Recumbent bikology in the urban jungle.

Cruzbike continued

2012-02-03T23:55:00.000-05:00

So, as of now, here's the tally for how long it is taking me to learn to ride a Cruzbike Sofrider, moving bottom bracket recumbent bike for the first time (your own results may vary):

Day 1:__0:45 (hr:min) (mastered the basics)
Day 2:__1:00 (hr:min) (ready to ride on road)
Day 3:__2:00 (hr:min) (Improving technique. Working on: figure-8s, tight and open loops, S-turns, increasing speed, climbing, handling uneven surfaces and dirt.)
Day 4:__1:00 (hr:min) (Improving technique. Working on: S-turns, increasing speed, climbing, handling, sprinting, getting a workout.)

Report
Yesterday, I put aside work to squeeze in another hour on the new Cruzbike Sofrider demo bike. I was looking to get in a workout and also continue improving my handling skills on this frame, which handles like nothing I've ridden in the past.

There were two unexpected experiences. First of all, even though I began to feel comfortable on my last time out, after four hours on the bike, this time, I wasn't able to just get on, give it a kick and ride off. Like last time, the first 10 minutes were spent reacquainting myself with the pedaling and handling: I sat down, pushed hard on the pedals, and immediately pulled myself off-balance. Darn it. After a few minutes of persistence, recalling what I learned the last time, and soon I was riding up and down the bike path in front of my building, getting more comfortable before heading out into the street and off to Prospect Park.

I found a few tricks for reminding my muscles how to ride the bike:
1) Riding one handed, not two-handed, with a loose grip, reminds my body about what it needs to do. I could feel the handlebars pulling and pushing against that one hand, reminding me of the rhythm I needed to adapt.
2) Decide whether I'm going to let the handlebars pull against my fingers, or press against my palms; choose one or the other when I start so my body/mind is ready to respond.
3) Have active hands on the bars, but a light touch. Open my palms so the bars can press (or pull) as I pedal.
4) Pedal softly.

I was looking simply to get a workout yesterday. I had intentionally skipped my morning U.S. Masters Swimming practice so I needed the workout. Once in the park, though, I decided to keep working on handling skills again, instead of strength. This is because, given my current skill level, I simply can't apply full strength. With only modest effort, my speed goes high enough that it butts up against my handling skills. I could see that my legs were going to get very little work until I could steer through the speed. For those who don't know it, I will mention that the Prospect Park loop is also constantly rolling hills with one fast down and one hard up, and one flat section of about .75 miles.

Some aspects of handling remained easy -- the figure 8s and loops, the starts and stops, the sharp turns are basically no problem. What I found challenging though was maintaining good control on S-turns -- slaloming -- at speed. I was using a drill that I always give beginning bent riders when I'm teaching them to ride. For the first few repeats, you begin with shallow S-turns at moderate speed. You're seeking to understand how to use your body weight and handlebars to control the bike in combination with the forces generated by speed. In the drill, you gradually increase the slalom curves from low-speed shallow turns to low-speed deep turns, and, as you feel comfortable, you continue on to fast and shallow and fast and deep (the hardest to control, this is not for novices). I'm looking here for very precise control, where the bike ends up exactly where I want it, as if I'm steering around a 90-degree turn in traffic. This exercise is maybe more critical for the urban rider than the country rider.

The drill is a good skills test. How precisely can I control the mass of bike and rider? As I got faster, I started to see the limits of my ability: I could not be precise in my higher speed, deep turns. I'd find the bike suddenly over-turning. Was the weight of the bottom bracket pulling over the wheel? How do I control that? I found myself needing to concentrate constantly. Other riders may find as I did, that this is a very different experience to riding something like an HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte or a Volae Century, which nearly drive themselves from the beginning; you just relax the upper body and pedal. On the Cruzbike, I was finding my upper body needed to be much more engaged. Well, of course, I said to myself. I had already found that this is precisely what provides the speed advantage when applying force: the whole body is involved and not just the legs.

There was something on my mind as I was working on my drills, adding a feeling of urgency. (Urgency may not be the optimal state of mind for learning new skills, by the way.) Earlier that day, while reviewing a NY adventure race calendar, I got the idea for using a Cruzbike Sofrider in the April 1 "Fool's Rogaine" adventure race, if my skills were up to it. (The Fools Rogaine is an April First, six-hour, running, cycling and orienteering race on a broad variety of terrain.) Mind you, generally these are technical trails (but you don't know until you're on them) and it could be a good trial for the Sofrider as a trail bike. (Or it could be suicide.) So, I was beginning to put pressure on myself to "hurry up and get it" (again, no self-kindness there). I wanted to master the bike immediately, but I also understood that mastery takes time. I also know, when working with a high-performance design, it's normal not to "get it" immediately. My progress was probably normal, but I still wanted to "get it" now.

Today, I decided to call Maria Parker and Dan Fallon, both Cruzbike racers, to ask them questions about handling, particularly on the slalom curves. I found they both have a lot of experience and are humble and honest -- about what the bike does and what they do to control it.

Everyone does their own type of riding, so one needs to adapt advice from another's environment to one's own. In my case, I'm adapting techniques from road racing into an urban environment (and maybe onto trails).

In a video, I noticed Maria using a very slow cadence. For me, that seemed a sensible technique that would allow good coordination between the feet and hands. On the phone, she mentioned she also generally sits forward during turns. That could be seen on the video as well. While riding rear-wheel-drive bents on city roads, I too generally sit up when I need high maneuverability and vision -- when turning, at intersections, changing lanes -- so I can imagine this. I'll have to play with that on a Cruzbike.

Dan Fallon has raced both rear-wheel-drive bents as well as front-wheel-drive moving-bottom-bracket recumbents and seems to have thought a lot about the similarities and differences. His stable of Cruzbikes includes a Vendetta, Silvio and Sofrider, by the way, so clearly this guy is a believer. He also owns (or used to own) a Bachetta Ti Aero, but he has now gone Cruzbike.

Dan trains in a mountainous area, so he has a lot of experience with the Cruzbike on the ups, the downs and the flats, including incredibly long and high speed downs and equally long up-hill grinds. A key insight he gave me was that the Cruzbike can get twitchy at high speeds, like above 50 mph or so, as it reacts to imperfections in the road or from cross-winds. His preference is to hold back the bike on the long downhills. (The "prudent individual" will say this sounds obvious, but, in the moment, it can be easy to forget.) While he backs off on the downs, he hammers on the ups. The result is an excellent overall time. This may run counter to some bent-riders' temptation to take the downs at maximum speed (because though speed is dangerous, speed is also fun), but then go slow on the ups. I interpreted his words mainly as a comment on strategy. To use the Cruzbike design's advantages, apply your energy on the climbs.

