C y c l i s t Recumbent - Steve Briggs
C y c l i s t Recumbent - Steve Briggs
C y c l i s t Recumbent - Steve Briggs
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The Seven Days of Christmas<br />
(or whatever holiday you happen to celebrate in late December)<br />
A Gift Giving Guide for<br />
<strong>Recumbent</strong> Riders<br />
By Bob Bryant (see my enclosed list)<br />
Instructions for use<br />
A. Read this article.<br />
B. Get a highlighter pen and mark all items of<br />
interest to you.<br />
C. Leave around the house where you’re wife,<br />
husband or significant other might find it, or<br />
do the above, photocopy and use as your own<br />
personal gift list.<br />
4. Gift certificate from your local recumbent<br />
shop, recumbent specialist or from the Hostel<br />
Shoppe Catalog for recumbent tools/acces-<br />
Angletech’s Aerotrunk<br />
sories (www.hostelshoppe.com). They just<br />
happen to have the coolest recumbent catalog<br />
around.<br />
5. Aero tailbag or high quality seat bag<br />
If you’re looking for a seat bag, there are<br />
many good ones. Check with the manufacturer<br />
first. For our money, the absolute coolest is<br />
the Angletech Aerotrunk (www.angletech<br />
cycles.com). You can even get aero panniers<br />
to match. RANS has several seat bags specific<br />
to their seats (www.ransbikes.com) as does<br />
Bacchetta (www.bacchettabikes.com). The<br />
Hostel Shoppe catalog (www.hostel<br />
shoppe.com) lists several bags suitable for<br />
many different recumbent models.<br />
1. Take A Look Mirror<br />
This little gem clips to your glasses or your<br />
helmet, adjusts two ways, is made of metal and<br />
will LAST. Mine is over 10 years old (maybe<br />
15; I can’t remember), and is clipped to my<br />
prescription Ray-Ban sunglasses. I change<br />
bikes too often, and it’s a pain to fuss with nonaerodynamic<br />
handlebar-mounted mirrors, so I<br />
use a Take A Look. Also, your head makes a<br />
better mirror mount because it seems to vibrate<br />
less than the handlebars. More people ask me<br />
about my mirror than about my recumbent<br />
bicycle. Don’t settle for the plastic ones that<br />
stick to your helmet with adhesive or Velcro.<br />
Looking out of your left eye requires some<br />
practice, but it’s worth it. (Bike Peddler,<br />
Greeley, CO 800/832 BIKE (2453), REI, Hostel<br />
Shoppe and perhaps your local shop carry<br />
the Take A Look).<br />
2. Airzound Bike Horn (honk at SUV’s;<br />
Order from your local bike shop — Delta<br />
Bicycle). Advertised as “the world’s loudest<br />
bike horn,” this monster puts out a 120-decibel<br />
sound that will scatter almost anything. It<br />
uses compressed air, and you can recharge it<br />
with a bicycle pump. For bike trail use, it’s<br />
also a good idea to have a softer sounding<br />
Incredibell. Some cool retro-style bike bells<br />
are also available at Rivendell Bicycle Works.<br />
(www.rivbike.com).<br />
8 <strong>Recumbent</strong> Cyclist News<br />
Boure shorts & Mt. Borah jersey<br />
3. Lycra recumbent shorts with no padding<br />
AND a recumbent jersey<br />
My favorite recumbent clothing is made by<br />
two different companies: Mt. Borah Designs<br />
in Coon Valley, WI (www.mtborah.com), and<br />
Boure Bicycle Clothing by Ned Overend in<br />
Durango, Colorado (www.boure.com). I’ve<br />
had my recumbent bib shorts from Boure since<br />
1997. My Boure jersey is very high quality and<br />
sewn in the US. Both companies are excellent<br />
and make stuff specifically for recumbent riders.<br />
If skin-tight bicycle shorts are not for you,<br />
try Mt. Borah’s “Bent Short,” mountain bikestyle<br />
shorts with a lycra inner liner. I always<br />
feel faster when wearing my recumbent shorts,<br />
and the adjustable leg openings also help with<br />
cooling and bee control on hot days.<br />
6. Fairing, bodysock or tail sock<br />
(LWB or CLWB riders)<br />
Fairings just work better on long wheelbase<br />
or compact recumbents, but hey, if you want<br />
to buy one for your SWB or highracer, please<br />
do. The best place to start is Mueller<br />
(www.windwrap.com) or Zzip Designs<br />
(www.zzipper.com). Also, HP Velo bike offers<br />
their own Lexan fairings for HP bikes. If<br />
you ride a Sun recumbent, the “Edge” fairing<br />
just happens to be the most affordable recumbent<br />
fairing (at under $200) you can find.<br />
Tailsock kits are available from Terracycles<br />
(www.terracycle.com/parts.htm).<br />
7. Velocity Thracian wheels (www.velocity<br />
usa.com) and Schwalbe tires and tubes<br />
(www.schwalbetires.com; preferably on Velocity<br />
wheels). If you don’t care for new-fangled<br />
“paired spoke” wheels, a custom hand-built set