C y c l i s t Recumbent - Steve Briggs

The Seven Days of Christmas
(or whatever holiday you happen to celebrate in late December)
A Gift Giving Guide for
Recumbent Riders
By Bob Bryant (see my enclosed list)
Instructions for use
A. Read this article.
B. Get a highlighter pen and mark all items of
interest to you.
C. Leave around the house where you’re wife,
husband or significant other might find it, or
do the above, photocopy and use as your own
personal gift list.
4. Gift certificate from your local recumbent
shop, recumbent specialist or from the Hostel
Shoppe Catalog for recumbent tools/acces-
Angletech’s Aerotrunk
sories (www.hostelshoppe.com). They just
happen to have the coolest recumbent catalog
around.
5. Aero tailbag or high quality seat bag
If you’re looking for a seat bag, there are
many good ones. Check with the manufacturer
first. For our money, the absolute coolest is
the Angletech Aerotrunk (www.angletech
cycles.com). You can even get aero panniers
to match. RANS has several seat bags specific
to their seats (www.ransbikes.com) as does
Bacchetta (www.bacchettabikes.com). The
Hostel Shoppe catalog (www.hostel
shoppe.com) lists several bags suitable for
many different recumbent models.
1. Take A Look Mirror
This little gem clips to your glasses or your
helmet, adjusts two ways, is made of metal and
will LAST. Mine is over 10 years old (maybe
15; I can’t remember), and is clipped to my
prescription Ray-Ban sunglasses. I change
bikes too often, and it’s a pain to fuss with nonaerodynamic
handlebar-mounted mirrors, so I
use a Take A Look. Also, your head makes a
better mirror mount because it seems to vibrate
less than the handlebars. More people ask me
about my mirror than about my recumbent
bicycle. Don’t settle for the plastic ones that
stick to your helmet with adhesive or Velcro.
Looking out of your left eye requires some
practice, but it’s worth it. (Bike Peddler,
Greeley, CO 800/832 BIKE (2453), REI, Hostel
Shoppe and perhaps your local shop carry
the Take A Look).
2. Airzound Bike Horn (honk at SUV’s;
Order from your local bike shop — Delta
Bicycle). Advertised as “the world’s loudest
bike horn,” this monster puts out a 120-decibel
sound that will scatter almost anything. It
uses compressed air, and you can recharge it
with a bicycle pump. For bike trail use, it’s
also a good idea to have a softer sounding
Incredibell. Some cool retro-style bike bells
are also available at Rivendell Bicycle Works.
(www.rivbike.com).
8 Recumbent Cyclist News
Boure shorts & Mt. Borah jersey
3. Lycra recumbent shorts with no padding
AND a recumbent jersey
My favorite recumbent clothing is made by
two different companies: Mt. Borah Designs
in Coon Valley, WI (www.mtborah.com), and
Boure Bicycle Clothing by Ned Overend in
Durango, Colorado (www.boure.com). I’ve
had my recumbent bib shorts from Boure since
1997. My Boure jersey is very high quality and
sewn in the US. Both companies are excellent
and make stuff specifically for recumbent riders.
If skin-tight bicycle shorts are not for you,
try Mt. Borah’s “Bent Short,” mountain bikestyle
shorts with a lycra inner liner. I always
feel faster when wearing my recumbent shorts,
and the adjustable leg openings also help with
cooling and bee control on hot days.
6. Fairing, bodysock or tail sock
(LWB or CLWB riders)
Fairings just work better on long wheelbase
or compact recumbents, but hey, if you want
to buy one for your SWB or highracer, please
do. The best place to start is Mueller
(www.windwrap.com) or Zzip Designs
(www.zzipper.com). Also, HP Velo bike offers
their own Lexan fairings for HP bikes. If
you ride a Sun recumbent, the “Edge” fairing
just happens to be the most affordable recumbent
fairing (at under $200) you can find.
Tailsock kits are available from Terracycles
(www.terracycle.com/parts.htm).
7. Velocity Thracian wheels (www.velocity
usa.com) and Schwalbe tires and tubes
(www.schwalbetires.com; preferably on Velocity
wheels). If you don’t care for new-fangled
“paired spoke” wheels, a custom hand-built set