Anyone selling a recumbent?

DIscuss anything relating to non-standard cycles and their equipment.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

Hi Guys

My son is suffering from increasing back problems whilst cycling (especially when towing his kiddie trailer) and is looking to move to the dark side having seen my back problems disappear when I switched to recumbents.

He's looking at the cheap-and-cheerful end of the market, with an urban bias rather than speed. I'm thinking along the lines of a BikeE, Oke-Ja, Dawes Lowrider etc. He just missed a Challenge Mistral which would also have done nicely.

I know Dtek is an option but my son is a long way away in Exeter so I'm just throwing this message out there in case anyone on this forum can be persuaded to part with an old unused machine in any condition.

Many thanks

Stradageek
belgiangoth
Posts: 1657
Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by belgiangoth »

Hi SG,
I have a HPV Speedmachine which I am happy to sell. Looking at £500, collection from Birmingham.
I don't know where your local spot would be, happy to show him about the bike (and he could have a go on my trike if he likes - though that's not for sale).
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

Hi BG

You guys on the forum are really coming up trumps, so far I've been offered Peer Gynt, a Kett and now a SM.

I have a SM myself and although I used it as my commuter bike for many years I'm not sure about my son navigating Exeter's sometimes narrow cycle path network whilst towing a 3yr old in a trailer :? My son has tried my SM and loves the comfort and sculpted seat but it may not be the best option.

As an update I have decided to lend my son my BikeE for a few weeks to try out the whole idea. I do hitch a trailer to my BikeE and have carried considerable loads on narrow cycle paths so I'm sure it will work. The main issue is whether the seat works with his back. If it doesn't the SM may be an option, so can we take a rain check (terrible Americanism, sorry) on the offer for now?

Many thanks again

Stradageek
belgiangoth
Posts: 1657
Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by belgiangoth »

No worries, let me know how he gets on.

My ad on the forum for the SPM has expired (or something) and I haven't renewed it as I will find something to do with it while I still own it, but it makes sense to sell it if the right person comes up. I have had about six chats about selling it and in all cases it wasn't the right bike for that person. I did think the SPM might not be the right option as a starter recumbent.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Greenbuilder
Posts: 163
Joined: 17 Nov 2012, 6:24pm
Location: Tamar Valley

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Greenbuilder »

you have pm
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[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Stradageek wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 12:40pm Hi BG

You guys on the forum are really coming up trumps, so far I've been offered Peer Gynt, a Kett and now a SM.

I have a SM myself and although I used it as my commuter bike for many years I'm not sure about my son navigating Exeter's sometimes narrow cycle path network whilst towing a 3yr old in a trailer :? My son has tried my SM and loves the comfort and sculpted seat but it may not be the best option.

As an update I have decided to lend my son my BikeE for a few weeks to try out the whole idea. I do hitch a trailer to my BikeE and have carried considerable loads on narrow cycle paths so I'm sure it will work. The main issue is whether the seat works with his back. If it doesn't the SM may be an option, so can we take a rain check (terrible Americanism, sorry) on the offer for now?

Many thanks again

Stradageek
Might it be possible to change the seat on the BikeE?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

[XAP]Bob wrote: 13 Jan 2022, 2:47pm Might it be possible to change the seat on the BikeE?
Interestingly, that is exactly what my son said :D . My reply was, "All things are possible but some are more difficult that others - and this looks difficult".

I wonder if anyone has done it - the internet searching begins :wink:
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[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

"this looks difficult" - that's probably enough to look for a different machine instead
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
User avatar
Tilley
Posts: 185
Joined: 19 Jun 2016, 4:54pm
Location: Nailsea

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Tilley »

As you are in Exeter have you spoken to Tom at Freetrike. I recently bought an ICE Adventure 1 from Tom and would recommend his services.
UpWrong
Posts: 2409
Joined: 31 May 2009, 12:16pm
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by UpWrong »

There's an Oke-Ja on Facebook going for a song, in York. It looks decent but I have no connection with the seller.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

Cheers Upwrong, it does look like a bargain, I'll investigate further
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

UpWrong wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 4:49pm There's an Oke-Ja on Facebook going for a song, in York. It looks decent but I have no connection with the seller.
I not only investigated further but took the long drive north today and bought said machine.

Many thanks for the tip Upwrong, this was just what I was looking for :D
UpWrong
Posts: 2409
Joined: 31 May 2009, 12:16pm
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by UpWrong »

Stradageek wrote: 30 Jan 2022, 3:53pm
UpWrong wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 4:49pm There's an Oke-Ja on Facebook going for a song, in York. It looks decent but I have no connection with the seller.
I not only investigated further but took the long drive north today and bought said machine.

Many thanks for the tip Upwrong, this was just what I was looking for :D
You're welcome. I hope it fits the bill.
a.twiddler
Posts: 347
Joined: 4 Jun 2009, 12:17am

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by a.twiddler »

I hope your son takes to this bike, and that it will lead him further into exploring the weird and wonderful world of recumbenting. It certainly has opened up a new world for me, after years of riding upright bikes. I can't recommend recumbent riding enough!
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Anyone selling a recumbent?

Post by Stradageek »

Well the Oke-Ja is now fully fettled and up and running.

It needed gearing-up as the front triple fitted gave a 16-64" range! Fitting a new triple and finding a changer that would work was challenging (the BB is in front of the headtube to which the changer must attach) but all is now working.

My impressions of fettling the bike are that it is a wonderfully elegant and amazingly simple design. It does literally fit together with nothing more than a collection of 5mm Allen bolts.

I had always imagined that the Oke-Ja was the poor cousin of the BikeE but the riding experience has further altered my view. The handling is pin-sharp (no BikeE wheel flop) the riding position is excellent and power transmission/speed seems better than the BikeE.

The cruder seat and lack of rear suspension make it marginally less comfortable than the BikeE but if my son prefers the BikeE (AT XL model) that I've lent him, I think I'll be more than happy to keep the Oke-Ja :D
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