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Archive-name: bicycles-faq/part2 [Note: The complete FAQ is available via anonymous ftp from draco.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.12), in pub/rec.bicycles.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bike Rentals (Various people) Lincoln Guide Service Lincoln Center Lincoln, MA (617) 259-9204 Rents mountain, road, kids bikes, and trailers. About 30 min west of Boston. Team Bicycle Rentals 508 Main Huntington Beach, CA (714) 969-5480 12spd $29/day, MTB $29/day, Santana tandem $69 Gregg's Greenlake Seattle, WA Second Gear Seattle, WA New York City Area: All phone numbers are area code (212). A West Side Bicycle Store -- 231 W 96th St -- 663 7531 Eddie's Bicycles Shop -- 490 Amsterdam Ave -- 580 2011 Country Cycling Tours -- 140 W 83rd St -- 874 5151 AAA Central Park Bicycle Rentals -- 72nd St/ Central Pk Boathouse -- 861 4137 Midtown Bicycles -- 360 W 47th St -- 581 4500 Sixth Avenue Bicycles -- 546 Avenue of the Americas -- 255 5100 Metro Bicycle -- 1311 Lexington Ave -- 427 4450 Larry and Jeff's Bicycles Plus -- 204 E 85th St -- 794 2201 Gene's 79th Street Discounted Bicycles -- 242 E 79th St -- 249 9218 Peddle Pusher Bicycle Shop -- 1306 2nd Ave -- 288 5594 A Bicycle Discount House -- 332 E 14th St -- 228 4344 City Cycles -- 659 Broadway -- 254 4457 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bike Lockers (David H. Wolfskill david@dhw68k.cts.com) Many thanks to all who mailed or posted an interest in my quest for information regarding bike locker vendors; I apologize for the delay in posting this summary. My colleague -- thanks to some of that information -- was able to locate a sufficiently nearby vendor... one of the requirements of which I had not been aware was that the vendor must be fairly close (to Orange County, CA) -- to minimize shipping charges. (I apologize for failing to determine this issue before posting, and hope that some of the information about other vendors may be of value to others.) I figured it would be more useful for me to organize the information, so I have done so -- at the expense of making an attempt to give credit for the sources at the point the information is quoted. (I include a list of sources at the end of the article.) First, I received a few pointers to one Ellen Fletcher, such as: >For a comprehensive treatment of the bicycle parking subject, >along with a list of vendors & prices, contact Ellen Fletcher >at cdp!scvba@labrea.stanford.edu (put "ATTN ELLEN" in your >"To" line. [I requested clarification regarding addressing a note to Ms. Fletcher, but have yet to receive it.] >... Ellen Fletcher, 777-108 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA >94303-4826, 415-495-8943. Fortunately, someone sent a list of products & manufacturers, apparently originally compiled by Ms. Fletcher. I have taken the liberty of using that list as a "base document" and have augmented it with other information I received; entries are alphabetically by munufacturer's name, since I don't always have product names: (Manufacturer, {Product Name(s)}, Address, Contact Person, Phone, FAX [comments]) American Bicycle Security Co., {BIKE SAFE}, PO Box 7359 Ventura, CA 93006, Thomas E. Volk, 805-933-3688 & 800-BIKESAF, 805-933-1865. Bike Lockers Company, {BikeLokr}, PO Box 445 W. Sacramento, CA 95691,, 916-372-6620, 916-372-3616 [approx. $300/locker, small quantities]. Bike-Lokr Mfg. Co., {?}, PO Box 123, Joplin, MO 64802, Jim Snyder, 417-673-1960/800-462-4049, 417-673-3642 [approx $450/locker, which holds 2 bikes; seem to be the lockers used by the Washington, DC Metro system] Bike Security Racks Co., {?}, PO Box 371, Cambridge, MA 02140,, 617-547-5755, - Bike Stable Co., Inc., {?}, PO 1402, South Bend, Indiana 46624,, 219-233-7060, - Cycle Safe Inc., {Cycle Safe}, 31522 Wingate S.E. Kentwood, MI 49512, Richard Hartger, 616-949-0598, 616-698-6087. Cycle-Safe Inc., {Cycle Safe}, 143 Ionai Ave NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503,, 616-459-4556, - [I don't know which Cycle Safe entry is correct. I received a comment that "Cycle Safe's lockers are the nicest looking, but their minimum order is 100 lockers (you should call) since that are sort-of out of business."] David O'Keefe Company, {Super Secure Bike Stor}, P.O. Box 4457, Alamo, CA 94507, Thomas & David O'Keefe, 415-637-4440, 415-837-6234. General Machine company, {Bicycle Locker}, PO Box 405 Vacaville, CA 95696, Vitto Accardi, 707-446-2761, - J.G.Wilson Corp, {Park'n'Lock Bike Garage}, PO Box 599, Norfolk, VA 23501-0599, J.L.Bevan, 804-545-8341, 804-543-3249. Sunshine U-LOK Corp., {Secura Bike Locker}, 31316 Via Colinas Suite 102, Westlake Village, CA 91362, Doug Devine, 818-707-0110. [Specific information near the end of the article -- dhw.] Turtle Storage Ltd., {?}, P. O. Box 7359, Ventura, CA 93006,,, - [Ed. note: The complete posting is available in the archives on draco.acs.uci.edu.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bike computer features [This table was created from information contained in Performance and Nashbar catalogs. In the table below, 'Y' means that the computer has the feature, 'O' means it is an optional feature.] Speed Ave Max Total Trip Elpsd Clock Auto Count Speed Speed Miles Miles Time OnOff Down Avocet 30 Y Y Y Y Y Y Avocet 40 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Avocet 50 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye Micro Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye Mity Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye Mity 2 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye Wireless Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye Vectra Y Y Y Y Y Y Cateye ATC Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Ciclo 37 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Ciclo IIA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Performance ITV Y Y Y Y Y Y Vetta Innovator Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Vetta C-10 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Vetta Two Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Vetta Wireless Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cadence Wireless Altitude Heart Rate Avocet 30 Avocet 40 Avocet 50 O Y Cateye Micro Y Cateye Mity Cateye Mity 2 Cateye Wireless Y Cateye Vectra Cateye ATC Ciclo 37 Ciclo IIA O O O Performance ITV Vetta Innovator Vetta C-10 Vetta Two Y Vetta Wireless Y --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avoiding Dogs (Arnie Berger arnie@hp-lsd.COL.HP.COM) There are varying degrees of defense against dogs. 1- Shout "NO!" as loud and authoritatively as you can. That works more than half the time against most dogs that consider chasing you just good sport. 