Recumbent Cycle Convention: Day 1, morning

Brief notes:


Arrived yesterday, Thursday, in St. Charles, IL (W of Chicago).


Had dinner with Cruzbike team.  Met new teammates Robert Holler and Lucia Parker and Jonathan (last name?) from Coventry Cycle Works.  Nice, smart people.  Talked about new current bikes, new fantasy bikes, discontinued models.  I'm going to keep mum on that point and leave it to CB to announce these.  (If they were to go with one of my ideas for a fantasy bike though, fans of CB would flip out.  I'll say no more.  We'll just have to see what happens.)


OK, about that new Red Vendetta that suddenly appeared on the CB website the day before yesterday.  I'm told that Tolhurst believes the new model has a stiffer front end than the previous V and is a POUND LIGHTER than the old model.  The front end is definitely more adjustable.  Personally, I liked the old Vendetta and the fact that the rider had a customized fit.  This is appropriate for a race bike.  But a more adjustable front end means riders can experiment more with their riding position as they get used to the bike.  Also, in truth, it makes the bike more sellable, both for me as a dealer, but also for the "used" market.  It's an interesting move.  I think it will be a hot item.


The new Silvio.  The seat angle remains 27 degrees.  The "S30" means seat=30 degrees, but it's really 27 deg.  I predict great things from this model.  I've already sold a significant number, so I anticipate this run will sell out very quickly.


This morning, Friday, we had the traditional Cruzbike Death March.  I don't know why, but it seems the term "death" really turns people off from showing up in the hotel lobby at 5:30am for a 3-mi. jog to the pool, an hour swim, a soak in the hot tub or sauna, and then breakfast.


Still, 4 of us were there.  Plans for tomorrow's Death March are forming, but we'd like to do a ride.  We're still honing in on the route, but, this year, I brought pedals and bike shoes in case we go far and fast.   By the way, in person Maria is very nice, quick to laugh, serious, energetic.  There must be something about a race that brings out her competitive side.  Or else, she's just competing at a whole different level than most of us.  It reminds me of when I've worked with other world class athletes like at the NYC Marathon, or pro open water swim competitions, or the English Channel-league swimmers (through CIBBOWS); there's an easy-goingness that they carry in their ordinary life that disappears -- surely it must disappear -- entirely in a competion.


I'll try and post more news later today or tomorrow.

Ride,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

Packing an HP Velotechnik Street Machine in a bike box

Street Machine Gte ready for re-assembly. Photo: M. Hopkins

Matthew Hopkins is in the midst of a 30,000 cycling odyssey on the Pan American Highway from Alaska to Argentina.  He dropped through New York City last week.  I asked him if he'd mind taking a couple photos and sending me his notes about how he packed his HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte for travel on Amtrak.

I was particularly interested in his methods because, besides being an expedition rider, he also has 20 years' experience as a shop mechanic.  I was curious to see how extensively he took apart his bike, since I figured he'd be comfortable with a greater extent of assembly/disassembly compared to non-mechanic riders.  Interestingly, he chose not to take apart the bike very much.  I think many riders could pack a SMGte like this without any trouble.

HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte ready for Amtrak. Photo: M. Hopkins

Matthew writes:

The bike was packed in two boxes I salvaged from a bike shop. How you pack it depends on the boxes you receive. The larger and wider the better. Mountain bike boxes would be better but I managed to find two city bike boxes. [RM note: these are basically the boxes for packing an ordinary, cheap hybrid.]

• remove the front boom, lights, computer mount, 
• unhook the chain
• remove the front wheel
• remove the bars
• deflate the air shock [RM note: if it's a spring shock, unbolt it.]
• remove the seat

The bike will then lie more or less flat on its side and the other pieces can be laid in the spaces in between.  I have the ergomesh seat which is the most awkward thing to pack up as it is not exactly a compact design.  I had to tape half a box extra to one end to cover the end of the boom and accommodate the seat.  The sealed box was not the prettiest but protects the bike.

The Streetmachine is not an easy bike to transport. It is heavy, awkwardly shaped and I'm surprised HPV have not released a folding version.  But with the right box it can be made a little more travel friendly.

This is definitely a machine that prefers to be out of the box and on the road.

Sorry the pics are not the greatest, but the staff were hassling me to get out.

Have fun and go an unpack that bike,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

Hopkins rides an HP Velotechnik on his Pan American Odyssey

Matthew Hopkins with his cool custom blue-green Street Machine Gte. Photo credit: from Matthew's blog

Matthew Hopkins dropped by New York City Recumbent Supply the other day.  He is riding the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, a 30,000 mile odyssey, on a custom green HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte (with Rohloff).  He originally contacted me because he needed a new chain tube.  I didn't have a spare in stock, but invited Matthew for lunch as a consolation and to see if I couldn't help him brainstorm a temporary solution.

Here's Matthew's blog: http://theroadoflittlemiracles.ghost.io

When he arrived, I was wrapping up an appointment with another HP Velotechnik convert (Adam), so we all went to my favorite local source for Caribbean take-out and picked up several containers of ox tail, stewed chicken and jerk chicken.  We had a good time, enjoying the sunshine in my vegetable garden and talked about tents, wasps, water filters, friendly people and the other joys of long distance riding.  And of course we talked about recumbent bikes -- this brand, that brand, different considerations, etc.

Matthew has 20 years experience as a bike mechanic, so he knows bikes.  It turns out he owns three HP Velotechniks: the Street Machine Gte he's riding, a Grasshopper fx, and a Scorpion fx (with Rohloff).  He seems to believe the best option for a machine that will be reliable for 30,000 miles is an HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte.  And if it were me, I'd make the exact same choice.

Have fun, ride far,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2014 Robert Matson