The first recumbent bikes go back to our first recumbent customer, Roger Hoffeditz’ Avatar 2000 in the late ‘70’s. On today (as the old church folk used to say) Angletech continues to represent the best of recumbent bike and trike design. Offerings from Challenge, Rans, Bacchetta, Greenspeed, ICE, Terratrike and others are found here on line, and in our Woodland Park, Colorado store. With this type of perspective, a thorough phone consult with Angletech results in a bike that truly fits every expectation.
Readers, I really do not have an opinion on these bikes one way or another. The truth is their is a market, I guess and these designs have their place within that market...Would I ride one of these? NO WAY! The thought of laying down for the most part to ride a bicycle makes me personally feel...well.lazy. Next thing you know, someone is going to come out with a Lazy Chair Recliner that looks more like a mini sofa for the rider to sit in. Riding bikes is about Freedom and Exercise along with STYLE...But being lazy while you ride isn't style at all, it is just that...LAZY!
As promised, I will periodically update a VERY popular series of posts called my 'Bicycle Design Funk Hall of Fame.' These are the designs in the last 20 or so years that have risen (aesthetically) above their peers. The criteria for entrance into this hall are;
1. They have to emotionally move me to a point that I would just grab them off the bike rack where they are being sold, take them to the check out counter and never ask the price. (I may not have enough $$$ to buy them, but they are funky so I would worry about that when it became an issue
2. The designer can not have sent these designs to me as I would view this as them promoting themselves instead of them relying on the 'General of Funk' (me) coming across them.
3. They have to be affordable to the average Joe. (If I can't find a price on them or they are prototypes they are eligible)
4. When I first lay eyes on them, the FIRST THOUGHT I must have is DAAAANNNNGGG! (I assure you, these are the only designs in the last 20 years or so to do that)
5. I WILL NOT give the name of the company or manufacturer, only the name of the design. (Sorry yall...I ain't promoting your stuff for free)
In no special order...Here we go!
Nuvinci
Come on yall...The Legendary...'Pee Wee Herman'
Velorbis
Wild Buffalo! (Great Design...Crappy name)
TAXI! (Can a brotha get a cab in this city?)
The latest edition in my ongoing Award called the Fred G. Sanford 'You Big Dummy Award.' Just a reminder concerning the criteria of this Award;
1. Not based on whether I like or dislike it, but based on asking the question "Why would the rider even like that?"
2. Screams "The rider or designer wasn't trying to be creative, but just had nothing better to do."
3. Doesn't elicit a response of "Wow" but rather "Come on man, have some dignity."
Once again I ran across this design that is, well...JUST DUMB! As has been my practice, this guy get's my Fred G. Sanford "You Big Dummy" Award. Listen to the Song and you will have to agree!
I ran across this ARTWORK and I must confess that it is very interesting to look at...no BIG DUMMY AWARD HERE, just weird and very creative I must say!
Felt Racing is obviously doing some BIG things! I tell yall what, I ran across some of there products in the way of beach cruisers and all I can say is the title of this post: Nice...Just flat out NICE! As someone who doesn't give a 'Hoot' about all the little gadgets and accessories on a bicycle and with a focus more on aesthetics, these are some of the cleanest designs that I have ever seen!
As I was viewing these designs, I said to myself "It is a shame designs like these can't or aren't sold in the 'Big Box Retail Stores' where 82% of the inner-city demographic purchase their bicycles." And looking at the MSRP of these bicycles, I do believe if Felt Racing partnered with a company like Pacific Cycles and all the distribution and purchasing power they have (if they haven't already) the prices could be forced down with bulk and these bicycles could be sold for between $150 and $250 in these stores.
I know that I am over simplifying the process but it just nags in my craw that the HOT bikes are in these independent dealer locations (no offense) and the hottest designs, like these never make it to the streets in big numbers because the large manufacturers settle for selling good designs instead of GREAT ONES!
Man yall, Felt Racing I know these designs have been out for a minute, but these designs are partly what I am talking about when I introduced you all to the new term of T.R.U. Bicycle Design! This ain't it, but I sure love the vision here. Whenever you think of the word NUVINCI (name of the design posted), the only thing that should come to mind is the title of this post.............MVP! MVP! MVP!
This is a design by Ellsworth...I am sorry if I seem to be stuttering, but DAAAAANNNGGGG! Mr. S.... (You know who you are..a brotha like me ain't gonna put you out there on Front Street)who emailed me and said nobody would buy this because it was an Ellsworth....Stop Hatin' the player and hate the game man! I want to challenge you to send me any of your designs from the last 20 years that are HOOOTTTTEEEER than this. OK, that's not fair to Mr S because there are very few people on the planet who can get to this level. Mr S... It doesn't have to be exactly your design, even if you collaborated on one hotter than this..... I will post them, apologize to you on my blog, take THIS FUNK BALL DOWN, and shout out the same thing about your design.............. MVP! MVP! MVP!
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