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Naked Chico
Bike parking in front of Naked Lounge coffeehouse was removed to make room for a car to park.
The bikes are back!
More information...Making CA streets more trike friendly
Gearing Calculator
Handy gearing calculator makes optimal gearing easy.
This calculator tells gear-inches calculations for:
- conventional derailleur-based systems
- SRAM 3x7 and Dual-Drive systems
- Rohloff Speedhub
- Schlumpf Speed-Drive, Mountain-Drive, and Highspeed-Drive
- Shimano Nexus
- Sturmey-Archer
and combinations thereof -- as well as normalizing the numbers relative to cranklength.
More information...Rivendell Rohloff (now, for something completely different)
It's quite an honor when someone is so happy with they work you did on their recumbent trike, that they want you to do a really special thing on a different cycle they own.
Recently, a gentleman with a Rivendell touring bike came to me for a Rohloff customization request. The challenge is to put some kind of do-hickey on the bike that will accept a conventional Rohloff torque arm system without actually requiring the hassle of using a torque arm (they make tire fixing more of a challenge than it needs to be.)
In this case, I fashioned a small piece of aluminum into a Rohloff OEM2 bolt holder and the rest went smoothly from there. We used the external gearbox to keep the entire system enclosed and prevent any sort of regular maintenance replacing frayed inner shift cables.
Here's how to do it...
More information...Shifting Cum Laude
Congratulations, T, C, and J on successful completion of the Shifting Workshop and passing the Practical Exam with flying stars!
There's no fooling you with random adjustment of limit screws and barrel adjusters.
Next time, Alignment. We'll make some nice alignment tools and use 'em.
More information...Terratrike
AlphaBENT has extensive experience servicing most brands of trikes including those made by Terratrike.
More information...United States
TerraCycle
A real manufacturer of real products. TerraCycle has a mission of providing the finest upgrades available for recumbent cycles.
TerraCycle is wizard at machining. Their claim to fame is making the best idler pulleys out there. (So nice, in fact, that the Sport edition became standard OEM on all Catrike products.)
Expanding on this base, TerraCycle is the leader in fairings, specialty packs, and more funny little parts you never thought about before.
AlphaBENT keeps TerraCycle products on hand for all of the trikes in the shop.
More information...Catrike USA made
The AlphaBENT Catrike Concept Store stocks and services the full lineup of USA-made Catrikes ready for you to test-ride.
Catrike trikes are characterized by: efficiency, top-notch components, lightweight design, and sexy good looks -- which means they look and ride like sports cars.
Innovations Catrike has pioneered include:
- direct steer - lightweight and responsive
- space frame - lightweight and efficient
- peace boom - boom extrusion with internal stiffening ribs and anti-twist keyway
- seat pockets - integrated seatpockets and emergency pump carrier
Catrike includes standard features with all trikes. This minimizes your out-of-pocket costs when purchasing.
- integrated light mount - a stub that accepts most conventional handlebar-mounting lights
- computer sensor mount - a bracket to put a sensor pickup for most cycle computers
- clipless pedals - pedals with cleats that anchor your foot for added safety
- TerraCycle idler pulleys - top-quality idlers with sealed bearings and durable materials
- 30-speed barend shifting and drivetrain - bar-end shifters have less effect on steering
It's hard to say if Catrike is more engineering, design, or production. Paulo, Mark, and co. have seemingly waved a magic wand and incarnated a US factory producing world-class products in real-time.
Whatever it is, Catrike does it all, and, on our end, not much gives us more pleasure than calling in another order for another Catrike. We know the Catrike products inside and out, and are consistently amazed at how this outfit accomplishes so much.
The Catrike success story is well worth following.
More information...Australia
Greenspeed recumbents Down Under
Greenspeed is the first company to bring a commercially viable recumbent trike to market.
Its founder, Ian Sims, has a long history of design and engineering and a deep understanding of what works.
The Greenspeed GTO is the trike that really started it all. Because of its take-apart capability, it was relatively easy to ship, and helped Greenspeed form a worldwide dealer network. The design of the GTO was refined in 2004 and has filtered into all modern-day Greenspeed trikes including the GT1-5, X1-5, and Magnum.
The GTO remains one of the finest handling, robust platforms in the world today, even as other designs and innovations have evolved around it.
Greenspeed has literally "done it all": manufacturing, marketing, design, engineering in the recumbent industry.
More information...Germany
HP Velotechnik German Engineering
AlphaBENT is a Premium HP Velotechnik dealer stocking almost every model of HP Velotechnik made, including bikes and trikes.
Working out of their factory in Kriftel Germany, HP Velotechnik engineers some of the finest-handling recumbent trikes in the world.
There are few trikes as comfortable as the suspension Scorpion models put out by HP Velo, and the front suspension models incorporate such features as anti-sway-bars, and have the most plush rides in the industry.
On the other end of the spectrum, HPVelotechnik also puts out non-suspension versions of its trikes that fold up tightly and have incredibly tight turning radii.
HP Velotechnik recumbent trikes are characterized by:
- superb handling at speed
- plush suspension
- and great low-speed turning.
HP Velo has been engineering fine machines for a long time, and their products show it. These fine designs have come from HP Velotechnik:
- NoSquat rear suspension, designed to maximize comfort and minimize loss of efficiency
- split knuckle kingposts maintaining integrated front wheel and axle while allowing convenience of easy wheel removal
- advanced steering geometry (ASG) for stable high-speed handling mixed with agile low-speed
- self-locking folding hinge on some models
- inifinitely adjustable BodyLink hardshell seat
Thanks in part to these innovations, HP Velotechnik's plush full-suspension Scorpion FS-26 won the BROL Recumbent of the Year award for 2013.
More information...Great Britain
ICE recumbent trikes
AlphaBENT has been an ICE Premium Dealer ever since there have been ICE Premium Dealers.
We truly love dealing with this fine, upstanding company. Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE) has shown remarkable consistency in innovation, constantly improving its products, streamlining its processes, and leading the recumbent trike market with particularly well-designed and implemented products.
ICE stands behind their products and goes the extra mile for ICE trike riders.
We endeavour to keep the entire ICE lineup of products represented in our shop -- usually with at least seven ICE trikes on the floor at a time.
ICE trikes are characterized by:
- modularity - using the same parts and accessories across different models
- transportability - ICE trikes generally fold up very nicely
- broad applicability - fitting a broad spectrum of rider needs and desires
- appealing visual aesthetics - made with an eye for beauty
Which is to say, they do what you want and look drop-dead gorgeous.
Located in Cornwall, England, UK, ICE has won local awards for innovation including winning the:
- Cornwall Best International Business and the Winner of Winners awards,
- and ICE marketing director, Ben Rotheray, won the Unlocking Cornish Potential Contribution to Business Growth Award.
For company background, the folks at ICE tell it best.
More information...