked well right from the start, ittook me about 100 miles to break in the ratherslick black-anodized rim so that the brakesworked smoothly. But once my rim was suffi-ciently roughened, the brakes worked predict-ably and smoothly, even in panic stops atspeed. I found that wear patterns in the rimafter about 200 miles of riding confirmed thatthe brakes consistently gripped the center ofthe rim’s braking surface.

Fat Tires and FendersMany SWB recumbent riders use wide tires inthe front, and there is a concern whether thefat tires will clear the crown of the fork andthe fenders. Since, with the suspension hub,the wheel is free to move in relation to thefork’s crown, there’s a chance that the wheelcould hit a bump and slam into the fork orfender. Pantour deals with this problem by low-ering the wheel in the fork, to provide suffi-cient clearance to accommodate the wheel’stravel. Thus, if your fat tires and fenders man-aged to clear before you installed the suspen-sion hub, they’ll likely continue to work fineafter you add suspension. My ultra-wide TiogaComp Pools, mounted on wide (29.2 mm)rims, worked flawlessly, though both Bill andI had to set our brake jaws slightly further apart

July/August 2002 23

to prevent the sidewall from rubbing the padswhen there was no load on the suspension (forexample, when walking the bike).

Since the rim is set further from the crownof the fork, in mounting the wheel you have toset your brake pads further down as well. Mostbrakes are likely to provide enough slop in thepositioning of the pads to allow for this, but ifyours don’t have the range of adjustment youcould be out of luck. In this case, the companyadvises using a file to elongate the brake’smounting slots to allow them to sit lower—not a very satisfactory solution, in my opin-ion. Although Bill had no trouble at all fittinghis Tektro mini V-brake for the hub, myMagura rim brakes couldn’t be set low enough.When I mentioned this to Pantour, they tookthe hub back (they even paid the postage) andmade a minor modification that made it workout fine. All this is to say that some may findsetting the brakes tricky, and if you’re nothandy about such things, it’s best to have yourbike mechanic set the brakes for you.

Water and GritSuspension is most handy when riding in badconditions like those we find in New Englandin winter. On the Pantour hub, the critical rollerbearings are sealed, and they are not likely tobe affected by grit or water getting throughthe seals. Though the suspension chamber isprotected by a dust cover, this cover is notsealed, and it is possible that water might leakinto the suspension chamber during heavy

rains or cleaning. There’s not much inside thehub that is likely to get damaged by water inthe hub, but getting water inside is probablynot a good idea. It’s therefore best to clean thehub with a damp cloth and to keep the hubaway from pressurized water.

Rear Suspension Coming!Pantour is already working on a rear suspen-sion hub, as well as another version of the fronthub designed for disc brakes. The rear suspen-sion hub should be on the market by some-time in May 2002, according to Pantour. Aneven lighter-weight front hub is also coming,at a somewhat higher price. These additionswill undoubtedly make the Pantour hub themost versatile suspension for recumbents.

Pantour backs its product with excellent ser-vice. They’re eager to build a following, andthough they are aiming at the broader bikemarket, they are courting recumbent riders.They know the difference between an LWBand an SWB and will build their hub into rimsof any size, offering stock rims as small as 16inches. The company has an excellent website(www.Pantour.com), and it promises to includewell-illustrated maintenance instructions therein the near future.

While the Pantour hub won’t substitute fora hefty suspension fork for off-road riding, itcertainly does a good job of taking care of theirritating irregularities in the road. The hubcan’t be beat for weight, and it can providesuspension for even the most finicky of bents.

Though the price ($199 for the hub, $299for a built wheel) is high, the hub is competi-tive with, and perhaps cheaper than, many af-ter-market suspensions offered for recumbents.And when you factor in that you are also get-ting a hub, the price is reasonable. This is aninteresting innovation many will wish to in-vestigate. ◆

ProSimple to installFeatherweightSuspension will fit any bikeLow stiction; handles small bumps better than

many other systems

ConSome brakes may not work, or brake modifi-

cation may be requiredLimited travel can’t handle the biggest bumps

Accesswww.pantourhub.com

Matt Schneps is the director of SportSmarts(www.SportSmarts.org), a science educationinitiative of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centerfor Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Bill Cook is the owner of Barcroft Cycles(www.barcroftcycles.com), in Falls Church,Virginia, makers of high-end touring and rac-ing recumbent single and tandem bikes.

???

Confused about where to buy your next recumbent?

Let our over 10 years of experience in the recum-

bent business help you to find the bike that best

suits you!

