J
Jkeenan
Guest
If anyone is considering a "folder" or a "take me with you" recumbent, I heartily recommend the Bike
SAT R DAY by Bike Friday.
Out of work since 9/11, a "consulting" gig had me in Miami Florida for a week or two a month since
last August. While I could borrow a V-REX, I always was concenred if "something happened". Borrowing
a bike once is fine, but like Ben Franklin said: "Fish and bike borrowers stink after 3 visits".
Okay, I paraphrased a bit. What to do?
I kept looking wistfully at the Bike SAT R DAY but the cost was more than I thought I could hide
from my wife...er... .I mean than I could afford. Some discussion led me to Larry Varney, who was
selling his SAT R DAY. On impulse I said "Sure, why not. I could always sell it in a year". I'm glad
I took the plunge.
The recumbent SAT R DAY came fully equipped from Larry, including his 3 years of chain lubrication.
(Ducking from Larry). There was nothing I could find mechanically wrong with the SRD. From a riding
perspective, my only wish was that the seat back was taller, however given how this has to pack in a
suitcase, I still had that recumbent smile. It's a joy to remove the seat, fold the SRD, and pop it
in the trunk.
I did a couple of week end rides with Shari Bernhard and her group of merry marauders to break the
SRD and me in. I also took it to the office and road it after work for an hour or so. The SRD rides
a bit harsher because of the smaller wheels and probably because I always over inflate my tires by
about 20 lbs.
The BIG test was that I am hopeful of doing Paris-Brest-Paris this year and to do that you have to
complete a 200K, 300K, 400K and 600K in succession. Jim Solanick of the West Palm Beach bicycle club
had a 200K ride scheduled for January, so I signed up. My fear was that I would be significanly
slower on the SRD than on my V-REX. Given that I'm a slow rider to start with, would I be able to
complete the ride in the allotted time?
The ride would cover 127 miles in "flat" Florida and started at 7:00. Looking around at the start, I
could tell these were some serious upright riders. I saw one other recumbent: A Bachetta Strada, but
didn't have time to say hello. The 'pack' took off and I said to myself: "Self, you with the fast
crowd now".
On any long ride I know I have to "do my pace" and just go with the flow of how I'm feeling. In
this case, it meant I could tell each of the rest stop volunteers: "Okay, you can pack up now. I'm
the last one". What was a joy was how the SRD performed on this ride. I was able to keep a good
pace even into 30 to 35 miles of about a 20mph or higher headwind with no break. I mean the route
headed north into the headwind for at least 30 miles. "Scooching" down in the seat allowed me to
reduce my wind resistance. I'm from hilly northern NJ. I'll take hills over flat and headwinds
anyday. I found out later that my pace into the headwinds wasn't much different than a few of the
"upright" riders that I had met. I'm sure the "aero" qualities of the SRD recumbent made up for my
lack of speed muscles.
The SRD has a rear Sachs hub and a 7 gear cogset. This is the 1999 model, the first year that Bike
Friday made the SAT R DAY. The shifting was crisp and flawless. Because of the gear inches with this
bent, I found my self in the "big hub ring" so to speak most of the time. I'm a spinner and could
spin comfortably with the SRD and keep a good pace.
The ride covered 200K or 127 miles. On a "Brevet" you can NOT get assistance and must do the
complete course. You never know where a "secret control" or check-in might be. I got lost twice and
ended up with 152 miles on the odometer in a total riding time of just under 11 hours or about a
13.8 overall mph. Compared to my V-REX, my guesstimate is that the SRD is about 10% to 15% "slower"
or less efficient. Don't forget it has 16 wheels. But the good side is that I'm riding......and
I'm riding a recumbent.
Yup..the SRD finished last. Correction: "I" finished last, but as said before, I be a slow rider. As
I pulled in one of the riders who had finished in about 8 hours was on a cell phone and said:
"Unbelievable...some guy is here on a folding bike with 16" tires and did the ride". He asked me how
I felt. I had this big recumbent smile on my face and said: "Do we have time left to do a metric"?
In conclusion, for a folding "recumbent" and a "fun" bike, check out a SAT R DAY if you have the
chance. The thing fits in a suitcase. NEAT.
joe 'recumbo' keenan
SAT R DAY by Bike Friday.
Out of work since 9/11, a "consulting" gig had me in Miami Florida for a week or two a month since
last August. While I could borrow a V-REX, I always was concenred if "something happened". Borrowing
a bike once is fine, but like Ben Franklin said: "Fish and bike borrowers stink after 3 visits".
Okay, I paraphrased a bit. What to do?
I kept looking wistfully at the Bike SAT R DAY but the cost was more than I thought I could hide
from my wife...er... .I mean than I could afford. Some discussion led me to Larry Varney, who was
selling his SAT R DAY. On impulse I said "Sure, why not. I could always sell it in a year". I'm glad
I took the plunge.
The recumbent SAT R DAY came fully equipped from Larry, including his 3 years of chain lubrication.
(Ducking from Larry). There was nothing I could find mechanically wrong with the SRD. From a riding
perspective, my only wish was that the seat back was taller, however given how this has to pack in a
suitcase, I still had that recumbent smile. It's a joy to remove the seat, fold the SRD, and pop it
in the trunk.
I did a couple of week end rides with Shari Bernhard and her group of merry marauders to break the
SRD and me in. I also took it to the office and road it after work for an hour or so. The SRD rides
a bit harsher because of the smaller wheels and probably because I always over inflate my tires by
about 20 lbs.
The BIG test was that I am hopeful of doing Paris-Brest-Paris this year and to do that you have to
complete a 200K, 300K, 400K and 600K in succession. Jim Solanick of the West Palm Beach bicycle club
had a 200K ride scheduled for January, so I signed up. My fear was that I would be significanly
slower on the SRD than on my V-REX. Given that I'm a slow rider to start with, would I be able to
complete the ride in the allotted time?
The ride would cover 127 miles in "flat" Florida and started at 7:00. Looking around at the start, I
could tell these were some serious upright riders. I saw one other recumbent: A Bachetta Strada, but
didn't have time to say hello. The 'pack' took off and I said to myself: "Self, you with the fast
crowd now".
On any long ride I know I have to "do my pace" and just go with the flow of how I'm feeling. In
this case, it meant I could tell each of the rest stop volunteers: "Okay, you can pack up now. I'm
the last one". What was a joy was how the SRD performed on this ride. I was able to keep a good
pace even into 30 to 35 miles of about a 20mph or higher headwind with no break. I mean the route
headed north into the headwind for at least 30 miles. "Scooching" down in the seat allowed me to
reduce my wind resistance. I'm from hilly northern NJ. I'll take hills over flat and headwinds
anyday. I found out later that my pace into the headwinds wasn't much different than a few of the
"upright" riders that I had met. I'm sure the "aero" qualities of the SRD recumbent made up for my
lack of speed muscles.
The SRD has a rear Sachs hub and a 7 gear cogset. This is the 1999 model, the first year that Bike
Friday made the SAT R DAY. The shifting was crisp and flawless. Because of the gear inches with this
bent, I found my self in the "big hub ring" so to speak most of the time. I'm a spinner and could
spin comfortably with the SRD and keep a good pace.
The ride covered 200K or 127 miles. On a "Brevet" you can NOT get assistance and must do the
complete course. You never know where a "secret control" or check-in might be. I got lost twice and
ended up with 152 miles on the odometer in a total riding time of just under 11 hours or about a
13.8 overall mph. Compared to my V-REX, my guesstimate is that the SRD is about 10% to 15% "slower"
or less efficient. Don't forget it has 16 wheels. But the good side is that I'm riding......and
I'm riding a recumbent.
Yup..the SRD finished last. Correction: "I" finished last, but as said before, I be a slow rider. As
I pulled in one of the riders who had finished in about 8 hours was on a cell phone and said:
"Unbelievable...some guy is here on a folding bike with 16" tires and did the ride". He asked me how
I felt. I had this big recumbent smile on my face and said: "Do we have time left to do a metric"?
In conclusion, for a folding "recumbent" and a "fun" bike, check out a SAT R DAY if you have the
chance. The thing fits in a suitcase. NEAT.
joe 'recumbo' keenan