Submitted by
jorge
a Recreational Rider
from Medford,NY
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2001
Strengths: VERRRRRYYYYY COMFORTABLE!!! You can ride for miles at a fast or slow speed and always remain relaxed.You get to see the nice scenery around while riding.You will always be seen by people because it is so unusual.After riding long distances when you get off the bike it takes only a short time to recover if any time at all.No soreness(unless you over do it the first couple of time)very comfortable seat,arms are relaxed while riding.You FLYYYY down hills.
Weaknesses: It will take a little time and riding to get to be pretty fast.Train by spinning up hills and you will get better in no time.You need a lot of space to store one. It really is expensive for a bike,but they seem to have a very good resale value because the classifieds constantly show people wanting to buy one.
Bottom Line:
This is one great bike. I ride the Bianchi alot but when you get tired you are stuck on top of a bike that hurts after a while.When you get tired on the easy racer you take it easy pedaling while still riding and you don't have to stop.BUUUUTTTTT... it takes a little time to develope god leg muscle to ride this bike well, when you get conditioned to it though boy can you really fly. Also easy racers company is the best in customer service. A screw came broken on my bike and I was quickly sent acouple of new ones. I you do get one subscribe to the easy racers recumbent club it is a rally nice magazine. This bike is very good for people who want to get or stay in shape but don't like the pain that goes with sitting on a upright's thin seat.If you could get a good used one go for it...
Similar Products Used: I have not totally gone to recumbents I ride mountain bikes and Bianchi Giro road bike.
Bike Setup: Zzipper front shield,rear rack,Look pedals
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
William
a Recreational Rider
from Milford, MI USA
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2001
Strengths: Very well made, comfortable, fast, elegant. The coolback seat is so comfortable, you may want to roll it into your living room when watching the tube! A very stable ride at all speeds. You can just tell when you take this baby out of the box, that nothing has been overlooked. It even included an instructional video to aid in assembly. Easy Racers takes great pride when they make one of these machines...and it shows! I find the bottom bracket height to be at an optimal position for getting the feet to the ground in traffic stops. In addition, there is a loyal fraternity of Easy Racers followers who are always happy to talk about their experiences. You will get a magazine for the club with your bike.
Weaknesses: I don't really consider it a weakness, but, from the standpoint of transporting it, it is big. However, I didn't buy it to transport it, I bought it to transport me, so it is not a problem. I use a hitch-mounted, flat, basket-type carrier that I mounted a fork attachment to. Spin the handlebars backwards, mount it on the carrier, and I only get about 9 inches of my rear wheel sticking out past the back of my full-size van- acceptable.
Bottom Line:
What can I say...see "strengths" above.
It is a great machine! It may cost more than some, but sometimes "you get what you pay for" is accurate.
Similar Products Used: I had a SWB recumbent, but liked the stable feeling of the Tour Easy- especially while cars are zooming by.
Bike Setup: Stock, except for the coolback seat upgrade (a no-brainer)and my Aerospoke carbon wheels, which I highly suggest if you want a low-maintenance wheel that is fast and sexy (and not just because my paychecks have Aerospoke at the top).
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Submitted by
Mark D'shwack
a Commuter
from Ft. Walton Bch. Fl
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2001
Strengths: fast,comfortable,capable, w/good resale value
Weaknesses: LONG,(hard to haul & store). You could call it a "slow" climber, but you'll be riding (& training) more than you ever dreamed possible, so you'll be constantly improving!
Bottom Line:
I just rolled over 3,800 miles on The T.E. this week, all since January '99. It is my favorite bike for my 13 mile daily R.T.C. Upright seating is good for night riding, & it is visible in traffic (for a 'bent).There is a huge following for this bike, & it's easy too see why. Staying up on club rides is no problem, something I could never do on my BikeE.I recommend the Rapid fire upgrade over stock grip shift, & the Kool-Back seat outsells the cobra 3 to 1. The fairing is a bit much for a new rider to take, but there's nothing in the upright world that you can bolt on your bike, & get a 25% speed improvement! HAPPY SHOPPING!
