Action Bent Tadpole Trike: Has anybody ridden one?

Larry wrote.
I am currently reviewing the Action Bent tadpole for BentRider
Online. I haven't quite finished yet - I do like to be thorough
with
these reviews; I rode the WizWheelz Edge on a weekend tour (Horsey
Hundred) then followed it up with the week-long GITAP - but at this
point I can say that I have been favorably impressed with the AB
trike.
Brake steer? It doesn't have any. The seat angle isn't as adjustable
as I would like - but then, many trikes don't have an adjustable
recline
at all.
Anyway, look for me to complete this review in another week or two.
I
expected to cut this little trike some slack simply because it's so
relatively inexpensive, but it looks like it can stand on its own
three
wheels with no condescending help at all!


When you get a trike like this for a review,is it the same as what
anyone who is an unknown person such as myself would get?In other
words, do the people who send you items for review know beforehand[/color]
what
it is you are up to?

[/color]

Definitely. Otherwise, they might expect me to actually buy the bikes
or trikes they send me! But seriously, yes, they know who I am, that
I'm
reviewing it for publication, etc. The bike or trike in question is
the
same as what anyone else would get, though I don't know of a good way
of
proving that, short of visiting other recipients and checking what
they've got, or literally buying the things under an assumed name.
Either option isn't too likely, though.
Thanks for the honest reply Larry,it's good to know you are out there
looking out for me.


--
nget

"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
...


Larry Varney is one of the ARBR old timers who used to be a regular poster
to ARBR. Frankly I miss him. I feel a bit guilty as I treated him rather
badly when he was last here, but I have resolved to be a better man and
not go berserk all the time just because I don't see eye to eye with my
adversary.


I like this Ed Dolan. The truth be told, however, I liked the other one too.
Just for you Ed, a message post the way you like it. Keep those wheels
turning!

Jeff

"Larry Varney" wrote in message
...
[...]
A partial excuse for my absence from this list is that I've been away on
business and other things. Bike Florida and the Florida Bicycle Safari
earlier this year, and lately I've been off to Georgetown (KY) for the
Horsey Hundred, Illinois for GITAP, and Wisconsin for Bike Northwoods.
Next month will be the BentRider Online Rally in the Finger Lakes region
of New York, of course, and September will be the Old Kentucky Home Tour
and the September TRIRI (IN). There are other rides as well (Hope Ride and
Hilly Hundred in Indiana, Horrible Hundred in Florida), but when I start
thinking about those latter ones, I get depressed - they mean the warm
weather is disappearing from my part of the country once more.
[...]

Speaking of depression ...

We need to know if Larry Varney is an iron man or what? How is it possible
to do so many bike tours, one right after the other. I did that once one
summer and I just barely survived. I know that Varney is no spring chicken.
He has a great white beard and appears to be quite old.

Is Varney on any medications? Every day as I arise (I try to get up before
noon) my heart sinks at all the medications I must take in order to go on
living. I have given up on week long bike tours. They were a lot of fun at
one time, but a lot of work too.

I have now grown tired and lazy and am content to cruise around town every
day for an hour or so. That is as good as life gets for me. When I get
depressed about it, I visit the local nursing homes and see what the future
has in store for me. If it weren't for my blood pressure I would take up
drinking (I like wine), but that has the effect of sending my blood pressure
soaring to high heaven. Failing all else, I post to ARBR which seems to
relieve some of the depression, at least momentarily.

What I like best about ARBR is that most of us are older guys and are wise
enough to know our final destination - food for worms, as Zorba the Greek
would put it.

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota

"Jeff Grippe" jeff@door7 wrote in message
...

"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
...


Larry Varney is one of the ARBR old timers who used to be a regular
poster to ARBR. Frankly I miss him. I feel a bit guilty as I treated him
rather badly when he was last here, but I have resolved to be a better
man and not go berserk all the time just because I don't see eye to eye
with my adversary.


I like this Ed Dolan. The truth be told, however, I liked the other one
too. Just for you Ed, a message post the way you like it. Keep those
wheels turning!

Jeff

I think Jeff must have looked up the expressions "pulling your leg" and "
tongue in cheek" as I previously recommended that he do. It has gotten to
the point where even I don't know what I mean half the time.

If we can't have some fun here on ARBR, we should just forget about it and
spend our time contemplating our navels and pursuing other solitary
pastimes. The besetting sin of way too many of us is that they we are way
too serious. We need to lighten up and find some humor in the games that we
play with one another on ARBR.

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota

PS. Jeff needs to quote me not only when I am saying good things, but also
when I am saying bad things. The reason for this is that sometimes the good
things will turn out bad and the bad things will turn out good. We can never
be sure which way things are going.

