hp speedmachine

Hello,
I am new to recumbents. I have been riding bike for a couple of years
as a way to get out, but have been riding an old beater upright that was
handed down to me from my father. Now, that bike is starting to fall
apart, and I need to get a new bike. Since I cannot justify
spending as much as I will need to more than once in a long time, I only
have one shot at getting a good and nice bike.
I have tried the Volae bikes at the Hostel Shop in Wisconsin. They were
fast and efficient, but I really liked the suspended bikes.
I have been looking at the Speedmachine, because I liked the ride on the
Street Machine. I also like what I have read on HP's website as far
as their philosophies (the fact that they use Linux also put them up a
notch for me ;-). The Hostel Shop does not carry the Speedmachine because
they have had problems selling them. People supposedly think it looks
cool, but then don't like getting on and off of it. I have also heard that
the weight is a problem on hills, but I am very used to pedaling the lead
weight I have now up hills, and it doesn't bother me. I slow down, and
enjoy the scenery:-)
I am looking for a bike that is fun, comfortable and
well built. That is what the Speedmachine looks like to me, but I could be
mistaken. Does anyone have any experience with the Speedmachine, good or
bad? I have seen several old posts that seem fairly positive, but I
thought I would ask for some more input before I waste myself trying to
track one down.

"chris" wrote in message ...
Hello,
snip
They were
fast and efficient, but I really liked the suspended bikes.
I have been looking at the Speedmachine, because I liked the ride on the
Street Machine. I also like what I have read on HP's website as far
as their philosophies (the fact that they use Linux also put them up a
notch for me ;-).snip

I bought a used SM last year. I had to get a new seat (small fits, med was
on the bike and is too long for my torso) and replaced the front Clara
brake, which developed an expensive leak in a piston, and I had to replace
pads because the calipers weren't parallel. The bike had the stem
replacement done under the recall. I aslo replaced the NMR shock when it
puked out its guts, with a DT Swiss air shock. It's taken many hours of
tweaking things like the brake calipers to center them on the discs, and
finding a way to rout cables and hoses so they don't rub my legs. I also
would like to get a handle bar made that has some more clearence for my
shins (more of a problem in the cold weather when I wear heavy tights).

Last year was a poor one for my conditioning and my miles were really low,
so the SM wasn't the ecstatic experience I had had in mind. This year things
are a bit different. Three + hours a week on the trainer has paid a
significant dividend in speed and distance. I'm cruising two or three miles
and hour faster at this early time in the season than I did on my V-REX at
the end of the season. My bike handling has improved a lot too. I can crank
to 25 or so and hold a fairly straight line (no I don't cruise that
fast...don't I wish...) where last year I'd weave across the road when I
tried that. The suspension works. I can take the rough sections of the trail
where I ride at speed. My buddy on his Trice XXL gets hammered on these
sections. All in all the effort and cost to sort out the bike and listening
to the SO complain about the bike bills was well worth it.

I'll never be a racer (I couldn't get there when I was 40 and now I'm 62 and
a ton heavier) but it is a lot more fun going 16 or 18 with the ever more
frequent excursions to the low 20's than it was going 14 to 15 on the RANS.
I'm also finding that on the few hills around here I use my granny less and
less. On the shorter stuff, I even try to accellerate without getting my
heartrate too high.

So even with sometimes annoying loud chain tubes (sometimes I can rotate the
main tube to its sweet spot and then the chain is nearly silent) and $25.00
teflon chain spray form Germany, I'm a happy camper, and I get happier with
each ride. By the way, mine's red.



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I briefly rode one 2 years ago, pretty good bike although I wanted tiller
steering instead of the U-bar, you will like it

"chris" wrote in message ...
Hello,
I am new to recumbents. I have been riding bike for a couple of years
as a way to get out, but have been riding an old beater upright that was
handed down to me from my father. Now, that bike is starting to fall
apart, and I need to get a new bike. Since I cannot justify
spending as much as I will need to more than once in a long time, I only
have one shot at getting a good and nice bike.
I have tried the Volae bikes at the Hostel Shop in Wisconsin. They were
fast and efficient, but I really liked the suspended bikes.
I have been looking at the Speedmachine, because I liked the ride on the
Street Machine. I also like what I have read on HP's website as far
as their philosophies (the fact that they use Linux also put them up a
notch for me ;-). The Hostel Shop does not carry the Speedmachine because
they have had problems selling them. People supposedly think it looks
cool, but then don't like getting on and off of it. I have also heard that
the weight is a problem on hills, but I am very used to pedaling the lead
weight I have now up hills, and it doesn't bother me. I slow down, and
enjoy the scenery:-)
I am looking for a bike that is fun, comfortable and
well built. That is what the Speedmachine looks like to me, but I could be
mistaken. Does anyone have any experience with the Speedmachine, good or
bad? I have seen several old posts that seem fairly positive, but I
thought I would ask for some more input before I waste myself trying to
track one down.

