RCN 47 for pdf - Steve Briggs

SS20 with 20” rear wheel —Smith
Clamp the tubes in a vise in a drill press.
11. Don’t worry about not making the perfect bike the first time.
The SS20 completely changed steering, seat, and rear swing arm before
it was rideable.
12. The more you pay for components, the more
delicate they often are.
▲ GOOD SOURCES OF SUPPLY
1. Gaerlan Custom Cycles.
2. Aircraft Spruce and Specialty (wide range of
4130 tubing in small quantities, lots of fastener
gadgets).
3. Recumbent dealers advertising in RCN.
▲ PERSONAL RANTS
While I can only speak for my own designs, I
have some safety concerns about USS. I have two
USS bikes and four ASS bikes. USS is super
comfortable while touring, but in an emergency
situation there is little to brace yourself with.
Picture this scenario: a cat runs in front of you
and you brake hard. Your feet naturally go to the
ground to protect a fall. Once a shoe makes contact
with the road, it digs in, and momentum
causes your body to pivot forward. Since your
hands are at the center of your forward rotation,
they are useless to control your body movement
and you do a face plant on the frame of the bike.
I’ve done this twice. It hurts.
▲ ‘BENT OFF-ROAD RANT
There has been some good discussion in recent
RCN issues regarding off-road riding. One side
says big air and single track are a great new re-
SS20 in boxes at airline counter—Smith
SS20 shown folded in open box, note yard stick—Smith
cumbent sport, and another side says stick to asphalt for safety reasons.
I see the middle ground. Single track jumping on a recumbent, if even
possible, seems like asking for a broken back, but so does riding with
road raged 4,000 pound automobiles bearing
down on you. Dirt and gravel roads and paths
are absolutely within the realm of suspended
recumbents and these byways are missing cars
and the odor of asphalt and exhaust fumes. See
where you and your bike can reasonably go
and have some fun.
Take the handling/climbing/racing advantage
claims towards any generic recumbent type
with a grain of salt. I was amazed a while ago
when a co-worker invited me to test ride his
expensive drop-handlebar wedgie touring bike
and I almost dumped it within 20 feet. After
15 years of recumbent-only riding, I had literally
lost my ability to ride a bike that once was
second nature. It felt horribly wobbly, and truly
over-weighted on the front wheel. If this bike
design were new, rather than 100 years old,
we would call it unrideable. The human body
is incredibly adaptable. Pick the recumbent design
that appeals to you, learn to ride it well
and go for it. ❏
1 Our friends at United Airlines attempted to charge
the extra fee for bicycles, even though the boxes are
well within luggage size and weight limits - they relented
as the ticket line behind me grew longer and
the contents were re-declared as metal tubing rather
than a bicycle.
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Recumbent Cyclist News #47