"The Landrider" bike

Per Dave A.:

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Couple months ago I came up on a couple riding those bikes.

Me, I can't think of any reason at all to have a der system that I cannot
control. In fact, I can think of at least one reason why it would bother me:
sometimes I like to spin, other times I like to get out of the saddle and just
lunge along.

The couple, OTOH, liked their bikes just fine and had previously owned bikes
with controllable shifting.

Go figure.
--
PeteCresswell

On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 07:15:12 -0400, [email hidden] (Dave A.)

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Dave

Neither! Go to your local bicycle shop. Maybe go to a number of them,
talk to them, ask questions, listen, then make an informed purchase.

Life is Good!
Jeff

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

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

A landrider is the same as a toys-r-us bike, but with a very expensive
derailleur on it. Don't confuse expensive to mean good, it doesn't in this
case. For what you get, the price is way over-priced. If you have $400 to
spend, go to your local bike shop and pick up a decent bike from them.
Learning to shift gears is not that difficult.
--------------
Alex

On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 07:15:12 -0400, [email hidden] (Dave A.)

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Ignore the infomercial. IMO, the Landrider is an inefficient toy that
will annoy you more than anything else; the automatic transmission
systems for bicycles seldom give the casual rider the kind of results
that are expected. I have yet to see one which allows the rider to
achieve a reasonable rate of speed on flat terrain without having to
spin the cranks up faster than a neophyte would like. There are other
problems with such systems whose explanations would only make sense
after you had tried to ride the bike..

For the same amount of money, you can get a much better bike from your
local bike shop. Low-end Trek mountain bikes are in that price range,
for instance, and with the simple addition of fenders and a swap to
smooth tires, you'd have a bike that would be much better suited to
street use than the Landrider...and trust me, learning to shift for
yourself isn't a big deal, as bikes don't have a clutch to worry
about.

While you can get a bike at Wal-Mart or Toys-R-Us for less than half
what the Landrider folks are asking, those bikes tend to be very
low-end indeed. If you buy one of them, expect a saddle that's
uncomfortable, a frame that may be the wrong size for you (since
they're one-size-fits-maybe), stuff that's not fully adjusted on the
brakes and shifting, a stunning lack of clue from the people doing the
assembly and/or repairs, a lot of extra weight, and no customization
options before the sale.

If $400 is a reasonable expenditure for you, then you should spend it
wisely and get a *good* bike at a store that specializes in the
product. That way, you only have to spend it *once*.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

I don't even have an automatic tranny on my truck. Why would I want one
on my bike?

But that's just me...

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

Who's gonna service it for you? I suspect that it will require tuning and
drivetrain part replacement often and I can imagine the response and
enthusiasm from your local bike shop mechanic.

"Dave A." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Dave

[email hidden] (Dave A.) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider".
You know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I
just head to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up.
Would like to get out and get some exercise.

Dave

I watched the Landrider commercial the other day, in the background, and
came up with a few little 'details' that might change your mind:

Almost all the footage of the riders is misleadingly slanted to show
level or uphill when in fact they are riding downhill a lot of the time.

The 'bonus' extra gears will require you to shift the front derallieur
anyway, so it's not really shift-free.

The 'round-the-world' rider they interview admits he doesn't know much
about bikes, and seems to use his bike in a VERY flat location for local
trips.

You can return the bike if you don't like it, but there's no mention of
the shipping fees or restocking fees in the infomercial.

The footage of the 'hapless fool' who appears to be going through Hades
on his manual-shift bike is so clearly sandbagging the whole event that
I don't know how anyone who has even rudimentary experience with
shifting doesn't smell a rat.

If you haven't been on a bike recently, you need to sample at a LBS. I
went from a 1970s Schwinn to an STI setup and for people who aren't
suffering from severe motor coordination problems, the Landrider is a
needless simplification. And, for the price you can do a LOT better
with regular bike, with more resale value if you don't like it.

In article <[email hidden]>,

wvantwiller said:

[email hidden] (Dave A.) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider".
You know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I
just head to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up.
Would like to get out and get some exercise.

Dave

I watched the Landrider commercial the other day, in the background, and
came up with a few little 'details' that might change your mind:

Almost all the footage of the riders is misleadingly slanted to show
level or uphill when in fact they are riding downhill a lot of the time.

The 'bonus' extra gears will require you to shift the front derallieur
anyway, so it's not really shift-free.

The 'round-the-world' rider they interview admits he doesn't know much
about bikes, and seems to use his bike in a VERY flat location for local
trips.

You can return the bike if you don't like it, but there's no mention of
the shipping fees or restocking fees in the infomercial.

The footage of the 'hapless fool' who appears to be going through Hades
on his manual-shift bike is so clearly sandbagging the whole event that
I don't know how anyone who has even rudimentary experience with
shifting doesn't smell a rat.

