New style bikes attracting newbies???

"Alan Acock" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:3emec.14408$_K3.51321@attbi_s53:

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward (sort of influenced by recumbents?) so a person
can get leg extension and still have a cushy seat that
they can sit on while both feet are on the grown.

I had a bike like that during the 1960s. It was a Schwinn
Stingray. Today, commuter-style bikes (I assume that's what
you're talking about) are popular in Europe (and have been
for years). Maybe they're now becoming popular in the USA
because of soaring gas prices and massive unemployment.

"Alan Acock" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:3emec.14408$_K3.51321@attbi_s53...

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward (sort of influenced by recumbents?) so a person
can get leg extension and still

have

Quoted message said:

a cushy seat that they can sit on while both feet are on
the grown. I love my Klein road bike and my Klein Quantum
and my Trek Fuel 90, but these new bikes seem to overcome
the fear of a small seat and not being able to set your
feet on the ground without getting off the seat.

Are these going to attract some new riders?

Hopefully.

It seems there are a few people (my Mother for one) who
don't ride bikes but would like too ... and one of the
reasons they don't ride is the perception that it's
dangerous. Heck, a few days ago I asked someone who
organizes rides for "ordinary" people why helmets were
mandatory and that was his answer ... "because riding a bike
is dangerous!" When experienced riders believe that serious
physical injury is common place, then how must non riders
feel? Probably the same apprehension I would have trying to
ride a highwheeler. It's unfortunate that perception exists
but the new bikes might help to correct that for non
cyclists and perhaps bring a few over ... let's just not
tell them the danger is the same (c;

C.Q.C.

Ken said:

"Alan Acock" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:3emec.14408$_K3.51321@attbi_s53:

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward (sort of influenced by recumbents?) so a person
can get leg extension and still have a cushy seat that
they can sit on while both feet are on the grown.

I had a bike like that during the 1960s. It was a Schwinn
Stingray. Today, commuter-style bikes (I assume that's what
you're talking about)

I wonder if he was referring to the style that this
company puts out-

electrabike.combikes.htmlOpen ↗

electrabike.comtownie home.htmlOpen ↗

I doubt that they started it or are the only company doing
it, but I don't know of others except for things like some
Schwinn 'reissues' that I see around.

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward ... Are these going to attract some new riders?

That's what their manufacturers are counting on. I've seen
them in the local shops -- Giant is one major brand I've
seen -- so perhaps they are in fact attracting new riders,
because God forbid that the Keepers of the True Faith try
something different.

My whole business is based on selling cycles for "common
people". Cycles with an upright riding position, comfortable
saddles, easy shifting, mudguards, chainguards and
kickstands.

There's nothing new about them - they are all cycles built
30 to 50 years ago.

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc. oldroads.comoldroads.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Alan Acock" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:3emec.14408$_K3.51321@attbi_s53:

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward (sort of influenced by recumbents?) so a person
can get leg extension and still have a cushy seat that
they can sit on while both feet are on the grown.

I had a bike like that during the 1960s. It was a Schwinn
Stingray. Today, commuter-style bikes (I assume that's what
you're talking about) are popular in Europe (and have been
for years). Maybe they're now becoming popular in the USA
because of soaring gas prices and massive unemployment.

Ken said:

Maybe they're now becoming popular in the USA because of
soaring gas prices and massive unemployment.

Check prices on a batavus or a gazelle roadster. You're
guaranteed to be surprised.

Europeans buy bicycles of this sort as durable goods, as one
might buy a car or motorcycle. They expect them to come fully-
equipped, and the bicycles are expensive but durable.

If you're unemployed, you're riding whatever you were riding
when you were more gainfully employed. If you didnt' ride
before, you're riding a Huffy.

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not get
more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of gas is
worth the sense of security and isolation of the steel cage
for most people.

predictions of a boom in padyak sales will be overly
optimistic.

-Luigi

LioNiNoiL_a t_NetscapE_D 0 T_NeT said:

Quoted message said:

I've seen new bicycles that have the pedals shifted
forward ... Are these going to attract some new riders?

That's what their manufacturers are counting on. I've seen
them in the local shops -- Giant is one major brand I've
seen -- so perhaps they are in fact attracting new riders,
because God forbid that the Keepers of the True Faith try
something different.

I ask again: how many new semi=recumbents have you seen?

What price is the market going to bear?

beginners buy cheap bikes generally speaking.

-Luigi

Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not get
more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of gas is
worth the sense of security and isolation of the steel
cage for most people.

You're never going to get "most people" to give up cars for
bicycles. However, even increasing the minority of commuters
who use bicycles will go along way towards reducing air
pollution, gas reliance, and urban congestion.

Ken said:

Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not
get more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of gas
is worth the sense of security and isolation of the steel
cage for most people.

You're never going to get "most people" to give up cars for
bicycles. However, even increasing the minority of
commuters who use bicycles will go along way towards
reducing air pollution, gas reliance, and urban congestion.

I didn't dispute that.

If we were all rational actors, we'd all be using bicycles
for some 'optimal' distance and time each day, and reaping
the benefits materially.

But the funny truth is that populations never behave like
they told you they should in grad school, eh? Irrationality
distorts things...fear deters people.

-Luigi

In article <[email hidden]>,
luigi12081 @cox.net says...

...

Quoted message said:

If you're unemployed, you're riding whatever you were
riding when you were more gainfully employed. If you
didnt' ride before, you're riding a Huffy.

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not get
more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of gas is
worth the sense of security and isolation of the steel
cage for most people.

Most, but not all, and it will depend on just how high the
prices go. If they get to European price levels relatively
quickly (so people don't have time to get used to them),
you'll see a big increase in bike usage. When weather
permits, I've already started riding my bike to referee
soccer games, instead of driving my mini-van. Today, I rode
an hour there, refereed an hour-long game, and then rode an
hour back home. My legs were thoroughly shot by the time I
got back, but recovered within an hour.

Quoted message said:

predictions of a boom in padyak sales will be overly
optimistic.

Maybe not a "boom", but I'll bet you see *some* increase.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return
address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not
get more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of
gas is worth the sense of security and isolation of the
steel cage for most people.

You're never going to get "most people" to give up cars
for bicycles. However, even increasing the minority of
commuters who use bicycles will go along way towards
reducing air pollution, gas reliance, and urban
congestion.

With a strong enough price shock, you might get a
simple majority to ride a bike for at least SOME of
their short errands.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return
address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When weather permits, I've already started riding my bike
to referee soccer games, instead of driving my mini-van.
Today, I rode an hour there, refereed an hour-long game,
and then rode an hour back home. My legs were thoroughly
shot by the time I got back, but recovered within an hour.

I used to do this when I reffed. Weather almost always
permitted; AYSO was much more likely to cancel soccer than I
was to cancel a bike ride. I reffed locally, so I had at
most a 5 mile ride -- usually less. On the ride over, I used
to just take it easy and try to warm up the legs. On the way
back, I did whatever I wanted or was able to, sometimes
including a 20 mile detour 😉. My daughter usually
accompanied me if she was on the same schedule.

In article
<[email hidden]>, MikeKr@mouse-
potato.com says...

Quoted message said:

"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When weather permits, I've already started riding my
bike to referee soccer games, instead of driving my mini-
van. Today, I rode an hour there, refereed an hour-long
game, and then rode an hour back home. My legs were
thoroughly shot by the time I got back, but recovered
within an hour.

I used to do this when I reffed. Weather almost always
permitted; AYSO was much more likely to cancel soccer than
I was to cancel a bike ride. I reffed locally, so I had at
most a 5 mile ride -- usually less. On the ride

My primary fields are 12.5 miles away, which is a very easy
hour ride (for example if I have 2 or 3 games in a row), or
a faster paced 45 to 50 minute ride if I only have 1 game.

Quoted message said:

over, I used to just take it easy and try to warm up the
legs. On the way back, I did whatever I wanted or was able
to, sometimes including a 20 mile detour 😉. My daughter
usually accompanied me if she was on the same schedule.

My 13 yo daughter isn't quite up to that length of ride yet,
at least not with the gas pipe-framed bike she has.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return
address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:45:36 -0400, David Kerber

ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It has occurred to me that soaring gas prices will not
get more bicycles out on the streets, as the price of
gas is worth the sense of security and isolation of the
steel cage for most people.

You're never going to get "most people" to give up cars
for bicycles. However, even increasing the minority of
commuters who use bicycles will go along way towards
reducing air pollution, gas reliance, and urban
congestion.

With a strong enough price shock, you might get a
simple majority to ride a bike for at least SOME of
their short errands.

I'm not sure about that David. You see the unnecessary
scrutiny bike riders subject others to. I'm not sure that
I'd want to subject myself to that kind of [censored] when
putting myself on a bicycle for the first time since high
school so I could ride to the office. Most people would like
to be able to ride what they want to without having to hear
opinion about it. Embarassment is a greater motivating
factor than most people will admit. Americans especially
will avoid such situations completely.

It is after all, just bike riding - something that even
a child can
do. I don't see any validation for the scrutiny from the
self-appointed gods of bicycling. lol

Michael J. Klein Please replace mousepotato with
asiancastings