Hi, just wanted to say hello.  I recently purchased an EZ3.  I absolutely love
it.  I looked at the
tadpole and drove a few (loved them too) but I usually ride with my 4 year old
and I really
wanted to feel like I was seen in traffic and be at the same level as her.

Anyway - being that 'bents are new to me, I am always searching for more
information.  If
anyone has any good info on underseat racks for EZ 3 - let me know.
Thanks
L

A new group for the Actionbent Recumbent Enthusiasts / Owners. AB2 at
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Actionbent2/ A Spam Free group.
We are proud to provide our membership with access to this online
Recumbent Community, giving you the opportunity to find information,
share ideas, and make new friends throughout the country.
This is a place to come and talk about your recumbent and for those
who are researching Ownership of an Actionbent Recumbent.
It will cost you NOTHING to join as the membership is FREE. Although
not required, we do hope that you will interact with the group when
you can. We hope you will find our Group both useful and fun. This
forum is not an attempt to replace any of the established forums or
groups.

http://www.bacchettabikes.com/buzz/events/rally.htm
Bacchetta Event

St Petersburg Florida

Day 1: Friday, 03/02/07

Friday Night Shindig at Bicycle Outfitters in Seminole, FL. Enjoy a
relaxing evening in one of the Southeast's Premier Bicycle Shops
located right on the Pinellas Trail!

Location:
Bicycle Outfitters
11198 70th Ave North.
Seminole, FL 33772
tel. 727-319-BIKE (2453)
Time: Begins at 6:00pm


Day 2: Saturday, 03/03/07

Location: Fort DeSoto Park

Registration: Begins at 8:30am

Saturday Ride: Begins at 9:30am. A Ride through beautiful Fort DeSoto
park (voted America's Best Beach!) along the beaches of South Pinellas.

Ride Options: We will have ride options of varying distances from 15
up to 40 miles. The rides will also vary from casual to intense so
everyone can choose a ride that meets their comfort and skill level.

Lunch: Catered barbecue picnic provided

Extra Activities: Canoe/ kayak rentals available
Bacchetta will provide test rides of new bikes
Self-guided afternoon ride. Power On Cycling, and Bicycle Outfitters
will be there! Door Prizes provided

Clinics: Performance Clinic, Q & A Session; New Rider Overview

6:00PM. Meet fellow riders for a great sunset on the roof of the
famous Hurricane Restaurant on Beautiful Pass-a-Grille Beach.


Day 3: Sunday, 03/04/07

Optional Ride along the Pinellas Trail or the Suncoast Trail. The
Rides will leave from Bacchetta Headquarters on Sunday morning -
Trailer available. Space is limited. More info coming.


REGISTRATION

Online registration available through our website.
Printable registration form also available. See links below.

$25 per person

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE REGISTRATION FORM

CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE REGISTRATION & PAYMENT


WHAT'S INCLUDED

* Guided rides with rest stops and snacks along the way
* Catered barbecue lunch on Saturday
* Performance Clinic (see description below)
* Q & A Session with Bacchetta Owners (see description below)
* Goodie Bag…. Includes t-shirt, snacks, and $10 voucher towards the
purchase of Bacchetta accessories and apparel: bags, racks, jerseys,
and hats.
* Take a sneak peek at the new Bacchetta models and new stuff in the
works!


CLINICS

PERFORMANCE CLINIC with John Schlitter
John was a team member on the 3rd Place finisher in the 2005 Race
Across America. John also won the Bike Across Florida and set the
course record! Talk with him about his diet, training methods, and
cycling techniques. Learn pointers that will help you before and
during your next cycling event.

Q & A SESSION with Bacchetta Owners
Learn from the gurus themselves! Discussions will include design
philosophy, aerodynamics, components, and how to get the maximum
performance out of your bike.

New Rider Session - Intro to Recumbents
Bacchetta Sales Leader, Mike Wilkerson, will host an introductory
session for new riders providing a historical overview of Recumbents,
the features and functions of the bike and benefits of the laid back
riding style.


