Below Steering

On 3 May 2004 06:12:11 -0700, (BentJay) wrote:


BTW, the thing that weaned me from uss swb is suddenly realizing that
I was going down a hill at 40 mph on top of an itty-bitty 16" wheel.
That first Blackbent six years ago scared the whee out of me!

Well, I've gone downhill about that speed on a 20" wheel of a Vision
R42, and it certainly didn't make me want to quit. Don't try to run
20c tires on it either. Riding USS is still the most relaxing way to
go for me.

Now sitting as stoker on a Counterpoint once and going down a steep
hill - that scared the crap out of me. If I can find the insurance, I
think I'll do it as a for-fee amusement ride when I'm retired - person
paying in the front, take them down a hill where the only thing they
see is their own feet in front of them (with really no assurance
they'll make it to the bottom).

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

looks fairly comfortable but it would seem to me that you have to
hold your head up/forward and this would tend to cause some nech
strain....

Do you ever slouch in the sofa while watching TV? My USS is very
comfortable. Wouldn't change it fer nuthin. Well, maybe for a TI
Rush... No neck strain. I have the back on my R40 reclined as far as
possible and it feels good to me. My hands rest lightly and naturally
on the grips. The controls are right where they should be. Very
sharp turns may be a bit more awkward with USS, but it is no problem
day-to-day. Heel strike is a worse hazard than the steering bumping
the frame. My handle bars fit under the seat but will hit the frame.
So, in the gravest extreme I curl my wrist on the hand disappearing
under the seat, so my fingers stay in contact with the bar. Then when
I straighten out, my hand just naturally falls back into place on the
bar. But note that this is unusual for me to have to do this.

BentJay wrote:

...
BTW, the thing that weaned me from uss swb is suddenly realizing that
I was going down a hill at 40 mph on top of an itty-bitty 16" wheel.
That first Blackbent six years ago scared the whee out of me!...

I find my Sunset with its ISO 305-mm (16-inch) front wheel to be quite
stable at 50+ mph. It has a more appropriate steering geometry and
weight distribution for high-speed handling than the Blackbent, however.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

TheMilligans wrote:

I am soon to transfer back to San Diego from New Orleans (where I wouldn't
dare ride!)...I am looking forward to riding again and am considering
purchasing a Recumbent for my commuting to and from work. I've noticed some
have steering below rather than above...seems like it would be difficult to
control in that manner....can anyone comment on the benefits/drawbacks to
below steering? Thanks.

Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS. (This is one
of the reasons I sold the USS bike I had, as I was not comfortable
riding in urban traffic with just a helmet mirror, and there was no good
place to mount a mirror).

--
Tom Sherman – Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

Quoth Tom Sherman :
....
| Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
| necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
| comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
| conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS. (This is one
| of the reasons I sold the USS bike I had, as I was not comfortable
| riding in urban traffic with just a helmet mirror, and there was no good
| place to mount a mirror).

Seems true to me. Mine came (from previous owner) with a mirror
bolted to the left side of the Zzipper fairing, but it wiggled so
hard I couldn't see much. I get by with a helmet mounted mirror.
Once in a while when I'm on foot, I forget that I don't have a
mirror and look over there expecting to be able to surreptitiously
glance behind me.

Donn

Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS.

I ride a USS Vision, and mounting a mirror on the handlebars has not been a
problem at all. See a pic at
http://bentonbicycling.tripod.com/be...album/id2.html

I have seen mirrors mounted on other style USS handlebars, as well. The
only USS bars on which I have never seen a mirror mounted are the flat,
straight handlebars that Donn Cave described on his Vanguard (also used on
Linear USS)... not to say it can't be done.

~ Nanc
1999 Vision R44 USS
2003 Vision R45 USS

Donn Cave wrote:

Quoth Tom Sherman :
...
| Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
| necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
| comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
| conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS. (This is one
| of the reasons I sold the USS bike I had, as I was not comfortable
| riding in urban traffic with just a helmet mirror, and there was no good
| place to mount a mirror).

Seems true to me. Mine came (from previous owner) with a mirror
bolted to the left side of the Zzipper fairing, but it wiggled so
hard I couldn't see much. I get by with a helmet mounted mirror.
Once in a while when I'm on foot, I forget that I don't have a
mirror and look over there expecting to be able to surreptitiously
glance behind me.

With a handlebar mounted mirror, I am able to determine the relative
position (distance and bearing) of vehicles behind me. With a helmet
mounted mirror I am not able to judge bearing very well. Therefore, for
me a helmet mounted is acceptable for riding on rural roads where all
overtaking traffic will pass on my left, but is not adequate for
situations where I need to make lane changes (e.g. to get into a
left-turn lane).

Others who are comfortable with just a helmet mounted mirror in all
their regular riding situations will not find the lack of good mirror
mounting locations on most USS systems to be a disadvantage.

--
Tom Sherman – Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

On Mon, 03 May 2004 18:45:53 -0500, Tom Sherman
wrote:


Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS.

There was (is?) a guy that was one of the early recumbent riders that
made (makes?) great mirrors that attach rather firmly to the helmet
and gives a great view (you can literally bang the helmet against the
wall until it is dinged up and the mirror is still in place). His
first name was Charlie and we used to pick up the helmet mirrors at
the old LAW/LAB GEARs.

(Charlie also did a whole thing with toeclips made from plastic milk
bottles, but I wasn't quite willing to do the Whole Earth catalog
thing.)

Now that I am riding a DF again, I need to get his name and see if I
can get another one for the helmet I use for commuting. The mount is
not designed to be easily moved or altered, so the angle is all wrong
to ride on the DF - and after Charlie's mirrors, no other will
suffice.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

On Tue, 4 May 2004 06:02:18 -0500, "Nanc"
wrote:

I ride a USS Vision, and mounting a mirror on the handlebars has not been a
problem at all. See a pic at
http://bentonbicycling.tripod.com/be...album/id2.html

I had one mounted similarly, but a series of very minor mishaps had me
reassembling it until I gave up - the mirror seems out there to be
dinged in my experience. OTOH, I'm happy with the helmet mirror, so it
was easy to give up.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

I use a helmet mounted mirror and like that I can scan back and forth, and
look in directions you can't see with handlebar mounted mirrors. This is
good on the river trails because I get traffic coming not only from left &
right, but from above and below (bridges and underpasses).

With ASS, bar cons and Lightning style drop bars, I find that I move my
hands all over the bars from the stem to the tips, so there is no place to
mount a mirror.

Almost all of my riding is urban.



"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
TheMilligans wrote:

I am soon to transfer back to San Diego from New Orleans (where I
wouldn't
dare ride!)...I am looking forward to riding again and am considering
purchasing a Recumbent for my commuting to and from work. I've noticed
some
have steering below rather than above...seems like it would be difficult
to
control in that manner....can anyone comment on the benefits/drawbacks
to
below steering? Thanks.

Most USS systems do not provide a very good place to mount a mirror (a
necessity on a recumbent) compared to OSS systems. Unless one is
comfortable using a helmet/glasses mounted mirror in the desired riding
conditions, this can be a significant disadvantage of USS. (This is one
of the reasons I sold the USS bike I had, as I was not comfortable
riding in urban traffic with just a helmet mirror, and there was no good
place to mount a mirror).

--
Tom Sherman – Quad Cities (Illinois Side)