BikeE and LWB

"Garry Broad" wrote

Quoted message said:

My question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other LWB[CLWB?]

I have a '98 BikeE AT/XL and a '01 TourEasy EX/ML w/fairing. I ride mainly the TourEasy, but
sometimes still ride the BikeE for errands.

Speed: TourEasy noticeably faster over the long haul Climbing: TourEasy slightly better Cruising:
TourEasy better Comfort: TourEasy better

Nimbleness: BikeE better Adjustability: BikeE easily and widely adjustable for different riders
Suspension: BikeE better 1st time ridability: BikeE better (slightly)

Some people complain that the BikeE front wheel is too lightly loaded, particularly on climbing. The
XL helps. Given the cheap availability of used BikeE's, it's hard not to recommend them as a first
recumbent, or utility recumbent...

As for building your own from donor/scrap upright bikes, I'd think it would be difficult to
duplicate the Bike's seat-on-the- beam adjustability.

Back in the Bob Cardone days of the newsgroup, a fair number of people thought the RANS Tailwind
CLWB was superior to BikeE. Perhaps the Tailwind geometry might be a better starting point for
welding your own...

Jon Meinecke

Good directions for recycling old bikes into bents at
recycledrecumbent.comrecycledrecumbent.comOpen ↗.

You end up with a Tour easy clone. Build the improved version, with the larger head tube angle.
You'll get better geometry.

Or look at my pages on homebuilts. My first short Wheelbase used the entire rear triangle of a DF
bike. www.gaate.net/~teblum Miles of Smiles,

Tom

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi..

I had my first test run on a recumbent over the holiday period - 4 hours on a BikeE and half and
hour on a EasyRacer EZ1. Very enjoyable. I've been in the process of trying to build a recumbent
out of old scrap bikes I have around the place [in the loft], and I'd kind of set my mind on a
SWB, as these 'appear' to be the speed machines. But on reflection, after my experience with the
BikeE and the EZ1, I think a LWB might suit my type of riding, and will certainly be so much easy
to make from the scrap bikes I have to work with [and the limited brazing eqipment I have too]. My
question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other LWB[CLWB?] bikes in terms of climbing and
speed? Is this about what I can expect in terms of performance from most LWB recumbents or are
other models much more effecient in this respect? Curious. Many thanks Garry

Garry,

The BikeE is a very nice first recumbent. A BikeE CT was my first. It was a great little bike for
commuting to work and running errands. Never had a single problem with it. But it was NOT a
performance bike.

I think you will be able to find much higher performance levels out of SWB's or LWB's. From my
personal experience I can tell you the the EZ-1 SC Lite, RANS Rocket, RANS Tailwind, RANS V-Rex,
RANS Stratus are all faster than the BikeE. Judging from test reports, I would guess that Visions,
Easy Racers, Lightnings, Bacchetta's and many others also have higher performance levels.

The advantage of the BikeE was price, availability, reliability, and user-friendliness. But
not speed.

LeRoy

On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 18:49:30 GMT, "Jon Meinecke" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Garry Broad" wrote

Quoted message said:

My question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other LWB[CLWB?]

I have a '98 BikeE AT/XL and a '01 TourEasy EX/ML w/fairing. I ride mainly the TourEasy, but
sometimes still ride the BikeE for errands.

Speed: TourEasy noticeably faster over the long haul Climbing: TourEasy slightly better Cruising:
TourEasy better Comfort: TourEasy better

Nimbleness: BikeE better Adjustability: BikeE easily and widely adjustable for different riders
Suspension: BikeE better 1st time ridability: BikeE better (slightly)

Some people complain that the BikeE front wheel is too lightly loaded, particularly on climbing.
The XL helps. Given the cheap availability of used BikeE's, it's hard not to recommend them as a
first recumbent, or utility recumbent...

Yes, without any experience of recumbents, I can understand why you might say this, especially when
used as a general 'round town' bike. I can see the nimbleness is useful in traffic. Guess the
relative affordability of these bikes[when thery were trading] was welcome also. The BikeE I had for
half day was a hire bike.

Quoted message said:

As for building your own from donor/scrap upright bikes, I'd think it would be difficult to
duplicate the Bike's seat-on-the- beam adjustability.

Back in the Bob Cardone days of the newsgroup, a fair number of people thought the RANS Tailwind
CLWB was superior to BikeE. Perhaps the Tailwind geometry might be a better starting point for
welding your own...