If you haven't been on a bike recently, you need to sample at a LBS. I
went from a 1970s Schwinn to an STI setup and for people who aren't
suffering from severe motor coordination problems, the Landrider is a
needless simplification. And, for the price you can do a LOT better
with regular bike, with more resale value if you don't like it.

Sometimes I wish I were a marketer. What I could do with a
fixed gear bicycle! No shifting to worry about. No
fumbling for brakes. Reliable, easy to maintain, durable
drive train. Slap on a full chain guard, mudguards, and
I'm a millionaire.

--
Michael Press

Michael Press said:

Sometimes I wish I were a marketer. What I could do with a
fixed gear bicycle! No shifting to worry about. No
fumbling for brakes. Reliable, easy to maintain, durable
drive train. Slap on a full chain guard, mudguards, and
I'm a millionaire.

No fumbling for brakes? Under the average person, a fixie without
hand brakes has no effective brakes at all. There are other
objections that are only apparent to those who have had unpleasant
experiences with a fixie.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Werehatrack said:

Michael Press said:

Sometimes I wish I were a marketer. What I could do with a
fixed gear bicycle! No shifting to worry about. No
fumbling for brakes. Reliable, easy to maintain, durable
drive train. Slap on a full chain guard, mudguards, and
I'm a millionaire.

No fumbling for brakes? Under the average person, a fixie without
hand brakes has no effective brakes at all. There are other
objections that are only apparent to those who have had unpleasant
experiences with a fixie.

Ahh, but he was fantasizing about being a marketer, such as the
landrider marketers, and presumably would have no scruples.

Mark

Mark said:

Werehatrack said:

Michael Press said:

Sometimes I wish I were a marketer. What I could do with a
fixed gear bicycle! No shifting to worry about. No
fumbling for brakes. Reliable, easy to maintain, durable
drive train. Slap on a full chain guard, mudguards, and
I'm a millionaire.

No fumbling for brakes? Under the average person, a fixie without
hand brakes has no effective brakes at all. There are other
objections that are only apparent to those who have had unpleasant
experiences with a fixie.

Ahh, but he was fantasizing about being a marketer, such as the
landrider marketers, and presumably would have no scruples.

True, these are the same class of people who sold the abdomenizer and
numerous other snake-oil-class items over the years.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

"Dave A." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Dave

For the love of all that is holy, no.

For $200 at a LBS (local bike shop), you will get a properly setup low-end,
last-year, but infinitesimally better bike than this.

Quoted message said:

"Dave A." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

For the love of all that is holy, no.

For $200 at a LBS (local bike shop), you will get a properly setup
low-end, last-year, but infinitesimally better bike than this.

Heck, you might even find one that's significantly better 😉

--
Benjamin Lewis

ellis said:

For $200 at a LBS (local bike shop), you will get a properly setup low-end,
last-year, but infinitesimally better bike than this.

I think he meant "infinitely better"...

larry
Being unkind will not get a response to your e-mail.

Dear David A.,

Landriders are nice bicycles. I know this because, unlike the other
individuals who have chosen to respond to your question, I own and ride
a Landrider. I got mine at an end of season sale at [censored]'s Sporting
Goods in Pittsburgh in March of 2005 and have been riding weekends ever
since that time. The bicycle is as well made as any mid-level bike
coming out of China today, and I have, knock on wood, not had any
problems with it so far. Western Pennsylvania is by no means flat
country, yet I have had no problems with the hills and valleys where I
live. Many people who do not own let alone have ever seen or ridden a
Landrider tend to talk a lot of trash about this bicycle, based on that
infomerical. If you just want to get on a bicycle and start pedaling
without having to learn anything you really need to look into a
Landrider.

Mark

Dave A. said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider". You
know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just head
to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like to
get out and get some exercise.

Dave

[email hidden] wrote in news:1152384892.447294.200040
@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Dear David A.,

Landriders are nice bicycles. I know this because, unlike the other
individuals who have chosen to respond to your question, I own and ride
a Landrider. I got mine at an end of season sale at [censored]'s Sporting
Goods in Pittsburgh in March of 2005 and have been riding weekends ever
since that time. The bicycle is as well made as any mid-level bike
coming out of China today, and I have, knock on wood, not had any
problems with it so far. Western Pennsylvania is by no means flat
country, yet I have had no problems with the hills and valleys where I
live. Many people who do not own let alone have ever seen or ridden a
Landrider tend to talk a lot of trash about this bicycle, based on that
infomerical. If you just want to get on a bicycle and start pedaling
without having to learn anything you really need to look into a
Landrider.

Mark

Dave A. said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider".

You

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just

head

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

get out and get some exercise.

Dave

Jeeze, now who's talking out of their hat?

I've ridden one and been with another person riding one before they got
left behind like a Big-Wheel tricycle; they are heavy, cheaply made, have
what appear to be non-standard/non-replacable parts, and are a dead end
if you'd like to progress beyond riding in the Old-Folks-Home 5 Mile
'Monster Marathon'.

