New Bike
I had a few problems to face. First, I’m terribly out of shape. And with the coming holiday I really need to do something about that. Second, I needed a new bike.
Combine these two and it’s not that hard to guess what kind of bike I was looking for. A sports bike, right? Well, almost.
As a left wing activist with some street cred left I can’t just buy an awesome car and drive around polluting the very thing I tend to preserve, the environment. Not that I avoid using cars all together. I’m not that much of an environmentalist. It’s just nonsense to use a car when a bicycle gets you there faster and cheaper. Maybe the fact that I grew up without a car to my disposal helps a little. I don’t know. Anyway, I’m used to cycling everywhere so I need a proper work horse that gets me where I want to go faster than my current bike and is also suitable for high speed touring.
When I buy something I never buy things half-baked. I want it to be a Dutch bike, too. Somehow I’ve managed to completely destroy every foreign bike I’ve ever had. So I’ve got a few choices right? I could go for the more expensive Batavus or Gazelle models or for a properly hand crafted Koga Myata. RIH and Sparta just don’t make the bikes they used to anymore. Koga Myata seems to be an excellent choice and the bicycles I’ve tested are nice, light and fast.
While riding a Koga loaner a while ago another bike passed me, while I was picking up some serious speed. Powered by a middle aged man. Smiling.
I usually don’t use the words but in this case “what the fuck” is the right expression. I’m a young adonis for pete’s sake. That guy was half way to hell. How he managed to pass me? He had a recumbent bicycle. So if a middle aged man on a recumbent can pass me on a Koga, I have to have a bike like that.
It turns out quite some hand crafting Dutch recumbent bicycle manufacturers exist. Quite a lot actually. The biggest three (for all I know) are M5, Challenge and Nazca. They all create some really weird contraptions. All I wanted was a fast bike capable of transporting my camera or laptop. After much folder sniffing and google raping I found the bike that suited all my wishes. The Nazca Fuego.
A beautifully hand crafted bike. It’s quite nice on the eye, too. Packed with sports level parts while staying comfortable. At least, that’s what they say.
But where can I buy this thing? My local bicycle shop owner couldn’t help me. He’s restricted to the bigger Dutch brands like Batavus, RIH and Sparta. Luckily Nazca provides a dealer list. And hey, a dealer within cycling distance, how nice! So today I’ve paid a visit to De Liggende Hollander, which roughly translates to “The Laying Dutchman”. The shop is located in a small shed/garage type of building in the middle of an average neighborhood. Not the place where you’d expect the only recumbent bicycle dealer in the area. The thing is completely packed with bikes. Some are out for display, some are hanging from the wall and others are hanging on wires from the ceiling. It’s a wonderful sight of brilliant engineering combined with a chronic lack of space. The shop is operated by a friendly guy who surely knows his stuff.
And behold, there it was, hidden behind it’s direct Challenge competitor, the Fuego. After some adjustments to the frame and some paperwork I was ready to take this thing for a spin. Or at least, I thought I was. I’ve tried a recumbent bike before quite a while ago and didn’t really manage to take off, so to speak. The shop’s owner helped me along and after a few (wobbly) laps around the neighborhood I was confident enough to take the bike to the public road.
What a revelation. It’s fast, comfortable, lean and everything everybody was saying about these bicycles is absolutely true. It’s a way better experience than the ordinary upright bike. The seat is shaped just right, the air suspension does it’s job perfectly and together with an excellent stiff frame this adds up to an unprecedented cycling experience. Of course some minor things annoyed me. Like that most traffic lights are controlled by buttons that are placed just too high to be easily reached from a semi-low racer like the Fuego. Also, because of the speed and aerodynamics flies and other insects are lining up to enter one of your facial cavities. Wearing glasses isn’t just a luxury, it’s highly recommended. note to self: buy some
Because of this wonderful experience I’ve decided to buy it. Expensive as it may be, it’s worth every last penny.
Some technical details I’ve remembered for the interested: Fuego Top-Sport Black Satin, Shimano (105?) 2×9 crank setup, Schwalbe Stelvio tires, Kind-Shock air suspension, Shimano (M535?) hydraulic disc brakes, 24 spoke Alex wheels and some LED lighting. Photos will be submitted to DeviantArt next week, after I’ve received the bike.
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