RCN 72.32pg - Steve Briggs

Easy Racers: Our Customers SpeakSUBJECT: How Does That ThingClimb? April 4, 2001Just a quick update on the Gold Rush Replicathat I purchased about two monthsago. Great!!! The weather in Cincinnatiis just starting to break. I have over 900miles on my trainer since February, andabout 120 miles on the GRR. With theweather breaking the GRR should seeabout 150 miles a week.The GRR becomes more of a blast themore I ride it. I did my first climb out ofthe river valley where our major bike pathis located. Everyone warned me that Iwould be in trouble on a climb. So I wassomewhat apprehensive as I started the1.5- mile climb out of the valley.First, I never got out of the middlechainring. I think I could have stayed inthe large (53). I held between 13 and 17mph for most of the climb. I neverdropped below 11 mph. I was very impressed. I have climbed thishill hundreds of times on my Trek OCLV and felt far worse at thetop of the climb than on the GRR.As a matter of fact, I felt great on the GRR!!! No back pain;nothing. The ride back down was a hoot. I had a friend with me(about 5 minutes behind me up the hill) as I descended down intothe valley. I was hitting 40 mph without moving my legs, and usingthe brakes into the turns because I was not sure what to expectfrom the GRR at speed around the turns. My friend had to pedallike a madman and he still couldn’t keep up. The GRR felt like asports car going down the hill. What fun!!! I wish I had startedDouble Century Man, Ron Bobbout training for the Terrible Twothis 30 years ago instead of my mid fifties!!!!Best regards,Doug PenderySUBJECT: GRR UpdateApril 25, 2001This past Saturday I rode with a fewfriends that have conventional racingbikes (Wedgies; I think you call them).We climbed out of the valley up theRoute 48 hill. This climb goes for about1.5 miles. I pulled my friends up thehill at about 18 miles per hour andcrested at over 20 mph. Needless to saythey were out of their saddles trying tostay up. I must say I was winded, butso were they. Their comment was, “Iguess your recum-bent doesn’t have aproblem going up hills.”In my younger days (about 8 years ago) I would have pushedmyself to my limit to go 18 miles per hour up this hill on my TrekOCLV. My point is the GRR is a great recumbent. I enjoy goingup hills on it more than my OCLV. I am more relaxed, my backdoesn’t hurt, and my legs aren’t killing me from being out of thesaddle trying to lever the OCLV up a hill.By the , we wayhad a tailwind on one stretch of the ride. Imanaged to get up to 36 mph in the flats. Nobody passed me . . .It was a real hoot!!!Best regards,Doug PenderyEASY RACERS INCEasy Racers, Inc.PO Box 255Freedom, CA 95019Guaranteed opportunityLaid Back and Loving it! to save your health.Urgent. Call Today!Tel. 831-722-9797 Fax 831-768-9623POSTMASTER: CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTEDRecumbentCyclist NewsPO Box 2048Port Townsend, WA 98368 USAPRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDPLATTSBURGH, NY 12901PERMIT #148