INFORMATION

* All bicyclists are welcome! Although this rally is focused on
recumbents, all cyclists and all bicycles are welcome to join in the fun.
* Both Saturday and Sunday rides offer easy-to-cycle flat ground along
chosen bike trails and city streets with bike lanes.
* The average temperature for Florida in March is a high of 77
degrees. While the weather is usually pleasant in Florida, you should
bring winter riding clothes in the event that cooler than normal
temperatures occur.
* Listed fees are per person; Registration is required for all
participants.
* Registration includes one lunch meal and all clinics, Saturday 03/04.
* We do not carry accident or health insurance and we ask that you
sign a waiver of liability. This waiver will be included in your
participant packet after we've received your registration form and fee.
* All riders will be required to wear helmets at all times.
* Confirmation will be mailed within 14 days of receipt of payment.
Required release forms, airport shuttle information, recumbent
shipping tips, detailed itinerary, and driving directions are mailed
out 30 days before rally.
* Cancellation Policy: Cancellation notice must be received by
February 16th. No refunds are provided within the final 20 days prior
to the rally date.
* Event descriptions and itinerary are subject to change.


HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS


To find a hotel in the area, please try the following link from the
official website of Pinellas County:

* http://www.floridasbeach.com/lodging/Hsearch.aspx
* www.sirata.com, Sirata at St. Pete Beach. We have a block of 20
rooms at $179/night.
* www.hiexpress.com/stpete, The Holiday Inn Express, 54th Ave. North,
St. Pete. We have a block of 20 rooms at $105.99/night.

The Saturday starting point is in Fort DeSoto Park (located in south
Pinellas County near Tierre Verde or St. Petersburg Beach) and the
Sunday starting point is in downtown St. Petersburg.


CAMPING INFORMATION

Fort DeSoto Park has a great campground available for about $28/
night! Check out the following links for more information:

* http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm
* http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/campinfo.pdf
* Virtual Tour Available

KOA Campground in St. Petersburg (about 2 minutes away from Bacchetta
Headquarters) is located right on Tampa Bay and backs directly up to
the Pinellas Trail. This campground offers 3 Jacuzzis and a heated
pool. Rates are $42/ night for camping. Cabins are also available. For
more information, visit their site: www.koa.com/where/fl/09144/localarea/


VIRTUAL TOURS

Check out these virtual tours!

* Fort DeSoto Campground
* Fort DeSoto Beach
* Pinellas Trail at Dunedin
* Honeymoon Island Trail Spur


HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CALL US!

Please feel free to call us if you would like more information about
the Suncoast Recumbent Rally.

(727) 498-4600
Email: info@...

Fastback makes holders for seat mounting of bladders.
http://www.fastbacksystem.com/

I use the fastback 3.0 on my greenspeed gtr, along with the added bottle
holders.

Walt

I'm looking for ideas on how to hang a 100 ounce CamelBack-type water
bladder on my '06 Rans Stratus XP. I use a rear rack. The rack butts
right up to the rear seat stays. The only thing I can think of is to
move my rack several (like 4 or 5) inches rearward and hang an
insulated bladder off the back of the seat between the rear seat
stays. That's not the roomiest arrangement that I could imagine, but
the rack and seat stays seem to restrict my options. I also wish to
have a good 1" layer of insulation around my bladder.

Ideas? Pictures of solutions? Thanks.

Terry Farrell
Tampa, Florida

Walt-
I agree!  After finding the comfort and beauty of bents, I wanted to ride and
ride.  Started
reading various touring journals, and especially Neil Gunton's
CrazyGuyOnABike.com's
site.  One day, there I was, going across this great country, adding to my own
journal.
Reading about other cyclist's experiences can educate, motivate, and be just
damn
entertaining.

For touring, everyone should also check out Adventure Cycling Assoc, and the
many
resources they provide.  I couldn't have made it without their maps.

Bill
2004 TransAmerica Trail
Bacchetta Strada
Rans Screamer

--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, Walter Knapp <wwknapp@...> wrote:
>
> Posted by: "Ric" Bikerric@...
>
> > I thought it would be a good idea to have the group listed on Bike Journal.
> > I really don't know how many members of USA log there rides but it's there
> > if they choose to use it.
>
> If you are more interested in long distance touring and would like a
> place to post journals of your tours then take a look at:
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
> For long distance touring it's a excellent site. It's set up so you can
> post your journal as you tour if you wish. Nothing like following along
> day to day on someone's long tour. Much more interesting than just raw
> stats.
>
> I ride a Greenspeed GTR, here's a few of my favorite trike journals:
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1182&v=fh
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=430&v=18t
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=998&v=2h2
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=611&v=0
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1411&v=3x
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1473&v=2h
>
> The only trouble with this site is that you may find yourself one day
> out on your own long tour not sure exactly what happened.
>
> Walt

Posted by: "Ric" Bikerric@...

> I thought it would be a good idea to have the group listed on Bike Journal.
> I really don’t know how many members of USA log there rides but it’s there
> if they choose to use it.

