recumbent and handcycle trainer

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

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for a roller trainer that I can use for both my Rans Stratus XL (wheelbase 70.25"😉 and
my lightning handcyle. Once the days start getting shorter I'm going to need to be doing indoor
training as I don't feel comfortable with urban night rides.

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Get comfortable with urban night rides.

I have been commuting to work with a light for just about a month now.

--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

(Paul Sitko) said:

I'm looking for a roller trainer that I can use for both my Rans Stratus XL (wheelbase 70.25"😉 and
my lightning handcyle. Once the days start getting shorter I'm going to need to be doing indoor
training as I don't feel comfortable with urban night rides. Does anyone have any suggestions?

While I respect your discomfort with night riding Paul, I live for night rides myself.
Perhaps I can convert you?

For about 13 years I pedalled to work, 2 weeks a month on day shift, 2 weeks on nights. On
the night shift I would get off work at 2am and quite often not return home until long after
the sun had risen.

I always felt safer at night, (assuming proper lighting on the bike). The cool night air was
invigorating, road traffic was minimal to almost non existant, and the peace and quiet on
the road was as pleasant as the cycling itself. 3 deer feeding off the side of the road,
inside the city limits, at sunrise will be a sight I'll never forget.

Only once did I find myself in peril. A smallish creature with black fur and white stripes
down his back, decided to park his butt on the center line ahead of me, forcing a break in
the action. Grin, I wasn't going to get sprayed by a skunk for the sake of 15 minutes.

I live 30 miles east of Toronto Ontario, and would cycle west toward the "big city". On many
occassions the only hazard on the road was the local police forces, who deemed it a shift
requirement to stop and question me. Admitedly, they were checking something out of the
ordinary, but, like the brother in law, an Ontario provincial Police Officer, says, there is
nothing in the highway traffic act forbidding bike riding at 4am, no matter how strange it
might be. I actually used that logic on one rather abrasive Toronto police officer,
garnering a scowl and a disgusted sniff, but was allowed merrily on my way.

Even now that I'm retired, I'll watch the 11pm news, the wife will head off to bed, and I'll
go out for an hour ride. Most of the cars are off the road and the local bars don't lock up
until 2am, so there's an hour or two of grace for some rather safe, peaceful and enjoyable
riding. Give it a try Paul, I enjoy it immensely.

Above all however, be sure you are very well lit, (grin, your bike I mean), and you are
wearing bright clothing, the typical common sense stuff taugh in public school. Becuase
store and garages are generally closed, plan on being entirely self sufficient, extra water,
tire tubes and a pump are in order . . .

Enjoy . . . .

Fraser said:

I always felt safer at night-----

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

And usually, so do I. I have very good front and flashing rear lights and they show up well at
night. I like having the roads mostly to myself. The fuzz have all become so accustomed to me,
they never give me trouble and I've helped them catch a few burglars and DUILs. Like the
"Whistler", I go by night and see many strange things. Although I once whacked a deer and
almost got some others, I've had no other mishaps at night. As soon as I send this, I'm off for
some climbing on mountain roads under a full Moon.

Once, I also had a skunk hold me hostage for 5 minutes on a side road. It wouldn't let me pass
and moved to block me, when I tried to go around. When it stood on its front feet, I knew it
had its weapon cocked.

Steve McDonald

I appreciate everyone's encouraging suggestions regarding night riding. However, the simple facts
are that I ride through some pretty high-crime neighborhoods in Los Angeles on the way to and from
work, as well as travelling on some fairly bike-inhospitable roads and I choose not to commute by
bike in the dark. I am firm in this decision, I am not looking to be converted. Thank you very much.

What I'm trying to find out is if there is one trainer that will work for both of my bicycles. The
Rans Stratus is peculiar because of its long wheelbase and the handcycle is peculiar because of the
leg rests which straddle the front wheel as well as the fact that all the cranking power is
delivered to the front wheel. The lean-tilt steering is also a factor with the lightning handcycle.

Thanks,

Paul Sitko

[email hidden] (Paul Sitko) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for a roller trainer that I can use for both my Rans Stratus XL (wheelbase 70.25"😉 and
my lightning handcyle. Once the days start getting shorter I'm going to need to be doing indoor
training as I don't feel comfortable with urban night rides. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Quoted message said:

I always felt safer at night, (assuming proper lighting on the bike). The cool night air was
invigorating, road traffic was minimal to almost non existant, and the peace and quiet on
the road was as pleasant as the cycling itself. 3 deer feeding off the side of the road,
inside the city limits, at sunrise will be a sight I'll never forget.

*SIGH*

I envy your location. With those conditions, I'd probably treasure my night rides much more. I'll
still be getting my night rides in on our beach bike paths and some of the safer streets here in
Los Angeles. It's just that I'll be missing out on those commute rides which now constitute the
bulk of my cycling (120+ miles/week) and I want to keep myself in shape for the AIDS Lifecycle ride
in June 2004.

