Bent dealers in NYC?

Like to know is their are any bent dealers in Manhattan proper?

Trailgalore wrote:
Like to know is their are any bent dealers in Manhattan proper?

Nope. The closest one is in Northeast Recumbents in Verona, NJ. Not
too far. Just remember to call first, since they're by appointment only.

http://www.velomobiles.net/northeastrecumbents/

"Joao"
this_email_address_was_harvested_from_usenet_for_
wrote in message ...
Trailgalore wrote:
Like to know is their are any bent dealers in Manhattan proper?

Nope. The closest one is in Northeast Recumbents in Verona, NJ. Not too
far. Just remember to call first, since they're by appointment only.

http://www.velomobiles.net/northeastrecumbents/

It might be safe to ride a recumbent in Central Park on the weekends
provided the park is closed to vehicular traffic. Don't even think about
riding your recumbent anywhere else in NYC unless you have a death wish.

The best place to ride a recumbent is here in the Midwest where traffic is
not too bad (away from the Metros) and the terrain is fairly flat. Maybe
that is why most recumbent dealers are also located in the Midwest, even
though we have a God awful winter climate.

Regards,

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Edward Dolan wrote:

Don't even think about
riding your recumbent anywhere else in NYC unless you have a death wish.

Wrong.

I've been riding in the city for 22 years, and riding mostly recumbents
for 6 years now, no problem. I also know a lot of recumbent riders who
have been riding in the city for much longer than me, and none of them
has been hit by vehicles either. And most of them, like me, are
car-free and our recumbents are our main form of transportation. For a
couple of years I was commuting 20 miles each way (Bay Ridge to Midtown
Manhattan) in city traffic on a daily basis on my Haluzak, no problems.

If you prefer not to ride in heavy traffic, there are lots of bike paths
around the city, many of which are also car-free. I know people who
live in Fort Lee NJ, and ride to work Midtown while riding only a few
blocks with motor vehicle traffic.

Joao "my empirical evidence and many years of direct observations
contradict your baseless theory" de Souza

"Joao"
this_email_address_was_harvested_from_usenet_for_
wrote in message ...
Edward Dolan wrote:

Don't even think about riding your recumbent anywhere else in NYC unless
you have a death wish.

Wrong.

I've been riding in the city for 22 years, and riding mostly recumbents
for 6 years now, no problem. I also know a lot of recumbent riders who
have been riding in the city for much longer than me, and none of them has
been hit by vehicles either. And most of them, like me, are car-free and
our recumbents are our main form of transportation. For a couple of years
I was commuting 20 miles each way (Bay Ridge to Midtown Manhattan) in city
traffic on a daily basis on my Haluzak, no problems.

If you prefer not to ride in heavy traffic, there are lots of bike paths
around the city, many of which are also car-free. I know people who live
in Fort Lee NJ, and ride to work Midtown while riding only a few blocks
with motor vehicle traffic.

Joao "my empirical evidence and many years of direct observations
contradict your baseless theory" de Souza

How did you get across the East River? The Brooklyn Bridge? Still, I would
not much like to ride a recumbent bicycle through the streets of Brooklyn
and certainly not Manhattan, especially on a Haluzak (SWB). Joao, you are
lucky to be alive!

I think the main thing that works against bicycles in NYC is the very
excellent subway system. It just makes so much sense to take the subway.
When I was last in NYC I think the fare was either 10 or 15 cents to go
anywhere in the city. I wonder what the cost is now? I cannot ever recall
there being any bike paths in NYC, at least not back then.

Regards,

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

Edward Dolan wrote:

How did you get across the East River? The Brooklyn Bridge?

Yup. They have a bike path with a beautiful view of lower Manhattan,
New York harbor, and Brooklyn Heights. There are bike and pedestrian
paths at nearly every bridge in Manhattan including all of the major
ones, and groups such as Transportation Alternatives have been fighting
to have bike paths added to the others as well.

Still, I would
not much like to ride a recumbent bicycle through the streets of Brooklyn
and certainly not Manhattan, especially on a Haluzak (SWB). Joao, you are
lucky to be alive!

Its not luck. Its knowing what you're doing. A friend of mine has been
living in central Brooklyn and riding to his office in lower Manhattan
for over a decade now. He used to ride a P-38, then a Tour Easy, now he
rides a GRR. If you know how to ride in traffic, its not a big deal.

I think the main thing that works against bicycles in NYC is the very
excellent subway system. It just makes so much sense to take the subway.

