This bike has been sold and is no longer in my stable As it was such a cool project, I thought I would leave this webpage on here as a guide or inspiration to future Bentech builders

updates | photos | cost | weblinks

 

	After looking at these bikes for years and reading lots of favourable comments from their owners, I have ordered a frameset and will build it up from bits and pieces I have on hand from other bike projects and leftovers from upgrades.   Progress as at: 15.08.05 FINISHED!
Updates:   Conclusions: After nervously taking the plunge in ordering one of these bikes, I can honestly say that I am quite pleased with the outcome. I don't think that it will replace my 'normal bikes', although I can see how some folks can get quite passionate about recumbents. I was actually quite worried that I wouldn't like it or I wouldn't be able to ride it, but 'feel the fear and do it anyway' and see what happens ... it just gets better with more time in the saddle/seat. One thing that does take some getting used to is the number of people staring at you or pointing. You also get quite a few people coming up and talking to you, and asking questions about the bike. They really are a one person bike, unless you have a similar leg length to the owner ... many others have sat on the bike and tried to ride it, but their legs can't reach the pedals and they fall off ... one advantage of being quite tall I guess! It does feel faster in a straight line, and also into a headwind, but hills really slow it up.   15.08.05 ITS FINISHED!!! I have purchased the last bit needed, a new front tyre, Primo Comet 20x1.5, and with both tyres at their optimum pressure of 100psi the bike rattles along quite nicely. It is surprising how much drag there was in the old front wheel set up and underinflated tyre. Many thanks to Andrew at The Cyclery in Timaru who lent me the 20" BMX wheel I have been using for a long time now. I have been riding this bike quite a bit over the past few days and have really noticed the difference in some decent properly inflated tyres ... or am I just getting stronger? It is quite fun to ride on a velodrome, even if it does get boring riding around in circles!   15.07.05 Have been riding this bike quite a bit lately and getting more comfortable with the handling. It is surprisingly nimble, and fast too! I think that in not the too distant future I will be looking to upgrade the seat, maybe to a hard shell seat. Have noticed that my hands get very cold while riding on cool days. I can feel the extra weight when heading back home from the supermarket with the panniers chocka with groceries. It definitely feels heavier in the rear, but still very stable. I still feel quite uneasy in heavy traffic in town, especially at roundabouts. A friend of mine in the USA has dubbed this bike 'the flying banana' and says he is looking for a sticker of a banana with wings ... hehehehehe.   20.06.05 Managed to get out for a longer ride today ... only about 25 to 30km, but still an enjoyable distance when you are still getting used to a new form of transport. Still impressed at the speed on flat ground even with slow tyres and a dragging front brake. Managed to get along at quite a reasonable speed in a 52X17 gear, even passed a couple of other cyclists without too much effort. Can't wait to get the new front wheel and some faster tyres! In the meantime, I can definitely feel it in my legs.   19.06.05 Installed some padding where the cables go through the handlebar tubing as the cables were starting to rub on the rough edges.   16.06.05 Rode into town again today ... getting the hang of riding this bike now, and think the legs are getting stronger as managed quite a good clip both ways. Installed the front derailleur cable when I got back home, and then took the bike for a test spin around the neighbourhood. It will be handy having the lower gears now, and it goes plenty fast now in the big chainring! Just realised that the project is almost complete.   15.06.05 Bashed my leg into the side of a bridge while biking home from work on my Nomad last evening ... Hit about 3 vertical steel bridge railings directly on my kneecap while trying to ride around a pedestrian ... definitely made my eyes water and caused me to limp for a couple of days ... workmates asked if I had finally fallen off my 'mobile armchair' or 'the armchair' as it is affectionately known at work.   13.06.05 Rode bike into town today ... went better than I thought ... it was only about a 12km round trip on a mainly flat route and I stopped at the supermarket and filled two panniers up with groceries and biked back home. Some ride impressions: fast! hills and other minor rises slow it down considerably just as fast into a headwind with little increase in effort awesome view right down the road you need to change gears more often to keep your legs at a constant rpm you need to use a light touch on the handlebars, and steering is pretty quick you can tend to slouch in the seat if not careful it is really comfortable and you need to remind yourself to just relax and keep spinning get used to people looking at you and coming up to look at bike get used to looking at the car's door handles instead of looking down on it's roof the extra weight in the panniers wasn't noticeable on the flat bits panniers tuck in behind you out of the wind starting off in traffic is scary!   11.06.05 Went out with my Sarah this afternoon ... she rode her horse and I biked alongside ... there were a few wee hills on this route, and it was darn hard work on the recumbent, mainly because I don't have the use of the small chainring yet and I have quite built up my recumbent leg muscles yet! This bike actually rides quite well on gavel and starts not too bad on hills [yes, I did have to stop on a couple of them to have a wee breather!]