Recumbent News

Honza Galla of AZUB is set to travel 7000km in just 40 days with the aid of the sun and riding partner Karel Šebela.

PRESS RELEASE - On the 15th of July, an advanture ride of solar bikes called The Sun Trip will start from Chámbery, France and will finish after many weeks in Astana, Kazakhstan. The route is over 7000 km long with only one check point in Sotchi, Russia. There is also a race category in which the Czech Solar Team will start with two recumbent trikes and 8 sqm of solar panels in total.

Karel Šebela and Honza Galla are not solar bike beginners. They traveled 2200 km on a recumbent tandem with two solar panels on a trailer in 2011 and last year a trip in Hungary where they already tested the new concept for the race.

They are the only non-french speaking team and will provide regular updates from preparation and from the race itself on their web www.czech-solar-team.com where you can also subscribe to their posts.

They're preparing two solar trikes made by AZUB recumbents which will have solar panels above the rider's head and also on the trailer towed by the trike. The size of each panel will be 250x80cm and they generate a total power of more than 500W while their BionX motors will require just 250W. The solar panels are developed specially for the team by czech company Solartec as well as all the other specific parts are developed and built there.

And all are built to last, but to be also very fast. The main reason is that Honza and Karel have only 40 days to cross the complete distance which means around 180 km a day. If you consider they will carry all the expedition stuff and will have absolutely no support, it is a big portion of kilometers.

The Czech Solar Team as well as organizers and all other participants want to promote this new possible way to power future transport. Until now, electric bicycles have had a very limited range of maximum 100 or so kilometers, but in combination with solar panels, there is virtualy no limit when the Sun shines. And all those 40 participants hope, the yellow ball will lighten their routes all the way from Chámbery to Astana.

If you want to follow Honza, Karel and their progress, follow them on Facebook.

www.facebook.com/CzechSolarTeam

The Sun Trip web: www.thesuntrip.com

Endurance cyclist, Maria Parker cycled the highest mileage among women competing in this year’s Bike Sebring 24hr race. She covered 410 miles – reinforcing her title as one of the top recumbent cyclists in the United States.

 Parker currently holds fourteen different records for speed and endurance even though the very idea of cycling for an entire day without stopping seemed inconceivable to her.

“Years ago, a friend encouraged me to try to qualify for RAAM at Sebring 2012. I smiled and politely agreed, but inside I was thinking no way. Why would anyone want to cycle for 24 hours? I’d done a couple of 12 hour events at that point and felt completely used up by the end of each of them.”

Still, she convinced herself to try it, to go beyond feeling “used up”. Case in point, her 400 mile plus accomplishment during the 2013 Sebring, Florida 24 hour ride. She had an even more impressive mileage total back in October of 2012, when she rode a world record setting 24-hour ride – covering more than 469 miles. Which is why she can call the 410 miles in Florida a “disappointing” ride.

What was the difference between the two rides? How did she do it? Obviously she trained, hard. Going the distance in the weeks leading up to the ride, logging an incredible 800 mile journey in July, then another 750 miles in August along with countless shorter rides. Along the way she practiced her nutrition, worked out wardrobe choices, and evaluated her hydration needs. The dedication, preparation and planning she put into those rides would serve any athlete well – perhaps even make the goal achievable.

Yet Parker had an added reason to get her body and her spirit ready to take on the seemingly impossible. A recent family crisis has sharpened Parker’s determination. That day in October, when she set that world record, she was fiercely committed to do something amazing because of what really was on her mind and in her heart. Her older sister, Jenny Mulligan received a terminal brain cancer diagnosis (Stage IV Glioblastoma Multiforme) a short time before the 24 hour ride – and the shocking, sad news kindled a fire inside her that burns and generates energy to put her cycling skills to the ultimate test.

“At first, my desire to do anything other than spend time with Jenny disappeared.  I had no heart to continue with plans for the ride.  Soon though, the frustration of not being able to fix this morphed into a craving to get back on the bike.”