If the original poster is going to just try out a bike for a week, then
it's easier making a deal with a bike shop to try one out than buying a
Landrider and then having to pay 'an undisclosed amount' to ship it back.

For $400 you can get a GREAT value in a used bike, with much higher
quality, from an LBS.

wvantwiller said:

what appear to be non-standard/non-replacable parts, and are a dead end
if you'd like to progress beyond riding in the Old-Folks-Home 5 Mile
'Monster Marathon'.

Excuse me, but that's the:
"Depends Marathon -- we don't stop for nothin' "

--
- Lee

Dear wvantwiller,

If, by you opening comment, "who's talking out of their hat?" you mean
to imply that my real world usage comments on my ownerslip of a
Landrider bicycle is utter rubbish, and that you feel my comments to
Dave A. are compounded by a total lack of knowledge on the subject of
owning a Landrider bicycle, I can only reply to you that you are
incorrect.

If it is a question of knowledge, may I state that I find it odd that
on your first response to Dave A. on Sun, Jun 18 2006 at 3:28 pm, you
spoke only of the Landrider bicycle infomerical, you made no mention of
riding a Landrider, or having been with another person riding a
Landrider bicycle. I must presume that this other person was not a
friend of yours since you imply you allowed them to be "left behind
like a Big-Wheel tricycle". Unless you riding a Landrider bicycle took
place after June 18, 2006 and before you posted your most recent
comments. Or, not at all.

To Dave A., I will state again that I find the Landrider bicycle
excellent for what it does; provide easy usage for someoe who justs
wants to get back on a bicycle and ride. If, as wvantwiller suggests
you can find a Local Bicycle Shop (LBS) to have you try out a bicycle
for a week, go for it, and enjoy. My only reason to replying to your
posting was to give you my thoughts on owning a Landrider Bicycle for
over a year and my weekend experiences with it. Whatever you decide,
just enjoy the ride!

Mark

wvantwiller said:

[email hidden] wrote in news:1152384892.447294.200040
@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Dear David A.,

Landriders are nice bicycles. I know this because, unlike the other
individuals who have chosen to respond to your question, I own and ride
a Landrider. I got mine at an end of season sale at [censored]'s Sporting
Goods in Pittsburgh in March of 2005 and have been riding weekends ever
since that time. The bicycle is as well made as any mid-level bike
coming out of China today, and I have, knock on wood, not had any
problems with it so far. Western Pennsylvania is by no means flat
country, yet I have had no problems with the hills and valleys where I
live. Many people who do not own let alone have ever seen or ridden a
Landrider tend to talk a lot of trash about this bicycle, based on that
infomerical. If you just want to get on a bicycle and start pedaling
without having to learn anything you really need to look into a
Landrider.

Mark

Dave A. said:

I haven't ridden a bike in a while. Really would like to get back into
it. Just recently saw one of those infomercial for the "Landrider".

You

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

know automatic bike. Looks like a $400 investment. Or should I just

head

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to the local Toys'r'us? Got a week of vacation coming up. Would like

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

get out and get some exercise.

Dave

Jeeze, now who's talking out of their hat?

I've ridden one and been with another person riding one before they got
left behind like a Big-Wheel tricycle; they are heavy, cheaply made, have
what appear to be non-standard/non-replacable parts, and are a dead end
if you'd like to progress beyond riding in the Old-Folks-Home 5 Mile
'Monster Marathon'.

If the original poster is going to just try out a bike for a week, then
it's easier making a deal with a bike shop to try one out than buying a
Landrider and then having to pay 'an undisclosed amount' to ship it back.

For $400 you can get a GREAT value in a used bike, with much higher
quality, from an LBS.

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

Quoted message said:

Dear David A.,
Landriders are nice bicycles. I know this because, unlike the other
individuals who have chosen to respond to your question, I own and ride
a Landrider.

Some folks are smart enough to read the specs, and understand them, and
figure out the bike is not worth the asking price. At the asking price
you would get a superior bike from a bike shop.

Quoted message said:

I got mine at an end of season sale at [censored]'s Sporting
Goods in Pittsburgh in March of 2005 and have been riding weekends ever
since that time. The bicycle is as well made as any mid-level bike
coming out of China today,

[censored]! Mid level bikes are not made from hight tensile steel. They
will be made out of cromoly or an aluminum alloy.

Quoted message said:

and I have, knock on wood, not had any
problems with it so far. Western Pennsylvania is by no means flat
country, yet I have had no problems with the hills and valleys where I
live. Many people who do not own let alone have ever seen or ridden a
Landrider tend to talk a lot of trash about this bicycle, based on that
infomerical. If you just want to get on a bicycle and start pedaling
without having to learn anything you really need to look into a
Landrider.

Shifting gears is not rocket science. It doesn't take a long time to figure
it out. Once you learn it, you can use that skill forever. The problem
with the landrider is that the shifting cannot be adjusted. A person does
not put out constant power, so sometimes the shifting will feel right, other
times it will feel all wrong.
---------------
Alex