2- Get away from their territory as fast as you can. 3- A water bottle squirt sometimes startles them. 4- If you're willing to sacifice your pump, whump'em on the head when they come in range. If they're waiting for you in the road and all you can see are teeth then you in a heap o' trouble. In those situations, I've turned around, slowly, not staring at the dog, and rode away. When I have been in a stand off situation, I keep the bike between me and the dog. "Halt" works pretty well, and I've used it at times. It's range is about 8 feet. I bought a "DAZER", from Heathkit. Its a small ultrasonic sound generator that you point at the dog. My wife and I were tandeming on a back road and used it on a mildly aggressive German Shephard. It seemed to cause the dog to back off. By far, without a doubt, hands down winner, is a squirt bottle full of reagent grade ammonia, fresh out of the jug. The kind that fumes when you remove the cap. When I lived in Illinois I had a big, mean dog that put its cross-hairs on my leg whenever I went by. After talking to the owner (redneck), I bought a handebar mount for a water bottle and loaded it with a lab squirt bottle of the above mentioned fluid. Just as the dog came alongside, I squirted him on his nose, eyes and mouth. The dog stopped dead in his tracks and started to roll around in the street. Although I continued to see that dog on my way to and from work, he never bothered me again. Finally, you can usually intimidate the most aggressive dog if there are more than one of you. Stopping, getting off your bikes and moving towards it will often cause it to back off. ( But not always ). My bottom line is to alway ride routes that I'm not familiar with, with someone else. As last resort, a nice compact, snubbed nose .25 caliber pistol will fit comfortably in your jersey pocket. :-) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaving Your Legs How to do it (Garth Somerville somerville@bae.ncsu.edu) Many riders shave their legs and have no problems other than a nick or two once in a while. Maybe a duller blade would help. But some people (like me) need to be more careful to avoid rashes, infections (which can be serious), or just itchy legs that drive you to madness. For those people, here is my leg shaving procedure: Each time you shave your legs... 1) Wash your legs with soap and water, and a wash cloth. This removes dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. 2) Use a good blade and a good razor. I prefer a blade that has a lubricating strip (e.g. Atra blades). It is my personal experience that a used blade is better than a new one. I discard the blade when the lubricating strip is used up. 3) USE SHAVING CREAM. I prefer the gell type, and the kinds with aloe in them seem to be the best. Shaving cream gives you a better shave with fewer cuts, and goes a long way towards preventing infection. 4) Use *COLD* water. Do not use hot water, do not use warm water, use the coldest water you can stand. Run the cold water over your legs before you start, and rinse the blade often in cold water. 5) Be careful, and take your time. Behind the knees, and around the achilles tendon are places to be extra careful. 6) When finished, use a moisturizing lotion on your legs. Why do it (Jobst Brandt jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com) Oh wow, after the initial responses to this subject I thought we could skip the posturing. The reason for shaving legs is the same for women, weight lifters, body builders and others who have body parts of which they are proud. It is not true that General Schwarzkopf had all the troops shave their legs and arms before going into combat to prevent infectious hair from killing injured soldiers and I am sure it will never happen. Not only that but the rub-downs with all sorts of oils at the bike track are for the same reason bodybuilders oil up. It reflects well from the muscle defo. Of course there are others who claim you can't get a massage without shaving. There is no medical proof that hair presents any hazard when crashing on a dirty road that gets into a wound. It must all be cleaned if it goes beyond superficial road rash. From my experience with cyclists from east block countries before Glasnost, none of them shaved because it was not in their charter to look beautiful but rather to win medals. I think shaved legs look good and I don't mind saying so. I just find it silly that those who shave need to put it forth as a preparation for crashing. Is this the best excuse we can find? If you believe this story then there is a whole pile of lore in bicycling that come first. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Lenses and Cycling (Robert A. Novy ra_novy@drl.mobil.com) I received on the order of 50 replies to my general query about contact lenses and bicycling. Thank you! To summarize, I have been wearing glasses for nearly all of my 28 years, and taking up bicycling has at last made me weary of them. I visited an optometrist last week, and he confirmed what I had lightly feared: I am farsighted with some astigmatism, so gas-permeable hard lenses are the ticket. He has had about a 25% success rate with soft lenses in cases such as mine. I am now acclimating my eyes to the lenses, adding one hour of wear per day. In case these don't work out, I'll try two options. First, bicycle without prescription lenses (my sight is nearly 20-20 without any). Second, get a pair of prescription sport glasses. I had a particular request for a summary, and this is likely a topic of great interest, so here goes. Please recognize the pruning that I must do to draw generalizations from many opinions. Some minority views might be overlooked. There is one nearly unanimous point: contact lenses are much more convenient than eyeglasses. I had to add the word "nearly" because I just saw one voice of dissent. Sandy A. (sandya@hpfcmdd.fc.hp.com) has found that prescription glasses are better suited to mountain biking on dusty trails. You can call me Doctor, but I have no medical degree. This is only friendly advice from a relatively ignorant user of the Internet. See the first point below! IN GENERAL + Get a reputable optometrist or ophthalmologist. Your eyes are precious. [Paul Taira (pault@hpspd.spd.hp.com) even has an iterative check-and-balance setup between his ophthalmologist and a contact lens professional.] + Wear sunglasses, preferably wrap-arounds, to keep debris out of eyes, to keep them from tearing or drying out, and to shield them from ultraviolet rays, which might or might NOT be on the rise. + Contacts are not more hazardous than glasses in accidents. + Contacts improve peripheral and low-light vision. + Extended-wear soft lenses are usually the best. Next come regular soft lenses and then gas-permeable hard lenses. Of course, there are dissenting opinions here. I'm glad to see that some people report success with gas perms. + One's prescription can limit the types of lenses available. And soft lenses for correcting astigmatisms seem pesky, for they tend to rotate and thus defocus the image. This is true even for the new type that are weighted to help prevent this. Seems that near-sighted people have the most choices. + If one type or brand of lens gives discomfort, try another. Don't suffer with it, and don't give up on contact lenses altogether. BEWARE + Some lenses will tend to blow off the eye. Soft lenses are apparently the least susceptible to this problem. PARTICULAR SUGGESTIONS + Consider disposable lenses. They may well be worth it. + Carry a tiny bottle of eye/lens reconditioner and a pair of eyeglasses just in case. A POSSIBLE AUTHORITY From David Elfstrom (david.elfstrom@canrem.com): Hamano and Ruben, _Contact Lenses_, Prentice-Hall Canada, 1985, ISBN 0-13-169970-9. I haven't laid hands on it, but it sounds relevant. