Seeking a Sub £1000 Commuter Recumbent

I've been trying to buy a commuter recumbent bike in the UK, suitable
for extending the range that can travel relative to my standard 21-gear
bike. My budget requires that the bike cost less than £1000 and my
peace of mind dictates that it should not be too desirable for either
bike thieves or envious kids.

I've researched the matter as broadly as I can over the web and via
the Yellow Pages have largely drawn a blank.

The MicWic Commuter 7 sounds ideal but this company seems to have
disappeared with even Swindon bike shops denying all knowledge of it.

The Atomics Sports' KMX Class Kart is certainly for sale in the right
price range but this too desirable a bike for me to ride and I would
prefer one designed for endurance rather than racing or KMX style
stunts.

The closest I have gotten to a match is the Champion Wizard, which is
listed as a commuter, but I have not seen a single quoted price for it
in the UK.

I am amazingly hesitant to but a £1,200+ recumbent bike because it
will have been made for purposes above and beyond what I want from it.
I'm no athlete about to try and race to break speed records; instead
I'm someone who wants to cover reasonable distances under my own
power in an efficient manner.

The closest I've got to a reasonable retailer contact is from London
Recumbents, who offer both an hour's ride for £10 or a half-days
worth of advice that they hinted might be expensive if I failed to buy
a bike at the end of the experience. They are the people who don't
appear to state a price the Champion Wizard, preferring to be more
explicit about what appears to be the more up market recumbents that
they offer.

Can anyone help or offer any pertinent advice?

Guy

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've been trying to buy a commuter recumbent bike in the UK, suitable
for extending the range that can travel relative to my standard 21-gear
bike. My budget requires that the bike cost less than £1000 and my
peace of mind dictates that it should not be too desirable for either
bike thieves or envious kids.



If you know which end of a spanner to hold you might consider

http://www.dutchbikes.nl/uk.htm

At least one member of this parish has built one -- I forget who -- and may
advise further.

T

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:02:45 -0700, wrote:

I've been trying to buy a commuter recumbent bike in the UK, suitable for
extending the range that can travel relative to my standard 21-gear bike.
My budget requires that the bike cost less than £1000 and my peace of
mind dictates that it should not be too desirable for either bike thieves
or envious kids.

/Some/ kids are envious, but they don't look like the thieving kind
generally, and if they ask politely they can "have a go mista?"


I've researched the matter as broadly as I can over the web and via the
Yellow Pages have largely drawn a blank.

Yeees, recumbent makers & vendors are somewhat web-shy.


You need to try as many different 'bents as you can, and a half-day
scheme, as run by most dealers, is going to be well worth it. You will
also find that there seem to be lots of low-usage bents for sale
second-hand. Possibly originally bought by people who ignored the
previous point. There should be quite a good choice of s/hand machines
within your budget.

If you're in Cambridge tomorrow, Sunday, and are close to 172cm tall you
can have a go on my Speed Ross, and possibly other 'bents too because the
Company of Cyclists will be there with their try-it-out range.

Failing that you could give my L'BS (Local 'Bent Shop) a call & find out
what they have in stock. D.Tek 01353 648177.


Mike

wrote:
I've been trying to buy a commuter recumbent bike in the UK, suitable
for extending the range that can travel relative to my standard 21-gear
bike. My budget requires that the bike cost less than £1000 ...
snip
The closest I have gotten to a match is the Champion Wizard, which is
listed as a commuter, but I have not seen a single quoted price for it
in the UK.

Do you mean the Challenge Wizard? I nearly bought one of those (before
settling on the Street Machine), seems like a good commuter.

It's probably worth keeping an eye on the second-hand market.
Velovision, Cycling Plus and Cycle (the CTC mag) often have recumbents
in the classified sections. I believe they all also have classified
sections on their websites. And, of course, there's always eBay.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've been trying to buy a commuter recumbent bike in the UK, suitable
for extending the range that can travel relative to my standard 21-gear
ike. My budget requires that the bike cost less than £1000 and my
eace of mind dictates that it should not be too desirable for either
ike thieves or envious kids.

You don't want a Trice then. Well, you *do* but it'll cost a bit over the
£1000 for an entry-level Trice Ice T (like wot I got) and apparently they
are objects of desire to teenagers. My son uses mine in the winter for the
college commute. So far lots of mates wanting to have a go on it, but no
thieving - but it does have multiple locks on it and it is parked where it
is on view to staff the entire time.

See
http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/trikes_t.htm
for details of Ice T

I'm no athlete, but find the Ice T fun and reliable.

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat wrote:

See
http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/trikes_t.htm
for details of Ice T

I'm no athlete, but find the Ice T fun and reliable.

No athelete? You have raced it with some considerable success ;-)

...d

"David Martin" wrote in message
ups.com...

wafflycat wrote:

See
http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/trikes_t.htm
for details of Ice T

I'm no athlete, but find the Ice T fun and reliable.

No athelete? You have raced it with some considerable success ;-)

..d


Why, blush, thank you! :-) In case the original poster is of the mistaken
belief I am an athlete - I'm not - it was a fun race, unintentional, and if
it had been for real, there's no way I'd have won... My only race I've done
and the only one I've won or am ever likely to win!

Cheers, helen s

... if you know how to use a spanner ...

I think I may be able to recruit my father to help me build a recumbent
bike from bits and therefore learn how to maintain it in the process.
However the example you pointed me to has me baffled and a bit worried.
I would have to consult.

--
Guy Robinson
[all standard disclaimers apply]

Danny wrote:

Do you mean the Challenge Wizard? I nearly bought one of those (before
settling on the Street Machine), seems like a good commuter.

Yes, Challenge Wizard is what I was referring to.

What make is the Street Machine?

It's probably worth keeping an eye on the second-hand market.
Velovision, Cycling Plus and Cycle (the CTC mag) often have recumbents
in the classified sections. I believe they all also have classified
sections on their websites. And, of course, there's always eBay.

This does seem to be the answer, buying secondhand. I've received
multiply recommendations for D-Trek both here and on the human powered
forum where I asked the same question but I'm too timid to use eBay.

I guess I should be used to trying to buying things that few people
generally bother to try and sell to the general public by now. My main
hobby is the book-based persuit of role-playing games, whose
independent retail chains were lost in the 80s.

Thank to everyone for helping me get a little up to speed on 'bents.

--
Guy Robinson

[all standard disclaimers apply]

wrote:
Yes, Challenge Wizard is what I was referring to.

What make is the Street Machine?

HPVelotechnik:
URL:http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/sm/gt/index_e.html

A new one would be well out of your price range, but they're typically
advertised for about GBP 800-900 second-hand (not that they come up all
that often).

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine