Review posted to the HPV list, Tue, 07 Jun 1994 07:21:55 -0700

feet first. paul

Paul Atwood
BikeE Corp, 5460 SW Philomath Blvd, Corvallis OR 97333
(503) 753-9747

Almost a year ago I bought a BikeE recumbent, being plagued by aging-body- syndrome and feeling the need for a bike that was nice to all my joints,... neck, elbows, you-name-it. So, ever since I bought my BikeE I've been pretending it was a mountain bike, taking it up all sorts of outrageous hills (and down, too).

It was a great start for a great bike. Today, though, I got a chance to try BikeE 94, the next model. The guys down at the shop apparently took some of my previous comments seriously. This recumbent is almost a true mountain bike.

One of the big challenges with any recumbent is to provide a wide range of gearing without throwing the rear derailleur all over the map and without having to deal with a lot of chain slop in the long wheel base. Well, enter a high-performance rear hub with internal three-speed. Couple that with a standard rear cluster and you have solved the problem. One chain ring is all that's needed and you've got a range from 23 to 108 gear-inches. That is serious climbing capability, while retaining the fast high end.

I cruised up the hill in almost the same time that it takes me on my mountain bike. The BikeE was harder up the hills, but my mountain bike gears down to 19.5 gear inches, just enough to ease the pain a bit. I had gone up this same hill on my old BikeE and it took half again as long. I also had to stop and rest through some of the steeper pitches with my old model, but not this one. I could still stand to have a slightly lower gearing on this new version. But this setup allowed me to do most of the climbing I would ordinarily do and clearly provides the basic structure to gear it any way you want..

At the top of the hill, I ported the BikeE through the trees to connect up with an old logging road for some primitive back-country downhill. Much to my surprise, I discovered that someone had recently re-opened one of my favorite single-tracks, one that had been chopped at the top due to some recent logging. The new approach carved a nice steep little set of switchbacks down the hill and into the main track. The BikeE handled these technical curves with no problem at all.

I did have to remind myself that body-english on a recumbent is different than on a mountain bike, but it can be done. Lean forward, get your back off the seat and remember to lean your body, not the bike. The wheel base of this new BikeE is shorter than last year, almost as short as my mountain bike. I was able to handle all the corners with no problem.

The angle on the headset is about five degrees steeper than last year, placing the handle-bar a bit further away from the body. This change is great for easier body-english and cornering. It is also great for climbing, allowing an easier lean forward and providing a sturdy handle to pull on.

The real benefit of the new configuration on the headset, however, comes in the fast downhill. The new BikeE provides improved stability on loose gravel, an essential ingredient for the steep logging roads in the Northwest. I came down the hill in about the same time as I do on my mountain bike (sssshhhh, don't tell!). Even with an occasional two-wheel drift, I was able to maintain control and keep truckin' down the hill.

Have you ever ridden over a cliff on an easy chair? That's the way I felt when I flew my old BikeE down one of the steepest single-tracks I know. There is no thought of cruising over the handle-bars, but it is still very challenging and takes a lot of finesse.

So, what don't I like? Well, there is no getting up on the pedals for that extra boost, or to avoid the big bump. And, jumping logs is sort of a problem.

But, that just goes with the territory of recumbents. I did discover with my own BikeE, however, that over really rough terrain, I tend to push up against the back, which lifts my butt off the seat and provides some shock absorption. The new BikeE is truly breaking the mold for innovative mountain biking.

Well, what's next? I've been hearing talk of rear suspension. Suspension, as you know, is just a great excuse to absorb the same bumps as before, but at about twice the speed. Do ya suppose that means serious air?

Email to: BikeEvol@aol.com