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bicycling in America (Jobst Brandt jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com) (or How to survive on a bicycle) In America, bicycling appears to be an unacceptable activity for adults. It is viewed as a pastime reserved for children (people who are not old enough to drive cars). Adults who sense that they are violating this stricture, excuse their bicycling by representing it as the pursuit of physical fitness. They refer to their bicycling as training rides. Rarely do you hear a cyclist say "we were bicycling" but rather "we were on a training ride". Certainly most of these people never race although one might assume, by implication, that their other rides are races. Some also refer to themselves as serious cyclists, a term used to describe those who, typically, keep track of pedaling cadence and other bicycling statistics, thereby giving proof that they are not engaged in child's play. In contrast, Europeans seem able to accept bicycling as a proper activity for all ages. That is to say, motorists do not treat bicyclists with apartheid and bicyclists do not feel the need to justify their pursuit as anything other than bicycling, for whatever reason. In Europe cadence on speedometers is an un-marketable function for unexplained reasons, however, one could imagine that for the average cyclist it is a useless statistic, except for those on "training rides". With this perception of bicycling in America, non cyclists and some occasional cyclists are offended by others who bicycle on public roads in the presence of automobile traffic. "Get the f#%k off the road!" and similar epithets are heard from drivers, some of whose cars are equipped with bike racks. It is similar to gay bashing; by expressing public outrage they demonstrate abhorrence of unacceptable behavior. The same is true of bicyclists who deride others in public for not wearing a helmet. Aggressive self righteousness is probably a fitting description. Another motive behind such behavior may be a sense of dissatisfaction with ones life. Anyone who is perceived as having fun, or at least more fun than the subject, needs to be brought down a notch. Psychologists who have interviewed youths that go "wilding" have gotten responses to the effect that "my life is terrible and I can't stand people who are having fun". So these youths attack others and beat them bloody. In a manner that may not make sense to others, they bring their victims down a notch to achieve parity. There is little doubt that bicycling has its hazards. You can fall by running into a pothole or an obstacle, by riding into a grating, or falling on loose gravel or a slick manhole cover. There are enough hazards without the threat of being run down by a car. However, the whole sport loses its appeal when motorists, who believe that adult bicycling is offensive, actively engage in making it a deadly endeavor. The scenario: In a typical encounter a driver says to his passenger "You see that guy on the bicycle? That's a dangerous place to ride." while slicing within inches of the cyclist. The passenger is truly impressed with the danger of bicycling, especially in the presence of this driver. I don't understand how drivers justify such behavior but I think I know what is going on. Examples: o The buzz and swerve routine: A driver slices dangerously close even though there is no opposing traffic. Then he drifts to the edge of the pavement to make clear how far he went out of his way for the cyclist. The desired path was even nearer the road shoulder than at the passing point. The buzz and swerve is executed equally well consciously and subconsciously. o Center court, extra point: The car, on a visibly empty stretch of road, travels perfectly centered between the median and edge stripes, even when this requires passing within inches of a cyclist. It appears that the driver is awarding himself points for not flinching when passing cyclists and extra points for proximity. In the event of a collision it is, of course, the cyclist who swerved unexpectedly. The precision with which the driver executes this maneuver, in spite of the danger, makes the center court game conspicuous. People generally don't drive exactly centered in a lane, especially when there is an obstacle. o Honk and slice: The buzz and swerve or center court routine can be enhanced by honking a single one second blast. This is usually done at a far greater distance than a sincere warning toot; about 200 yards works best. This is a great crutch for the driver who subsequently collides with the cyclist. "But I warned him!" o The trajectory intercept: A car is traveling on a road that crosses the cyclists path at right angles. The car and bike are equally distant from the intersection but at different speeds. With skill, the driver of the car can slow down at a rate that lets him arrive at the intersection at precisely the same time as the cyclist. The bicyclist who has a stop sign may now come to a complete stop and wait for the driver who is only looking out for the cyclist's safety. If the cyclist doesn't stop, the driver honks and yells something about breaking the law. Extra points are gained by offering the right of way to the cyclist, in spite of moving traffic in the adjacent lanes. o The contrived hindrance: A driver refuses to pass a cyclist on a two lane road until the passenger asks how much longer they must follow this bicyclist, or until the following cars begin to honk. Then, regardless of visibility or oncoming traffic, an inopportune pass is executed after which each of following drivers makes it clear when passing that it was the cyclist who was responsible for the near collision. o The rear-ender: While riding down a mountain road, the cyclist catches up with a car that notices his rapid approach. If an oncoming car approaches the driver slows down, obviously for safety sake, and then suddenly slams on the brakes when there is no place for the cyclist to go. Bicycles cannot stop as fast as cars since cars can safely skid the front wheels but bicycles can't. This game is the more dangerous variation of speeding up every time the cyclist tries to pass but to drive as slowly as possible everywhere else. One explanation for these maneuvers is that the driver recalls that riding in the mountains was always too hard and riding down hill was scary. This cyclist can't do what I couldn't do and I'll show him a thing or two. Thus