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Main
Date: 30 Apr 2005 19:44:11
From: Tony Belding
Subject: The Noob
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My cycling experience up to now has been pretty limited. I do have a
bicycle. . . It's a blue Murray, it didn't cost much. It has one
speed (i.e. no gear shift), and no hand brake. The rear wheel is
shaped a bit like a potato chip and *almost* rubs against the frame at
one point in its rotation. I rode it up and down the jogging trail a
few times before I got tired of it, then left it in the garage for a
few years. After the tires rotted down, I bought a set of solid
(airless) tires, so I won't have to worry about that anymore. I didn't
get the tires on exactly straight, I can see the front tire sort of
wobble as it goes around. They don't feel the same as the old tires,
but they work OK I guess. I never wore a helmet, because I thought
they look goofy.
In sumy, I'm not a cycling enthusiast. Please go easy on me!
For a while now I've been aware of a company called Bigha. They make
some pretty neat green laser pointers, I got one for my telescope.
While shopping for lasers, I noticed they also make a funky kind of
bicycle. . . I looked over their website, it looked pretty neat to
me. Mighty expensive too, but you know. . . it did look attractive,
and I'd never seen anything like it before. I could afford one. But
would I ride it, or would it rot down in the garage? (Or end up on
eBay?)
Anyhow, I just had that Bigha cycle in the back of my mind for a while,
for several months. Then, as it happens, I was made aware that I
*need* to lose about twenty pounds and *keep* it off. I need exercise.
Walking isn't enough of a workout. . . Running is too hard on the
joints. . . How about cycling? Maybe I should get a new bicycle?
Maybe I should get one that's smoother and more efficient, and with
gears so I can climb hills with it. I started thinking about something
that I can ride around the local area for fun and the much-needed
exercise.
Maybe it's time to get serious.
So I turned to Google and did a little research, and was surprised to
find out the Bigha bike is a "recumbent" bicycle, and it's not a recent
invention of Bigha, and actually there are a *lot* of other companies
making recumbents in a lot of different models. Who knew? And there
are the trikes, ooh. . .
I'm seriously considering a new bike or trike. I haven't made any
decisions, I'm just surfing and bookking sites and taking it all in.
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any bike shops within a pretty
long distance from where I live. I'm not *exactly* asking for
opinions, because I've been finding plenty of those. I'm really just
saying hello, I'm here.
However. . . If anyone has suggestions for me, I don't mind hearing
them either. Things seemed a lot simpler before I discovered that
there are so many options available to me. I'm finding there's a lot
to study up on, it can be almost overhwelming.
--
Tony Belding, Hamilton Texas
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Date: 01 May 2005 04:19:07
From: DougC
Subject: Re: The Noob
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Tony Belding wrote:
>
>
> For a while now I've been aware of a company called Bigha.
>
The BigHa is made very well and has some included features probably no
other bikes have, but it isn't the best for everything (no one type is)
and there's other very-useful brands available for a lot less. Some
lower-priced dealer brands are Sun and Cycle Genius, and a mail-order
SWB brand online is Actionbent. Figure on spending at least $500-$600 at
least, $1000 opens up a bunch of better component options.
~~~
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Date: 30 Apr 2005 21:53:14
From: Jeff Wills
Subject: Re: The Noob
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Tony Belding wrote:
>
> However. . . If anyone has suggestions for me, I don't mind hearing
> them either. Things seemed a lot simpler before I discovered that
> there are so many options available to me. I'm finding there's a lot
> to study up on, it can be almost overhwelming.
>
Try to find a shop near you that carries the Sun line of recumbents:
http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_04/recumbents/recumbents_home.html
They're inexpensive and have a dealer network to back them up. Try to
get a test ride. Try to get several test rides. I know there's
recumbent bike groups in Texas (Texas has everything!), so see if you
can visit them and gather opinions and form some of your own.
I've been around recumbents for 25 years now and I've learned that
there are no universal answers. You must discover *your* answers for
yourself.
Jeff "Obi-Wan" Wills
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