8 fluid ounces of sports drink and a one-ounce energy bar powers Brooklyn man
44 miles.

Unbelievable?

No, V-Rex.

Robert at the end of the 39-mile Five Boro Bike Tour on May 4, 2008 with a RANS V-Rex.
No blood, no sweat, no tears, no bonking and not even (ahem) an underarm stain!

Report from the 5 BB Tour:

"I'd like to try and give people an idea of how comfortable and effortless the V-Rex is to peddle, because it almost defies believability.

"I was a little concerned when I started the day because I wasn't fresh, having swum a hard 2.6 miles the evening before and run another 6 mi. Still, the morning of the 39-mile tour, I biked the 5+ miles to the start from my home in Brooklyn, via the Manhattan Bridge, and at day-end biked again back home to make the day an even 50.

"When I got home, even after the long climb from the Navy Yard to Prospect Hts. and jockeying for position with Sunday drivers up Franklin Ave., I still wasn't even remotely fatigued, sore or chafing (even though I forgot to use chamois butter and was wearing my worst bike shorts). I actually felt kind of disappointed; I had wanted a workout, but when it was all over I felt like I could have gone another 50.

"To put it another way, here was my fluid and fuel usage. At the end of about 44 miles, before heading over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the finishing party, my 16-oz. water bottle was still half-full, I hadn't taken any extra water, and I had eaten only one TIger's Milk Bar. Not that I was trying to prove anything, I just wasn't hungry or thirsty. This, in spite of temperatures that warmed from around 50 to 65 degrees and an average speed of around 12 mph. Not only did I not break a sweat the whole time, I actually began to shiver about 5 miles from the start and had to put on a baklava and extra hat because I couldn't build up any body heat! As you can see in the photo, at the end, when the temperature was heading towards 70 degrees, I was still wearing my leg and arm warmers and a skull cap! And, this is even after the climb up the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. That's how effortless it is to ride this bike.

"Enough about me. The machine itself performed flawlessly. It's worth noting that even at very slow speeds, for example when the crowd was heading up the bridges, this bike doesn't have the weaving/wobbling quality that people frequently associate with recumbents. It's actually quite easy to hold straight and steady. And, of course, at high speeds, no real complaints: it's fast and easy to control. If I could change anything, it would be to go for a larger front wheel such as on the RANS F5 or Stratus XP because, at higher speeds, you can really feel how terrible New York City roads can get.

"If you are looking to do easy 50's -- and more -- it would be hard to beat the V-Rex, especially in terms of dollar value."

About Recumbent Bicycles

More comfortable, especially if you're Masters age...but even if you're not.

Bents are more comfortable than "upright" or "diamond-frame" bikes. Your body weight is supported by your entire rear-end and back, instead of on your wrists, sit-bones and crotch. Your head, neck and spine are relaxed, instead of curved over to reach the handlebars, which removes back and neck stress. Also, since you don't put body weight on your hands, there is no arm, wrist or hand pressure.

Better for American-sized commuting distances.

I find it easier to maintain speed on a bent, both due to the comfort factor as well as the fact that you are more aerodynamic than on an upright bike. I also find it easier to cover a fair distance without noticing the effort. In short, a bent gets you there faster and with less sweat.

For New York City commutes, where 6-20 miles roundtrip is common, it's easier if you have a bike built for the distance and the job. Besides, the seat of a bent doesn't add strange wear marks to your work clothes.

Are they safer? Many bent riders think so.

If you've ridden a bike on NYC streets, you know that safety is a major concern. It is largely a function of a cyclist's habits and the road environment. Many riders feel bents have an edge on safety for three reasons: riding position, center of gravity and line of sight.

On a bent, the riding position is feet-first. In a front-end collision (like from a dooring or a vehicle turning into your path), your feet are nearest the obstacle and your head is furthest away, lowering the chance of a head injury.

WIth the low center of gravity on a bent, you can aggressively apply your front brake without flipping the bike over the front wheel. Instead, I find that the tires skid before I feel any flip, more like a car.

A better view. For you. And for others around you. (People prefer to see your face).

On a bent, you see better and you look better. You see road hazards clearer than on an upright bike, because you are riding head-up, not head down. And it's a more natural position for glancing to the side and back. You have better eye-contact with car drivers because your riding position places your eyes at nearly the same level as that of car and SUV drivers. And bents are unusual -- let's face it -- and they encourage long looks (which is a good thing).

It also seems like cars give me more respect and object less when I take the lane. Could it be that I'm going faster? Or that they see my face instead of my rear end? Maybe a bit of both.