This made sense to me and illuminated how the Cruzbike can deliver very good overall times. One's average time can be very good, though one's "maximum" speed may be lower compared to a bent that feels smoother at high speeds. People should realize that I'm a cautious rider, and what I got from the conversation is that the Cruzbike may not be a bike I would want to take at high downhill speeds. It's a bike that climbs quickly and handles the flats as fast as I would want to take them.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SAFETY: To the everyday, mortal rider like me: do not attempt to ride any bike at the high speeds taken by skilled racers like Maria and Dan or other pro racers. (And do not attempt to ride any bike at the speeds easily driven by cars.) Not only do racers have exceptional gifts, skills, strength, experience, and training, they may also be taking exceptional risks in order to achieve wins or set records. Furthermore, their bikes may be customized for their use. Personally, when I talk to riders about buying bikes, I strongly dislike it when the conversation turns to speed because, simply, speed is dangerous and speed maims and kills. But also, speed is about you, the rider, and your capabilities. Interestingly, when I speak with racers about bikes, we're rarely talking about speed as much as handling and power/force transfer.

I'm saying that because it's the right thing to say. It's also a "cover your ass" statement. Most bent riders are going to go out and ride at the speed of cars anyway and brag about it on Bent Rider Online. I'll say it one last time: ride at safe speeds.

Anyway.

Dan had stories that supported my belief that this could be a good trail bike. He finds it's superb in situations where you need to pick your path because the design allows you to see the contact point of the front, drive wheel. When a rear drive-wheel slips, you can't see why. Good point.

Amusingly enough, he also experienced the intense concentration I felt I needed on the Cruzbike. He assured me that this is only at the beginning and, after a while, the bike feels natural. He no longer gives it a second thought. I was glad to hear that. He recommended that I ride only the Cruzbike, and nothing else for a while, if possible. This is what he did. It could hasten my skill development.

A specific suggestion he made, for technique, was always to increase wattage (force) gradually at the pedals. He finds that quick speed increases throw the bike off balance. One of the drills I give people, when teaching them to ride a bent, is to start with a strong first push, and we'll do this several times in a row. Meanwhile, on the Cruzbike, it was always at the start, when I had just pulled the bike off the wall, that I had the most trouble. I'd get on it and attempt to get going with a good strong kick. Here, that doesn't work. With the Cruzbike, you need to start slowly, and increase speed slowly.

Well, that's the news from the "Cruzbike learning center." I'm still thumbs-up about it and maybe even more so after speaking with Maria and Dan. Stay tuned to see if ultimately I ride it in the April 1 Fool's Rogaine adventure race. That'll require me not only to feel comfortable on the Cruz., but also to feel comfortable with my MTB skills in a bike orienteering format. It's more than just ordinary riding. We'll see how my training goes.

Stay healthy,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

House Bill Threatens Safe Bicycling.

2012-02-02T10:43:00.000-05:00

NYBC Action Alert - Federal Transportation Bill

If you are interested in sending an email to encourage your Congresswoman or Congressman to support a bicycle-friendly transportation bill, you can find the link here:http://www.capwiz.com/lab/issues/alert/?alertid=60929976&type=TA

House Bill Reverses Decades of Progress on Bike/Ped

It's so much worse than we thought.

Congressman John Mica (R-FL) announced the introduction of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. The proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking as we feared, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program. It basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.

The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:
- destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;
- repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;
- allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;
- eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and
- eliminating language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled."

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark-up the bill and Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Representatives Petri and Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their representative today.

Stay in touch by visiting NYBC and bikeleague.org and americabikes.org for background and breaking news.

NYBC Membership Drive 2012Members are the heart and soul of NYBC! We have set an exciting goal to grow to 1000 members by the end of 2012. Response to our initial member appeal was phenomenal! NYBC's continued success can only be assured by the power that comes from numbers. The larger our membership, the louder our voice. We need you to join us now.

The New NYBC website
NYBC's enhanced website is the "go-to" resource for bicycle advocacy. Visit www.nybc.net for updated resources, news and tools.
Some key features of the new website include:

- Updates on NYBC campaigns such as the Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge
- News Feed for the latest bicycle developments
- Find resources and tools to make your community bike friendly in our Bike Advocacy Toolkit

Copyright © 2012 New York Bicycling Coalition, All rights reserved.

# # #

Stay healthy,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Inspiring short gear list for a world tour.

2012-02-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

Cyclists David Byrne and Julie Retka have an inspiring gear list on their website "Recycling the World." Go see it. I'm impressed that he's traveling so simply and using only two and a half panniers. Nice example of lightweight touring.

Note that David is riding a Cruzbike Sofrider (version V2). For pannier racks, he's using Axiom front racks custom-attached to his bike. Since the current version of the Sofrider doesn't readily take underseat racks, that seems to be the best solution.

Julie rides a Cruzbike Quest. Photos (buried in the blog) show it fitted with racks and bags.

All in all, an inspiring bit of "keeping it simple" and "Doing It Yourself" and "just getting out and seeing the world."

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Warmer feet for recumbent riders.

2012-01-31T15:18:00.000-05:00

I don't know if there's a Facebook page dedicated to it, but I would like to declare that I'm a fan of warm feet. On cold winter rides, such a strong preference can be problematic, especially on a recumbent bike where one pedals soles-of-the-feet-first into frigid temps, made still colder by windchill.

The problem is made worse by cleats, like SPDs, which put a piece of metal in the bottom of your shoe, conducting the cold directly into your shoe. While winter temperatures alone can make your feet cold, while bicycling, the windchill makes it bite that much more, whether it's at my feet, my hands, or my ears.

In my time as a recumbent rider, here are some of the solutions I've tried.

Insulated shoe insole: $20
Recommended.
An easy way to make your biking shoes warmer is to replace the standard insole -- this is the insert that goes between the bottom of your sock and the hard sole of the shoe -- with an insulating layer. This is particularly good for recumbent riders, as opposed to standard frame riders, because it protects the bottom of your foot from windchill. You can buy various inserts. I've seen them made of felt and 3M Thinsulate(TM).