Yes, I'd noticed that model too. The main reason for building one is just purely interest and the
'sense of the project', so to speak. After having ridden these I think I'm a bit nearer to getting
what I want...to start with anyway. cheers Garry

Tom Blum said:

Good directions for recycling old bikes into bents at recycledrecumbent.comrecycledrecumbent.comOpen ↗.

You end up with a Tour easy clone. Build the improved version, with the larger head tube angle.
You'll get better geometry.

Yes, thanks, I'd already come across this site, along with a couple of other very helpful links.

Quoted message said:

Or look at my pages on homebuilts. My first short Wheelbase used the entire rear triangle of a DF
bike. www.gaate.net/~teblum

Which sadly I cannot open !

Thanks Garry

Quoted message said:

Miles of Smiles,

Tom

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi..

I had my first test run on a recumbent over the holiday period - 4 hours on a BikeE and half and
hour on a EasyRacer EZ1. Very enjoyable. I've been in the process of trying to build a recumbent
out of old scrap bikes I have around the place [in the loft], and I'd kind of set my mind on a
SWB, as these 'appear' to be the speed machines. But on reflection, after my experience with the
BikeE and the EZ1, I think a LWB might suit my type of riding, and will certainly be so much easy
to make from the scrap bikes I have to work with [and the limited brazing eqipment I have too].
My question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other LWB[CLWB?] bikes in terms of climbing
and speed? Is this about what I can expect in terms of performance from most LWB recumbents or
are other models much more effecient in this respect? Curious. Many thanks Garry

Bad link should be

www.gate.net/~teblum

Sorry. "Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Blum said:

Good directions for recycling old bikes into bents at recycledrecumbent.comrecycledrecumbent.comOpen ↗.

You end up with a Tour easy clone. Build the improved version, with the larger head tube angle.
You'll get better geometry.

Yes, thanks, I'd already come across this site, along with a couple of other very helpful links.

Quoted message said:

Or look at my pages on homebuilts. My first short Wheelbase used the

entire

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

rear triangle of a DF bike. www.gaate.net/~teblum

Which sadly I cannot open !

Thanks Garry

Quoted message said:

Miles of Smiles,

Tom

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi..

I had my first test run on a recumbent over the holiday period - 4 hours on a BikeE and half
and hour on a EasyRacer EZ1. Very enjoyable. I've been in the process of trying to build a
recumbent out of old scrap bikes I have around the place [in the loft], and I'd kind of set my
mind on a SWB, as these 'appear' to be the speed machines. But on reflection, after my
experience with the BikeE and the EZ1, I think a LWB might suit my type of riding, and will
certainly be so much easy to make from the scrap bikes I have to work with [and the limited
brazing eqipment I have too]. My question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other
LWB[CLWB?] bikes in terms of climbing and speed? Is this about what I can expect in terms of
performance from most LWB recumbents or are other models much more effecient in this respect?
Curious. Many thanks Garry

Tom Blum said:

Bad link should be

www.gate.net/~teblum

Sorry.

No problem. The photos aren't always the best are they, but I enjoyed reading about your endeavours.
Sites like yours have kept me occupied a lot over the holidays! Time to get cutting and brazing
some.Thanks. Garry

Quoted message said:

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Blum said:

Good directions for recycling old bikes into bents at recycledrecumbent.comrecycledrecumbent.comOpen ↗.

You end up with a Tour easy clone. Build the improved version, with the larger head tube angle.
You'll get better geometry.

Yes, thanks, I'd already come across this site, along with a couple of other very helpful links.

Quoted message said:

Or look at my pages on homebuilts. My first short Wheelbase used the

entire

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

rear triangle of a DF bike. www.gaate.net/~teblum

Which sadly I cannot open !

Thanks Garry

Quoted message said:

Miles of Smiles,

Tom

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
>
> Hi..
>
> I had my first test run on a recumbent over the holiday period - 4 hours on a BikeE and half
> and hour on a EasyRacer EZ1. Very enjoyable. I've been in the process of trying to build a
> recumbent out of old scrap bikes I have around the place [in the loft], and I'd kind of set my
> mind on a SWB, as these 'appear' to be the speed machines. But on reflection, after my
> experience with the BikeE and the EZ1, I think a LWB might suit my type of riding, and will
> certainly be so much easy to make from the scrap bikes I have to work with [and the limited
> brazing eqipment I have too]. My question is simple: how does the BikeE compare to other
> LWB[CLWB?] bikes in terms of climbing and speed? Is this about what I can expect in terms of
> performance from most LWB recumbents or are other models much more effecient in this respect?
> Curious. Many thanks Garry