the driver proves to himself that not riding in the hills was for safety's sake, it had nothing to do with physical ability. It fits into the " I'll teach that smartass a lesson. There is little risk for the car because in a rear-end collision the vehicle behind is, with few exceptions, found at fault. So why does all this go on and on? It is not as though they are all hostile drivers; some are just frustrated drivers. They may still be getting even for some bicycle accident they had in their youth and don't want others to get off any easier. Some are angry at having to spend the time behind the wheel while other "irresponsible adults" are playing on their bicycles. I believe the meanest ones are insecure people who don't feel as though they are accomplishing what they expect of themselves and don't like to see others have it any better. Many drivers believe that the only part of the road to which a bicyclist is entitled is the road shoulder, unless it occurs to the driver to use that part too. A bike rack on a car may lead you to believe that the driver has a pro bicycle attitude. Some people use bike racks to transport family bicycles to a park where they can be ridden safely without venturing onto dangerous roads; roads that are meant for cars. Among these people are some of the strongest opponents of general bicycling. They take refuge in the belief that, if they should run you down while playing center court, it would prove that you should bicycle as they do, and not get in the way of cars. What to do? Don't fuel the flames. Don't return the rudeness that is dished out. Take legal action where appropriate (and possible). Don't posture in traffic drawing attention to some undefined superiority to people who sit in cars. Don't balance on your bike or ride in circles in front of cars waiting at a red light. Don't make moves in traffic that are either discourteous, or at best, awkward but legal. If you hear loud knobby tires coming, believe it! That guy in the extra tall pickup truck with the all terrain tires, dual roll bars and multiple searchlights is not a friend of yours coming close to say hello. Give him room. =========================================================================== Recumbents Recumbent Bike Info (David Wittenberg wittenberg@zendia.enet.dec.com) (updated by Gary Walsh gary.walsh@canrem.com) Here's my standard response to questions about recumbents. I'd be happy to answer more specific questions. Here's some info I posted in the fall of 1990. I think it's still pretty much up to date. Changes from the last posting are in []'s. --David Wittenberg A few words about recumbent design, and then I'll provide a much larger list of recumbent manufacturers. There are three main choices in designing (or buying) a recumbent. Frame material -- all the ones I know of are either Alumninum or Steel. Wheelbase -- The front wheel can either be in front of the bottom bracket (long wheelbase) or behind it (short wheelbase). You can't have a medium wheelbase without a lot of extra work because the wheel and the bottom bracket would interfere with each other. Long wheelbase is reputed to be a bit more stable, while short wheelbase machines are often easier to fit into cars for transport. Some long wheelbase recumbents fold in neat ways to fit into a remarkably small space. Handlebars -- under seat or in front of the rider. Under seat is probably a more comfortable position when you get used to it (your hands just hang at your sides), and may be somewhat safer if you get thrown forward as there is nothing in front of you. High handlebars are somewhat faster as your arms are in front of you instead of at your side, thus reducing the frontal area. Some people find them more natural. [There are long wheelbase bikes with both high and low handlebars. I don't know of any short wheelbase, low handlebar recumbents, but there may be some I don't know of.] The following updated by Gary Walsh (gary.walsh@canrem.com) July 1992. There are a couple of interesting publications for recumbents: International Human Powered Vehicle Association P.O. Box 51255 Indianapolis, IN 46251 USA They publish Human Power Magazine and HPV News on all aspects of human powered transportation (bikes, aircraft, watercraft.) Dues are US$25/year in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and US$30 elsewhere. The Recumbent Bicycle Club of America/Recumbent Cyclist Magazine 17650-B6-140th Ave. SE, Suite 341 Renton, WA 98058 USA The best source of information on commercially available recumbents. Read the reviews in this magazine before you buy your first recumbent. Subscriptions are US$20/year Bulk or US$25/year First Class, in the U.S.A., and US$30/year elsewhere. Sample issue and info pack $5. See especially the buyers guide in issue #8 Oct-Dec 1992. Addresses of recumbent manufacturers: Ace Tool & Engineering (Infinity Recumbent) $1 for a flyer P.O Box 325 292 W. Harrison St. Mooresville, IN 46158 (317) 831-8798 Long wheelbase, low handlebars, aluminum frames. $499 + $85 for triple crank option. Information $1. Alternative Bikestyles P.O. Box 1344 Bonita, CA 91908 Phone (619)421-5118 Maverick $ Renegade LWB recumbents with upright handlebars. Framesets from $200. Complete bikes from $395. Advanced Transportation Products 550 3rd Ave. N. Edmonds, WA 98020 Phone (206)771-3719 R-20 SWB. $1350. Info pack $2. Angle Lake Cyclery 20840 Pacific Hwy S. Seattle WA 98198 Phone (206)878-7457 Counterpoint Presto SWB with upright handlebars. Presto SE Tour $1699. Presto SE High Performance $???. Presto CL $1399. Counterpoint Opus IV Tandem Opus CL $2999 Opus SE $3599 Tri Com Trikes $600-$700. Catalogue $2 Original Car-Cycle Technology 1311 Victoria Ave. Victoria, B.C., Canada V8S 4P4 Phone (604)598-7830 Fully fared commuter trike. Under development. DH Recumbents, Inc. 4007-G Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77025 Phone (713)666-4452 LWB with upright steering. DH1000 $999, DH5000 $1395. Earth Traveller 1475 Lillian St. Livermore, CA 94550 Phone (415)449-8312 LWB trike with 2 wheels in back. Information $1. EcoCycle Earth Friendly Transportation 5755 NW Fair Oaks Dr. Corvallis, OR 97330 (503) 753-5178 The Trice is a recumbent tricycle, with two wheels in front. Touring $1495. Speed model $1595. Also imports Ross recumbent from England. $2 for flyer, $9 for video tape. Easy Racers, Inc Box 255H Freedom, CA 95019 (408) 722-9797 High handlebar, long wheelbase bikes. Easy Racer $2300. Frameset $1650. Gold Rush Replica, commercial version of the Dupont prize winning Gold Rush (world's fastest bike) also available. $2 for a catalog Lightning Cycle Dynamics 1500 - E Chestnut St. Lompoc, CA 93436 (805) 736-0700 P-38 Short Wheelbase, high handlebars. Full fairings are available, and very fast. $1750. F-40 fully fared version. Lightning Cycle Inc. (Tailwind) $1 for a brochure 3819 Rte. 295 Swanton, OH 43558 (419) 826-4056 Steel long wheelbase, underseat steering. Around $1200. Linear Manufacturing Inc. (Linear) Route 1, Box 173 