Insulated shoe insole, Do It Yourself ("DIY"): 10 cents
I made a pair of insulated insoles by taking an old "ensolite" foam sleeping pad I no longer use for camping. Here's how to do it. Take out the original insoles from your biking shoes. Place them on the pad. Trace around them with a pen. Cut out the shapes with an X-Acto knife. Stick them back in your shoes. Put them on and ride.

At first, the homemade insoles made my shoes tighter, but as I rode, they flattened out. The results were dramatic. For a cost of pennies, and 10 minutes of time, I created a pair of insulated biking shoes. If your original insoles have arch support that you don't want to lose, you can try re-inserting the original insoles after the ensolite insoles have flattened out a bit. Pictures of the process follow.

Trace the original insole, in pen, on the scrap of "ensolite" foam pad.

Use an X-Acto knife to cut out the shape. Insert it into the shoe.
And voila, insulated bike shoes for recumbent riders.

Bike shoes with thick wool socks: $25
This is my preferred solution if the temps are above 25F or so. Thick socks are warmer than thin socks, yes, but you can only go just so thick until you can no longer fit your feet into your shoes. I'll add shoe covers, if necessary.

Insulated winter hiking boots: $130+
My preferred solution if it's below 25F. I have a pair of Keen 15-degree insulated hiking boots that are fairly light and make for good winter riding shoes. Add a chemical foot warmer or thick wool sock and they're about as warm as I need for winter rides in the New York City area. At times I wish I had a pair of insulated cleated bike boots, but these are okay. I'll use a good, grippy pedal and I'm just pleased as punch that I'm riding at all, given it's the middle of winter. By the way, insulated biking boots that take cleats do exist. If you need them, Google them. If I lived in a colder clime, I'd use these.

Chemical foot warmers: $1 each, for five hours of warmth.
Good emergency warmth. When it's cold, I always carry a pair of chemical foot warmers that are good for about 5 hours of warmth. Thin enough to fit inside almost any biking shoe or boot, I'll stick in warmers if my original solution proves not to be warm enough or if I'm out till evening and the temperature starts to drop. As for whether it's better to put them on top of your toes, or under your foot, in the arch, I don't know. I usually put them under the arch.

Neoprene toe covers inside your bike shoes: $20
These work better for me on a standard-frame bike, where my feet are traveling toe-first into the wind than on a recumbent bike, where I need the insulation to cover the entire bottom of my foot. I rarely use my toe covers.

Bicycle shoes with shoe covers: $30+
This works okay, with some covers better and warmer than others. The good ones are, of course, more expensive.

Bicycle shoes with cheap shoe covers that I've windproofed with duct tape: $30.02+
This actually works pretty well. However, my execution looks ugly and the tape prevents the covers from stretching nicely over my shoes. Good in an emergency and if you have no shame. Apply the duct tape after you've put the covers over your shoes.

Biking sandals or Crocs with multiple layers of thick socks: $100
Crocks work surprisingly well, if you don't need clipless pedals, because the sole is so thick and insulating and the foam rubber grips the pedals well. Some folks swear by using biking sandals with heavy socks. I haven't tried it but I believe them.

Terracycle "XT" fairing, in the spring.

Front fairing or full fairing: $125+
Fairings are the ultimate cold-weather tool for recumbent riders. A front fairing does a good job of keeping the windchill off your feet and the faster you go the better the wind-chill protection (and the greater the speed improvement). A full fairing is wonderful if you can fit one to your bike. The full fairing entirely blocks the wind and the heat generated by your working body warms the air inside. I've heard complaints that it can get too hot inside the fairing, even on a cold day, and this highlights the drawback: it's hard to regulate the temperature in a full fairing unless there are vents. It's an interesting problem. Personally, as a city dweller who sometimes puts his bike on public transit, I prefer to use a small front fairing -- if I use one at all -- like a Terracycle Windwrap XT because it doesn't inhibit moving the bike around small spaces. A larger fairing can be unwieldy going in and out of buildings and on and off the train. Also, fairings are one of those things that are so beautiful when they're brand new, that I'm concerned -- too concerned, really -- about scratching them when I move around the bike. ...And a large fairing is easier to scratch than a small fairing. This is silly, I admit. Truth is, a scratched fairing works just as well as a clear fairing and they're not designed for you to look through (or at) anyway. I love seeing riders with old and beat up fairings who are able simply to enjoy the benefits without babying them.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

New York's nicest day ride, now a lot nicer.

2012-01-30T12:57:00.002-05:00

The more you bike the more you get twisted. In my case, I can't bare the sight a beautiful weekend day unless I can ride. Take last Saturday for example. With partial sun and mid-40's temps, it was the perfect mid-winter day for a long ride. I was scheduled to go to a party/meeting of the Appalachian Mountain Club's backpack committee in Ossining, NY. I needed no better excuse and decided to bike there.

This was my route, for the most part, going 45 miles from Brooklyn to the Ossining, NY Metro North station. If you try and follow it, know that Google mis-identified some one-way roads as going the wrong-way. It took me 4 hours, including stops for "comfort breaks." I rode an HP Velotechnik Grasshopper fx, with Ortlieb recumbent backpack/rack-top bag, and one bunch of collard greens strapped onto the rack-top bag with a bungee net (get it from Rivendell Bicycle Works).

Three years ago, I first rode this route. At that time, the South County Trailway (Westchester) was incomplete and there were numerous miserable detours connecting sections of the rail trail, if you could find them. ("Why should I mind riding a Rans Screamer recumbent tandem on extremely rough and muddy single track?" "I think the rail trail must continue up there, somewhere." "Who says I can't shoulder a recumbent tandem like a cyclocross bike and carry it up a hill?") That trip, estimated at six hours, ended up taking 12 or more. Admittedly, the long, hard day may have been due to the ozone alert, 110-degree temps, numerous breaks, as well as getting lost, still, the route was eminently blamable.

These days, hallelujah, it's a straight shot, from New York's Van Cortlandt Park, where you pick up the Old Putnam Rail Trail, on up. Only a short section through Elmsford takes you on city streets. As a result, this is now one of the best routes out of the city.

Go out and ride it.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

How to put a Volae on the Metro North.

2012-01-27T22:41:00.002-05:00

How to put a Volae on the Metro North.

Note: Although this is how I do it, it is not "authorized."

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Learning to ride a Cruzbike (a continually updated entry).

2012-01-18T16:53:00.009-05:00

I feel like I'm learning to ride a recumbent bike again.