If you are more interested in long distance touring and would like a
place to post journals of your tours then take a look at:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
For long distance touring it's a excellent site. It's set up so you can
post your journal as you tour if you wish. Nothing like following along
day to day on someone's long tour. Much more interesting than just raw
stats.

I ride a Greenspeed GTR, here's a few of my favorite trike journals:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1182&v=fh
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=430&v=18t
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=998&v=2h2
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=611&v=0
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1411&v=3x
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=lt&doc_id=1473&v=2h

The only trouble with this site is that you may find yourself one day
out on your own long tour not sure exactly what happened.

Walt

I'm a tailight junkie. I don't want to become road pizza. I ride a
Rans Stratus XP. If interested, use the link below to see a few photos
of my rear lights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20361174@N00/

If you are really gung-ho, I even have a couple short movies of the
lights flashing - although it really doesn't show much more, nor does
it do it justice (email me privately - terry@...) - only
seeing it from behind in real life does it blow your socks off!

Email me privately if you want specific details - my system includes a
separate 16V Li-Ion recharable main power source, voltage converters,
etc. My lights ALWAYS operate at FULL brightness!

Terry Farrell
Tampa, Florida
terry@...

I use BikeJournal and love it.
I will be join the USARecumbent BJ Clube listing. If you have not
looked at it, do so. I am a non-paying member and may have to pay up
but it is worth it. The nice thing is that you can try it out over the
summer as I did and See if it is what you expect.
Bents Rock
--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, "Ric" <Bikerric@...> wrote:
>
> Hi guys,
>
> Some of the members of theother groups I'm involved with have been
using
> www.bikejournal.com tolog our miles as individuals and also as a club.
> This is a fun way tokeep track of our miles and compare ourselves with
> other members of ourGroup/Club. It is also a good  "motivator"
>
> So.... I added USARecumbents to www.bikejournal.com. If you would like
> to use bikejournal, you can link your membership to this club and let
> the sitekeep track of your statistics.
>
> If you haven't checked outbikejournal, go ahead and give them
a "visit".
> I think many of you willfind this site to be neat and very useful.
>

I ran across this artical supporting your findings yesterday. I used
to think smaller and harder was better but after riding a greenspeed
tandem trike for a couple of years have changed my mind.

http://www.rivbike.com/node/18

Lee

--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, "Terry Farrell" <mfarrel2@...>
wrote:
>
> I ride a 2006 Rans Stratus XP with dual 26" Velocity wheels and
> Schwalbe 559-28 (26" x 1.1") tires. I also have a set of the same
> Velocity wheels (same rims and hubs, but fewer spokes) in the 650
> size from my Bachetta that have Continental Ultra Gatorskins 571-23
> (650 x 23 cm) on them.
>
> I was curious if the 650 wheels with their thinner tires might have
> less rolling resistance than my 26-inchers. So I roll-tested both
> sets of wheels/tires. There is a hill near my home with a
relatively
> steep initial slope and then levels off to a steady shallow slope.
I
> started each run from a dead stop, accelerating by gravity alone. I
> noted the time elapsed at the bottom of the hill, 1.05 miles from
> the start. I did 3 runs with each wheel/tire combo. Top speed was
> 23.0 to 23.5 mph and the runs ended at around 12 mph.
>
> The only variable I could not control was wind. I had a very slight
> tail wind of about 3 mph - and it seemed fairly consistent -
perhaps
> a little more tail wind with the 650 runs - there were a few flags
> with some movement, but when I tested with the 26" wheels, the
flags
> were completely limp - so I may have had a tad more tailwind during
> the 650 tests.
>
> Below are the tabulated results:
>
> 571-23
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
>    1.05    254    14.88
>    1.05    253    14.94
>    1.05    246    15.37
>    1.05    251    15.06  Average
>
> 559 - 28
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
>    1.05    243    15.56
>    1.05    258    14.65
>    1.05    251    15.06
>    1.05    251    15.08  Average
>
> If these numbers are to be believed as meaningful, it would seem
the
> two sets of wheels/tires have approximately the same rolling
> resistance. Both types of tires were pumped up to between 120 and
> 125 psi. Perhaps it is true what they say about fatter tires at the
> same pressure have lower rolling resistance than thinner ones.
>
> The wider tires have a noticeable smoother ride. I think I'll be
> keeping the 559s on rather than going to the 650s.
>
> Hope this is of interest to someone.
>
> Terry Farrell
> Tampa, Florida
> 80 degrees & sunny today!
>

----- Original Message -----

From: fred_dot_u

To: usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 1:47 PM

Subject: [usarecumbents] Re: Tire Rolling Resistance 23 cm vs. 28 cm

I've been seeing a lot about this sort of thing in the last couple of
years. The biggest argument in favor of thin tires is supposedly reduced
air drag, but...

