Laid Back Bikes

Always a pleasure to cycle up from Dundee via Glenisla on way to Kirkmichael. Took a traded in demo Performer 700 this time. A bit 'blingy' - top entertainment value with white Raktor deep rims from Italian brand Gipiemme. Rim brakes so no emergency stops possible! Schwalbe 'Road Plus' tyres so weight increased a bit. Then some luggage on top. Felt fine - comfortable ride position and a model we've sold a few of - mainly with disc braked wheels and lifting tiller bar. Route out was 42 miles with 3139 feet of uphill vs 2447 downhill. High point of route between Glenilsa and Glenshee 1243 ft.

LB shop will not open tomorrow due to event we both have to attend. Sorry for any inconvenience.

If you haven't considered going multi-track then this superb detailed write up from our Borders correspondent should change your mind! Triking is for everyone who fances go-karting on pure pedal power. Book a try out at LB - we have a choice of ICE, Azub and Hase (with Shimano E-assist).
https://recumbentcyclist.co.uk/bikes/ice- sprint-26/

Post about our Circe Helios tandem with e-assist & cargo rack. Mini review from Javi and family. Pictures to come.

The old Forth Bridge is so quiet now that Queensferry Crossing is open. Now a destination for walkers and charity events. Nice to see a primary school from Fife out in the sunshine. Irene Gardiner enjoyed the run out so much she's posted already. A shorter run today but was pretty hot. Nice lunch in Queensferry at Railbridge Bistro.

Everyone was out this weekend on all sorts of bikes. Yesterday we dusted down the Nazca Quetzal and headed toward North Berwick hinterland. Irene Gardiner very pleased with a circuit that took in a stop at Lucas Cafe in Musselburgh (purveyors of fine ices). Temp was 18 degrees. Of course this is leisure cycling and cheered up a fair few road cyclists on skinny bikes and tyres.
Meanwhile on Saturday hard core riders took part in the Tour de Lauder (we were at shop). Read this pedal by pedal report from our M5 CHR rider/customer on the spot. 88+ miles and loads of hills! No time for photos but the words do a fine job showing what it was like! Locals know that the hill out of Stow is tough. Imagine doing it after four or five hours fast riding...! http://recumbentcyclist.co.uk/2019/…/29 /tour-de-lauder-2019/

This year's Pedal on Parliament is going local. Events started on Friday and one was on Edinburgh's Forrest Road. Drivers wondered why the traffic was moving better than usual first thing in morning. This was thanks to around 30 people actually enforcing the bike lane, thus allowing the narrow street to flow freely. After they left the street random vehicles returned to block the lane. Design of this route is odd of course with a bike lane merging with traffic. Segregation would help as would a complete re-design of the street. Well done to those involved. This event is one of many across Scotland drawing attention to impediments to safe cycling. #PoP2019 #PopupPop

Nazca Bikes are 20 years young! Owners Henk and Monique have posted an update to their future plans here https://nazca-ligfietsen.nl/en/news and on Facebook.
Best wishes to them.
https://www.facebook.com/Nazcaligfietsen< br>

Was ligfietsdag in Netherlands last Sunday. A chance for regular Dutch cyclists (or 85% of population) to try 'irregular ' cycling. Amsterdam shop Ligfietswinkel used to have splendid events with tables out in square at Waterspiegelplein. Guided ride down to Spaardam. Drinks and snacks at shop afterwards and test rides. Was a nice event that inspired many.

Nice circuit in the Borders yesterday with RCUK blogger. Stopped Innerleithen for a late breakfast then along back road towards Clovenford and back over the hills home. Two M5 CHRs - more on blog here.
http://recumbentcyclist.co.uk/2019/04/15/ double-dutch/

Had a free day and decided that cycling twice a day across the Meadows isn't enough to keep fitness up. Andrew Warr was yet to sample the A70 and Apple Pie cafe so we set off in search of Scotland's best bridie and great value cakes. After Kirknewton we noticed that the wind was getting stronger and was quite a battle to make it over. Reclined format of M5 is very aero but huge side gusts were a challenge. People at Apple Pie are so nice. - insisted on getting us space at the communal table and had nice chat about schools - one wee boy had a Hearts top. When asked about which secondary school he wanted to go to he said Tynecastle. Catchment area is Biggar though! Back in via Dunsyre and West Linton with wind more in favourable direction. 56 miles or so though felt longer! Andrew found it quite easy - apart from the cross winds.

Thanks to Recumbent Cyclist UK for starting up this new forum connected to his informative and entertaining blog.
Early days but hope we can connect some people living not a million miles apart. Register here.... http://recumbentcyclist.co.uk/forum/

The excellent Recumbent Cyclist UK is undergoing some improvements with the possible addition of a forum. If you currently follow this or are interested then click though an answer on the site itself to confirm it has migrated correctly. If you're new to this format of cycling then worth looking at the well written reviews and ride posts.
http://recumbentcyclist.co.uk/2019/03/08/ my-site-has-moved/

This week we had two Nazca Gaucho Tour models delivered to customers, one with a 26" wheelset and the other a 28" (aka 700c) wheelset. Both had built in lighting front and back using front hubs. One was underseat and the other had aerobars. As always these designs from the Netherlands ride well and look good. The red one was a special RAL - so you really can have a more 'one off' example of the bike that suits you. One customer pictured on quick test run round the block. Big thanks to him for collecting. Other one went by DSV - our long distance courier of choice. (Murray Moves mainly doing deliveries closer to home!) In other news... we now have a Czech made Azub T-tris folding trike to test ride. So trike models here now from Hase, ICE and Azub.

https://www.facebook.com/104401569598105/ posts/2221215684583339/

Nothing better sometimes than following someone else's route. Nice ride out to Dunbar - last 10 miles following Markus Stitz bikepacking coastal route by Seacliff beach and Belhaven Bay. Big thanks to Richard Bloodworth with gpx file from website. Chips from Gullane Fry and cakes from Dunbar Community Bakery. Fast transport back into town at 3pm by ScotRail. Rounded off towing two new bike boxes from The Bicycle Works to Laid Back.

Always good to have a target to cycle to. Today it was the Lanterne Rouge at Gifford to rdvz with John Scarlett. Took the 12 speed Fuego and ride up was in a T shirt. (Will there be a ski season in Scotland this year I wonder?) Weather changed at 1pm to rain and enjoyed home run with a stop off at The Gothenburg community pub in Prestonpans. Jazz band playing and we had small amount of beer to show our appreciation. Look out for the yellow aero pannier set on John's P38. Andrew Warr came along to scope out routes - so many good ones in East Lothian.

Pelso Brevet demo model sorted to an 11x2 (with help from Andrew Warr). New bolt on derailleur post works well - we opted for routing round front of b/b. Bacchetta in USA use a flexible guide/noodle. With XT rear and mega-range we reckon it's a pretty smooth act from Tszatuna in Hungary. Two sizes - carbon frame - seat mount with big range - J bars for open ride. One of three high racer models we have sold a few of. (Others being Nazca Gaucho and Performer 700).... Compare and contrast. Canal frozen at moment so more triking weather but we have those as well. Plus our cargo Helios with e-assist.
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