Recumbents

Knee problems

No not me, but the new owner of my velomobile. Four days ago I received a Twitter message from a fellow recumbent rider that Velox Incendia, which I sold a month ago, was again up for sale. The following days more messages and questions gathered (via Twitter, email and the recumbent mailing list). That's why I will give this short explanation.

The new owner has a lot of problems with his knees that he decided to sell the bike. Today I received a detailed message from him in which he explains why he has to stop and sell the bike. He writes: "My knees are protesting big time and I have decided to stop cycling (unfortunately)... I really hate it. But yeah, I still have to use my knees for a couple more years."

If you are still interested in the bike you can (for as long as it hasn't been sold) go to Marktplaats (the Dutch eBay).

English Cyclists Rights

At the end of last year we (Walter Hoogerbeets and myself) launched a website to promote the Cyclists Rights. Until today there was only a Dutch version. That's why a number of people worked very hard to translate those rights into English. It turned out not to be such a easy task because the terminology for a cycle path, cycle lane et cetera is different for a foreigner compared to a Dutchmen. But we did it and today it's ready for launch, the English version is online and it's called Universal Declaration of the Cyclists Rights. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Randonneuring

Or cycling long distances, also called brevets. Think distances of 200, 300, 400, 600, 1000, 1200 or even 1400+ kilometers (like the Dutch Cities Tour). All non-stop and without support. You are totally dependant on yourself. It isn't a competition where getting there first matters, it's about finishing within a certain time limit. During the ride you help your fellow rider when he's having troubles. The end results anen't listed chronologicly, but aflphabetily. There is no winner. Each distance has it's own maximum allowed time. Below you can see a short schedule of the different distances and allowed times. As you can see riding the longer distances means riding through two or even three nights, with no to little sleep.

Nazca Fuego Top-Sport Edition for sale

The bike has been sold.

Are you going to sell another bike? Yes, but there is a good reason for that. The Nazca Fuego Top-Sport Edition was the first recumbent bike I bought some four years ago. With this bike I have had many adventures. We made our first 218 kilometer long monster ride, we attended the first Easter meeting and Autumn meeting, we went on a sailboat for a week, rode to Germany in two days (and back again with a total of 694 kilometers) and we did a one day tour of 314 kilometers around the IJsselmeer. Today there is just a bit more then 7.300 kilometers on the odometer. And that is not much. The last year and a half the bike stood in the shed most of the time. Only the last couple of days, since I've sold Velox Incendia, I've been riding it a bit more. It's being used for now, but still... I'm going to sell it. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice bike, but a velomobile is just so easy and comfortable that this bike gets to little attention. And that's a pity. That's why I want to sell it so it's new owner can take it for a ride and somebody else can enjoy the pleasure of riding a recumbent.

Review Sinner velomobile hood

Two weeks ago, during Cycle Vision, I got my hands on the Sinner velomobile hood which I could try out for a week and a half (just before I sold my bike). Now I'll try to write my personal meaning about the hood. Partly about a velomobile hood in general and sometimes about the Sinner hood itself. You also have a race/tour hood from velomobielonderdelen.nl. But I didn't have the chance to test that.

Fido is gone!

Yesterday afternoon it was time, I had to say goodby to Fido (the Dutch nickname for a dog, a small fire and for my flaming velomobile called Velox Incendia). Fortunately he went to a familiar environment. The new owner (Fred de G.) lives near Nordhorn in Germany (I live in Noordhorn) and is also working in IT. Besides that our names match and we both have something 'weird' with our eye (I'm a little cross-eyed ). I think he'll feel right at home with his new owner.

Operation successful

I picked up my bike again yesterday after it went in for surgery last Wednesday. Unfortunately it cost around three hours to resolve the problem. The left rear LED light was defect and there was a break in the wire in front which caused both lights shine very dim. The indicator buzzer was attached a bit better and the original bike computer was put back in place. Why? Well, because I ordered a new bike and I put the old one up for sale.

The operating table

As I mentioned in my blogpost about Cycle Vision my left indicator didn't function properly. The one in front lighted up very faintly and the one in the back didn't do a thing. That's why I made an appointment with Felix, the electronics guy from Sinner Bikes. I took a couple of hour off from work and around 3 PM I entered the workshop. We placed the bike on it's side on 'the operating table' and we started to track down the problem.

Cycle Vision 2012 and other news

Wednesday was a long day at work because I had to take the 7 AM train towards the AMC hospital in Amsterdam. I had a 10 AM work meeting (not, not a scary disease). The work went well, but I a finally was able to go home around 4:30 PM. I arrived home just after 8 PM. A long day. And because of that I could leave a bit early last Friday. On my way to Cycle Vision in Lelystad.

Northern Roundtrip on the bike 2012

Thursday, Holy Thursday, 6:30 AM... the alarm clock sounds. Which nut case thought of this? I was planning to do the 31th Northern Roundtrip on the bike. There were four different 'flavors', 25, 50, 75 and 150 kilometer. After I fixed my bread with cheese, jam and a freshly baked egg it was time to leave. Away I go to the start at SC Loppersum, some 31 kilometers away. When I entered the terrain I saw a familiar face. It was Anton L. with his white mountainbike.