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Call or Visit the Recumbent Headquarters


The Kal-HavenTrail Ride of 2001

Or . . . Two Old Men and a Couple of ’Bents

by John [email protected]

The Ride

This story came about by accident. I begankeeping a ride log because I couldn’t remem-ber from one day to the next when and whereI’d ridden. Maybe it’s old age, but if you askedme where and when I rode last month, Icouldn’t begin to tell you. So I began sittingdown after a ride and typing on the computeranything that came to mind about this recentride. Normally I write with a pen in the ridelog, but this time I needed more.

First, I should tell you that I ride an EZ-1SC and my friend Keith rides a homebuilt thatlooks like a copy of one of the popular SWB’bents. To the seasoned recumbent rider itlooks homebuilt, but it’s a well-made copy. Ithas a 20-inch 406 mm wheel on the front anda 26-inch 559 mm on the back. We’re both rela-tively new to recumbents—I bought mine inSeptember 2000, and Keith bought his in June2001. Both of us have ridden bikes most ofour lives, but we were tired of the pain of up-rights. We had planned to ride the Kal-HavenTrail (actually called a state park) for sometime, but something always seemed to get inthe way.

I finally got the OK from my better half (shesaid, “If you die on the trail I will never speakto you again”). My riding has usually been 11to 16 miles going to the local donut shops andsuch, so long rides were not the norm in my

case. Now, for those of you who don’t knowwhat the Kal-Haven Trail is, I will explain. Itis a converted railroad bed with a crushed lime-stone surface. It’s dusty and sometimes a littleloose, but we did see a couple of roadies onskinny-tire wedgies who managed to keep itupright. It runs from Kalamazoo, Michigan,to South Haven and is 33.5 miles in length.Now, the brochure states it is 33.5 miles long,but our bike computers both read 36 miles. Itruns through or close to several small townsalong the way, and every 5 miles or so there isan oasis, which usually includes a picnic table,a hand-pump water well, and an outhouse.Since the trail is an old railroad bed, it doesn’thave any real hills. There are some gentledownhills and some gentle uphills, but the riderequires constant pedaling.

The plan was to meet at Keith’s house anddrive to South Haven with both cars, leave onecar in South Haven, and then drive back toKalamazoo with the bikes to start the ride.Then we would ride to South Haven and bringthe bikes back to Kalamazoo when finished.So we ate a quick breakfast at Mikey D’s inBattle Creek and headed out. Keith broughtalong his walkie-talkies for the trip, whichmade it nice to stay in touch while driving overin separate cars. One thing I hate is to losesomeone in traffic when I’m trying to follow

him to a specific destination.Well, we finally made it to the trailhead at

Kalamazoo and started out at 0900 exactly.Now, mind you, I’ve been up since 0430 an-ticipating this ride, and we didn’t start until0900, so I’m really ready to ride. The tempera-ture for the day got up to 75 degrees by theafternoon, clear blue skies—What a day for aride! Before starting we noticed there was afemale runner doing her stretches, and weasked her to take our picture in front of thetrailhead. I thought we would never get going,but finally we set out. The trail is beautiful.There are trees covering it nearly the all of theway—95% shade! We passed a few bicycleswhile traveling the trail. The trail wasn’t toocrowded on this Monday (the weekends areanother story, we’re told). We saw severalrecumbents—which surprised me. We saw aVision R40, a RANS Screamer, and a coupleof BikeE’s. We passed several families out forwalks and bike rides, and they all did the usualoohs and ahhs. We were clicking off the milesat about 11 mph average at first. Then the av-erage speed seemed to drop as we went along.Oh well, my engine is getting older now, andwe weren’t trying to do a speed run anyway. Ithink I was so pumped up with anticipation(and coffee) that I cranked it a little hard atfirst. The first 3 miles are somewhat downhillgoing west out of Kalamazoo, then it flattensout and it’s a series of slight downhill to flat toslight uphill.

The trail passes close by many small townsand villages. Some of them are Alamo,Kendall, Gobles, Bloomingdale, Grand Junc-tion, and Lacota. If you look at a Michiganmap you can pick these out easily betweenKalamazoo and South Haven and get an ideaof the route we took. There are numerous bikeracks at most of the stops, which is good forwedgies and is an attempt at being bike-friendly, but they don’t seem to fit recumbentsvery well.

At about the halfway point, the trail goesdirectly through Bloomingdale. This is wherethe best oasis is located—the BloomingdaleDeli. The place is small, and one could rideright past it without seeing it (you could missthe whole village if you blinked) except forone thing—they’re cooking hamburgers on thegas grill out front, and the smell draws you inlike a magnet. By this time we’re ravenous andhave to have a burger or die. We ate our foodat a nice outside table.