The other Wednesday, I took out the new arrival -- a moving bottom bracket Cruzbike "Sofrider" -- to get a feel for it and test the build. This was my first time on a moving bottom bracket front-wheel-drive recumbent. I'll say this, although I got "going" on it immediately, it's an odd sensation to coordinate turning the wheel with changing the leg angle. I admit that I had a great deal of trouble controlling the front wheel for the first five minutes. No doubt, to others on the bike path, I looked like I was learning to ride a bike for the first time.

Also, it was strange to feel so much movement in my hands while riding a recumbent bike. I spent about 45 minutes practicing various exercises, as if I was teaching a customer to ride a bent for the first time. It was a bit frustrating. Ultimately though, I became comfortable and, after a couple of breakthroughs, I found the frustration was self-caused. The bike was fine. It was me who was acting uncoordinated.

After 45 minutes, I mastered the basic elements of handling the bike and was able to do jerky figure-8's and double circles within the width of an 8-foot bike lane. (So far, pretty impressive; try achieving a turning radius like that on an ordinary SWB recumbent.) I still needed to figure out the coordination between my arms and feet while pedaling, and develop better control in tight turns, but I was progressing steadily in that direction.

The next time we had good weather, this being January and all, I took it out again. After an hour of practice, I was sufficiently comfortable with the handling that I felt ready to ride it down the street to Prospect Park, 3/4ths a mile away.

As of now, here's the tally for how long it is taking me to learn to ride a Cruzbike moving bottom bracket recumbent bike for the first time (your own results may vary):
Day 1:__0:45 (hr:min) (mastered the basics)
Day 2:__1:00 (hr:min) (ready to ride on road)
Day 3:__2:00 (hr:min) (Improving technique. Working on: figure-8s, tight and open loops, S-turns, increasing speed, climbing, handling uneven surfaces and dirt.)

I anticipate feeling ready to ride intermediate MTB trails after another 4 hours of practice. I look forward to this test of the off-road handling. Although, if the snow hangs around, that may need to wait till spring.

Originally, after that first day of 45 minutes, I thought it would take me about 8 hours to begin to feel comfortable on MTB trails. However, during my Day 2 ride I experienced two breakthroughs that helped me understand the bike. The first breakthrough was to handle the Cruzbike more like a diamond frame while standing on the pedals. Namely, as I pressed with my feet for each "stroke," the key was to apply pressure in a countering direction with my hands.

I could have learned this faster. The Cruzbike website has a nice and very short set of instructions at the "How to Ride" link. At first, I thought the instructions were too simplistic. Not so. They were accurate once I understood the bike: keep your hands soft and ride with open palms. I found that by maintaining soft hands and counterpressing (or counterpulling, if one prefers), one offsets the turning force of the legs.

The second breakthrough was to maintain "soft" legs during turns, or remove the feet from the pedals entirely: turn with the hands only, don't use the legs. In other words, I needed to relax my legs as I turned the wheel, and let my legs be guided by the pedals.

The mistakes I made during my Day 1 ride, which made the bike difficult to ride, included...I tried both to counterpress and counterpull with my hands (didn't work); I tried to relax my hands too much, as if I were riding an ordinary fixed bottom bracket recumbent (didn't work); and I rode with firm, straight legs (come on, dude...). Given the hand coordination issues, I anticipate some experienced recumbent riders may have more trouble learning to ride a Cruzbike, than some diamond frame riders. Not what I would normally expect at all!

There are people who will be very well-served by this design, but who may find it hard to ride, especially in a demo ride context. I have to say, I hope they will persist for it will be well worth the effort. It's a neat bike and a very good value. My good initial impressions remain. I love the responsiveness of the drivetrain, the overall lightweight of the bent, and the feeling of the front wheel drive. I look forward to riding it at speed, on hills and on trails.

To learn more about riding a Cruzbike, be sure to watch the nice videos on the Cruzbike website and take their instructions at face value. It's as simple as they say, as long as you do what they say.

Day 3 Update
For first three minutes that I got back on the bike I wobbled like I had forgotten how to ride it. I quickly worked that out and then rode through city traffic (I'm in Brooklyn, NY) to and from the park. In Prospect Park, I practiced my technique including figure-8s, double loops, S-turns, increasing my speed, taking it on dirt and rough surfaces. I've concluded this is more than learning to ride a 'bent. It's learning to ride a whole new type of bike which has a unique body-mind input and a unique performance output. Compared to a normal 'bent or to a standard frame bike, different muscles and coordination are called for, steering is different, weighting is different, pedaling technique is different, heck, even shifting is different (I seem to prefer riding the Cruzbike in a higher gear and with a slower cadence than I do on a "normal" bent, so I'm shifting up and down among high gears more frequently).

After about 45 min. of practicing technique, I felt the big breakthrough: the bike began to feel natural. I began to anticipate the motion of the bike and began controlling it without much thought. Also, I began to like the way it felt as opposed to struggling with it. Huh! After an hour and 15 minutes I felt ready to begin playing with increased speed of 15-25 mph. After an hour and 50 min., I felt ready to ride through rush hour city traffic for 3/4ths of a mile, back home.

It really does climb better.
On the park loop, Prospect Park has one primary hill to climb. I was pleasantly surprised to discover -- wait a second, I'm lying here -- I reluctantly discovered beyond any shred of doubt -- that it's true: the Cruzbike climbs better than my other bents, even the Volaes. I was climbing in a higher gear and with less effort. As a huge fan of Volaes and HP Velotechniks and that relaxed style of riding, I have to admit that I hoped it wouldn't be true, but it is. This design really climbs nicely, and very possibly as well as a standard frame bike. I can't believe I'm saying that. I didn't think it was possible.

Here's what I think is going on. First of all, the chainstays are short like a standard frame, so we don't lose energy in the long frame as it twists under the application of large forces, as when climbing. Secondly, the chainstays are stiff, so they transmit energy well to the wheel. Thirdly, in the muscles, it's not that I somehow use my arms to add power to the pedals, as if this were a row-bike. It's that I can apply more pressure with my feet because I can counter-pull against the handlebars, engaging my core and arm muscles. This is instead of pressing my back into the seat as I mash the pedals. Normally, with a bent, I press against the seat back as I hammer. But this is an unstable position. I can feel my back squirreling around against the seat as I ride, so I can't press as hard as I might. Further, if the seat is soft (as in, comfy), energy is lost. With a Cruzbike, the countering force comes from my core and arms, creating a stronger platform for applying muscle to the pedals.