. I ended up getting back to the car first, and watched as Sarah cantered up on her horse ... the horse stumbled as she approached, and she went over the horse's head landing on her shoulder ... mmm, I think bikes are still safer!   10.06.05 Got some gear cable sheathing/outer and installed it on the bike. Got the rear gears up and running, but found that that the front derailleur cable was a bit short for the route I had from the bars to the front of the bike, might need to look at some longer cabling! The SRAM X.9rear derailleur was surprisingly very very easy to set up. I was away trying it out down the street in no time at all. I decided to lock out the small cog [top gear] as this causes the chain to rub the chainstay [this is caused by another minor issue that I need to address next] ... I don't need top gear anyway, so essentially it is an 8sp rear for now ... full use of the 9 gears will be at hand shortly. I did find that the X.7 shifters are opposite to the ones I have on my Giant and kept changing the wrong way ... just takes a bit of thinking and getting used to. Took the bike for a spin around the block and was quite surprised at how fast it goes ... and you do use different muscles compared to a normal diamond frame bike. Still getting used to the stares and looks of amazement.   05-07.06.05 Took my bike to work with me to clean and polish ... spend some time riding it around the yard, ironing out a few things and getting the handlebar position right ... some of the my workmates tried it, some wouldn't even consider it ... boss fell off it after 5m and declared it a health and safety hazard and suggested we notify OSH ... CFO was gobsmacked at the thought of it, especially when I asked if I fell off could it be considered a work accident.   02.06.05 New handlebars are finished! I have installed these on the bike and have taken it for a test ride on the street outside home. Now installing the brake levers and gear shifters ... should be finished soon.   31.05.05 Took 'oddzilla' down to the local velodrome and did a few laps where I didn't have to worry too much about brakes or other drivers and I could cycle more than 50metres without having to slow and turn around ... was quite impressed although the gearing was too low and it got quite boring after 6 laps of a constant speed. Ordered new rim for front wheel.   30.05.05 Parcel with new front hub, cycle computer and saddle conditioner arrives. Will head down and check on progress of handlebars, and also seriously look at new front wheel set-up.   27.05.05 My new handlebars still aren't ready!!! Even after many promises of this afternoon or tomorrow ... has been over a week now. :o( Maybe I need to get my own welder? :o) Have reinstalled temporary bar set up and have been riding up and down the street again. Tried to sprint on it, accelerated quite quickly and then realised that there was a distinct lack of road left and no brakes!!!   26.05.05 Bought some brake bolts and have installed the brake arms. Got hold of some old skate wheels which I have turned down on the lathe at work, to serve as new idler wheels [as per the photo above]. After hunting around for some bearings, I managed to get some in an engineering store [608z bearings if you are interested] ... skateboard stores only sell them in packs of 8 starting at $25+, and the wheels start at $90 for 4, which makes them quite expensive to turn down for idler wheels.   20.05.05 Have been playing with the steering set up. Tried a OSS set up but wasn't quite happy so after some thinking, some searching on the net, and playing around with some old aluminium tubing and head stems, I have designed my own underseat bar system that is now being bent and welded together. My USS handlebar design [word document or webpage]. Also ordered a new front hub and computer. Have been looking at some decent front rims ... most likely models are Alex DA16 or Alex DA2418. Have also been looking at some suitable tyres ... most likely model is Primo Comet 20x1.5.   15.05.05 Took bike to work again as everyone was asking about it ... rode it around the yard at work, also up and down the street outside work, but none of the others were keen to try it when I offered them the chance to try it. Also sanded down the brake posts, as the powder coaters covered them and the brake arms didn't fit on ... might be able to stop the bike now, once the brake levers arrive.   11.05.05 The chain and some deore shifters arrived in the post today ... a quick call to the bike store and they will send out the deore brake levers I ordered, along with a bag to return the shifters ... oops! Still trying to work out a few steering issues ... current thoughts is a shorter stem [or even cut and welded] and a riser bar, or cutting up two flat bars and welding them together to form a wide riser bar ... Installed the chains and had another play with the steering set-up..   "Oddzilla" lives!!! hehehehe After installing the chain and using a couple of wire joiners and some short bits of gear cabling I locked the deraileurs into an easy gear .... wheeling it carefully out the garage and under the cover of darkness I wobbled nervously down the driveway after a few false starts. then I lined it up on the roadway outside home and after another wobbly start I was off down the street, and very carefully and wobbly around the cul-de-sac and building up some speed back to home base ... not satisfied with that, I lined the bike up again for another go and actually managed to get up a bit of speed with the 42x28 gear I was using, then about the end of the street I realised that I hadn't installed the brakes yet and slippers don't make good brake surfaces on the road, definite lack of friction there! after a few out and back rides, the wobbles were