After lunch, we had about 20 miles to goand the day was waning. At this point the rideis fast becoming my longest nonstop ride, andI’m beginning to feel the effects of the rideand the food. Remember, I’m pedaling a 40+pound recumbent.

As we started back on the trail I noticed a

July/August 2002 25

Author John Rome

weed-infested building with an old banana-seatbike welded to a sign above the doorway. Itwas an old bike rental place that looked like ithad gone out about 10 years ago. We remarkedthat we were glad we had recumbents and notbanana-seat single-speed bikes on this trip.

The next 10 miles were pretty uneventfuland were quickly becoming a chore for me,but we pushed on with great enthusiasm. By“uneventful” I mean there was absolutely noth-ing out there but bike trail and us. It was oneof the areas that didn’t have many trees, and Ifelt like I was breaking trail for the first timein a new territory. It would have been a badplace to break down. I imagined it as the set-tlers saw Michigan for the first time. Thoughtscrossed my mind like “maybe I should havepurchased those spare tubes.” The terrain wasdesolate with swampy land on both sides, re-ally spooky.

As we approached one of the last villages,we had to cross over a set of railroad tracks. Asign says, “Walk your bikes.” We thought thatwas strange, but when we arrived at the trackswe could see why. There were craters at thetracks that would swallow up my 20-inchwheel with no problem, let alone my 16-inchfront tire. So we walked the bikes like it said.Apparently there is no plan to fix these mon-ster holes, because the signs seem permanent.We stopped at the oasis on the other side ofthe tracks and saw that we were in Grand Junc-tion. We talked with a couple that had stoppedthere. They were riding a RANS Screamer, andas I watched them mount up to continue theirride I was struck by how coordinated somepeople are. They looked like they’d been ridingthe Screamer for years. I forgot to mention,the first time we saw the couple on theScreamer, they passed us at a fairly fast pace.Keith looked over and said, “That woman onthe back is not pedaling.” When we talked tothem later I didn’t mention this observation tothem. No need to start any trouble. Come tothink of it, the guy did say it was a little toughgoing today. We loaded up with cold well wa-

ter and were off. Now that I think back, I hopethese wells were tested for water purity.

The last few miles we just pedaled along.People who saw us probably thought weweren’t very friendly but could tell by the de-termined look on our faces that we were go-ing to make it or else. The last mile of the trailis in South Haven and is paved in asphalt andreally nice. The last 300 yards to the parkinglot was not really nice. It is a very steep climband took the last bit of strength out of my legs.I was glad to be finished. After I caught mybreath, I felt like I had accomplished a goal

that needed to be done in my golden years.This was a short-term goal, as I want to com-plete a century within the next year. I guess Iforgot to mention our ages. Both of us are fifty-seven. Not as old as some I’ve seen but stillnot young either.

So now it’s time to pack up and go home.We unbolted the seat from the homebuilt andstuffed the bike in the trunk of the LincolnTown Car (it’s a crater), put the seat in thebackseat of the car, mounted mine on a bikerack on the trunk lid, and we’re off. We al-most lost the EZ-1 off the car on the way backto Kalamazoo because it’s a narrow bike rack,but other than that it was a good trip. The twoBikeE riders were at the original starting point

when we returned. We checked out eachother’s bikes and noted that the new CT’s looknice. One thing I liked about the BikeE wasthe fact that the seats come off quite easily fortransport; the seat on the EZ-1 has to be un-bolted. Those animals said they road the full36 miles in just 3.5 hours. The ride took us 6hours. Of course, if you factor in the outhousebreaks and the great lunch at the BloomingdaleDeli, we did pretty good.

The BikeE riders were from Terre Haute,Indiana, and were flyin’ Joes now because theypurchased their bikes at Dave Doty’s ValleyBikes in Crawfordsville, Indiana (no plug in-tended). Never been there, but I get the flyin’Joe newsletter. Small world, huh? I read sto-ries of recumbent riders riding many moremiles than I have completed on some of thenewsgroups and in RCN. Someday I may getthere, but for now I’ll be happy just being ableto ride a two-wheeled lounger. My hat is offto all who do long rides. Hope I didn’t boreyou too much with my little ride story. ◆

The author is married and has two daughters.He works for the government during the dayand rides anytime he is able. The golf game issuffering and the lawn needs mowing.