Honestly, as I said earlier, I'm reluctantly impressed by the performance improvement. Given how odd the handling feels, I was hoping this wouldn't be the case, but rather that the luxurious feel of an HP Velotechnik -- or of a Volae at least(!) -- would, somehow, be better on a hill. However, I can't refute it. Even the entry-level Cruzbike is faster on the uphill. (Caveat: I have yet to compare the Cruzbike to the Volae Team 10-spd.)

The Cruzbike is clearly for those who have the patience to "learn new tricks" and who place a premium on overall speed. Face it: when we're talking about speed, we all know that better is better and faster is faster and we'll learn to ride whatever we must to get the best results.

Prospective Cruzbike riders are going to have to make some hard choices. For those who want a high-performance bent, this odd bird is a fast one. However, you must invest time learning to handle it. If you don't have the patience, don't have the time, or you're really attached to the idea of the "comfort bent" where your hands don't work, stick to a bent that's easier to ride at the beginning, like a Volae or HP Velotechnik.

What I foresee doing here is sticking to the HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte for touring, but going to the Cruzbike for racing. (By the way, we can install SON hub dynamos and all the usual stuff for all-night racing. Don't worry about that.)

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

First Cruzbike arrived. / Cold weather riding.

2012-01-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

The first Cruzbike front-wheel-drive recumbent bike arrived -- nice design and the components are decent quality. Eager to build it and take it out for a ride. One of the most exciting aspects of this recumbent bike is the clearance for fat tires. We may well have a mountain bike here, folks. I'll write more after I have the chance to thoroughly abuse it, er, I mean, ride it.

A Volae recumbent rider uses a Windwrap fairing and thick clothing to help fend off icy temps.

Yesterday, Sunday, had a nice 8-hour ride in 20-18 degree F, not counting substantial windchill. Promise to post soon about cold weather clothing and the Terracycle Windwrap fairing on a Volae Century/Tour-type frame. For now, suffice to say...wear wool and carry down! ...And the fairing mounted easily, traveled well with no slipping, and was easy to adjust during the ride when necessary (while wearing gloves). It sits sufficiently low compared to the handlebars on a Volae Tour (or Century) that a handlebar-mounted B&M Ixon IQ headlight lights the road w/o excessive obstruction from the faring. It wasn't necessary to use an accessory mount to position the headlight to the sides or below the fairing.

The only cold-weather induced hassle (not counting the water freezing in the water bottles) was that the derailer for the SRAM Dualdrive would sometimes stick on the Grasshopper fx. I think there was moisture in the housing that froze as we rode. It was easy to loosen up the cable as I rode by shifting to a lower gear and then back down to a higher gear but I never had the highest gear/smallest cog. No big deal, but a bit annoying. The only other time I've seen that was when I had actual ice hanging off the cables. Biking remains an adventure.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Ortlieb recumbent backpack: got one, love it. But check your rack size.

2012-01-12T23:24:00.003-05:00

Not me, not my pony tail, but it is a nice photo of
Ortlieb's recumbent backpack and panniers in action.
(External link. Photo thanks to therandonneeshop.com).

Review: Ortlieb recumbent backpack. Got one, love it, but verify size of rear rack.

I'm a New York City Ortlieb dealer, just so you know. Call me biased, but if I thought there was a better bag, I would have bought whatever was better. The Ortlieb recumbent backpack is the bag I use as my racktop bag.

On a typical day-long ride, it carries my water bladder, the day's clothes, food, maps, rain gear, "ten essentials".... Coolest thing is that it sits in the slip stream and I'm convinced it gives me a slight speed increase in the same manner as the very cool (but now discontinued) Terracycle tail sock.

The Ortlieb bag has nifty backpack straps that attach (click, click, click, click, easy) to turn it into a surprisingly decent daypack. Water bladder drinking tube goes through a standard-sized sealed hole so pack contents stay dry in the rain. The reflective patches are 3M or similar quality -- VERY bright and positioned for good reflection both to back and sides. All in all, it's a great bag. I wish it were cheaper, but when you see it, you'll understand -- very high quality and built to last.

Rack size can be an issue. I use it on a 4 1/2" wide, 18" long HP Velotechnik rack (as on the Grasshopper, Street Machine or Scorpion). It's designed for racks of this dimension, pretty standard for Euro bents. It wouldn't work as well on a narrower rack like a Tubus or a shorter rack.

The Ortlieb "recumbent backpack" on a Grasshopper fx,
on the George Washington Bridge, during a two-day trip
through Harriman State Park. Nice bag.

Hope that helps.

Best,
Robert

------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Training for touring: workout schedules

2012-01-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

The tour operator Experience Plus publishes a series of workout schedules that will help cyclists prepare for long day rides and multi-day touring. Start training now so you're ready when the weather warms up!

http://www.experienceplus.com/blog/?tag=bicycle-training-packet

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

How much capacity required when touring light?

2012-01-03T15:30:00.003-05:00

"Would you like four panniers or two?"

A customer -- who rides a sky blue Volae Century ES -- named Wylie (see her excellent blog Couch Surfing Cook) sent me a link to a nice site about long distance touring: www.skalatitude.com. This blog, written by a female cyclist touring solo, contains tips and ideas that apply to anyone, male and female alike, who wishes to bicycle far.

She specifically directed me to an entry about lightweight cycle touring with only two panniers, a minimal amount of carrying capacity. It challenges the notion that long haul cycle tourists need the capacity provided by four panniers. This is a welcome and interesting voice in the discussion around ultra-light packing as we continually seek knowledge on how to travel "better." (I define "better" as "safer, more fun and more expeditious," just so you know where I stand.) Is it better to pack minimally and light? Is it better to pack for comfort and security? How do we pack and prepare for the most common and/or serious pitfalls? Do we carry a water filter or iodine? What goes into our first aid kit? Synthetic or down jacket? Tent or tarp? Shoes or sandals? Each of us determines our own comfort zone in the continuum.

Before I get into a discussion about bag capacity, I'll make clear my position on the subject of packing for preparedness: I pack for safety above all else because if I don't arrive safely, I don't arrive. Secondly I pack to have fun, because that's why I do trips. Thirdly, I pack only the essentials that I'll need to get where I'm going. I carry tools to repair every element of my bike. I carry water purification and a stove when I'm in remote areas. I always have backup lights and batteries. I carry a first aid kit that is larger than my Western Mountaineering sleeping bag and I know how to use it thanks to Wilderness First Responder training. And, fortunately, at this time, I'm healthy and strong enough that while I do count pounds, I rarely count ounces; bike weight is of minor concern.