Guttenberg, IA 52052 (319) 252-1637 Long Wheelbase aluminum bike with either high or low handlebars (You can convert from one to the other.) $900 to $1200. They sell through dealers, and if you get in touch with them they'll tell you where the nearest dealer is. Canadians see S.C. Safety Cycle below. Rans Recumbents 1104 E. Hwy. 40 Bypass Hays, KS 67601 (913) 625-6346 Rans Stratus A & B and Nimbus. LWB with upright handlebars. $995-$1495. ReBike P.O Box 725 Boca Raton, FL 33429 Phone (407)750-1304 The ReBike. A low priced semi-recumbent with upright steering. New and a big seller. $389. Rotator 915 Middle Rincon Rd. Santa Rosa, CA 95409 (707) 539-4203 Rotator Super-7 Streamliner - LWB with 20" wheels. Rotator Companion Tandem. Rhoades International 100 Rhoades Lane Hendersonville, TN 37075 Phone (615)822-2737 4-wheel pedal car. $999 and up. Information $4. Video $19. Ryan Recumbents, Inc. 3910 Stewart Rd., Unit F Eugene, Or 97402 (503)485-6674 Vanguard. Long wheelbase, underseat steering. From $1295. S.C. Safety Cycle Inc. 1340B St. Paul St. Kelowna, B.C. Canada V1Y 2E1 Canadian distributor of the Linear which is sold as "The Alternative." CAN$1495. Thebis International 110-2031 Malaview Ave. Sidney, B.C. Canada V8L 3X9 Phone (604)656-1237 1-800-667-6801 Thebis 201 Touring Trike. Two wheels in back. $2990. Trailmate 2359 Trailmate Dr. Sarasota FL 34243 Phone (813)755-5511 Fun Cycle and Bannana Peel trikes. $399. Turner Enterprises P.O.Box 36158 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Phone (383)-0030 SWB with underseat steering. Laid Back "E" frame kit $375. LB-2000 $1500. Frameset $899. Zzip Designs P.O. Box 14 Davenport, CA 95017 Phone (408)425-8650 Manufacturer of fairings for many of the bikes listed above. Cyclopedia P.O. Box 884 Adrian, MI 49221 1-800-678-1021 Good source for parts for builders. ---------------- European Recumbents Leitra APS PO Box 64 DK-2750 Ballerup, Denmark Leitra M2 fully fared commuter trike. 3400 DM for the trike. 5845 DM for complete vehicle with accessories. Bas Ten Brinke Postbus 10075 1301 Almere, Netherlands Flevo SWB front wheel drive. Fateba, Bachman & Co. Rosenstr. 9, 8400 Winterthur Switzerland Fateba Winglet L1 LWB. Kincycle Miles Kingsbury Lane End Road, Sands, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 4JQ England The Kingcycle SWB. M5 Bram Moens Waalstraat 41, NL-4335 KL Middleburg, Netherlands. M5 SWB. Neatwork The Lees Stables Coldstream, Berwickshire, Scotland TD12-4NN Dealer for Kingcycle SWB and Radius Peer Gynt LWB. Radius-Spezialrader, Frie-Vendt-Str 16, D-4400 Munster, Germany RFA Peer Gynt LWB with underseat steering. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Recumbent Bike Info (Gary Walsh gary.walsh@canrem.com) [This has been copied from a flyer written by Robert Bryant of the Recumbent Cyclist Magazine. He has given me permission to submit it for the FAQ. - Gary] Have You Ever Considered a RECUMBENT BICYCLE? WHY RECUMBENT BICYCLES? There are many reasons to consider a recumbent. First and foremost is comfort. When you ride a recumbent bicycle you will no longer have an aching back, stiff neck, numb wrists or a sore a sore bottom. You will sit in a relaxed easy-chair position. You will be able to ride longer with less fatigue and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed. The recumbent position offerd you a great view of the countryside. While seated you will look straight ahead. This allows your lungs and chest more open and free breathing. Recumbents are very versatile machines. They can be used for a wide range of applications: recreational/sport riding, for the daily commute, a fast double century and they are great for long distance touring. RECUMBENT PERFORMANCE Recumbents hold all of the human-powered speed records. This is because they are aerodynamically superior to conventional bicycles; less frontal area means less wind resistance. The Lightning F-40 currently holds the Race Across America speed record of five days and one hour. Gardner Martin's Easy Racer Gold Rush, ridden by Fast Freddie Markham, was the winner of the Dupont Prize for breaking 65mph. You can currently buy production versions of these bicycles. Fairings for street use are common and optional equipment on most commercially built models. They protect you from rain, cold and wind, with up to a 30% reduction in drag. Commercially available recumbents are not always faster than conventional bicycles. It depends mainly on the individual rider. Your best bet is to do you homework and if your goal is performance and speed, be sure that you look for a recumbent designed for this purpose. COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RECUMBENT BICYCLES 1) Do recumbents climb hills well? Yes they do, although climbing on a recumbent requires a different technique, you must gear down and spin. Maintaining an efficient spin takes some practice & conditioning, once mastered, it takes less physical effort to climb hills. Depending on your riding style, your speeds can range from slowwer to even faster than on a conventional bicycle. 2) Can recumbents be seen in traffic? Recumbents with a higher seating position may be better suited for riding in traffic than some of the low-slung designs. The use of use of proper safety devices such as safety flags and reflective devices is recommended. Recumbent bicycles are different, futuristic and they get noticed. Many riders feel they get more respect from motorists while on their recumbents. 3) Are they safe? Recumbent's are safer than a conventional bicycle. Due to the low centre of gravity, they stop faster. Brakes can be evenly applied to both wheels simultaneously providing more traction without throwing the rider over the handlebars. In crash situations, the rider goes down to the side absorbing the impact with the hip and leg rather than flying over the handlebars and absorbing the impact on your head and shoulder. Straight ahead vision is also better on a recumbent, however, rear view mirrors are necessary for proper rearward vision. RECUMBENT PAST HISTORY Why are recumbents such a rare sight? Space age technology? New type of bicycle? Not really, recumbent bicycles actually go back as far as the mid to late 1800's with the Macmillan Velocopede and the Challand Recumbent. In the 1930's, a series of events took place that changed bicycling history. A French second category professional track cyclist named Francois Faure rode the Velocar, a two wheeled recumbent bicycle designed and built by Charles Mochet, to record-shattering speeds, breaking both the mile and kilometre records of the day. This created a storm of controversy within the U.C.I. (United Cycliste International), bicycle rating's governing body. The debate centred on whether the Velocar was a bicycle and were these records legal? In 1934 they ruled against the Mochet-Faure record, banning recumbent bicycles and aerodynamic devices from racing. Were U.C.I. members worried that the recumbent bicycle would displace the conventional design? Did