With that same spirit and in honor of her sister, Jenny, Parker will attempt to cycle the entire 3000 miles of the Race Across America (RAAM) course this June. A feat in itself, she has also decided use the race as a platform to benefit brain cancer research. With every pedal stroke, Parker is raising money to support the work of a company known as Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC²). ABC² was launched by Dan Case, a brain cancer patient himself, as a non-profit organization that partners with leading entrepreneurs, scientists and researchers to find a cure for brain cancer as quickly as possible.

Parker is well aware of the immense challenge the RAAM presents, since in order to finish in time, she’ll have to cycle the equivalent of a 24-hour ride every day for ten days – a thought she struggled with during the most recent Sebring ride. She often relied on her vivid imagination to distract herself from the pain and discomfort.

“I experienced lots of difficult hours as I pedaled around the Sebring race track hour after hour Saturday night and into Sunday morning.  How many times did I think to myself ‘you have to do this for 10 days in June?‘ The last 6 hours, from 12:30 am to 6:30 am were extremely difficult, but whenever I would start to feel sorry for myself, I imagine that with each pedal stroke I am grinding up and destroying the cancer cells in my sister’s brain.”

That kind of mental toughness and perseverance will be crucial when Parker mounts her bike for the Race Across America. RAAM is one of the most highly respected endurance sports events in the world and has been called the “world’s toughest sporting event” by Outdoor Magazine. Fifty year old Parker, will have to ride from Oceanside, California through twelve states to Annapolis, Maryland. She’ll climb more than 170,000 vertical feet and ride more than 3,000 miles. Riders must finish in twelve days but they end up covering a course that is 1000 miles longer than the Tour de France and is ridden non-stop, in half the time. Since 1982, only 31 women have finished the race.
Not only does the race require immense physical fortitude, the reality is that a coast to coast race requires significant financial resources as well.

"We spend thousands on competition when you factor in travel, hotel, gas, airfare and rental cars. Race Across America will likely cost us about $30,000.” 

But Parker is not asking for a dime for herself. All of her efforts to raise money are being promoted through a grassroots social media campaign – a free yet often crowded platform. Still, the team works hard to raise awareness about brain cancer and how a small donation can really add up to change the future for brain cancer patients as quickly as possible.

“If 200,000 people each donate just five dollars – we’ll reach our goal. That’s a small sacrifice that can be huge in terms of adding years to the life of a brain cancer patient. Most people die from the disease about a year after learning they have it. We want to change that.”

There are several ways to donate. Her team is partnering with Chainspirations, a bicycle jewelry company, and Cruzbike a maker and seller of recumbent bikes. Information on how to partner with the family in reaching their fundraising goal can be found on 3000milestoacure.com. Text to donate is also enabled – a $10 donation will be made when you send the word “race” to 20222.

More information is available at facebook.com/3k_toacure or on Twitter, @3000toacure.

PRESS RELEASE - TerraTrike, maker of the world’s most comfortable rides with their recumbent trikes, proudly announces a new option in their line-up: the Rambler “Fat.”

At a retail cost of $625.00 and utilizing the sturdy Rambler frame, this limited edition “Fat” option features hand built Velocity wheels (using their tried-and-true Psycho rims) and 20x4-1/4 inch tires and tubes all around. The fat trike also only uses the Sturmey-Archer 8 speed internally geared hub to offer better ground clearance and the optimal amount of gears needed. The trike is available now in very limited quantities paired with the “Standard Issue” Army green Rambler 8 for $2024.00.

The Rambler “Fat” was developed to offer customers a better option for off-road and all-weather triking. The cushy balloon tires can be filled to 40 psi for smooth trails, or to as low as 10 psi to gain traction over rocky paths and dunes. TerraTrike recommends riders carry a mini-pump along to adjust the pressure and get the best performance across different types of terrain.

“We have seen a lot of Fat Bikes out there in the wild and some of the folks around here thought that it would be fun to make the world’s first production version of a Fat Trike,” said Marketing Director Jeff Yonker. “Fun was probably the understatement of the year as some of us were riding this thing in sand dunes and grass or down nearly any surface laughing hysterically.”