Going forward now, I'd like to delve into a specific aspect of the article, concerning the writer's two-pannier baggage carrying system, and translate it for short wheelbase recumbent bikes. Sometimes the wisdom about bike touring needs to be translated over to the recumbent frame.

How much capacity do we need and where do we mount it?

Optimal bike handling (a.k.a., safe bike handling) is retained by loading the weight near the center or gravity and low to the ground. So, on a standard frame ("SF") bike, generally people load a bike in this order: 1. frame packs (water bottle cages, seat bottom, center triangle); 2. top of the rear rack; 3. handlebars; 4. large panniers on the rear rack; and 5. small size panniers on the front fork, if necessary. All the while, one seeks to keep the weight low (food, water, tools go at bottom of rear and front bags). Unlike bents, SF bikes lack the option of mounting low rider packs in the center of the bike.

On a short wheelbase ("SWB") recumbent, optimal handling is retained by loading as follows: 1. low on the back of the seat (at the center of gravity); 2. frame packs; 3. small panniers under the seat; 4. large panniers on the rear rack; 5. rack top; and 6. high on the back of the seat. As on a standard frame bike, a bent handles best if you place heavy items as low as possible. Unlike SF bikes, SWB bents rarely accept panniers on the front fork. As for traditional handlebar bags, they are generally unmountable and all the bent-specific versions I've seen are minuscule. (If you know of an exception to this, send me the link [rmatson AT theinnovationworks DOT com].) I suggest loading bents in this sequence because one's upper body weight is not available (as it is on a SF) to comfortably counter-balance a lopsided load (e.g., top heavy or side-weighted). Also, an improperly loaded bent may tip at low speeds or in slow sharp turns, and no longer track easily when guided by hand, as when walking through a train station or up a steep hill.

In terms of carrying capacity, a challenge for SWB riders is that large size "rear" panniers -- usually the first panniers we'd load on a standard frame bike -- will scrape the ground on steeply angled turns when mounted under the seat, in a bent's first loading zone. So, the first bags we load are small capacity panniers under the seat. What I find is that those are quickly filled and, even for just a weekend tour, I soon need another bag on the rear rack, whether it's a rack-top bag or a rear pannier (or two). As a result, even on short trips, it is not unusual for me to use a four- or five-bag setup, but with half-full bags! My objective is to properly distribute the weight so the bent handles well. Optimal handling translates directly into safer riding which, since safety is my first priority during a trip, is paramount to any other consideration, including whether a half-full bag adds wind resistance or an unnecessary pound of weight. What is interesting is that a good bent, properly loaded, will handle almost identically to how it handles without any load and it is precisely this quality that makes a (good) bent a welcome traveling companion.

Here's a photo of my bag setup for a two-day bike camping trip in rainy weather but moderate temperatures (50-70 F day, 40-50 F at night). It shows two small underseat Ortlieb bags plus a rear rack bag with bungee net to hold rain gear. On the frame I've mounted a bike lock (since half the trip was in urban areas), odometer, map and pepper spray. I carry a water bladder, the day's food and extra warm layers in the rear rack-top bag which is an Ortlieb recumbent backpack.

HP Velotechnik Grasshopper fx loaded for an apx. 160-mile weekend trip, from Brooklyn, NY, to Harriman State Park and around about and back.

Here's a photo of your humble servant looking "high-vizible" and slightly unshorn.

New York City Recumbent Supply owner Robert Matson.

As for analyzing what to pack and how to lighten the load, I will hold off for now but will continue to post articles on that subject as I find or write them.

Links

Solo Female Cycling Around the World
http://www.skalatitude.com/

[The same] Solo Female cycling with "only two panniers." Includes her gear list. I like the way she picks up and adapts gear that she finds along the road.
http://www.skalatitude.com/2012/01/rollin-with-my-hommieshow-to-bicycle.html

Recycling the World
David publishes his gear list from two round-world trips. Both gear lists are streamlined and small. Him and his wife Julie have some nice photos too.
http://recyclingtheworld.us/gear.php

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Danny Macaskill, trials rider: "Industrial Revolutions"

2011-12-28T17:23:00.000-05:00

This is not a recumbent. But it's still pretty darn cool.

Danny Macaskill, trials rider, in "Industrial Revolutions"
Go here:
http://vimeo.com/30043673

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Cycle Touring - nice info. site

2011-12-27T23:28:00.001-05:00

These two cyclists put together a very nice site about their tour around the world. Recommended for others considering long distance tours.

http://www.grandcycletour.com/index.html

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Santa's new sleigh.

2011-12-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

From our friends at HP Velotechnik. That looks like a Scorpion fs.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Data shows cycling grows in NYC once again.

2011-12-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

Everyone who has been riding for a while knows commuter cycling keeps increasing. But when you're presenting to city council and community boards, this data will be useful:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/75157842/Commuter-Cycling-Indicator-and-Data-2011

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Camping Gear: DIY fire starter / Ultralight Packlist / Down Jackets

2011-12-08T11:43:00.002-05:00

Here are a few neat little articles of interest to cyclists doing multi-day rides and backpackers. These were gleaned from the recent Gossamer Gear newsletter (www.gossamergear.com)

Ultralight Packlist w/ Descriptions
by Mike Clelland
This was written for backpackers, but useful for cyclists. Simply ignore the stuff aimed at hikers and translate the rest over to the bike.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/mike_clelland_weekly_tip.html

Cheap, good fire starter
by Jermm
http://jjmatheshikes.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-like-fire-and-im-always-interested-in.html#more

Ultralight shopping-- Down Jackets
from Guthook Hikes
http://guthook.blogspot.com/2011/12/ultralight-shopping-down-jackets.html

Best,

Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

When should you order your new recumbent bike? Plan Spring 2012 orders now.

2011-12-07T15:49:00.001-05:00

When should you order your new recumbent bike? If you intend to begin riding in March, order your new recumbent in January or February.

For riders who want a custom-built bent, or if you're ordering a European recumbent, you can save money by allowing yourself time.

Examples

For Volae, special orders take usually two to three weeks:
- two to four days to order and pull the parts
- a week to ship
- a week in New York for assembly and quality control
Total delivery time: three weeks till you're riding.

