Hi, Greg. Our 13-year old Duplex is starting to show its age and we’re considering a new Gulfstream. We’d like to have a bike that’s more convenient to travel with, and the option of having 8 S&S couplings with the travel cases is intriguing.
What is the upcharge for that option? Also, what is the lead time for building a Gulfstream with that option? We’re planning to be in Colorado in mid-July and if the timing would work out, we could stop by and pick up the bike.
And, finally, what sort of deposit do you require?
Thanks for your help with these questions.
That relatively innocuous email was sent to Greg Peek, founder and owner of American Track Roadsters (which builds cars) and Longbikes (which builds bicycles). That message was emailed on May 17, 2011. Almost a year to the day, this showed up on our front porch:
It’s our new, made-to-order Gulfstream recumbent tandem. I spent a couple of hours yesterday assembling it, and here are some photos of the almost-finished product. (Still to come: better pedals, fenders, computers, rear rack, and Hurst 6-on-the-floor shifter. OK, I’m kidding about that last thing.) Click on the little pics to see the big ones.
There’s also a lot of tweaking left to be done. This bike has a lot more flexibility in setting up the riders’ positions than our old bike, and I suspect it will take a few rides to get everything just right.
I haven’t tried out the S&S couplings, the connectors that allow us to split the bike in two for easier transport. I hope it’s easier than it sounds.
It’s been a long and sometimes frustrating project. We almost gave up a couple of times because of the delays, but now that it’s here, I have to admit that it’s worth the wait. The quality of engineering, build, and attention to detail are impressive, and while these photos don’t capture it, the dark maroon (surprise!) metallic paint job is going to rock in bright sunlight. Greg Peek has definitely improved on the design of the original model, Dick Ryan’s Duplex, which has always been the gold standard for ‘bent tandems.
Watch for us on the road!
I’ve always wanted to try a recumbent bike! But as cool as your new ride looks, I ran across something from another blog that really has some wow factor:
The Monovelo
That contraption is undoubtedly cool, and certainly attention-grabbing!
The ergonomics are suspect, though. I watched the video and noticed that the head clearance was very small. Given that the rider was Chinese (and probably not Yao Ming), I doubt that I could even fit inside it. Perhaps the seat lowers to accommodate taller riders (but there’s also an issue with leg extension to the pedals). Sorry, I can’t helping thinking like a bicyclist when I see something like this.
The quest for the ultimate human powered vehicle is a fascinating one!
Oh, one other thing. I just noticed in the FAQ on the website that the braking is Flintstones-style. 😉