With every tire at a given pressure and a specific weight, the contact
patch is the same in area. That is to say, if you are particularly slim
and ride a light bike and have 100 psi tires and the weight distribution
is exactly 50-50, each tire will have one half of one square inch in
contact with the ground. That's using a gross weight of 100 pounds.
I've seen vehicle scales that use exactly this technology.

The difference between a 23mm tire and a 28mm tire, and that of even
larger sizes, is the shape of that contact patch. On the skinny tire,
the patch is ovalized in the direction of travel, while the fatter tire
has an oval with the major axis perpendicular to travel. What this means
is that the tire must deflect more in the skinny tire as it rotates,
eating up energy in the process.

That's how I've been reading it, almost verbatim.

By the way, how do you get 23 cm tires to fit on a frame? That's almost
ten inches wide, isn't it? (big grin) I have seen tires that wide for a
specially constructed recumbent, for use in the desert sands and like
terrain.

fred
--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, "Terry Farrell" <mfarrel2@...>
wrote:
>
> I ride a 2006 Rans Stratus XP with dual 26" Velocity wheels and
> Schwalbe 559-28 (26" x 1.1") tires. I also have a set of the same
> Velocity wheels (same rims and hubs, but fewer spokes) in the 650
> size from my Bachetta that have Continental Ultra Gatorskins 571-23
> (650 x 23 cm) on them.
>
> I was curious if the 650 wheels with their thinner tires might have
> less rolling resistance than my 26-inchers. So I roll-tested both
> sets of wheels/tires. There is a hill near my home with a relatively
> steep initial slope and then levels off to a steady shallow slope. I
> started each run from a dead stop, accelerating by gravity alone. I
> noted the time elapsed at the bottom of the hill, 1.05 miles from
> the start. I did 3 runs with each wheel/tire combo. Top speed was
> 23.0 to 23.5 mph and the runs ended at around 12 mph.
>
> The only variable I could not control was wind. I had a very slight
> tail wind of about 3 mph - and it seemed fairly consistent - perhaps
> a little more tail wind with the 650 runs - there were a few flags
> with some movement, but when I tested with the 26" wheels, the flags
> were completely limp - so I may have had a tad more tailwind during
> the 650 tests.
>
> Below are the tabulated results:
>
> 571-23
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
> 1.05 254 14.88
> 1.05 253 14.94
> 1.05 246 15.37
> 1.05 251 15.06 Average
>
> 559 - 28
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
> 1.05 243 15.56
> 1.05 258 14.65
> 1.05 251 15.06
> 1.05 251 15.08 Average
>
> If these numbers are to be believed as meaningful, it would seem the
> two sets of wheels/tires have approximately the same rolling
> resistance. Both types of tires were pumped up to between 120 and
> 125 psi. Perhaps it is true what they say about fatter tires at the
> same pressure have lower rolling resistance than thinner ones.
>
> The wider tires have a noticeable smoother ride. I think I'll be
> keeping the 559s on rather than going to the 650s.
>
> Hope this is of interest to someone.
>
> Terry Farrell
> Tampa, Florida
> 80 degrees & sunny today!
>

I've been seeing a lot about this sort of thing in the last couple of
years. The biggest argument in favor of thin tires is supposedly reduced
air drag, but...

With every tire at a given pressure and a specific weight, the contact
patch is the same in area.  That is to say, if you are particularly slim
and ride a light bike and have 100 psi tires and the weight distribution
is exactly 50-50, each tire will have one half of one square inch in
contact with the ground. That's using a gross weight of 100 pounds.
I've seen vehicle scales that use exactly this technology.

The difference between a 23mm tire and a 28mm tire, and that of even
larger sizes, is the shape of that contact patch. On the skinny tire,
the patch is ovalized in the direction of travel, while the fatter tire
has an oval with the major axis perpendicular to travel. What this means
is that the tire must deflect more in the skinny tire as it rotates,
eating up energy in the process.

That's how I've been reading it, almost verbatim.