“The tires don’t have much of a tread pattern, but there are not a lot of options in the 20x4-1/4” tire size at this time,” said Chief Operating Officer Mike Kessenich. “So it is not recommended for use in snow... Although it is pretty fun to try - all kinds of spinning and sliding!”

While this trike will let riders get off the bike path and into the wilderness, TerraTrike urges customers to remember that the laws of physics still apply - riding off of pavement or hard packed surfaces will change the handling dynamics of the trike.

“Be careful on steep ascents and descents and especially off-camber approaches and departures from hills,” said Yonker. “Wear a helmet, use your best judgement to stay safe and have a blast.”

For more information or to place a Rambler “Fat” order, contact a TerraTrike sales associate toll free at .

ABOUT TERRATRIKE. - TerraTrike (WizWheelz Inc.) is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is the largest manufacturer of recumbent trikes in the U.S. The TerraTrike brand has been manufactured for over 15 years and they maintain one of the industry’s most extensive sales and support systems, with over 120 distributors and dealers in multiple countries. Product and distributor information is available on the TerraTrike website at www.TerraTrike.com, or by calling or . Interested dealers or distributors can contact our dealer department at .

Recently, Chris Malloy had his Easy Racer Javelin converted by Lightfoot Cycles to push-pull steering. Now that system is available on the Lightfoot World Traveler.

From the Lightfoot web site:

Lightfoot Cycles is happy to announce that our World Traveler recumbent touring bike is ready for the road. This could be the vehicle to take on your next cycling expedition. Along with its oh-so-comfortable seat and its more-than-a-trailer-full cargo capacity, the tried-and-true Traveler now accepts all of our steering systems, and thus handles and steers better than ever.

The above-seat Linkage Steering is now standard on the Traveler, and reduces steering effort—an important benefit on long days. The Side Stick Steering system (shown here) which was prototyped last year, also reduces steering effort, lowers arms to waist level, and remains a good choice for anyone with carpal tunnel.

And now the Traveler is also available with our new Arm Power steering system, which allows you to use your arms to help propel the cycle (more on this later) and get a full body workout.

Finally, the Traveler is now available with our optional take-apart frame so that you can stow it in your luggage. So, if you or someone you know is planning a bike trip around the world, or even just the county, the World Traveler is ready.

PRESS RELEASE - Recumbent Cycle‐Con, the first national tradeshow for recumbent bicycles, hired Shelley L. Patterson, Director of Marketing and Business Development of Buddy Bike, LLC, as a part‐time coordinator for the next expo to be held November 1‐3, 2013 in Pomona, California.

Charles (Chuck) Coyne, coordinator of Recumbent Cycle‐Con, hired Patterson because of her involvement and enthusiasm in the first Recumbent Cycle‐Con held in 2011. Chuck says, "Shelley’s long‐term commitment to the bicycle industry, and especially her commitment to adaptive cycling, makes her uniquely qualified for this position."

Patterson's role in the second Recumbent Cycle‐Con will be to contribute to the growth of the event including the expansion of adaptive cycling and bicycle travel sections. Patterson will also organize the second Adaptive Cycling Roundtable and plans to add other adaptive cycling‐related presentations. New for RC‐C 2013 will be two separate Demo Riding Arenas; Demo Arena One will be dedicated to recumbent bikes and trikes, tandems and touring bikes; Demo Arena Two will be available for adaptive bikes and slower moving bike traffic. Patterson says, "With two separate riding areas, all the exhibitors will be provided the opportunity to have the show attendees test their products in an optimal and safe environment.”

Also new for 2013, there will be additional “trackside” tented exhibitor booth spaces available surrounding the two Outdoor Demo Ride Arenas. Trackside booths were very popular with exhibitors and attendees previously, and the two‐arena configuration allows more outdoor exhibit spaces to be strategically located.

