Cyclist News! - Steve Briggs

RECUMBENT CYCLIST NEWSRecumbent Cyclist News was published byBob & Marilyn Bryant from 1990-2007, 101issues. RCN was closed in December of2007 when it became no longer financiallyfeasible to publish a print newsletter.bryantrj@gmail.comBacchetta • CatrikeChallenge • HaseGeenspeed • ICEHP Velotechnik,Optima • SideWinderHase • Easy RacersKMX • LightningWizWheelz & moreRecumbent Bike Riders814-234-4636 • www.rbr.info1306 S. Atherton St.State College, PA 16801Editorial LicenseRAMBLINGS OF 100 ISSUESIt's difficult to believe that this issue marksthe 100th edition of Recumbent CyclistNews. Back in the summer of 1990, whenthe first issue was published, our oldest childwas tiny. Our kids are now 15- and 18- year oldteenagers. I was just a regular guy, married, acollege dropout, a Teamster shift worker . . .and a bicycle enthusiast.Then one day back in 1987, I wandered intomy local bike shop, Angle Lake Cyclery — runby Kelvin and Dale Clark (Dale still operatesAngle Lake; Kelvin now owns Angletech inColorado). I had owned and built-up severalurban-assault mountain bikes (with uprighthandlebars & fat slick tires) and I was lookingfor something even more comfortable andfaster. I was at Angle Lake to see the MoultonAM 14 fully-suspended small-wheel upright. Imade several trips to look at this expensive bike.Finally, Kelvin said to me, "Maybe you shouldtry a recumbent." It took some arm twisting, butabout 30 minutes I had a life-changing test ride.I have been all about recumbent bikes since thatday.I grew up in the 60s and 70s and my dadwas really into Schwinn bicycles and HarleyDavidsons. My first bike came in 1969 — inthe form of a Campus Green Schwinn Stingrayone-speed with a coaster brake. It had a greymetalflake banana seat, a drag slick and nofenders. That bike was my pride and joy andI rode the wheels off it. In 1972 I upgraded toSchwinn Varsity, same color. My dad still hashis. In 1990 I finally cruiser-ized dad's bike withupright bars. Later I got into European bikes andupgraded to Motobecane and several other dropbar sport touring bikes. My ultimate uprightwas a US Olympic team alternate racer, a ParisSport 17-pound track bike with one brake. (Iwas a bit ahead of my time.)My first recumbent was an Easy Racers TourEasy that I ordered from the late Gardner Martin.It was my chopper-roots that made this theonly recumbent I could buy.About this time I started writing a columncalled "Recumbent Ramblings" for the InternationalHuman Powered Vehicle Association's(IHPVA) HPV News. My column includednews and rumors from the fledgling recumbentindustry. It wasn't very long until manufacturerswanted me to start testing their bikes.I parted ways with the IHPVA in 1990. I hadan idea for a recumbent newsletter. With $50,and the mailing list from the (then) defunctNorthwest HPV group — RCN was started.Shortly thereafter that I met Dick Ryan of RyanRecumbents. Dick had started the Recumbentby Bob Bryant, PublisherBicycle Club of America (RBCA) and neededa newsletter. We supplied RCN to RBCA membersfor a few years, but the club never reallygelled. Dick needed to grow his business and Ineeded to make RCN profitable and the RBCAsadly faded away.Because RCN wasn't profitable, and we werea young struggling family trying to make endsmeet, I started selling recumbents. MillenniumRecumbent Cyclist was the first catalogrecumbent specialist — and we were undoubtedlythe catalyst for shops like People Movers,Angletech, Zach Kaplan Cycles and The HostelShoppe. At one time we had 16 test bikes in ourgarage in Kent, WA. We sold bikes by appointment,during the day after I got home from myall night shift at the newspaper. I managed towrite RCN in my spare time.RCN was done on a $100 Panasonic type-Continued on page 16Recumbent Specialistfor over 10 yearsModels from:• Easy Racers• Burley• Bacchetta• Sun• RANS• WizWheelz• Cycle Genius• Lightning• Catrike• GreenspeedOver 30 different models in stock!12011 Manchester RoadSt. Louis, Missouri 63131Tel. 314-965-1444www.bikecenterstl.com- 2 -