For HP Velotechnik, if you allow yourself time, we can ship your bike from Germany by surface. That will save you about $130 or so off express (air) delivery. Here is the usual timing with standard shipping:
- three weeks to build the bike
- one additional week for custom colors
- three weeks to ship the bike (by surface)
- one week in NYC for finishing and quality control.
Total delivery time: eight weeks till you're riding.

With HP Velotechnik, if you need the bike faster, order a standard color and express shipping:
- three weeks to build the bike
- one week to ship the bike (by air, express, with surcharge)
- one week in NYC for finishing and quality control.
Total delivery time: five weeks till you're riding.

With HP Velo's Gekko and Gekko fx, you can be riding one of the USA editions in about two weeks. For German editions, it still takes about five weeks.

When do you want your new recumbent? In New York City, typically, the weather begins to clear in March so we can start riding regularly. For March deliveries, order in January or February.

All best,
Robert

------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Prospect Park - toeing the line and avoiding tickets.

2011-12-05T11:11:00.002-05:00

The Prospect Park Peloton listserv has been actively discussing safety issues and recent enforcement strategies in Prospect Park. Long and short: if you ride in Prospect Park, obey the vehicular road rules. Among other things, that means stopping for red lights, and yielding to pedestrians ALWAYS.

Brooklyn Cyclist Daniel Wiener posted this note. If you ride in the park, you're well advised to read and respect it. And yield to pedestrians.

2a. Park Enforcement - What I've learned Posted by: "Daniel P Wiener" Fri Dec 2, 2011 9:13 am (PST)
I have had a conversation with an old and good friend of mine who is very high up in the parks hierarchy and here's what he told me about the current situation in PP. . What's happening in PP is almost identical to what happened in Central Park four years ago. At that time, there were some bike/pedestrian accidents around 79th Street and the West Side as cyclists got a lot of speed coming down the long descent from the North. . The issue in PP, if you haven't been paying attention, is near the base of the hill on the South end, where there is a playground on the right-hand side of the road-hence the orange barrels as an attempt slow people down and make them more aware. . The Parks Dept. says that two bike/pedestrian accidents is the trigger. That, and of course, being sued by one of the women who was hit. A couple of other things. Much as you and I will argue this until we are blue in the face, bikes are considered vehicles and we are subject to vehicular laws even if cars and other vehicles are prevented from being in the park. We are vehicles. So, the speed limit in the park is 25 mph. Go faster than that, and you can get a ticket. Vehicle laws also say that the vehicle must ALWAYS yield to pedestrians. Even if the pedestrian is wearing headphones, walking forward while looking backward, darting out from behind a trash barrel or tree, playing touch football in the road, whatever-WE MUST YIELD. As vehicles we will NEVER be in the right. To that end, the enforcement is going to be very harsh on all crosswalks. It will be up to the individual police whether they issue summonses for going through the red lights, but the red lights will remain "a tool" (as my friend said) that they can use if they want to crack down. The summonses we/you will see will most likely be "failure to yield" and "running a red light" summonses. What does this mean? Essentially, if you are riding and there is ANYONE in a crosswalk, even if you are in the right lane and they are all the way over the in the left lane, you can and will be summonsed for "failure to yield." Read this sentence again. The crosswalks are the flash points-period! In particular, the police are going to be very, very observant of those wearing full racing kits-the more they match, the more you will stand out. I might behoove everyone to buy a couple pair of black tights, black jackets, or whatever, so that you blend in. Wanna wear your kits? Fine. But just know that you are going to be a moving target. Ultimately, according to my buddy, the PD and Parks are going to be looking for this to go away. No more close calls, no more yelling "get the f. out of the way!," no more speeds over 25 mph, and hopefully, no more bike/pedestrian clashes. For those of you old enough to remember Hill Street Blues, the opening scene of the police roll call always ended with Sergeant Phil Esterhuas telling his guys "Hey, let's be careful out there." For you nostalgia types . http://bit.ly/urrg5Q DPW

The rules for pedestrians was posted from "begawk1" (who?). This is worth knowing, but realize that peds rule the roost on NYC streets.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/trafrule.pdfSection 4-04 PEDESTRIANS (a) Pedestrians subject to traffic rules, except as otherwise provided herein. Pedestrians shall be subject to traffic control signals and pedestrian control signals as provided in ??4-03 (a) and 4-03(b) of these rules and to the lawful orders and directions of any law enforcement officer, but at all other places pedestrians shall be accorded the privileges and shall be subject to the restrictions stated in this section. (b) Right of way in crosswalks. (1) Operators to yield to pedestrians in crosswalk. When traffic control signals or pedestrian control signals are not in place or not in operation, the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is in the path of the vehicle or is approaching so closely thereto as to be in danger. (2) Pedestrians shall not cross in front of oncoming vehicles. Notwithstanding the provisions of (1) of this subdivision (b), no pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the operator to yield. (3) Vehicles stopped for pedestrians. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the operator of any other vehicle approaching from the rear in the same or adjacent lanes shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle. (c) Restrictions on crossings. (1) No pedestrian shall enter or cross a roadway at any point where signs, fences, barriers, or other devices are erected to prohibit or restrict such crossing or entry. (2) No pedestrian shall cross any roadway at an intersection except within a crosswalk. (3) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway except at a crosswalk on any block in which traffic control signals are in operation at both intersections bordering the block. (d) Operators to exercise due care. Notwithstanding other provisions of these rules, the operator of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian. (e) Hitch-hiking and soliciting prohibited.

# # #

Best,
Robert

------------

Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Rain gear for touring on a bent - Q & A

2011-11-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

On Thu, November 10, 2011 8:57 am, Wylie G___ wrote:
> Do you use a large poncho that covers you and much of the bike to ride in
> the rain so that the bike doesn't get as wet?
> A guy I just met who biked to NY from Toronto used one he got in Niagara
> Falls to ride in the rain but he was on a regular bike.
> Just curious what your strategy is to keep the seat dry and keep
> components from getting wet if possible.
> Best,
> Wylie
> READ @ http://www.couchsurfingcook.com
> LIKE @ http://www.facebook.com/couchsurfingcook
> FOLLOW on Twitter @ couchsurfngcook

Hi Wylie,

Generally, rain won't hurt the bike, though fine grit and salt spray can (e.g., volcanic dust/mud and water from the sea or salted roads). On a bent, a poncho blows up over one's face. In cold rain or cold wind, I'll wear a rain coat and rain pants whether it's a standard frame bike or bent. If it's a cool rain, I'll wear wool or fleece to stay "warm wet." In a warm rain I'll just wear my standard riding clothes since if it's too warm, I'll simply get soaked with sweat in the waterproof rain gear. For me, I can get wet from sweat regardless of how good the rain barrier is -- Gortex, eVent, etc.