Bicycle travel exhibitors and other bike‐related vendors also have the option of booth space inside the show’s carpeted, air‐conditioned main building. Patterson is seeking to fill those spaces with businesses and organizations who provide bicycle travel, adaptive cycling programs, cycling accessories, gear and art, as well as green products and items that will provide a varied and interesting environment for attendees.

Patterson has worked at Buddy Bike, LLC since 2005 as the Director of Marketing and Business Development. Buddy Bike, LLC manufacturers an alternative tandem bicycle that is beneficial for riders with special needs. Patterson manages all aspects of the small bicycle manufacturing business whereshe tripled the sales in the first year of business. Patterson has dedicated herself and the Buddy Bike business to putting more people on bicycles, especially those who may feel they can’t ride due to physical or mental limitations. "Adaptive cyclists vary in their challenges. We are planning an expo to be inclusive of all cyclists whether they ride a recumbent because of back pain, ride a tandem because they can’t safely ride alone or if they ride a handcycle because they are paralyzed," said Patterson.

Recumbent Cycle‐Con will be held November 1‐3, 2013 at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California. The event will be open to the bicycle trade‐only on Friday and open to the public both Saturday and Sunday. For additional information visit www.recumbentcyclecon.com.

I must admit it was a weird feeling preparing for this years Sebring 12/24 hr race. I am used to focusing on myself before a race and this time it was all about everything and everyone but me. I liked it. It was just as stressful but better somehow.

John (Schlitter), myself and Lexi arrived on Friday mid morning and were greeted by Edna and Dave Van Gundy who had flown in from Oregon to help with the race. We were already indebted to Edna for her awesome crewing during RAAM last year and yet here she was, back for more. As we were parking the trailer I saw Marilyn (Hayward) walking towards me. It was the first time seeing her since her horrible accident last year and it was emotional greeting. That woman is a survivor and an inspiration to me.

We set up camp and one by one our team and crew showed up for duty. We had 19 racers participating in the different events. A few of the racers had set up their own crew people including Kristy (Halvorsen), who had her Mom and Jack and another friend, and Judy Polk who was there for Kent. That left 9 of us to crew for the rest of the racers. It turned out to be perfect. We were even able to help out another local rider on a DF who had no one to crew for him.

Friday night we were treated to a pre race chicken fajita smorgasbord supplied and prepared by Judy Polk. It was an absolute feast and appreciated by everybody...... Especially me as I did not have time to do it myself. We entertained many people during that feast and had several upright riders ask for test rides on the many demos that were available.

At the 6:30 am start, all our racers took their places. I was most nervous about my 14 year old daughter Lexi who was entering her first 12 hr race. She had been very nervous the night before and I just hoped she would make it off the track safely.

Once everyone got on the open road my great buddy, Jay Copp, took on the responsibility of roaming mechanic and sweeper. Most of the riders had his phone number programmed in to their phone and he did a fantastic job of keeping me informed as to the whereabouts of everybody on the road. Jody and I followed Ken Coates and Cindy Hackstaff and drove out to the half way point to do hand offs.

The wind during the day and the cold weather and wind during the night created some really challenging conditions for everybody but they all somehow kept it together and made us so proud. Many of the racers will have their own stories to tell about their individual experiences but I have to say the results of our first team event exceeded our expectations. Way to go Team Vite! I can't wait until the next race.

The following was our roster with results. It just doesn't get any better than this-

Rider	Place	Division
Kent Polk	1st Place Overall	24hr Non Drafting Solo
Maria Parker	1st Place Women Overall	24hr Non Drafting Solo
Jim Dibble	1st Place Overall	12 hr
Kristy Halvorsen	1st Place Women Overall	12 hr
Jim Parker	1st Place Overall	50-55 Age Division
Troy Timmons	1st Place Overall	100 Mile
John Schlitter	2nd Place Overall	100 Mile
Kim Rowe	2nd Place	24hr Non Drafting Recumbent
Lexi Lamb	1st Place Overall	15-19
Addison Hackstaff	2nd Place Overall	15-19
Trevor Avila	3rd Place	12hr, 15-19
Eddie Sanders	1st Place	12hr, 55-59
Matt Avila	3rd Place	12hr, 50-55 Recumbent
Gordon Hackstaff	3rd Place	12hr, 55-59 Recumbent
Bruce Robinson	4th Place	12hr, 55-59 Recumbent
Dave Towns	1st Place	12hr, 60-64 Recumbent
Lisa Avila	1st Place	100 Mile, 45-49 Recumbent
Vickie Tyler	1st Place	24hr Non Drafting, 50-55
Dan Fallon	2nd Place	24hr Non Drafting, 65-69 Recumbent

 

Full race results can be found at RaceSmith: 24 Hour | 12 Hour | Century.

I had just finished a winter project, removing wallpaper from my forehead, when it occurred to me I needed a different hobby.

I started trawling the internet, looking for a cycling event I could look forward to and train for. I found a beauty, which will be discussed in a paragraph or so. While looking at photos of various events I notice a horrifying lack of recumbent bikes for distance events where they should be the logical cycling choice. Have I been so enveloped in the opium smoke of recumbent comfort that I have failed to notice I’m the only bent biker in the crowd? Yes, with opium as a metaphor.

Well, my recumbent cronies, it is time to put a stop to our shadow existence. I suggest we all pick a big public ride and advertise it right here, right now. You can put it in the comments or email it to me. It can be famous, Calvin’s Challenge or exciting like the Markleeville Death Ride or just a large, dull public ride near you. It is hard to reconcile advice to stand tall AND ride a recumbent but you get the idea.

My personal, regional recommendations are the Yellowstone Alpine Klimb (YAK) on September 7th, 2013. It is 141 miles over Beartooth Pass in Montana at 11050 feet with an intimidating amount of climbing, and descending, in one day.

But really, it will be fun.

For real fun don’t forget the Trikes Optional Tour, TOT, in Idaho. It doesn’t have a website I can find so, HEY, TOT guys drop us a line. And don’t forget Midwest Human Powered Vehicle races, or the 24 Hours of Central Park (which doesn’t exist, but should).

If your region is anything like mine it is riddled with cycling clubs packed full of raw rumped upright cyclists. Oh, the bummanity! We owe it to our fellows to demonstrate what happy cycling can be. Send your suggestions in. Let’s try to pack the pelotons with recumbents. If nothing else it will give us all something to think about until the weather warms up again.

And I was laid back, and cruising, and biking with the trikers
Then just when it hit me, somebody turned around and shouted
“Ride That Funky Cycle white boy. Ride that Funky Trike around.
Ride That Funky Cycle white boy.
Laid back and bikin’ and ride that Funky Bike till you arrive.”

Thanks to KC.

Following up on their cards from 2012, ICE has released a new card celebrating a love for ICE trikes.

But perhaps this goes a bit deeper... This was not mentioned by ICE, but art is open to interpretation, is it not? As I gaze upon this image, I'm left to think that this perhaps communicates a universal message regarding the stages of romance.

When we first become romantically entangled with another person, we are truly engaged in a romantic sprint. As time goes on, love takes on a certain feeling of adventure. But then, if things go downhill quickly and, sometimes, become slightly uncomfortable, we can find ourselves in an emotional vortex.

Or... this could just be a very pretty picture.

Peddlers Bicycles and Recumbents of Heath, Ohio have boosted the height of their tadpole TrikeStand and are now offering it as the TrikeStand Magnum.

PRESS RELEASE - We are happy to announce our latest repair stand, the TrikeStand Magnum! The TrikeStand Magnum is a higher repair stand without the need of additional risers. The Magnum lifts the trike to a level that is very comfortable to use. In addition, the TrikeStand Magnum incorporates stabilizing feet to assure a solid foundation for this repair stand. For more info or to order, call us at or check it out in our online store.

Dealer inquiries are invited.