The Easy Racers Blog

Easy Racers Electric Recumbents

2011-11-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of our new 960 watt mid drive for Easy racers recumbents.
This system should be available as a kit for this frame design soon.
Price TBA

Quick Release Seat Slide

2011-04-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a closer look at the new quick release seat slide system that you may have seen on some of our latest builds:

Using this seat base mounting system, not only is maximum to-and-fro movement on the frame possible, but the pitch of the seat base is easily adjustable as well.

The two bolts directly beneath the seat plate can be loosened and the rider can raise or lower the nose of the seat to whatever position they feel most comfortable with.

The aluminum slide ensures the clamp gets a tight grip on a galling surface (it won't slide no matter how hard you push), while the guide track keeps seat alignment perfectly straight. Primary adjustments to seat base placement can be made instantly with the one-touch quick release lever.

It took exactly 32 seconds for our mechanic to completely remove the seat immediately before I took this picture. Taking the seat off for transport, travel, or maintenance is simply a cinch with the slide system. Just turning the quick release lever until the skewer slides out allows for removal of the clamp from the frame completely.

We know what some of you are thinking. This clamp was developed, and is manufactured by Rans. Their company has been further developing the practicality of the recumbent bicycle nearly as long as Easy Racers has. They've patented a great design here with their current clamp system, and we're happy to be able to offer it on our hand crafted machines. The quick release seat slide is available now on all new Ti-Rush, C-Rush, and coupled frame Easy Racers.

Contact us today for more information...

More Praise, and Another Aptera Review

2011-01-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more gracious testimonials to add to our ever-growing collection.

The first comes from Jerry. He set out to cross the country on his EZ-1 a couple of months ago. About a quarter of the way through his journey he found the EZ-1 simply wasn’t going to be enough bike, so he had is wife arrange for us to ship a new Ti-Rush to him at one of his checkpoints. Having made it to the coast aboard his new bike, Jerry is now riding all the way back to California. Here’s what he has to say (from the road, no less):

Hi. I'm in Kansas and headed west toward home. I can't tell you how many good comments I've gotten on the bike. Old folks, kids, teens with Mohawks, even Harley riders all wave to me. In western Kentucky a pickup with three locals, the driver missing all of his front teeth, said, "Hot dog, I never seen one of those before.” I had to change the front chain rings in Lexington, Kentucky to mountain bike gearing to better match the engine. I tell people the bike is new but the motor is 70 years old.

In the hills of the Ozarks I had a speed contest with two 21 year old riders. One hit around 48 MPH, and then I hit 50.1 MPH. The other 21 year old heard about this and squeezed out 50.2 MPH. Now we will have to wait until the downhill parts in the mountains [to do it again]. I have to depend on gravity and aerodynamics. I've lost 20 pounds, so that doesn't help.

Your loyal fan,
Jerry

Thanks, Jerry. It seems like no matter where you go you'll still find someone who has never seen a recumbent bicycle before. I have a strong suspicion that this too shall pass, and thanks to all of our riders' roaming efforts, it shouldn't take long!

This next testimonial comes from one of our newest Aptera owner. However, not surprisingly, he is a former Easy Racers owner:

Well, I have about 200 miles on the new Aptera by Easy Racers. The longest ride was 50 miles. I am pleased.

I am no expert on recumbents, but I have a lot of recumbent miles on my life odometer, so I can write with more than mere opinion on the subject. Most of those miles were on a Gold Rush. After the GRR, I tried a high racer for a couple of years but never really liked that bike. The GRR was faired and was a great touring machine. I really don’t know why I sold that bike but I did. After the high wheel, I went back to a traditional Trek touring bike. That bike is a good climber here in the mountains, but my head begins to sink after about 100 miles and my hands hurt. A century on that bike just about kills me. I once rode over 100 miles a day, for 10 days straight on the GRR and was tired, but not hurting.