Equally important are hand and foot protection -- I use rain shell mittens and water proof socks.
http://www.rei.com/category/40005934
http://www.rei.com/category/4501322

Or visit EMS or Tents and Trails in the city.

For me, the feet are the biggest challenge. Some bent riders prefer cleated sandals instead of bike shoes to allow diverse foot coverings - waterproof socks, multiple thick socks, barefeet, etc.

All this said, nothing teaches like time spent on the road.

Hope that helps.

Best,

Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Multi-day ride: New York City to Martha's Vinyard

2011-11-08T13:04:00.001-05:00

Recumbent rider Shelly Mossey leads a multi-day trip from New York City to Martha's Vinyard. He piggy-backs it onto the "Ride to Montauk," which is a nice idea because the Ride to Montauk folks will carry your panniers to Montauk. More than anything, it sounds like a nice ride for bent riders who prefer flat terrain.

Vinyard Ride
http://www.urbanmobilityproject.com/vineyard/

Ride to Montauk 2012
http://www.ridetomontauk.com/Ride_to_Montauk_2012/Home_Page.html

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

New Greenspeed Magnum - 2012

2011-11-04T01:38:00.003-04:00

Had the privilege of building and riding the new Greenspeed Magnum. What a cool trike!

Rode the "Mag" for about 15 miles and, as with all Greenspeeds, nothing but smiles, tight turns and smooth handling at speed.

Most immediately impressive -- because it's unusual -- are the three 20" x 2.35" Schwalbe BIG Apple tires. Results in a wonderful fast smooth shock-absorbin' ride. Also kind of neat to see a GS w/ 20" wheels in front instead of 16's. Still has that great Greenspeed cornering though and good front-to-rear and side-to-side stability. By my measurements, has 28" track (width at the front wheels), 42 1/2" wheelbase and 13" seat height at lowest setting. So, this is a large trike. Has drum brakes, as usual for GS (love them). And, of course, it has high quality indirect steering.

Seat is height adjustable. Now THAT'S cool! 13" is lowest. Can be raised another 2" - 2 1/2". So this is could be a great trike in traffic. Seat back is angle adjustable, so you get a very versatile machine.

Get this: the front wheel axles have single push button releases. Wheels can be removed with a single button, so...seat comes off, wheels come off, bike folds up in a tiny package...all in about 30 seconds if you're taking your time. The production version of the axle will probably be even more refined.

This is a prototype and components will probably change for the production model, so no point mentioning specs and weight. Anticipate good specs though and a price in the mid-2K's.

The ChroMo prototype here, colored dark glossy purple with chrome boom and steering rods, reminds me of a Harley Davidson -- I kid you not -- especially with these massive 20x2.35" tires. I like what they're doing here. Will be interesting to see what colors they settle on. But purple and chrome is good.

The height adjustable seat makes this a particularly good trike for riders who are mobility impaired. I also think it's a neat extension of the Greenspeed line, like they're adding to their classically nimble and fast trikes with a more "every dude" model.

Watch for it.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

New Crash Statistics website from Transportation Alternatives

2011-10-13T13:41:00.001-04:00

http://crashstat.org/sites/default/files/splash2011.html

Say no more. Get involved.

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

24-hour overnight bike camping trips from NYC

2011-09-25T17:07:00.001-04:00

I need your help.

I'm gathering a list of the best 24-hour overnight bike camping trips (aka, "S24O") in the New York Metro area. Please send them in.

However, I won't publish them on the blog (like a surfer, I don't really want all New York Metro knowing about my favorite spots). However, I will exchange one-to-one with anyone who sends me a good submission. So, you send me a trip plan for a good 24-hour overnight bike camping trip (or invite me on one), and, after I've checked it out to make sure it's good, I'll send you one in return. That's all there is to it. The result is we both multiply our options but haven't opened it up to the whole world. Ain't that cool.

For more info. about what makes for a good 24-hr. bike trip, see this article published by Rivendell Bicycle Works. (Let me know if the link is broken; they seem to move the article from time to time.)
http://ctxtv.wmppt.servertrust.com/kb_results.asp?ID=36

Best,
Robert
------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

New /Gekko/: what the heck is the price?

2011-08-15T19:04:00.001-04:00

HP Velotechnik has announced a new /Gekko/. This /Gekko/, instead of folding, has a separable frame. This is a nice solution for riders who don't expect to benefit from the easy and fast fold. Also, it enables a still lower price point for the USA version, with savings provided by having no folding technology.

I haven't yet seen the trike in order to know how the chain is managed when the trike is separated but, in their usual way, I expect HPV will have a clever solution.

Pricing.

There will be a European version and a less expensive USA version.

The European version /Gekko/ will be $2,590.
The USA version /Gekko/ will be $2,190, with a faster delivery time for New York riders.

If this is planned out like the Gekko fx, this means the European version will have a higher-end spec and a choice of the full range of options and accessories. The following are the differences between the European Gekko fx and the USA Gekko fx. If the /Gekko/ follows this pattern, I would anticipate similar differences. I would also anticipate that the difference in cost will be partially attributable to reduced customs duty and shipping.

In the USA version Gekko fx:
- no snake seal
- no chain guard
- slightly different bolts
- Isoflow cranks
- different rear hub (cheaper)

Same with the USA /Gekko/? We shall see.

Best,
Robert

------------
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Gekko fx: differences between USA and European models

2011-08-15T18:46:00.002-04:00

Riders of HP Velotechnik's Gekko fx often want to know the main differences between the USA and European Gekko fx models.

On the USA version, the differences are:

- no snake seal
- no chain guard
- slightly different bolts
- Isoflow cranks
- different rear hub (cheaper)

Additional savings comes from reduced customs duty and shipping.

The other main difference is that if riders want most of the upgrades and special options listed on the HP Velotechnik website, such as light systems, custom colors, upgraded brakes, etc., then we have to build up from the European model.

The price confusion is more psychological. I use the German model as my demo because I like to show the top of the line features. Riders shouldn't worry too much about the difference in price. Just buy the trike you want. After several years, you won't think about the difference in price, but you will notice whether or not you own the right trike for your purposes.

Best,
Robert

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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson