2006 Bacchetta Corsa
That's how, after test riding throughout Easter weekend, I ended up with my new Bacchetta Corsa. My
obsidian steed
. My chase [sic] lounge.Riding one of these things is very different from riding a DF bike. For one thing, you're pretty much one with the bike, whereas with a normal bike you're constantly moving the bike around under you. Another difference—a big one—is that starting out can be a challenge. You're lying on your back. The pedals are out in front of you at about the same level as your hips, so the usual technique of pushing off with one leg while throwing your weight on to the pedal with the other... just isn't happening. Starting out is a whole new level of commitment. You either succeed and pedal away, or you fall over. There's not much middle ground.
But ohhh mama, this thing's fast. (Even with me on it.) Because of the more aerodynamic positioning (i.e., the rider isn't acting as a drag chute), it takes about 20% less effort to attain the same speed as on a comparably geared, skinny-tire DF bike.
At least, that's what They tell me. I won't know for sure until I've had a chance to get the new bike set up with a computer (the digital watch equivalent of the clunky old bicycle speedometers we had back in the 1970s).
And my neck doesn't hurt.
13 comments:
That's so cool. I've never even seen/heard of one of those bikes. I'm glad you've found a solution, at least until you're better. :)
That's the solution. Unfortunately, Foo's neck isn't going to get better... only worse. He's got degerative disk disease. The disks in the spine are in pieces, leaving what is there to compress (hence the pain). I'm just so happy he's able to ride again. And he's happy once more! :)
Yeah... and I'm not going to get any prettier either. It sucks getting old, but it's better than the alternative.
Let's see:
1. Get creaky and ride a recumbent bike (which all the 'bent riders tell me is a blast)
2. Sink into the sofa and bitch.
3. Die and get eaten by worms.
I'll take what's behind door #1, Monty.
looks like a recliner on wheels! cool!
That's pretty cool!! I'm so excited for you!! It reminds me of a "chopper" without the motor.
Make sure you give us a great story about your first real ride.
Aunt Jo: Oh, it's reclined all right. One of the local riders has dubbed his the Flying LaZBoy. I told Turtle I reckoned mine was the Chase Lounge. A pun on chaise longue (or "long chair" which we Americans typically call a "chase lounge" or "lawn chair") and the fact that I'll be chasing the faster riders on traditional bikes.
Anne: Mine doesn't look as much like a chopper as some of the other designs (which remind me of one of those Hanna-Barbera Wacky Races type cartoons from the late '60s). I did test ride the chopper-like RANS Formula 26, but it felt awkward to me (too long) and just from riding around the block with those ape hanger handlebars, I could tell my arms would get tired on long rides.
Susie: No, it's not custom made, but it's pretty darned comfortable. Feels a little awkward trying to balance while basically lying on your back, but it's just something that will take a little getting used to. Aside from the fact that it doesn't hurt my neck to ride this way, the biggest benefit will be how much more I'll be able to see while I'm riding. The bag I bought to hang off the back of the seat and carry my water bladder is large enough for my camera to fit into, so I'm hoping to start coming off my longer rides with some nice pictures.
WV: zbgymsky. One of those gymnastics coaches we've imported from Czechoruvachohungamaniaslov.
After this weekend, I may have a much more profound respect for the recumbent concept -- hey, maybe you could meet me outside of La Grange and we could swap frames for awhile?
The length of that chain is pretty daunting, though. Would a front-wheel drive be too much less mechanically efficient?
Hey, Bret. Is it your MS150 coming up already this weekend? Several of our friends are living with MS, and one of the guys had a team last year. He was wanting me to join them last year (and this year), but I stink at asking people for money. Turtle rightly points out that I'd be writing a check for the minimum $250 (or whatever it's up to now), and it's just not in the budget. But I figure it's something I'll do, eventually.
I wish you the best of luck and gentle breezes.
About the long chain and front wheel drive. I'm not mechanically inclined, but I would guess that it's a matter of weight distribution and traction. With so much of the weight over the rear wheel, it would be hard to get much traction—especially on climbs—with front-wheel drive. Think Big Wheel tricycle.
This would be especially bad, as when you lost traction, you'd also lose your ability to steer.