"Mike Rice" wrote in message
news [...]
I'm also glad to see Ed the self titled appearing to mellow somewhat.
I have no fear but that the crust is no very far beneath the surface,
alert & ready to instruct and or insult ad naseum any percieved idiots
(or *wrong* posters).

Truly Ed, this group is a more enjoyable spot when your rants seem
reasoned & dignified. Thanks for playing nice.

Mike, this group is not what it used to be. Most of the old timers have left
and we need a few old timers around to give some perspective on the group.
That is why I hope Larry Varney will stick around a bit although I know he
is busy on BROL.

I am more a gadfly than anything else and I cannot be an anchor for the
group. Tom Sherman did a very excellent job of fulfilling that function, but
I fear he has now left us for good.

I had nothing to do with destroying this group. I merely got rid of the
nauseous liberal posting and some of the deadwood. It was a criminal vandal
troll who destroyed the group with the acquiescence of the old timers who
did nothing to prevent the outrage.

I don't blame others for leaving the group. I left myself for several months
because I was so disgusted with the prevailing cowardice. A newsgroup must
be defended when it comes under attack. The regular members, including the
old timers, did nothing and let the group be destroyed.

I am hanging around for a while longer to see if the group can ever recover.
I am not overly optimistic, but if a few of the old timers come back I think
the group could revive.

My mission is to defend this group against those who would destroy it, but I
depend on others to rally around the flag when the occasion calls for it,
not to take to the tall grass and perform a disappearing act.

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota

On 07/03/2005 12:37:24 "Edward Dolan" wrote:

oyed.

I am hanging around for a while longer to see if the group can ever
recover. I am not overly optimistic, but if a few of the old timers come
back I think the group could revive.

My mission is to defend this group against those who would destroy it, but
I depend on others to rally around the flag when the occasion calls for
it, not to take to the tall grass and perform a disappearing act.

So you're defending the group against yourself? Conflict of interests.

Leave, then the group can recover.

--

Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

"Edward Dolan" wrote in message
...

PS. Jeff needs to quote me not only when I am saying good things, but also
when I am saying bad things. The reason for this is that sometimes the
good things will turn out bad and the bad things will turn out good. We
can never be sure which way things are going.


Well Ed, I like to think of myself as a considerate person (no surprise
there) so I will quote you the way you want to be quoted. Don't jump down my
throat if I get it wrong once in a while but I will be considerate of your
wishes as I have asked you to do for others. As for politics I think it
would be fun to go toe to toe with you but probably not here. Neither one of
us is afraid of our ideas and I think that in cases where you are not trying
to save the group from destruction, you would be respectful while strongly
disagreeing.

Keep on rollin'

Jeff

Edward Dolan wrote:
"Larry Varney" wrote in message
...
[...]

A partial excuse for my absence from this list is that I've been away on
business and other things. Bike Florida and the Florida Bicycle Safari
earlier this year, and lately I've been off to Georgetown (KY) for the
Horsey Hundred, Illinois for GITAP, and Wisconsin for Bike Northwoods.
Next month will be the BentRider Online Rally in the Finger Lakes region
of New York, of course, and September will be the Old Kentucky Home Tour
and the September TRIRI (IN). There are other rides as well (Hope Ride and
Hilly Hundred in Indiana, Horrible Hundred in Florida), but when I start
thinking about those latter ones, I get depressed - they mean the warm
weather is disappearing from my part of the country once more.

[...]

Speaking of depression ...

We need to know if Larry Varney is an iron man or what? How is it possible
to do so many bike tours, one right after the other. I did that once one
summer and I just barely survived. I know that Varney is no spring chicken.
He has a great white beard and appears to be quite old.

Is Varney on any medications? Every day as I arise (I try to get up before
noon) my heart sinks at all the medications I must take in order to go on
living. I have given up on week long bike tours. They were a lot of fun at
one time, but a lot of work too.

I have now grown tired and lazy and am content to cruise around town every
day for an hour or so. That is as good as life gets for me. When I get
depressed about it, I visit the local nursing homes and see what the future
has in store for me. If it weren't for my blood pressure I would take up
drinking (I like wine), but that has the effect of sending my blood pressure
soaring to high heaven. Failing all else, I post to ARBR which seems to
relieve some of the depression, at least momentarily.

What I like best about ARBR is that most of us are older guys and are wise
enough to know our final destination - food for worms, as Zorba the Greek
would put it.

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota



Me, an iron man? Nah, that was some guy named Joe, from a long time
ago, with an Italian-sounding last name.
What I do is ride within my capabilities, with just the occasional
attack of "performance" riding. I'm a tourist, and I ride at a pace that
lets me see what's around me, that lets me feel just fine with the idea
of stopping and taking pictures (nearly a thousand on the two tours,
GITAP and Bike Northwoods), and I'm never concerned about being the
first one to reach the day's destination.
GITAP (Grand Illinois Trail And Parks) and Bike Northwoods (lots of
Minnesotans crossed into Wiscconsin for this tour) are not difficcult.
What hills are encountered are seldom tough enough to even consider
walking, though some with flatland cogsets did just that. For the last
three years I have ridden GITAP and then backed it up with a second week
of touring; first two years were the June TRIRI (Touring Ride In Rural
Indiana), but this year I decided to go with Bike Northwoods, a new tour
for me. Since I'm riding the September TRIRI, I didn't feel like I was
deserting any old friends!
And if money (and vacation time) were not a problem, I'd like to ride
these two tours, and then follow it with GRABAAWR, but my job (and wife)
would probably object!

It is about time, I have been waiting almost 3 years for that tadpole to
arrive and now I don't need one, well I need it but the wife will kill me (4
bents at anyone time is her limit)

Joshua

"Larry Varney" wrote in message
...
__________ wrote:
"Leif" wrote in message
oups.com...

__________ wrote:

Does anybody here have an Action Bent tadpole trike?

http://www.actionbent.com/TWTRIKE.html

Has anybody here ridden one? I'm looking for ride impressions. The
design
looks great! For $1295 with a redesigned composite hardshell
adjustable-angle seat and disc brakes, I doubt if anything can touch it
for
value. But how does it handle? How is the brake steer? What is it
like
at speed?

...I don't know... the steering mechanism looks kinda lame.


It's very difficult to tell from photos, even if you know what you're
looking for, IMO. But, conversely, looks don't matter if the steering is
awful (again, IMO).

I'm also curious to hear how people like the seat angle. It's nice that
it's adjustable somewhat. I wish my Catrike Speed had adjustable seat
angle.

I am currently reviewing the Action Bent tadpole for BentRider Online.
I haven't quite finished yet - I do like to be thorough with these
reviews; I rode the WizWheelz Edge on a weekend tour (Horsey Hundred) then
followed it up with the week-long GITAP - but at this point I can say that
I have been favorably impressed with the AB trike.
Brake steer? It doesn't have any. The seat angle isn't as adjustable as
I would like - but then, many trikes don't have an adjustable recline at
all.
Anyway, look for me to complete this review in another week or two. I
expected to cut this little trike some slack simply because it's so
relatively inexpensive, but it looks like it can stand on its own three
wheels with no condescending help at all!

"Larry Varney" wrote in message
...
__________ wrote:
"Leif" wrote in message
oups.com...

__________ wrote:

Does anybody here have an Action Bent tadpole trike?

http://www.actionbent.com/TWTRIKE.html

Has anybody here ridden one? I'm looking for ride impressions. The
design
looks great! For $1295 with a redesigned composite hardshell
adjustable-angle seat and disc brakes, I doubt if anything can touch it
for
value. But how does it handle? How is the brake steer? What is it
like
at speed?

...I don't know... the steering mechanism looks kinda lame.


It's very difficult to tell from photos, even if you know what you're
looking for, IMO. But, conversely, looks don't matter if the steering is
awful (again, IMO).

I'm also curious to hear how people like the seat angle. It's nice that
it's adjustable somewhat. I wish my Catrike Speed had adjustable seat
angle.

I am currently reviewing the Action Bent tadpole for BentRider Online.
I haven't quite finished yet - I do like to be thorough with these
reviews; I rode the WizWheelz Edge on a weekend tour (Horsey Hundred) then
followed it up with the week-long GITAP - but at this point I can say that
I have been favorably impressed with the AB trike.
Brake steer? It doesn't have any. The seat angle isn't as adjustable as
I would like - but then, many trikes don't have an adjustable recline at
all.
Anyway, look for me to complete this review in another week or two. I
expected to cut this little trike some slack simply because it's so
relatively inexpensive, but it looks like it can stand on its own three
wheels with no condescending help at all!

Some review coverage requests, if I may:

Give specifics about build quality issues (if any) and resolutions thereof.
Compare handling to Catrike, Greenspeed, Trice, TerraTrike, etc.
Compare/contrast high speed handling vs. other mainstream trikes.
How well does the headrest work on bumpy roads?
Lots of photos, including steering and seat details plus catalog shots.
Discuss cargo rack, fender and water bottle mounting options.

Thanks for the preview, Larry. We'll look forward to your full BROL review
of the Action Bent Tadpole Trike.