they realize this would freeze bicycle and human-powered vehicle development for the next forty years? This is why bicycles of taday look very similar to the Starkey and Sutton Safety (upright/conventional) of 1885. Just think where bicycle technology would be today if the U.C.I. decision had gone the opposite way. MODERN RECUMBENT HISTORY Recumbent development was fairly quiet until the late 1960's. Dan Henry received some media attention for his long wheelbase design in 1968. In the early 1970's, the human-powered revolution was starting up on both the U.S. east coast by David Gordon, designer of the Avatar, and on the west coast by Chester Kyle. These pioneers recognized the need for further development of human-powered vehicles. In the late 1970's and early 1980's, this lead to the first commercial recumbent bicycle designs such as the Avatar, Easy Racer and Hypercycle. In 1990, the Recumbent Bicycle Club of America was founded by Dick Ryan who currently manufactures the Ryan Vanguard and was also involved with the Avatar project in the early 1980's. In 1988 recumbent promoter Robert Bryant got his start writing "Recumbent Ramblings," a column for "HPV News." In the summer of 1990, Robert founded the "Recumbent Cyclist Magazine," and in a short two years, RCM has become the source for recumbent bicyle information in the world today. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION RECUMBENT CYCLIST MAGAZINE 17560-B6-140th Ave SE, Ste 341 Renton WA 98058 __$2 Info-Pak/recumbent manufacturer list __$5 Current sample issue with info-pak/list __$20 USA Bulk Mail Subscription __$25 USA First Class Mail Subscription Rush Service __$30 Canada Air Mail __$35 Worldwide Air Mail (USA funds) (anywhere outside USA/CAN) __$50 Junior Supporter (includes 3 copies of each issue, mailed first class __$100 RBCA Supporter (includes 10 copies of each issue mailed Priority) BACK ISSUE ORDERING INFO -Back issues are mailed 3rd class postage. (allow 4 weeks for delivery.) -First Class Mail/Rush Service - add $.50 per issue. -Canadian Air Mail/Rush Service - add $1.00 per issue. -Worldwide Air Mail - add $2.00 per issue. -Super-Rush Service? We can do FEDEX overnight C.O.D. $4.00 __RC#2 Flevo & CSPC "Poor Man's Composite" $4.00 __RC#3 DH5000 LWB Road Test $4.00 __RC#4 Ryan Vanguard Road Test/F-40/Flevo $4.00 __RC#5 Linear LWB Road Test/Omega HPV/HPV Design Info $4.50 __RC#6 Easy Racer Road Test $4.50 __RC#7 Lightning P-38 Road Test $4.50 __RC#8 1992 Recumbent Buyers Guide $4.50 __RC#9 A.T.P. R-20 SWB Road Test $4.50 __RC#10 Thebis Trike Road Test $4.50 __RC#11 Counterpoint Presto Road Test $4.50 __RC#12 Rans Road Test (available 9/92) $4.50 __RC#13 Trice Road Test (Available 11/92) $4.50 __RC#14 (Available 1/93) $4.50 __RC#14 (Available 3/93) $4.50 __RC#15 (Available 5/93) =========================================================================== Commuting How to deal with your clothes When you commute by bike to work, you'd probably like to have clean clothes that don't look like they've been at the bottom of your closet for a couple of years. Here are some suggestions for achieving this goal: Take a week's worth of clothes to work ahead of time and leave them there. You'll probably have to do this in a (gasp!) car. This means that you'll need room in your office for the clothes. Carefully pack your clothes in a backpack/pannier and take them to work each day. It has been suggested that rolling your clothes rather than folding them, with the least-likely to wrinkle on the inside. This method may not work too well for the suit-and-tie crowd, but then I wouldn't know about that. :-) I use the second method, and I leave a pair of tennis shoes at work so I don't have to carry them in. This leaves room in my backpack for a sweatshirt in case it's a cool day. =========================================================================== Cold Weather Cycling Pete's Winter Cycling Tips (Pete Hickey pete@panda1.uottowa.ca) I am a commuter who cycles year round. I have been doing it for about twelve years. Winters here in Ottawa are relatively cold and snowy. Ottawa is the second coldest capital in the world. The following comments are the results my experiences. I am not recommending them, only telling you what works for me. You may find it useful, or you may find the stupid things that I do are humorous. PRELUDE Me: I am not a real cyclist. I just ride a bicycle. I have done a century, but that was still commuting. There was a networking conference 110 miles away, so I took my bicycle. There and back. (does that make two centuries?) I usually do not ride a bicycle just for a ride. Lots of things I say may make real cyclists pull out their hair. I have three kids, and cannot *afford* to be a bike weenie. People often ask me why I do it.... I don't know. I might say that it saves me money, but no. Gasoline produces more energy per dollar than food. (OK, I suppose if I would eat only beans, rice and pasta with nothing on them.... I like more variety) Do I do it for the environment? Nah! I never take issues with anything. I don't ride for health, although as I get older, I appreciate the benefits. I guess I must do it because I like it. Definitions Since words like "very", "not too", etc. are very subjective, I will use the following definitions: Cold : greater than 15 degrees F Very cold : 0 through 15 Degrees F Extreme cold : -15 through 0 degrees F Insane cold: below -15 degrees F Basic philosophy I have two: 1) If its good, don't ruin it, if its junk you needn't worry. 2) I use a brute force algorithm of cycling: Peddle long enough, and you'll get there. Bicycle riding in snow and ice is a problem of friction: Too much of the rolling type, and not enough of the sideways type. Road conditions: More will be covered below, but now let it suffice to say that a lot of salt is used on the roads here. Water splashed up tastes as salty as a cup of Lipton Chicken soup to which an additional spool of salt has been added. Salt eats metal. Bicycles dissolve. EQUIPMENT: Bicycle: Although I have a better bicycle which I ride in nice weather, I buy my commuting bikes at garage sales for about $25.00. They're disposable. Once they start dissolving, I remove any salvageable parts, then throw the rest away. Right now, I'm riding a '10-speed' bike. I used to ride mountain bikes, but I'm back to the '10-speed'. Here's why. Mountain bikes cost $50.00 at the garage sales. They're more in demand around here. Since I've ridden both, I'll comment on each one. The Mountain bikes do have better handling, but they're a tougher to ride through deep snow. The 10-speed cuts through the deep snow better. I can ride in deeper snow with it, and when the snow gets too deep to ride, its easier to carry. Fenders on the bike? Sounds like it might be a good idea, and someday I'll try it out. I think, however, that snow/ice will build up between the fender and the tire causing it to be real tough to pedal. I have a rack on the back with a piece of plywood to prevent