Unsolicited testimonial

[pozorvlak]

For the last eighteen months or so, cycling has been causing me mysterious (and apparently untreatable) pain between the legs. This is very inconvenient, given that cycling is my main form of transport¹. It became especially inconvenient when I hurt my foot as well, and walking into town and back became something to be avoided. So, at my urologist'

Comments

[half_of_monty]

The Street Machine is precisely what Duncan has. It is a gorgeous thing of great joy, and he very happily commuted on it for a year. The feeling of power from able to push against your whole back (rather than simply using your weight as the counter force) is very exciting.

However, yes, you can't see over the hedges. Though of course it does depend on the hedges. And it is a bit unwieldy for town use - at least, I think so, but I don't ride it in town very frequently [Okay, I've ridden it across town once in the last few years and didn't enjoy the experience; I admit that isn't a great data point]. It's also rather heavy, which kicks in the moment you meet a hill.

Though on the other hand you can corner much better and faster and smoother when zooming down the hills.

Sorry, I really wasn't intending to pour cold water on getting one; recumbents are fantastic, more people should be aware of them and try them, yes. These are more the reasons why I continue not to bother getting one for myself, especially given I have access to one anyway.

There's a shop in London where you can try the street machine (or you could 7 years ago...) and they have various others, you should go and play. I don't know if you're London based, but if you are, and don't know the one, I could dig a little further into my memory.

[johnckirk]

(pozorvlak, sorry for hijacking your post.)

Yup, I'm London based; I currently commute on a Brompton (going part of the way by train), but I wouldn't want to use that for the whole distance (about 17 miles each way). I have a vague plan to cycle LEJOG, so it would make sense to get a new bike that I could use for that and my daily commute (possibly alternating with the Brompton). Having three bikes would be a bit excessive, particularly while I live in a 1st floor flat, although in a few years it may seem completely reasonable to me.

The two recumbent bike shops that I know of are Bikefix and London Recumbents; is that who you were thinking of?

Still, probably best if I wait until next year to try one out. Based on the prices (£2000 for Street Machine, £2800 for WindCheetah) it will take me a while to save up for one!

[half_of_monty]

Bikefix was the one. And iirc nicely positioned so you get the hang of the balance on a some side streets and then can turn onto a main road to see what you think of that concept.

Mind you, Duncan and I already both knew how to ride recumbents when we went there to play (having both learn on his PDQ. Way back when he taught me to ride that, it took about half an hour for me to get the balance, and then the rest of the afternoon for me to be certain I wouldn't crash into a hedge. So in fact, a good idea to go and play several times long before you can think of affording one and working out which one you'll think of feeling safe on a road with.

I think Duncan's commute he bought it for was about 10 miles, and it was perfect for that.