Then, speaking of steering, you'd almost have to move your steering to the rear. Otherwise, every time you turned the front wheel a bit, you'd change the tension on chain and its line, which would probably cause it to fall off the cogs. Once you move the steering to the back (which I believe I've seen done), you're really into a more experimental design. It's reasonably intuitive going from a traditional diamond-frame bike to a recumbent bicycle, but I "suspicion" that riding (read "balancing on") a rear-steering bike could be a bit of a trick. You'd almost have to use lever steering, and the fact that rear wheel could be moving at a more lateral angle would, I think, make riding it more like flying a helicopter than driving a car.
Where I have seen front-wheel drive used successfully is on handcycles like this one, where the rider's weight is more evenly distributed, and the bottom bracket remains at a fixed distance and angle to the cogs.
Yep, it's this weekend. We'll see how it goes. 100 miles the first day, but "only" 75 on day 2 -- it's actually shortened up a bit this year b/c of a diff't approach to Austin.
I appreciate your reticence on the fundraising side (and it's $400 minimum, now), but the good/sad news is that this is a cause that a lot of folks are happy to support. I've received over $2000 in pledges/donations so far, and I know wasn't because I was so eloquent in my appeal. Here's the email I sent out to my friends and family earlier this year; you should feel free to rip any/all parts from it as you desire for future use. (Selfishly, I'm hoping one of your many readers will notice it and chip in. :-)
Friends:
Inspired by the prophet Otter in the light family comedy "Animal House," I've determined that this is indeed a situation that absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part, and I'm just the idiot to do it.
I've decided to ride in the MS150 this year, and before I gain my senses, I'd love to have enough in pledges and donations to shame me into following through. I'll be riding for two friends who are currently battling multiple sclerosis, in the hopes that a cure can be found in time for them and their loved ones.
There are a couple of ways you can give. The fast and easy way is to contribute using the following link:
http://ms150.org/ms150/donate/donate.cfm?id=181048
This is for credit card donations that will be processed (securely, I hasten to add) immediately.
If you would prefer to pledge and pay by check, you can just let me know via reply to this message, and I'll get you added to my pledge sheet and handle the collection later on.
Those of you in Austin who are receiving this, I'll be in touch -- would love to use this as an excuse to catch up with you on the other end. The event is April 22-23, and the whole family will be joining me at the finish. The odds of seeing them are infinitely better than seeing me at this point, but hopefully I'll be ready to go by April 22.
Thanks so much for your consideration, and I hope everyone's new year is off to an outstanding start.
Regards,
Bret
You could be exercising AND look cool? If you still had your mullet with some sweet cycling pants...or maybe some Armstrong yellow PJ pants! Turtle, you would have to beat the chicks off with a stick!
Hey, I vote for #2. Bitching is more fun albeit I've never been on an incumbant bike before. Or is it recumbent. Or is that redundant. And repetitive. Or maybe saying the same thing over and over?
Emma: #2 is too easy and comes too naturally. I also has very limited appeal to the people around me (who, coincidentally, often are the impetus for the bitching, but that's another issue altogether), so I try to keep it to myself and lighten up.
Besides: I like bike riding. Have since I was a kid. If this is the change I have to make to keep doing it, now that I've rediscovered it, so be it.
<random>It. I would never drive my It through a car wash, like They do on that TV commercial. Sheesh.</random>
Funny you mentioning the PJs, though. I fully expected the link you provided to point to the post I made around Christmas, where I was in my plaid PJ bottoms and showing off the new LiveStrong jersey Turtle and the kittens got me for a present.
Ouch. And after the judge assured me that all of those "misunderstandings" would be erased from my record.
Eric: So far, I've enjoyed my 'bent riding. I'll admit to still harboring some image problems, but the fact is that I don't really have a choice if I want to continue doing road distance. And it does help that people seem more interested in and friendly toward me when I'm on a recumbent.
I never was much of a hill climber, and when I did, I was more of a sit 'n' spin climber anyway. So no serious change there. What I will miss is the ability to stand and unweight the wheels over cliff face expansion joints and other bad pavement. It's not that I can't take the jolts, but I'm not sure how much abuse I can expect the tires and rims to accept.
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