too much junk being thrown on my back. I would *like* to be able to maintain the bike, but its tough to work outside in the winter. My wife (maybe I should write to Dear Abbey about this) will not let me bring my slop covered bicycle through the house to get it in the basement. About once a month We have a warm enough day that I am able to go out with a bucket of water, wash all of the gunk off of the bike, let it dry and then bring it in. I tear the thing down, clean it and put it together with lots of grease. I use some kind of grease made for farm equipment that is supposed to be more resistant to the elements. When I put it together, I grease the threads, then cover the nuts, screws, whatever with a layer of grease. This prevents them from rusting solidly in place making it impossible to remove. Protection against corrosion is the primary purpose of the grease. Lubrication is secondary. remember to put a drop of oil on the threads of each spoke, otherwise, the spokes rust solidly, and its impossible to do any truing Outside, I keep a plastic ketchup squirter, which I fill with automotive oil (lately its been 90 weight standard transmission oil). Every two or three days, I use it to re- oil my chain and derailleur, and brakes. It drips all over the snow beneath me when I do it, and gets onto my 'cuffs'(or whatever you call the bottom of those pants. See, I told you I don't cycle for the environment. I probably end up dumping an ounce of heavy oil into the snow run-off each year. Clothing Starting at the bottom, on my feet I wear Sorell Caribou boots. These are huge ugly things, but they keep my feet warm. I have found that in extreme to insane cold, my toes get cold otherwise. These boots do not make it easy to ride, but they do keep me warm (see rule 2, brute force). They do not fit into any toe-clips that I have seen. I used to wear lighter things for less cold weather, but I found judging the weather to be a pain. If its not too cold, I ride with them half unlaced. The colder it gets, the more I lace them, and finally, I'll tie them. Fortunately, wet days are not too cold, and cold days are not wet. When its dry, I wear a pair of cycling shorts, and one or two (depending on temp and wind) cotton sweat pants covering that. I know about lycra and polypro (and use them for skiing), but these things are destroyed by road-dirt, slush and mud.(see rule 1 above). I save my good clothes for x-country skiing. An important clothing item in extreme to insane cold, is a third sock. You put it in your pants. No, not to increase the bulge to impress the girls, but for insulation. Although several months after it happens it may be funny, when it does happens, frostbite on the penis is not funny. I speak from experience! Twice, no less! I have no idea of what to recommend to women in this section. Next in line, I wear a polypro shirt, covered by a wool sweater, covered by a 'ski-jacket' (a real ugly one with a stripe up the back. The ski jacket protects the rest of my clothes, and I can regulate my temperature with the zipper in front. I usually take a scarf with me. For years I have had a fear that the scarf would get caught in the spokes, and I'd be strangled in the middle of the street, but it has not yet happened. When the temp is extreme or colder, I like keeping my neck warm. I have one small problem. Sometimes the moisture in my breath will cause the scarf to freeze to my beard. On my hands, I wear wool mittens when its not too cold, and when it gets really cold, I wear my cross-country skiing gloves (swix) with wool mittens covering them. Hands sweat in certain areas (at least mine do), and I like watching the frost form on the outside of the mittens. By looking at the frost, I can tell which muscles are working. I am amused by things like this. On my head, I wear a toque (Ski-hat?) covered by a bicycle helmet. I don't wear one of those full face masks because I haven't yet been able to find one that fits well with eye glasses. In extreme to insane cold, my forehead will often get quite cold, and I have to keep pulling my hat down. The bottoms of my ears sometimes stick out from my hat, and they're always getting frostbitten. This year, I'm thinking of trying my son's Lifa/polypro balaclava. Its thin enough so that it won't bother me, and I only need a bit more protection from frostbite. I carry my clothes for the day in a knapsack. Everything that goes in the knapsack goes into a plastic bag. Check the plastic bag often for leaks. A small hole near the top may let in water which won't be able to get out. The net result is that things get more wet than would otherwise be expected. The zippers will eventually corrode. Even the plastic ones become useless after a few years. RIDING: In the winter, the road is narrower. There are snow banks on either side. Cars do not expect to see bicycles. There are less hours of daylight, and the its harder to maintain control of the bicycle. Be careful. I don't worry about what legal rights I have on the road, I simply worry about my life. I'd rather crash into a snow bank for sure rather than take a chance of crashing into a car. I haven't yet had a winter accident in 12 years. I've intentionally driven into many snow banks. Sometimes, during a storm, I get into places where I just can't ride. It is sometimes necessary to carry the bicycle across open fields. When this happens, I appreciate my boots. It takes a lot more energy to pedal. Grease gets thick, and parts (the bicycle's and mine) don't seem to move as easily. My traveling time increases about 30% in nice weather, and can even double during a raging storm. The wind seems to be always worse in winter. It's not uncommon to have to pedal to go down hills. Be careful on slushy days. Imagine an 8 inch snowfall followed by rain. This produces heavy slush. If a car rides quickly through deep slush, it may send a wave of the slush at you. This stuff is heavy. When it hits you, it really throws you off balance. Its roughly like getting a 10 lbs sack of rotten potatoes thrown at your back. This stuff could even knock over a pedestrian. Freezing rain is the worst. Oddly enough, I find it easier to ride across a parking lot covered with wet smooth ice than it is to walk across it. The only problem is that sometimes the bicycle simply slides sideways out from under you. I practice unicycle riding, and that may help my balance. (Maybe not, but its fun anyway) Beware of bridges that have metal grating. This stuff gets real slippery when snow covered. One time, I slid, hit an expansion joint, went over the handle bars, over the railing of the bridge. I don't know how, but one arm reached out and grabbed the railing. Kind of like being MacGyver. Stopping. There are several ways of stopping. The first one is to use the brakes. This does not always work. Breaks can ice up, a bit of water gets between the cable and its sheathing when the warm afternoon sun shines on the bike. It freezes solid after. Or the salt causes brake cables to break, etc. I have had brakes work on one corner, but stop working by the time I get to the next. I have several other means of stopping. The casual method. For a stop when you have plenty of time. Rest the ball of your foot on top of the front derailleur, and *gradually* work your heel between the tire and the frame. By varying the pressure, you can control your speed. Be sure that you don't let your foot get wedged in there! Faster method. Get your pedals in the 6-12 O'clock position. Stand up. The 6 O'clock foot remains on the pedal, while you place the other foot on the ground in front of the pedal. By varying your balance, you can apply more or less pressure to your foot. The pedal, wedged against the back of your calf, forces your foot down more, providing more friction. Really fast! Start with the fast method, but then dismount while sliding the bicycle in front of you. You will end up sliding on your two feet, holding onto the bike in front for balance. If it gets *really* critical, throw the bike ahead of you, and sit down and roll. Do not do this on dry pavement, your feet need to be able to slide. In some conditions, running into a snow bank on the side will stop you quickly, easily, and safely. If you're going too fast, you might want to dive off of the bicycle over the side. Only do this when the snow bank is soft. Make sure that there isn't a car hidden under that soft snow. Don't jump into fire hydrants either. ETC. Freezing locks. I recommend carrying a BIC lighter. Very often the lock will get wet, and freeze solid. Usually the heat from my hands applied for a minute or so (a real minute or so, not what seems like a minute) will melt it, but sometimes it just needs more than that. Eating Popsicles Something I like doing in the winter is to buy a Popsicle before I leave, and put it in my pocket. It won't melt! I take it out and start eating it just as I arrive at the University. Its fun to watch peoples' expressions when they see me, riding in the snow, eating a Popsicle. You have to be careful with Popsicles in the winter. I once had a horrible experience. You know how when you are a kid, your parents told you never to put your tongue onto a metal pole? In very cold weather, a Popsicle acts the same way. If you are not careful, your upper lip, lower lip, and tongue become cemented to the Popsicle. Although this sounds funny when I write about it, it was definitely not funny when it happened. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips (Nancy Piltch piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov) Here are some clothing suggestions, mix and match as you wish: Rain gear : I forked out the dollars for gore-tex when I did a week tour ... and I'm real glad I did. The stuff works reasonably as claimed, waterproof, and relatively breathable. (When the humidity is high, no fabric will work completely at letting sweat evaporate.) Unfortunately, typical prices are high. There are cheaper rainsuits, which I haven't tried. For short rides, or when the temperature is over about 50F, I don't usually wear the rain pants, as wet legs don't particularly bother me. Waterproof shoe covers. When the weather gets icky, I give up on the cleats (I'm not riding for performance then, anyway) and put the old-style pedals back on. This is basically because of the shoe covers I have that work better with touring shoes. The ones I have are made by Burley, and are available from Bikecentennial, though I got them at a local shop. They are just the cover, no insulation. I continue to use them in winter since they are windproof, and get the insulation I need from warm socks. These aren't neoprene, but rather some high-tech waterproof fabric. Gaiters that hikers and cross-country skiers wear can help keep road spray off your legs and feet. Toe clip covers. I got them from Nashbar; they are insulated and fit over the toe clips ... another reason for going back to those pedals. They help quite a bit when the temperature goes into the 30's and below; they are too warm above that. For temperatures in the 40's I usually find that a polypropylene shirt, lightweight sweater (mine is polypro) and wind shell work well; I use the gore-tex jacket, since I have it, but any light weight jacket is OK. I have a lightweight pair of nylon-lycra tights, suitable in the 50's, and maybe the 40's; a heavier pair of polypro tights, for 40's, and a real warm pair of heavy, fleece-lined tights for colder weather. (I have been comfortable in them down to about 15-deg, which is about the minimum I will ride in.) My tights are several years old, and I think there are lots more variations on warm tights out now. I use thin polypro glove liners with my cycling gloves when it is a little cool; lightweight gloves for a little bit cooler; gore-tex and thinsulate gloves for cold weather (with the glove liners in the really cold weather.) It is really my fingers that limit my cold weather riding, as anything any thicker than that limits my ability to work brake levers. (Note: this may change this year as I've just bought a mountain bike; the brake levers are much more accessible than on my road bike. It may be possible to ride with warm over-mitts over a wool or similar glove.) When it gets down to the 20's, or if it's windy at warmer (!) temperatures, I'll add the gore-tex pants from my rain suit, mostly as wind protection, rather than rain protection. Cheaper wind pants are available (either at bike shops or at sporting goods stores) that will work just as well for that use. Warm socks. There are lots of choices; I use 1 pair of wool/polypropylene hiking socks (fairly thick). Then with the rain covers on my shoes to keep out wind, and (if necessary) the toe clip covers, I'm warm enough. There are also thin sock liners, like my glove liners, but I haven't needed them; there are also neoprene socks, which I've never tried, and neoprene shoe covers, which I've also never tried, and wool socks, and ski socks ... I have a polypropylene balaclava which fits comfortably under my helmet; good to most of the temperatures I'm willing to ride in; a little too warm for temperatures above freezing, unless it's also windy. I also have an ear-warmer band, good for 40's and useful with the balaclava for miserable weather. I also have a neoprene face mask; dorky looking, but it works. It is definitely too hot until the temperature (or wind) gets severe. I sometimes add ski goggles for the worst conditions, but they limit peripheral vision, so I only use them if I'm desperate. For temperatures in the 30's, and maybe 20's, I wear a polarfleece pullover thing under the outer shell. Combining that with or without polypro (lightweight) sweater or serious duty wool sweater gives a lot of options. Sometimes I add a down vest -- I prefer it *outside* my shell (contrary to usual wisdom) because I usually find it too warm once I start moving and want to unzip it, leaving the wind shell closed for wind protection. I only use the down vest when it's below about 15 F. ---