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The current issue is Issue 12. The next issue is out early March 2004.
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Is this the best rowing bike yet?
The French Aviroute looks like it offers a very realistic rowing action, and effective steering and brakes...
The concertina action of the handle looks to me like it cleverly preserves the freedom of movement required for realistic rowing, while providing sufficient rigidity to control steering effectively. Most other rowing-action bikes constrain the handle motion to an arc or a straight line.
See their website www.aviroute.fr for more info, pictures, and if you've a fast connection, even some movies.
Other rowing-action cycles include:
The Thys Rowingbike - well-established design from the Netherlands with its own world championships
The Scott Olson Rowbike - fitness-oriented machine from the US
And a LOT more rowing-action machines, prototype and commercial, are pictured at: http://rowingbike.free.fr/ - very much worth a look!
Posted on 15 July 2003
Your comments ...| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 15 July 2003 |
The movie looks neat enough. Pretty odd though. You'd want somewhere traffic-free I think.
All those links'd be a source of wear and it really riles me that on the languages options they've used a US flag for English, grr. |
| From: Seamus (as above) on 15 July 2003 |
Actually, it looks quite good fun and (words that doubtless will haunt me) quite straightforward to ride.
The movie clip with the dog is good. I suspect the rider may have been about to kill it;-) |
| From: Andy Scaife ([email protected]) on 15 July 2003 |
I don't really know what to say, since the site moderator's on duty (that must have been a prety bad comment). I suppose something like "Isn't it nice to know that there's so much radical innovation about, and people are willing to have a go and build things like that." There, that was nice wasn't it.
Just thought of another one "Takes me back to the Try-Out Show in 2000 when I tried the old cable-driven thing. This one looks much simpler and more sensible". I'll get my coat. |
| From: Roger ([email protected]) on 15 July 2003 |
| You don't thinks it's just possible they were having a little dig at our nationality (ref. Iraq war - U.S.A & U.K. v France & a few other European countries..............? |
| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
I have so far never seen the English flag used on the net.
Most sites do use the Union Jack, but not the English flag.
The Union Jack could also be used for Welsh or Gaelic.
Ralf Grosser
( I am talking English! I don’t know what you are listening.)
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| From: . (.) on 16 July 2003 |
| "Cheese-eating surrender monkeys," wasn't it. |
| From: JS ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
| Could someone explain the point of this machine to me, please? |
| From: Peter Eland ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
In my view rowing=action bikes tend to be for:
- rowers who want a means of training when they can't row on the water (weather etc) and who find stationary rowing machines a bit boring.
- 'fitness' users who want a whole-body workout (believing rightly or wrongly that cycling only excercises the legs), while also enjoying the movement and outdoorsness of cycling
- Some riders who for whom the pedalling action is difficult (limited leg mobility, one leg etc) may find a rowing action more effective as the arms and torso also contribute to motion, and the movement is not constrained to a circle.
- Seekers of novelty ;-) |
| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
Actually, John Jermy leaps to mind as an ideal user of such a bike.
Someone who finds recumbents not strange enough. |
| From: rob ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
Seamus - try Magura's website - last time I visited the language options were German, English or USA...
How is the no-beer going? I'd already bottled beer to share with you at Spokesfest!!!! |
| From: Roger @Spokesfest (etc) on 16 July 2003 |
| don't worry Rob - I'll be thirsty |
| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 16 July 2003 |
| First week alcohol free was a doddle. Fortunately my health has improved so I allow myself grog when I want it and do correspondingly more exercise to compensate. |
| From: Span Tally ([email protected]) on 17 July 2003 |
| OK, next question. Is it just me or does the design appear to have all the grace and fluency of line of a five-bar gate? |
| From: rob (rob@...) on 17 July 2003 |
| Is it one of those Flevo back-to-back tandems with one of the seats removed? |
| From: sue ([email protected]) on 17 July 2003 |
| Looks to me like it should have a comedy boxing glove on the front. Or a shaving mirror. |
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