So, I started to look at a short wheelbase recumbents with closed positions so that I could climb. Easy Racers had just come out with the Aptera. I had had such a good experience with the company in the past that I called and put in an order for them to build me one. I talked at length with Denton who helped me spec it. In three weeks, Fed Ex showed up with two big corrugated boxes.

I had it together in about 3 hours. It was typical Easy Racer iron. Well-built, nice paint, good welds, correct components and all the bolts and nuts I needed.

The Aptera has about every adjustment feature you can think of. The crank slides forward and backwards on the boom. The handlebars tilt in or out and up and down. The seat will slide forward and rearward and it will tilt easily to any angle to support the sit bones. The seat back can be brought up to a very closed position or leaned way back for aerodynamic improvement.

I ordered my bike as an Expedition model with XT components. All of the adjustments were spot on with the brakes and gears. I have not touched a single barrel adjuster yet. It shifts like silk. With the 11-34 rear cassette and the XT crank I can pull stumps. I already know that I need to change the 44 tooth big ring to the 48 because I run out of crank on good descents. I have a front fender and a rear rack. Easy Racers built the wheels for me on XT hubs and I had them do a 3 cross 36 rear, which should give me plenty of strength on a tour.

The short wheelbase is surprisingly tame. It is not twitchy or harsh. It climbs really nicely. I don’t seem to have start up problems on steep hills, but nothing is as easy to start on a hill as a GRR with its low bottom bracket.

Like the Lightening P38, it prefers a slow mashers cadence around 50 to 55 RPM. That is slow, but that seems to be the natural range for me. You can really put your foot into the crank because of the closed position. All in all, I think I am going to really like this bike. Great service, fair price, good quality, great design. I am looking forward to thousands of miles riding with my head up looking at the world. Oh yeah, and I don’t have to wear those tight, hot, black shorts now!

Easy Racers, letting you keep your comfortable wardrobe since day one.
And on that note!

-Buck

Captured Moments

2010-10-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

Our friend Bill, a Gold Rush owner and long-time Easy Racers rider, recently sent us this video which shows him flying down the scenic Ojai Trail in Southern California. Bill puts plenty of miles on his bike every year. After he mentioned that he was eager to use video to document more of his riding experiences, I recommended that he check out one of the GoPro cameras that we carry:

These are great! They are fun to use, durable, make capturing your most exciting adventures a cinch, and are quite affordable to boot. We're looking forward to seeing more of Bill's cinematography in the future, and we'd love to see your Easy Racers related videos as well. Show us your bike, your favorite descent, introduce us to your riding partners, whatever you want. If we like what we see, you may earn a spot as the next featured video on this very blog.

Dann, a New Hampshire Easy Racers owner, recently sent us this great photo of himself alongside his well-outfitted Tour Easy:

Dann has been been racking up some serious miles lately. You can tell riding long distances is definitely his thing, as he's equipped to carry all of the essential gear. Keep an eye out for this bike next time you're in the New England area, and be sure to say hello!

Send those videos and pictures our way. We can't wait to see how creative you guys can get!

-Buck

Staying Healthy

2010-09-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

Any cyclist that rides a fair amount of miles knows the value of being prepared. You will never run into a experienced touring or commuting cyclist who doesn't have at least a few tubes, tools, and spare parts in their bag, especially if they own an Easy Racer. However, preparation doesn't end with items that you bring along on a ride. In fact, it starts before you even throw a leg over your bike.

Many of the most common and aches and pains that may hinder a cyclist while they ride can be nearly eliminated by a solid stretching routine. In fact, stretching before a ride puts you in the best possible position to save yourself should anything unexpected occur. Stretching allows your muscles to react faster and makes them less likely to over-fatigue and build up painful acids. Try some of these examples before your next ride (assume the demonstrated position and hold for 30 seconds, rest, then switch to the opposite side, or preform the stretch a second time):
Check with your doctor to see what stretches will work best for you. Certain exercises will better target any problem areas you may have, so don't be afraid to experiment and see what benefits you the most.

Keep the rubber on the road and, of course, stay healthy.

-Buck

2010 Medium Tour Easy Speed & Sport

2010-09-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

For riders with x-seams between 39" and 42"

Originally built strictly for our showroom floor, this Tour Easy has accumulated less than 100 miles and plenty of admiration, but what it really needs is a new home. Shimano 105 and SRAM X.9 derailleurs. A lightweight, smooth shifting, practically brand new bicycle.

Included Accessories:

Single Leg Kickstand

This bike is available for pick-up at our factory, we will also ship it anywhere in the world.

Asking for $1,950

Call or Email Us With Questions or to Purchase

2001 Medium/Large Tour Easy Expedition

2010-08-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

For riders with x-seams between 40.5" and 43.5"

This Tour Easy is set-up as a Expedition with a 406 front wheel and v-brakes. It's in nearly perfect shape with low miles and plenty of impressive upgrades, including a set of DT Swiss Hügi hubs, a Velocity (front) and deep-section Mavic (rear) rims, Shimano XT and XTR derailleurs, and a Cook Bros. MTN crank set.

Included Accessories:

Blackburn Rear Rack
Super Zzipper Fairing
Double Kickstand

This bike is available for pick-up at our factory, we will also ship it anywhere in the world.

Asking for $2,300

Call or Email Us With Questions or to Purchase

John's Ti-Rush Testimonial

2010-06-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

We just received this letter from our customer, John, who bought a Ti-Rush from us in March. We love to get testimonials from our riders that reinforce the things we say about our bike regularly. After all, we're not just making things up! Here is what John has to say about his riding experience so far:

Where to start? As you already know I love the Ti-Rush, it is easily the best bike I have ever owned. From the first time I sat on it and rode it around the neighborhood near your factory, I knew this is one GREAT RIDE. After I got it home and started to tweak it to my measurements, it got even better. You and I have talked on the phone to try to figure out why this bike is so wonderful and even though we came up with some answers, I’m not sure we have the final answer. So, I’ve decided to leave it as the “perfect storm”. Looks as though everything that we chose to do worked and even better than we hoped. Or maybe it’s just good Karma. Who knows?

Some things I do know:

-The ride quality is superb. I think titanium is the best frame material by far (I have ridden on carbon fiber, steel, and 25,000 miles or so on my aluminum Gold Rush).

-The power transference from me to the pedals is phenomenal. There is no lag or loss in the frame, just pedal harder and the bike goes faster, NOW. It is also easier to maintain speed. Also, when I’m just riding and enjoying the ride, I’m going faster, same pedal pressure as on other bikes, just faster. [You] write on your website that you estimate 5% better power transference, for me (a 65 year old) it is at least 12%, and maybe as much as 15%.

-When I ride with my regular buddies they remark that I’m going much faster. Truthfully, I’m trying to throttle the bike back!

-The new [Sprinter] seat is wonderful! It took a while for me to get the distance from the pedals and seat angle perfect, but once I did, the comfort increased and riding enjoyment went to new levels. The lengths of my rides have increased and I find myself looking for ways to add just a few more miles to the ride. And, I cannot wait to get back on this bike!

-This is a beautiful bike. The finish is beautiful. Many people have commented on the construction quality. Roberto is an artist as a welder. It is a joy to own and use such a fabulous machine.

-The idea of using the bigger tubing was brilliant. They added to the frame stiffness and allowed us to use the S and S couplers.

Ah, the S and S couplers. We chose them so that my wife and I could travel and take the bike with us. Even though it added to the weight (and the cost) they were well worth it. I think it added to the stiffness and power transference, on top of the travel considerations.

The other choices we made also worked out well. The Paul brakes, the ceramic bearings, the drive train, the wheel set, just added to the quality of the whole bike and made it even better.

I am a better rider on this bike. I feel like I am using my power to better advantage. I even find myself pushing up the pace when some young, aggressive rider tries to go by me. (Just to make him work a little harder to get by this old dude on the “funny” bike!)

And most wonderfully, I am not as tired the next day after a 35 mile ride. I actually rode seven straight days and was sad that that I had to go back to work and could not ride another seven.

The best compliment I can give: This bike eats miles! Thank you all again for building me my dream bike.

We’d like to thank John for his kind words. Stories like his are not difficult for us to come across though, so if anyone else out there has a testimonial that they’d like to have shared on this blog, just email it to us.

-Buck

Carbon Fiber Forks

2010-05-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

When it comes to carbon fiber forks, you have to admit, there are few topics that are more hotly debated in the world of the utilitarian bicycle. Note the clear distinction that I'm trying to draw there between practical bicycles (like ours) and those that are designed to simply go fast. For your average exotic metal or carbon road bike, there's no question, a carbon fiber fork provides the most forgiving ride and weighs less than any alternative. But for a bike that has to hold up to the beating that everyday use in the modern world dishes out, a durable steel fork, even with it's added weight and stiffer feel, can prove to be the more worthy investment. This past decade, however, has seen carbon forks become more durable through design innovations, and subsequently, more common on bikes of all kinds.
This increase in the popularity of carbon forks hasn't been completely without it's set backs. Many of you have probably seen the recalls that some major and up-and-coming bike companies have had to issue recently. It is no doubt issues like these that come to mind when the most skeptical cyclists contemplate the move to the, admittedly, more efficient design and material. After all, a carbon fork, even one that takes an occasional bump or chip, should be able to provide many years of effective service without putting the users health at risk. That concept is something that we here at Easy Racers kept at the forefront of our minds as we worked on the design of our carbon fork.
Tested to withstand weights in excess of 500 lbs., our carbon fiber fork is nearly as strong as our steel fork. It is because we're so confident in the design on this product that we never hesitate to recommend it to a touring or commuting rider. The ride quality is also outstanding. A carbon fiber fork greatly reduces the road vibrations transferred to the rider and thus, fatigues the hands, wrists, arms, and upper body much slower. Weighing in at just 270 grams, we know that everyone who gives this design a try will fall head-over-heels for it. That's why we're offering it for the greatly reduced price of just $295 this month.

Get your hands on an Easy Racers carbon fiber fork at our EasyShop

-Buck

A Tire For the Real World

2010-05-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by a customer who said he had never ridden a tire with a recommended PSI of less than 100 on his Easy Racer. I had previously told him that the 700 x 35 Schwalbe Marathon tire that we stock recommends a maximum 85 PSI. At first, I was afraid that this specification had scared him off before I had a chance to find out if it was a decent choice for him. Luckily, he went on to ask me, "[Will an] 85 PSI tire make my bent slower? What are the advantages of going with a [lower PSI] tire?" This customer's question sparked within me a desire to explain away a common misconception among cyclists of all skill levels: That only hard, narrow tires can be fast.
It's important to remember that a softer tire is not necessarily a slower tire. It's really only on the smoothest roads that a super hard and narrow racing tire is beneficial. On everything from the average, ill-maintained roads that a commuter rides daily, to very hard packed dirt and gravel trails, a wider tire with sidewalls that give when impacted will provide a smoother ride. This is because the best of those types of tires are able to roll along with the bumps in the road, as opposed to a hard tire which has a greater tendency to vibrate and "bounce" over a surface that it cannot absorb.
The Schwalbe Marathon has one of the best engineered sidewalls ever created. It gives just the right amount, and rebounds at an unmistakably perfect rate. These characteristics have made the Marathon one the best selling touring/commuting tires in the world for more than 20 years.
On a well designed all-around bicycle tire with softer sidewalls, you'll typically also find a fairly hard tread compound and a durable, puncture resistant inner belt. Once a design team is satisfied with their pairing of a sidewall material and an exterior casing that creates the desired feel for the tire's intended use, they begin testing tread patterns for the contact patch. Tread depth, the amount of space between the protrusions, and direction of the grain is all directly effected by the ability of the tire's compound to adhere to the riding surface on its own. The Marathon has one of the most imitated tread patterns ever created and is particularly noted for its sure-footedness while cornering, and its super grippy feel in wet weather.
Nowadays, the science of engineering has become so pervasive that even some of the least expensive tires on the market include features previously only seen on offerings from the industry's premier brands. Premium Schwalbe tires, however, combine the latest material advancements with knowledge gained from the most technologically advanced testing systems in the industry. Every tire wearing the Schwalbe brand has been designed to last longer than the competition and out-perform everything that preceded it.

The legendary Schwalbe Marathon, dissected:

The Marathon Plus is one of the most durable tires available today, due in large part to the SmartGuard technology that it utilizes (clearly visible in this photo). This is the same lightweight flat protection system used on NASA's lunar rovers:

For comparison, the Schwalbe Racing Ralph, a lightweight competition mountain bike tire with a very thin, flexible sidewall and a deep, widely spaced tread pattern (for use on soft terrain, such as mud):

Also, the dearly departed, Schwalbe Stelvio is shown for comparison. One of the most durable road racing tires ever made has been preserved in spirit as the Durano:

Browse Our Selection of Schwalbe Tires on Our EasyShop

-Buck

The Green Riders

2010-04-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

A man named Oliver Bock first came to our attention late last year when he called and told us a little bit about his upcoming trip across the country. We certainly don't want to sound overly-blasé, but trips of incredible distances, beginning and ending all over the globe, are something we hear about almost daily. What makes Oliver and his sister, Catherine's trek different from those that we typically hear about is their reason for going from their hometown of Palo Alto, California to Washington, DC. They're out to prove that sustainable transportation has reached a new plateau. Not only are today's human powered and electric assisted vehicles more practical than in the past, their reliability makes them more fun than ever before, as well.
Oliver and Catherine assumed the identity of The Green Riders for their campaign. The two will be meeting up with environmental luminaries across the country as they head east. They regularly update their blog with inspiring stories about people who have done something noteworthy to help out our planet.
In all honesty though, it's going to be tough to top the inspirational effort of The Green Riders. At the end of their trip they just might find that they've done at least as much good as the champions of sustainability that they've sought out. That's part of the reason that we're so proud that they're riding a pair of our Tour Easy's, equipped with EcoSpeed electric kits.

The Green Riders started their journey on April 22nd, 2010 and they hope to arrive in Washington to meet with the president by June 22nd, 2010. Visit their websites to show them some support, and consider signing their petition so that they can meet President Obama and ride bikes with him at the White House. Also, if The Green Riders pass through your town, don't be afraid to say 'hello'. I'm sure they'd be happy to answer any question you have about their trip. Good luck guys!

Visit The Green Riders Website
Visit The Green Riders Blog
Read The Green Riders Interview with Buck Cendejas, of Easy Racers, Inc.

-Buck

Frank's Aptera

2009-12-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

We've come to know Frank as someone who dresses to impress. He didn't let us down when he visited our factory to pick-up his new Easy Racers Aptera.

Show 'em what you can do, Frank.

-Buck

Return to Freedom 2009

2009-07-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

We promised updates and we haven't delivered. Sorry about that but let's get back on track.
This past weekend marked the return of our Return to Freedom ride. As you might expect from a formerly annual event that has taken some time off we had a relatively small turn out of loyal, enthusiastic riders, eager to take in our area on their bikes. Fair weather, good food, great company, and the best bicycles in the world made for a memorable and fun weekend.
Here's a visual account of what went down:

Day No. 1 - Watsonville/Freedom/Corralitos
Good thing we started straightening up early:
If you have a red Tour Easy, what else would you park next to?:
Our mechanic stayed busy the entire morning doing little tune-ups:
Riders kept coming until there was a sea of bikes in our parking lot:
As we waited for more to arrive we had plenty of time to meet and chat:
Julian parked his new Ti-Rush in an inappropriate place:
Tanya's pink Gold Rush:
Denton's Ti-Rush is always a hit:
The weather looked a little gloomy early on but it never got any worse:
Denton rallied the troops...:
... Roberto and Eddie looked on...:
... and we took off, through Freedom, stopping first at the Five Mile House in Corralitos:
Everyone kept a good pace and we re-grouped quickly:
After a quick stop at the Corralitos Market..:
... we hit the hills:
The descent was a blast!:

As we rested near the bottom of Hazel Dell Road I took a minute to examine some of unique features of the the bikes in this year's RTF. I found a sleek electric motor kit...:
... an ergonomic handlebar set-up...:
... a Topolino rear wheel with carbon spokes...:
... a "Thermal Drink Pocket" (on a neat insulated handlebar bag)...:
... some ERRC under seat panniers...:
... and a set of ROTOR cranks:
We met-up one last time at the Casserly Store before heading out to...:
Gizdich Ranch!:
We devoured several pies...:
... entertained each other with harrowing cycling tales...:
... and left with our bellies (temporarily) full:
The home stretch:
Back at the factory, the guys had (more) food ready and we all kicked back for the rest of the day:
Day No. 2 - Monterey
Ready for another day of adventure:
The view was stunning, as usual:

The (somewhat smaller) Day 2 group stopped long enough to take a picture:
More of the scenery...:
... and the locals:
Our final lunch together:

There you go. To everyone that joined us: Thank you, thank you, thank you! We hope you had a great time and that we'll see you again next year. To everyone that couldn't make it: Don't miss it twice!
For more pictures check out John's Photostream On Flickr, and Fred's On Photobucket.
Until next year...

-Buck

Chris' Gold Rush: Part I

2009-05-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a really beautiful bike when Chris up in Canada finally takes it for its first ride around the block. It's nothing terribly out of the ordinary in terms of its basic components but the rims are what's really going to set it apart.
I saw Jordan Hufnagel had polished a set of H Plus Son rims for a track bike he displayed at the 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS); obviously, I found them stunning. I kept thinking about them, knowing that someday we'd have to try something similar on a deep rim like that for one of our custom builds (or maybe even a demo bike). Chis was insistant on polished rims for his Gold Rush but I didn't know how flashy he was going to be willing to let us go until we started talking about the pin striping he had planned for his Gold Rush and... you know, other Hot Rod stuff. A polished Velocity Deep V rim in the rear (paired with a polished Velocity Fusion rim in the front) was definitely going to appeal to his sense of style.

It's missing a few things right now but we'll take a few more shots before we pack it up. Chris is also going to send us some pictures when the pin striping is done so look for that in the near future. The rack is a Tubus Cargo, there are some Velo Orange stainless steel cages and bottles that will eventually be put on the bike as well.

-Buck

Welcome to THE EASY RACERS BLOG

2009-04-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

Through our message board and via email, many of our riders have been asking for a more timely and more frequently updated source of information. Well, THE EASY RACERS BLOG is finally here!
We'll be updating this page regularly as soon as our new main website is finished. This will be the place to come for closer looks at our latest custom builds, in-depth information on our newest products and offerings, and our thoughts on things we've encountered in the sometimes unusual, but always fascinating, world of a recumbent bicycle factory.
We'll also be putting used bikes and bikes that are on consignment up on THE EASY RACERS BLOG. In fact, the next few entries will be just that as we clear off our showroom floor in preparation for what's sure to be an interesting summer.
If you have questions about anything you see here we hope that you'll contact us and ask away.
We want to communicate and share ideas with everyone we can who rides and is passionate about bicycles (even if it's not one of ours, and even if it's not a recumbent). Easy Racers, Inc. continues to grow to this day and THE EASY RACERS BLOG is a brand new facet of our community that we can't wait to explore! Bookmark or follow us today, this is going to be fun!

-Buck