sun bicycle speedster

aa9t8

hello
this is the bike i am saving for "the sun bicycle speedster" does anybody have any experience with it? thanks for any or all input

blazingpedals

I haven't ridden one, but I saw one on a showroom floor. Man are those things heavy!!! Can't say I was impressed, or even that I would want one at any price.

hrbmd2

I looked at a number of bents and decided on the EZ Speedster SX. I had a couple of reasons:

1. I wanted a SWB bent.
2. My max was $1,000.
3. I wanted disc brakes.
4. I needed a larger bike as my X-seam is 48"

The Speedster met all of my requirements. Granted, it is a bit heavy, but it is very responsive and I really enjoy riding it. My only regret is that it has no suspension, but I plan on adding a Shockster soon.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask me.

Howard
EZ Speedster SX
Specialized Expedition (gathering dust)

bencouncil

You have to understand the mentality of American cyclists. As I explain it to our international friends, we Americans are so overweight that we must be obsessed with the weight of our bikes. My Optima Baron is a pig. Its so heavy that I refuse to weigh it for fear. However, I'm equally aware that its engine could stand to lose another 6-8 kilos easy. So just enjoy your Speedster and let the significant weight fall off with each ride.

aa9t8

i am still about 400 bucks away. i had originally just wanted to beat my wife on her road bike. but i have since figured that we will both have the same gearing. and she is stronger and longer in the leg than i so she will still kick my butt but mine will be so much more comfortable. i appreciate the input. and i do understand obsession. in fact i can be anal and obsessive about my obsesions. it is just learning to live in it that can be challenging. thanks for all the fish

hrbmd2

Good luck. Incidentally, if you haven't been on 'BentRider On Line (www.bentrideronline.com) you should check out their For Sale section. Always a lot of used 'bents for sale.

Howard

aa9t8

well i got it! even put it together, the instructions were for a toaster or something. never seen a swb bent in the steel before was interesting.
i really suck on the hills. wife kicks my butt, she rides her df road bike which weighs about 21 and a half pounds. the gearing is the same, and she is stronger than i. still really like it. one of the girls says it just looks like you put it together wrong. now i am done collecting bikes though running out of room. see you out there!

bentbrian

Give yourself some time to develop your 'bent legs. You use different muscles on a 'bent compared to a DF. Happy riding!

aa9t8

different muscles! holy expletive deleted! fun though and it is nice to have something to show for not smoking. my legs are really weak. i spent a lot of my youth in a wheel chair so my leg muscles just atrophied. have been exercising regularily and riding daily. i hope that i can increase my muscle mass. i will not be able to catch wife though. however when we ride the tandem i always come in first!
please correct me if i am wrong. this kind of bike is not really good for in traffic in the city. for short trips? that kinda thing? the people that drive cars seem to be trying to kill me. just like when i rode a motorcycle.
this kind of bent is for getting out there and going? maybe all my wobbling is getting to me and i just gotta keep practising. like today i was on the sidwalk to avoid all those stinky diesal pickups ya know the commuter vehicles with nothing in them but 1 person and never anything in the back. and i had an unschedualled lane change off the curb. oopps! thanks for being encouraging!

bentbrian

Yes, different muscles are used on a recumbent. It takes a while to develop these muscles, or 'bent legs as they are called. Riding in traffic is no problem. Actually cars will tend to give you a wider berth when passing and in general hassle you less. This is probably due to the fact that recumbents are "different" looking. I've ridden through town on both my road bike and my recumbent. Like you I've been run off the road and cussed at in general even though I was moving and keeping up with the traffic, and following all of the normal traffic laws. On the recumbent it is entirely different. I can que up at traffic lights with nary a horn beep. I can claim the lane and signal for turns and the traffic seems to flow with me. The trick to riding a straight line on a recumbent is to totally relax. Rest your hands gently on the handlebar and do not grip. Use very gentle steering inputs to keep the bike balanced and your path straight. You can't move the bike around with body English like you can on a regular bike. Once you get the body to relax and just "go with the flow" there is nothing quite like the feeling of piloting a 'bent. I myself wonder why I didn't switch to a recumbent a long time ago. I prefer the 'bent for commuting, errands, and even club rides. Nothing matches the comfort and the fun factor. One thing to remember, if you wreck on a 'bent you are going to hit feet first and the distance to the pavement is only abour 2 feet or less. On a regular bike you will go a$$ over tea kettle and fly over the handlebars landing on your head. The distance to fall is higher. I hope this clarifies some things for you. Check out one of the "best" (in my opinion) active recumbent sites on the internet. It is www.bentrideronline.com and the forums are chock full of interesting stuff. Hope this answers your questions

aa9t8

thanks and since i have been riding my xc bike again all my muscles hurt. found out today that i had the handle bars on backwards. i think i am done adjusting stuff. thinking about a recumbent tandem but we really do have enough bikes. thanks for the riding tips. happy trails

hrbmd2

BentBrian has truly said it all. It just takes some time. Good luck and keep at it!

Howard

aa9t8

so i head out today for my first solo "distance ride" now distance to you and distance to an arthritic grandfather might be 2 different ideas. going down north parallel road, in 3-7 doing about 24 kms/hr thinkin i could do this all day. stop for a snack. notice boy it sure is windy here. needless to say the trip back was in 2-5 at about 16kms/hr. over all did about 35 kms. got rubber legs but that will pass. twas great.

blazingpedals

Good job! You're right, the rubber legs go away and leave you stronger. Don't forget to spin, don't mash! Keep it up and soon you'll be doing those kinds of distances without batting an eye.