🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <RASTER.94Nov2111004@cherokee.sgi.com>, raster@sgi.com (Radek Aster) writes:

> You must be kidding. The Bike-E is good for tooling around town, but
> would you really consider it for a long tour ? Is this the bike you
> rode cross-country ?
I'd agree that the Bikee is great for around town, a great little commute bike,
and it's very portable i.e. you can carry it up the stairs to store on arrival.
As for touring, I plead "no contest". About the only problem I found with the
Bikee is that for big folks like myself, with the seat adjusted back for my
leg length, I wind up with my weight (disproportionately) over the rear wheel,
as a result the front wheel has a *slight* tendency to lift off the ground on 
the uphills, I don't believe this would be a problem with *small-to-normal*
size folks. And the Bikee is an an absolute gas around town. Small, sporty,
lightweight and it zooms... like a small sports car... ;@} name your fav brand.

> The bike rides like one of those electric tricycles used by retired
> folks to get around. It's got upright handlebars, not underseat
> steering as is on vogue in the kind of 'bents I would consider for
> touring. I'm not sure if there's enought space to mount racks for
> panniers.

A little overboard here... not at all like an electric trike... the upright 
steering isn't abnormal in the recumbent market, although the aficionados do 
seem to prefer USS... 
the Bikee is cute, to carry stuff you can hang the handles of your bags on 
the seat... great for grocery shopping... 
I wouldn't discount it for touring for smaller folks or with a trailer in tow, 
although there may be better alternatives. 


You might want to look at the recumbent I'm promoting, the Zephyr by Practical
Innovations, a recumbent trike. UUencoded Gif Image and description available 
from me by email or ftp the zippy.sonoma.edu hpv archives. Email me if you'd
like a test ride or literature. You might find our steering particularly 
interesting, neither USS nor ASS, but a third alternative. Catch you all,
good to see that recumbents are being discussed.. THX.


-- 
Brett Breitwieser (brettb@cruzio.com)