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July/August 2002 27

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Classified Ad InfoSubscriber Rate : FREE (to 40 words)Non-Subscriber Rate : $20 per 40 words.Commercial Rates : Call or email for ratesheet. Tel. 360-344-4079.Issue Deadlines : Allow 60 days. We placeclassifieds until the day we go to press.Ad Submission : Send ad to RCN, PO Box2048, Port Townsend, WA 98368 or emailto [email protected]

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▲ Colorado, Arvada : Best of Bents , Tel. 303-463-8775; E-mail:[email protected];

▲ Georgia, Atlanta: Atlanta Recumbent Cyclist (Cartersville)

Ben Watters: Tel. 770-578-9380, E-mail: [email protected].

▲ Hawaii, Oahu: Hawaii Rainbow Riders Lynn Miller,

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▲ Illinois, Champaign/Bloomington/Peoria Central IllinoisRecumbent Community (CIRC) Web: http://home.mchsi.com/~circ/index.htm or E-mail: [email protected].

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Attention Rider Group Members & Leaders

We are rebuilding our rider group listing from the ground up. Please send

us your current rider group contact name, phone and website or email.

Thank you

Rider Group Listings

July/August 2002 29

HistoryThe first Greenspeed Touring Trike, GRT 20260001, wasbuilt in 1990, and was used on the 1990 Great VictorianBike Ride, from Bairnsdale to Melbourne. Ordersfollowed immediately, and in 1993/4 Val Wright and EricButcher rode their Greenspeed GTS trikes right aroundAustralia. In 1997/8 Jeff McLean rode his early model(1991, #10) GRT trike from China, through Asia andEurope to London, U.K. Our GTR Touring Trike wasselected “Best Trike” by Recumbent Cyclist News in1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001.

DevelopmentContinuous feedback from hundreds of Greenspeedowners, worldwide, who use their GTR Trikes to themax, has resulted in the GTO Trike. The GTO has thesame high-backed seat as our popular GTR Trike, but isa little lower, giving even better road holding andhandling. Yet with the use of a single S&S coupling, itwill pack down into two suit cases for aircraft, train, orcoach travel.

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Easy Racers: Our Customers Speak

Double Century Man, Ron Bobbout training for the Terrible Two

SUBJECT: How Does That ThingClimb? April 4, 2001

Just a quick update on the Gold Rush Rep-lica that I purchased about two monthsago. Great!!! The weather in Cincinnatiis just starting to break. I have over 900miles on my trainer since February, andabout 120 miles on the GRR. With theweather breaking the GRR should seeabout 150 miles a week.

The GRR becomes more of a blast themore I ride it. I did my first climb out ofthe river valley where our major bike pathis located. Everyone warned me that Iwould be in trouble on a climb. So I wassomewhat apprehensive as I started the1.5- mile climb out of the valley.

First, I never got out of the middlechainring. I think I could have stayed inthe large (53). I held between 13 and 17mph for most of the climb. I neverdropped below 11 mph. I was very impressed. I have climbed thishill hundreds of times on my Trek OCLV and felt far worse at thetop of the climb than on the GRR.

As a matter of fact, I felt great on the GRR!!! No back pain;nothing. The ride back down was a hoot. I had a friend with me(about 5 minutes behind me up the hill) as I descended down intothe valley. I was hitting 40 mph without moving my legs, and us-ing the brakes into the turns because I was not sure what to expectfrom the GRR at speed around the turns. My friend had to pedallike a madman and he still couldn’t keep up. The GRR felt like asports car going down the hill. What fun!!! I wish I had started

this 30 years ago instead of my mid fif-ties!!!!

Best regards,Doug Pendery

SUBJECT: GRR UpdateApril 25, 2001

This past Saturday I rode with a fewfriends that have conventional racingbikes (Wedgies; I think you call them).We climbed out of the valley up theRoute 48 hill. This climb goes for about1.5 miles. I pulled my friends up thehill at about 18 miles per hour andcrested at over 20 mph. Needless to saythey were out of their saddles trying tostay up. I must say I was winded, butso were they. Their comment was, “Iguess your recum-bent doesn’t have aproblem going up hills.”

In my younger days (about 8 years ago) I would have pushedmyself to my limit to go 18 miles per hour up this hill on my TrekOCLV. My point is the GRR is a great recumbent. I enjoy goingup hills on it more than my OCLV. I am more relaxed, my backdoesn’t hurt, and my legs aren’t killing me from being out of thesaddle trying to lever the OCLV up a hill.

By the way, we had a tailwind on one stretch of the ride. Imanaged to get up to 36 mph in the flats. Nobody passed me . . .It was a real hoot!!!

Best regards,Doug Pendery

issue no. 70 cyclistnews july/august 2002stevebriggs.netfirms.com/rcn/rcn_070.pdf · 2003-02-14 ·...

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