Blue Hurricane

[squeaker]

Good job my garage is full - this looks lovely

(I may be biased, but Challenge 'bents look 'right' to me.)

[Si]

Good job my garage is full ...and it's over 100 miles away...I've a yearning to return to the dark side that I'm trying to fight!

[[XAP]Bob]

It is rather pretty...

[OldBloke]

I have a 2005 Hurricane in white and say that it is a well made bike. I haven't had it long and am still learning to ride it. Price seems to me to be pretty reasonable.

OB

[squeaker]

I have a 2005 Hurricane in white and say that it is a well made bike. I haven't had it long and am still learning to ride it. Price seems to me to be pretty reasonable.

That's where I was coming from too (a new Mistral was my first 'bent): not just the colour coordination

[UpWrong]

Good job my garage is full - this looks lovely

(I may be biased, but Challenge 'bents look 'right' to me.)

I have to agree with you. It's almost criminal that the brand remains in limbo after all these years (4, maybe 5?). It was the largest Dutch manufacturer of bents and had innovative design and manufacturing. I wonder what the factory is doing and now and whether they still have the capability to produce these works of art.

[AlanTimber]

Their facebook site has had posts on it as recently as February this year so I think they are still in business.

[pjclinch]

When my missus was after a 'bent we went over to NL and tried out a load. One was a Mistral, and aside from showing just how much better Maggies were than V-brakes I have to say I found that bike a completely average sized pile of meh.

That's not to say it was (smart blue paint job notwithstanding) objectively beige, but I think it illustrates that with 'bents it's dangerous to assume what will work without trying it out.

(That trip to NL ended up with a Nazca Fiero Tour being ordered, a bike which had been rejected "on paper" as impractical in advance of trying it "just for a quick pop around the square".)

Pete.

[UpWrong]

Their facebook site has had posts on it as recently as February this year so I think they are still in business.

Yes, but find me anybody in the UK whose been able to buy a new Challenge bike or trike in the last 3 years. The owners also own Raptobike. Ownership doesn't seem to imply much manufacturing.

EDIT: there's no evidence on the Challenge Ligfietsen Facebook page of any recent activity by the owners whatsoever

[swscotland bentrider]

I bought a Challenge Furai in 2015 via Laid-back in Edinburgh. Elan (who own Challenge) can be difficult to deal with (slow responses) but as far as I know are still functioning. Challenge are beautifully designed bikes that work but are unfinished in some areas. Someone described them as the equivalent of a kit car. Thats not far out I'd say. I do like my Furai though.

[UpWrong]

I chatted to David in 2015 and it sounded like he had given up on the brand. I suppose if you are prepared to pay the money and wait a year that's ok. Elan may be prioritising a samll local market that doesn't include the UK but the Facebook page gives no indication of any activity.