By the way, how do you get 23 cm tires to fit on a frame?  That's almost
ten inches wide, isn't it? (big grin)  I have seen tires that wide for a
specially constructed recumbent, for use in the desert sands and like
terrain.

fred
--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, "Terry Farrell" <mfarrel2@...>
wrote:
>
> I ride a 2006 Rans Stratus XP with dual 26" Velocity wheels and
> Schwalbe 559-28 (26" x 1.1") tires. I also have a set of the same
> Velocity wheels (same rims and hubs, but fewer spokes) in the 650
> size from my Bachetta that have Continental Ultra Gatorskins 571-23
> (650 x 23 cm) on them.
>
> I was curious if the 650 wheels with their thinner tires might have
> less rolling resistance than my 26-inchers. So I roll-tested both
> sets of wheels/tires. There is a hill near my home with a relatively
> steep initial slope and then levels off to a steady shallow slope. I
> started each run from a dead stop, accelerating by gravity alone. I
> noted the time elapsed at the bottom of the hill, 1.05 miles from
> the start. I did 3 runs with each wheel/tire combo. Top speed was
> 23.0 to 23.5 mph and the runs ended at around 12 mph.
>
> The only variable I could not control was wind. I had a very slight
> tail wind of about 3 mph - and it seemed fairly consistent - perhaps
> a little more tail wind with the 650 runs - there were a few flags
> with some movement, but when I tested with the 26" wheels, the flags
> were completely limp - so I may have had a tad more tailwind during
> the 650 tests.
>
> Below are the tabulated results:
>
> 571-23
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
> 1.05 254 14.88
> 1.05 253 14.94
> 1.05 246 15.37
> 1.05 251 15.06 Average
>
> 559 - 28
> Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
> 1.05 243 15.56
> 1.05 258 14.65
> 1.05 251 15.06
> 1.05 251 15.08 Average
>
> If these numbers are to be believed as meaningful, it would seem the
> two sets of wheels/tires have approximately the same rolling
> resistance. Both types of tires were pumped up to between 120 and
> 125 psi. Perhaps it is true what they say about fatter tires at the
> same pressure have lower rolling resistance than thinner ones.
>
> The wider tires have a noticeable smoother ride. I think I'll be
> keeping the 559s on rather than going to the 650s.
>
> Hope this is of interest to someone.
>
> Terry Farrell
> Tampa, Florida
> 80 degrees & sunny today!
>

I ride a 2006 Rans Stratus XP with dual 26" Velocity wheels and
Schwalbe 559-28 (26" x 1.1") tires. I also have a set of the same
Velocity wheels (same rims and hubs, but fewer spokes) in the 650
size from my Bachetta that have Continental Ultra Gatorskins 571-23
(650 x 23 cm) on them.

I was curious if the 650 wheels with their thinner tires might have
less rolling resistance than my 26-inchers. So I roll-tested both
sets of wheels/tires. There is a hill near my home with a relatively
steep initial slope and then levels off to a steady shallow slope. I
started each run from a dead stop, accelerating by gravity alone. I
noted the time elapsed at the bottom of the hill, 1.05 miles from
the start. I did 3 runs with each wheel/tire combo. Top speed was
23.0 to 23.5 mph and the runs ended at around 12 mph.

The only variable I could not control was wind. I had a very slight
tail wind of about 3 mph - and it seemed fairly consistent - perhaps
a little more tail wind with the 650 runs - there were a few flags
with some movement, but when I tested with the 26" wheels, the flags
were completely limp - so I may have had a tad more tailwind during
the 650 tests.

Below are the tabulated results:

571-23
Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
    1.05    254    14.88
    1.05    253    14.94
    1.05    246    15.37
    1.05    251    15.06  Average

559 - 28
Distance Seconds Ave.Spd.
    1.05    243    15.56
    1.05    258    14.65
    1.05    251    15.06
    1.05    251    15.08  Average

If these numbers are to be believed as meaningful, it would seem the
two sets of wheels/tires have approximately the same rolling
resistance. Both types of tires were pumped up to between 120 and
125 psi. Perhaps it is true what they say about fatter tires at the
same pressure have lower rolling resistance than thinner ones.

The wider tires have a noticeable smoother ride. I think I'll be
keeping the 559s on rather than going to the 650s.

Hope this is of interest to someone.

Terry Farrell
Tampa, Florida
80 degrees & sunny today!

And perhaps an error of omission on my part by not clearly stating
which dimension I was referring to. I've seen it both ways. The
Velocity rim web site has a page with rim dimensions - all widths
indicated are outside widths:
http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=564

So yeah, it sure can be confusing. Thanks for your input.

Terry Farrell
Tampa, Florida

--- In usarecumbents@yahoogroups.com, "Tom" <shamansdream@...> wrote:
>
> My error... I was thinking you were talking an inside width of
> 19mm.  Never known anyone to refer to a rim width by the outside
> dimension.