It goes without saying that the choice of OS makes all the differance when
slogging up a 25% hill in the rain!!!!!
yea im sold......not

Rob D


"chris" wrote in message ...
Hello,
I am new to recumbents. I have been riding bike for a couple of years
as a way to get out, but have been riding an old beater upright that was
handed down to me from my father. Now, that bike is starting to fall
apart, and I need to get a new bike. Since I cannot justify
spending as much as I will need to more than once in a long time, I only
have one shot at getting a good and nice bike.
I have tried the Volae bikes at the Hostel Shop in Wisconsin. They were
fast and efficient, but I really liked the suspended bikes.
I have been looking at the Speedmachine, because I liked the ride on the
Street Machine. I also like what I have read on HP's website as far
as their philosophies (the fact that they use Linux also put them up a
notch for me ;-). The Hostel Shop does not carry the Speedmachine because
they have had problems selling them. People supposedly think it looks
cool, but then don't like getting on and off of it. I have also heard that
the weight is a problem on hills, but I am very used to pedaling the lead
weight I have now up hills, and it doesn't bother me. I slow down, and
enjoy the scenery:-)
I am looking for a bike that is fun, comfortable and
well built. That is what the Speedmachine looks like to me, but I could be
mistaken. Does anyone have any experience with the Speedmachine, good or
bad? I have seen several old posts that seem fairly positive, but I
thought I would ask for some more input before I waste myself trying to
track one down.

chris wrote:

The Hostel Shop does not carry the Speedmachine because
they have had problems selling them. People supposedly think it looks
cool, but then don't like getting on and off of it.

I've got a Streetmachine, but I've played on the Kinetics SpM
demonstrators on more than one occasion. It's certainly more awkward to
get on than the StM (you more get /into/ it than /onto/ it), but not
ridiculously so, and not obviously worse than other OSS machines in the
general class I've tried.

As for not liking getting *off*, every bike should be like that! ;-)

I have also heard that
the weight is a problem on hills, but I am very used to pedaling the lead
weight I have now up hills, and it doesn't bother me. I slow down, and
enjoy the scenery:-)

The SpM is a bit of a lump, but less of a lump than the StM and I can
get that up everything I've tried with full touring gear in 4 panniers:
as long as you have the gears and legs you will get there. Lighter
would be nicer, but only if all else was equal, and things like HP Vel's
build quality and superb suspension setups mean all else isn't equal.

I am looking for a bike that is fun, comfortable and
well built.

check, check, check.

If I had the spare money I'd probably have one as well as the StM. If
you don't need the lowrider panniers the StM allows then it would be an
excellent fast touring machine, as well as a blast out for a day.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

chris wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with the
Speedmachine, good or bad? I have seen several old posts that seem
fairly positive, but I thought I would ask for some more input before
I waste myself trying to track one down.

I've been using one as my #1 bike for four years. A touch heavy, but the
suspension works very well and it's the most comfortable bike I've ever
owned. Mine was built up from a frameset by Darth Stuart, so the components
are a bit more upmarket than those now fitted as standard.

Highly recommended.

--
Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
And I begged, "Angel of the Lord, what are these tortured screams?" And
the angel said unto me, "These are the cries of the carrots, the cries
of the carrots! You see, Reverend Maynard, tomorrow is harvest day and
to them it is the holocaust."

"chris" wrote in message ...
snip
I am looking for a bike that is fun, comfortable and
well built.

It's decided then. Which color will you be ordering?




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bent_pilot wrote:

It's decided then. Which color will you be ordering?

Note that you can have any colour you like from the RAL chart as an
extra cost option...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch writes:

bent_pilot wrote:

It's decided then. Which color will you be ordering?

Note that you can have any colour you like from the RAL chart as an
extra cost option...

Though the RAL chart seems to be missing Proper Purple...

Roos

Roos Eisma wrote:

Though the RAL chart seems to be missing Proper Purple...

As sported by Roos' Nazca Fiero, which is an alternative well built,
sporty semi-low that is also quite capable of touring. It's a 20/20
rather than a 20/26 and Nazca do a similar range of options to HP Vel,
but you can have Dual Drive as well as derailleurs or Rohloff and an
underseat steering option (which Ross has). The "Tour" model has full
suspension, the standard just at the rear but Nazca will do you a
Pantour hub as an option. Like the SpM it isn't a lightweight, though
it won't dent your wallet quite so much.

The most telling difference is that Nazca's seat is more 3d, wrapping
around the hips more, and cut away by the shoulder blades. Is that
better? Well, it depends on your particular back. Ross prefers the
Nazca seat and I prefer the HP Vel seat, mileage does vary, so try
options if you can...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/