I still want to do as much outdoor cycling as possible, I'm just looking for a trainer to
supplement my rides.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Get comfortable with urban night rides.

I have been commuting to work with a light for just about a month now.

That is great for you. I'm glad you are in an environment where you feel that is safe. However, my
commute takes me through some of the roughest neighborhoods in downtown Los Angeles. There's
probably a significant qualitative difference from riding in Bellaire, Texas. Just a hunch... 😉

I'm really just requesting information on what trainer to purchase. I'm not looking to be converted
to night rides. I want to maintain my 120+ miles/week of riding when the days get shorter in the
wintertime, and I think that a trainer will help.

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Get comfortable with urban night rides.

I have been commuting to work with a light for just about a month now.

That is great for you. I'm glad you are in an environment where you feel that is safe. However, my
commute takes me through some of the roughest neighborhoods in downtown Los Angeles. There's
probably a significant qualitative difference from riding in Bellaire, Texas. Just a hunch... 😉

But oh so wrong. Bellaire is in the middle of Houston Completely surrounded by Houston. Check it out
on a map. When I don't ride the streets, I ride the Braes Bayou H&B trail. Sometimes I call it the
Oreo trail (you know, Black on the Outside, White in the middle). The highest crime neighborhood in
Houston is along the Western edge of Bellaire. The East end of the Braes Bayou H&B (part of my daily
commute) is named the Levi Perry Memorial trail. Levi Perry was mugged and killed there a few years
ago. Yes in a way you are correct, there is a significant qualitative difference between L.A. and
Houston. You don't have Texas rednecks in Pick-up trucks with empty 'longnecks' being tossed at you.
For reference, Read Dave Clary's thread on "Now I remember why I quit cycling!".

For reference, there _are_ parts of Houston that I bike in only during the day. I would not even
dare travel there by any means bike or car after dark.

Quoted message said:

I'm really just requesting information on what trainer to purchase. I'm not looking to be
converted to night rides. I want to maintain my 120+ miles/week of riding when the days get
shorter in the wintertime, and I think that a trainer will help.

L.A has a climate as well as a crime rate similar to Houston. We definitely have more rain days. I
get in my 120 miles a week year round. You can too. My way of thinking is if you aren'e going
anywhere you aren't really putting in the miles. .

--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

(Paul Sitko) said:

*SIGH*

I envy your location. With those conditions, I'd probably treasure my night rides much more. I'll
still be getting my night rides in on our beach bike paths and some of the safer streets here in
Los Angeles.

Grin, sorry. Didn't realize you were in L.A. I have no doubt the conditions you face are
much different that what I'm used to up here.

Unfortunately, as Toronto grows, things here in the outskirts are changing for the worse . .
. the site where I came across the deer is now the location of General Motors Canada
headquarters. Used to be a nature area until corporate money was tossed on the mayors' desk.

Maybe I should be looking for a trainer . . . we're coming up on four months of cold, snow,
and ice. Unless of course you want to bring your trainer up here and I'll spend 4 months
down there . . . grin, just a thought.

Good luck on your search . . . .

In article said:

What I'm trying to find out is if there is one trainer that will work for both of my bicycles.

Kreitler rollers can be ordered with an extension for longer bikes.
kreitler.comproduct.htmOpen ↗

-Carl (at peladon.com)

Fraser <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Maybe I should be looking for a trainer . . . we're coming up on four months of cold, snow,
and ice. Unless of course you want to bring your trainer up here and I'll spend 4 months
down there . . . grin, just a thought.

Good luck on your search . . . .

Yeah! Four months in Toronto? Sign me up! I wouldn't mind spending some time away from this city,
much as I love the southern california weather. Thanks for the responses.

Cletus D. Lee <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

But oh so wrong. Bellaire is in the middle of Houston Completely surrounded by Houston. Check it
out on a map.

I apologize. I had actually checked out the city website briefly:

ci.bellaire.tx.usci.bellaire.tx.usOpen ↗

and had gotten a distinctly small town impression (the pictures of the fire truck and the gazebo
threw me off.) Upon further investigation I realize it is quite urban.

I respect your decision to night ride in Bellaire. There are actually quite a few night rides I will
do in the L.A. area. However my commute to and from work is not one of them, and I am worried about
the number of miles I will miss out on as a result of this. I will still do night rides, but I would
like to supplement with trainer rides.

Quoted message said:

My way of thinking is if you aren'e going anywhere you aren't really putting in the miles.

Well, we're obviously in disagreement there. But I guess that's a matter of opinion. I'm actually
more interested in the trainer for my handcycle which is particularly low to the ground and wide and
doesn't lend itself as well to street riding at night (less visible, but bigger target.) I would
much prefer to be outside riding but I do have safety concerns with it.

Thanks for your input.

-Paul