From sleet to the heat and riding the Gekko fx.

Suddenly the heat is upon us.  It's supposed to reach 72 deg. F today (22 deg C).  Already.  A week ago I was still riding and hiking with wool tights.  If I ever create a universe, it will progress slowly through spring, delaying the onset of heat and humidity, which, when it's inevitable, will be limited to just a few hours in the middle of the nights in July and Aug.  Otherwise, it'll be 50s and 60s and sunny with flowers blooming.  In fact, in my universe there'll be essentially no summer, just spring, fall and winter.  The heat is more limiting than the cold, in my humble universe-creating opinion.

This weekend I'm giving a presentation about Green Getaways in my role as a bike leader with the Appalachian Mountain Club.  This has been a good chance to set down my thoughts and experiences as a cyclist in a single, tight format.  I've forgotten how much work is required when you (I) write.

Recumbent bikes...  At times (today) I really feel they are a different animal from standard frame bikes.  At least they are for me.  At least that's how I feel today.  My beater bent (Rans Rocket) aside, which I might ride anywhere to keep my legs in shape and because that seat is so comfortable, there's nothing like taking out the Grasshopper for a long ride.  For me, it's the long ride where bents come into their own.  In the city, the standard frame is simply so easy and practical (and cheap and easy to lock): there are times when you simply need to do a track stand, or turn at nearly right angles, when you just want to lock it up and not think about whether some young thug will slice up the seat, when you're feeling introverted (who me?) and don't want everyone saying "cool bike" when you go by, when you simply want to stand on the pedals and hammer.

But there are also times when you simply want to sit back and ride for hours and hours.  And that's the bent's job.  I actually feel cramped when I take it out for a short training ride in the park as opposed to the day-long trip.  Wrong tool for the job.

Also, kind of amusingly, I've been riding the trikes more than usual.  Mostly this is because of the new Gekko fx from HP Velotechnik; I've wanted to spend time getting to know it, and it's simply so much fun to ride.  I say "amusingly" because I don't see myself as a trike rider, per se.  I think of myself more as a two-wheeled guy, but I have to say, I really love the stability of the tadpole format and the way it rides like a go-cart.  When I was a pre-teen I very much wanted a go-cart.  Now I have one, or a few, that I can borrow from NYCRS.  It makes me want to put together a trike race here in NYC.  (Come on, I know you're out there; I promise to let you have the lead for the first lap.)

I think what I've enjoyed most about the trikes is using them as mountain bikes.  They're simply so incredibly stable.  You slip and slide around but you never feel like you're going to go head over heels or have the wheels slide out from under you.  The only downside has been on steep stuff where you can't shift your weight to manage how the wheels dig into the dirt.  Well...the other downside is you can't really do single track in an environmentally sensitive way; either you don't fit or you broaden the trail.

I'm finding the trike format easy to get attached to, though.  I can see why they're popular with the rail-trail, bike path and country road riders.  Oh, and yes there're the G-forces that you feel on the trike.  Nothin' quite like G-forces.

Have a great day, riders.  Looks like summer is here.

Best,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

No, I haven't disappeared. I've been walking.

One of the many magnificent views in the Taconics. Robert in blue hat. Photo by David Thornquist. Copyr. 2011.

Spring is here, and today we're having our first truly beautiful day.  The cherry trees in front of the Brooklyn Museum of Art are in full bloom; and the magnolias are in full flight in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Last weekend I was backpacking in the Taconics, the same region where I did three weekend-long bike tours last year.  The Appalachian Trail runs through this area, which includes portions of New York State, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  We were often walking from one state to another.  Interesting to see the same views, but from the tops of the mountains this time, instead of the where the roads lie -- the valleys and the facing ridge to the west.  I'm getting to know the area pretty well.  As soon as I find some good overnight locations, I'll organize a tour through there for friends and customers, maybe just one night-long to start.  If this sounds good to you, write me so I can gauge interest.

left to right: Nora, Lewis, Robert (Me), Maria, Michael
Photo by David Thornquist Copyr. 2011.

Everywhere we walked there was still a good deal of snow.  Not a lot of flowers (none).  The first night we camped on a ski mountain, with snow all around us in the groomed areas.  I used crampons-lite to hike up to the campsite.  As for the high points and peaks on the trail, just a few days earlier we would have needed traction devices, if not crampons, but there was enough clear rock that we made it with boots.  The nice thing about early spring hiking is that you get views that'll later be blocked once the leaves appear.  Of course, you also get rain and the possibilities of snow showers. (By the way, the roads were clear.)

This Sat. is the first "spring" Grant's Tomb ride.  Recumbent riders have been hiding this winter.  And now, I wonder if everyone is feeling too weak to ride.  Haven't received a single RSVP.  Last year, we rode all winter long.  I've missed that this year.

I have a case of Caldera Cone Keg-F's to get rid of.  $60 each.  These are cool little one-person cooking systems consisting of a pot made from a Foster's can and an alcohol stove (or esbit, your choice).  They weigh almost nothing.  Perfect for bike camping and hiking.  (I have a two new Gekko fx's to get rid of too.  Call me.)

Time to ride.  Where is everybody?  Hiking?!

Best,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson

Trikes

Trikes are more popular in non-urban regions of the country than they seem to be in New York/DC/Boston/Philly, but they certainly do have their following.  It's been cool to see more trike customers visiting, in addition to the 2-wheel crowd.

I have a HP Velotechnik Gekko fx demo model in stock.  I received and built it several weeks ago, but only got to ride it myself for the first time last weekend.  OK...OK...once again, HP Velotechnik blows off the lid.  It's a great machine.  Every time I receive a new HP Velo, I just want to retire and spend all my time touring on whatever they just sent me.  While the Gekko fx lacks the exceptionally fine handling of the Scorpion fs, it's no slouch, with a tight turning radius, a high seating position -- seat height is 13" -- so you don't feel invisible on the roads, and the usual HP Velo stability.  And of course it goes as fast as you want to peddle.  To make up for the lack of full suspension, we built this one up with Schwalbe Marathon Big Apple tires and they really give a great ride -- both that air cushioning and the amazing grip.  SRAM/Avid have improved their disc brakes as well, so the BB5's aren't bad.  Don't overlook them.

A second Gekko fx will arrive at the end of April.  Otherwise, new German-built machines are taking about 8 weeks to arrive in New York due to demand and manufacturing backlog.  As for the Scorpion line-up, they are being built much more quickly, with delivery in as little as three weeks (though that can change).  The USA Gekko fx's, with the slightly lower spec, are slated to be offered in June, but no exact date has been set.

All this to say, if you want your trike sooner rather than later, consider buying a Scorpion.  They aren't that much more expensive than the Gekkos and, like all HP Velotechniks, they're worth every penny.  Better yet, for day-riders, tourers and commuters, they use the traditional HPV rack designs.  However, if you need the tight, fast fold (and what city-dweller does not), the Gekko fx remains your machine; you'll simply need to wait for it.

Best,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2011 Robert Matson