You try taking the subway on rush hour on a daily basis. Its very very
crowded, very stressful, and not very efficient at all. When I lived in
Bay Ridge, it took me about two hours commute each way by subway, and
only 1:30 by bike. Between spending two hours packed like a sardine,
having to change trains twice along the way, pushing my way along
crowded underground tunnels to get to the next train; OR: riding a bunch
of small back streets, on my bike, chatting with other riders along the
way, stopping for a bagel and coffee along the Brooklyn waterfront, and
still getting to work faster, I'll take the bike.

Where I live currently, its a 45 minute two-train ride, or a 15 minute
bike ride, 1/2 of which is through Central Park.

When I was last in NYC I think the fare was either 10 or 15 cents to go
anywhere in the city. I wonder what the cost is now? I cannot ever recall
there being any bike paths in NYC, at least not back then.

That was what? 1960's or 70's? When I first came to NYC in '83, the
fare was already 75c. Its now up to $2.00. Yet cost is not the issue.
And as far as bike paths, see
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bike/bm.shtml

New York is quite a rideable city. But its attitudes like the one you
are displaying (bikes are dangerous and don't belong in our streets)
that keep more people from riding. In every single office I've ever
worked in this city, I was always the only bike commuter when I started,
and by the time I left, there were others following my example.

"Joao"
this_email_address_was_harvested_from_usenet_for_
wrote in message ...
Edward Dolan wrote:

How did you get across the East River? The Brooklyn Bridge?

Yup. They have a bike path with a beautiful view of lower Manhattan, New
York harbor, and Brooklyn Heights. There are bike and pedestrian paths at
nearly every bridge in Manhattan including all of the major ones, and
groups such as Transportation Alternatives have been fighting to have bike
paths added to the others as well.

I used to live in Brooklyn Heights. I would like to go to the promenade
overlooking the river and contemplate the beauty of the Lower Manhattan
skyline. It was quite a chore to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge as I recall.
I only did that a few times.

Still, I would not much like to ride a recumbent bicycle through the
streets of Brooklyn and certainly not Manhattan, especially on a Haluzak
(SWB). Joao, you are lucky to be alive!

Its not luck. Its knowing what you're doing. A friend of mine has been
living in central Brooklyn and riding to his office in lower Manhattan for
over a decade now. He used to ride a P-38, then a Tour Easy, now he rides
a GRR. If you know how to ride in traffic, its not a big deal.

I think the main thing that works against bicycles in NYC is the very
excellent subway system. It just makes so much sense to take the subway.

You try taking the subway on rush hour on a daily basis. Its very very
crowded, very stressful, and not very efficient at all. When I lived in
Bay Ridge, it took me about two hours commute each way by subway, and only
1:30 by bike. Between spending two hours packed like a sardine, having to
change trains twice along the way, pushing my way along crowded
underground tunnels to get to the next train; OR: riding a bunch of small
back streets, on my bike, chatting with other riders along the way,
stopping for a bagel and coffee along the Brooklyn waterfront, and still
getting to work faster, I'll take the bike.

All the time I lived in New York I do not ever recall taking the subway
during rush hours. I was too smart for that. I would take it when I pretty
much had it all to myself. In fact, it often seemed that I was the only one
on the train. This was back in the 60's.

I am amazed that you find it so congeal to bicycle in NYC. I would never
have guessed it!

Where I live currently, its a 45 minute two-train ride, or a 15 minute
bike ride, 1/2 of which is through Central Park.

Well, obviously you would be spending most of that time waiting for the
trains. I could go from Brooklyn Heights to Mid-town Manhattan in roughly 10
to 15 minutes. I always regarded that as a miracle.

When I was last in NYC I think the fare was either 10 or 15 cents to go
anywhere in the city. I wonder what the cost is now? I cannot ever recall
there being any bike paths in NYC, at least not back then.

That was what? 1960's or 70's? When I first came to NYC in '83, the fare
was already 75c. Its now up to $2.00. Yet cost is not the issue. And as
far as bike paths, see http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bike/bm.shtml

It was in the 1960's. I would have to think twice before I would be willing
to pay $2.00 to do the kind of traveling I used to do around NYC in the good
old days when it was essentially free. Cost is always an issue with me.

New York is quite a rideable city. But its attitudes like the one you are
displaying (bikes are dangerous and don't belong in our streets) that keep
more people from riding. In every single office I've ever worked in this
city, I was always the only bike commuter when I started, and by the time
I left, there were others following my example.

Still, I feel you are lucky to be alive riding your Haluzak on the streets
of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Take care! In fact, take very good care!!

Regards,

Ed Dolan - Minnesota