My wife and I received a great wedding gift about ten years ago.
A Longbikes Recumbent Tandem!
Our Longbikes Tandem with Easy Racer Seat, Bars and S&S couplers
Several of our friends put their resources together and purchased it with the help of Johannes at NE Recumbents. At the time we lived in a NYC loft in Manhattan.We had a freight elevator to bring it in and out of our space and loved riding it all over the city together. Since then we've had an edition to the family, my son Jackson. At first I installed a baby seat on the rear so we could all ride together .As my son got older(7 years old now) I was finally able to ride him in the rear seat of the Longbikes Tandem with his legs up on the main tube.This is our favorite vehicle for getting around NYC!
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The Longbikes Recumbent Tandem is super smooth and just ROCK Solid, I can hardly tell that anyone is sitting back there.I just love riding it with him! I ordered the tandem with S&S couplers(good thing).
I was always very weary of un-coupling it ( the bike is ten feeeeeeet long).
Longbikes Goes to Martha's Vineyard
Well last year I really Really wanted to bring it to Martha's Vineyard especially after discovering that Jackson was just getting a tad heavy for my Burley Piccolo Trailer bike. I gave the Piccelo a test run after not riding all winter and his weight was pulling me all over the place,so I decided its time to break down the Tandem and see if I could get it on a regular trunk style bike rack!
I did a trial run of this procedure in the street one day while moving my car for alternate side parking. I rode up to our car got ready and with my heart beating rapidly, wondering if I was ever going to get this thing uncoupled,on the rack and back together again. I began to unscrew the S&S couplers that had not been touched for 10 years! As soon as I unscrewed them the bike just came apart,one half in my hands and the other flat on the ground.Needless to say this made me sweat and very nervous.
Next step
Fold the two half's together which I found out would mean taking the front seat off.
Next step
I un-did the cables, folded the bars down and strapped the two halves together using an old pair of nylon toe straps, Whew!
Next step
Bench press it up over my shoulders and onto the car rack,then secure it!
Recumbent tandem with Trailer .....
Just like you requested!
WOW!
I can't believe it I got it on the bike rack and secured, wish I had taken pictures!
Well that was the easy part.
I took it back down and tried to couple it back together with it lying in the street.Well lining up the two main tubes was just not happening.I tried everything I just could not get them to line up! There I was covered in sweat,clothes sopping wet, frustrated and totally tweaked out trying to line it all up.I finally realized that I needed to get it back on the bike rack and line it up that way, it worked !
I was able to put it back together.
Riverside Park
NYC
I did it, figured out how to get my TEN foot looooong Tandem on a rack with my wife's Easy racer Tour easy. Now I'd be able to ride on Martha's Vineyard with my son!
Martha's Vineyard Family Campground
Having the Longbikes Tandem on Martha's Vineyard was incredible and without a doubt worth all the trouble!
Here's a little video of us riding in the State Forest Bikeway
Martha's Vineyard
I was able to ride all over MV island with my son without any problems like being pulled from side to side. The rear seat is so comfy that if he wanted to nap it wouldn't be a problem. We were able to ride all over MV island with no fear.I even took some of the others for rides to the supermarket. It made our annual trip to MV a pleasure!
And after packing and uncoupling it a few times it became much easier!
Can't wait to get back to Martha's Vineyard!
We've also taken many trips in NYC. Here are some photo's....
West 14th Street
NYC
Governors Island
NYC
That's Johannes of NE Recumbents riding the Zigo Leader!
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That's Johannes of NE Recumbents riding the Zigo Leader!
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Times Sq,NYC
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M A R S N Y C
Lower Manhattan
South Beach
Staten Island,NY
See you on The Vineyard...June 20, 2010
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