disappearing and I was relaxing and getting the hang of the tight turning in the street and the acceleration ... it is surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it, and it took me only a coupe of minutes to get the hang of it ... can't wait till the gear changers and brakes are installed ... and I think I will make sure the front wheel is tight next time too!.   10.05.05 Ordered 3 lengths of chain and also front and rear v-brake levers from Burkes Cycles. Picked up main frame from bikestore and have started final assembly. Looking at differing idler options, which I will have to make up myself, and will need to think about a new front wheel, as the one I am currently using is borrowed from a old Raleigh Twenty, which is heavy and the tyre is a bit dodgy. Problems encountered: The bolts and cap end bolts supplied are all imperial sized, rather than the metric normally encountered here ... not much of an issue at present as I have imperial allen keys and "one size fits all crescent", but this could mean taking extra tools on tour, or being stuck if I forget ... might need to look at replacing the imperial stuff for metric stuff in the future. The powder coaters have powder coated over the brake posts .. bugger! Will need to sand these back before brake arms can be installed. How is this steering meant to work? I can't quite get the handlebars high enough without hitting anything at present, but then I am using a flat bar ... might need to look at BMX bars or downhill riser bars..   07.07.05 Loosely assembled the main bits of the frame last night to see how it looked once it was powder coated, looks good indeed. looked at installing the headsets, but have to concede defeat [and the fact that I might break something] and took the mainframe and the necessary bits into the bike store this morning to have the headsets and fork fitted properly. Fitted BB, crank and front deraileur to boom, and have taken seat frame and fabric to work to lace up.   05.05.05 Picked up frame from powder coaters ... looks awesome!!! Only $90 for the complete job. Work colleagues wanted to build the bike up and have it running by lunchtime, but I could see us all ending up in a+e by afternoon tea.   03.05.05 Still waiting to hear back from powder coaters. Some bits and pieces starting to arrive. 2 new ritchey logic 1" threaded headsets picked up from eBay and a set of 105SC cranks and splined BB with under 300miles also picked up from eBay. Just the SRAM X.7 shifters, SRAM X.9 rear deraileur and 105 triple front deraileur to come from SpeedGoat. I was going to build it up with left over 7sp components, but for a little bit more I will build it with new 9sp technology. Interesting to speak to lots of other owners on types of cranksets they use ... majority have road cranks for speed, and the cycletourists have MTB cranksets to give lower gears for climbing hills with a load ... I have gone for a road crank 52/42/30 for now, and maybe will look at lowering the gears if I use this bike for touring. My workmates are sharing the interest and refer to the bike as "our bike" or "we are getting ...", and keep asking if it is ready to be picked up from the powder coaters yet.   22.04.05 Spent today taking frame around some car painters to get an estimate to paint the bike ... most were around the $250-300 range. I also looked into doing it myself with spray cans, and with primer, sandpaper and two topcoats would work out around the $80 mark. I called into Reiker cyclemakers in washdyke and enquired if they painted bike frames, and they quoted about $150, possibly a bit more for a recumbent. Reiker did suggest powdercoating and showed me an example of a racing trike they had built that they had powder coated, and they sent me over the road to the powdercoaters. The PowderCoaters took one look at my frame and said $80, or $100 +GST for two colours. So it is going to be bright yellow, with antique grey seat frame and front forks. Observations: It is surprising how much interest the unfinished bike frame is causing ... the mechanic at the local bike store is building one as well, although a different model.   21.04.05 Pick up box from NZ Post, rush home and loosely assemble.   19.04.04 Letter from NZ Post/ Customs arrives to let me know they have my bike and I need to pay some GST, which I paid over the phone and the bike was released soon afterwards.   13.04.05 Bike arrives in NZ and is seized by Customs Dept.   31.03.05 I have ordered a short wheelbase [SWB] frameset with underseat steering [USS] option. SWB_USS This recumbent also comes in two other options, blueprint plans to build either model entirely yourself after sourcing all components and steel, and a bent tube option that you weld yourself. I have chosen the easier option for now and am getting a pre-made frameset, I will see how this works out and I might consider building my own long wheelbase option [LWB] sometime in the future if I can get into a nightschool metalwork class!

Photos:
You start from here...	All the bits back from the powder coaters. Crank installed on boom.	Frame with fork installed	Headset and steerer. Hole visible is what seat bolts onto.	Wheels on, boom on, what next?
10.05.05 working on steering system	Chain on and ready to go. Note changed steering to previous pic.	First ride under cover of darkness. Bars are actually quite awkward to use like this.	Temporary brake pads.	Sarah gets to try it out.
Close up of bar set up, note new idler wheels installed.	Front view of the new bar set up Plans and design notes	Steering detail	Steering detail	Not mine, but I used this as a guide to building mine. I think it belongs to Bob in Arizona.
				tour photos to come?
Finished!	Front view	Rear view	Progress as at 15.08.05   Dark forks look good, but I do still quite like the yellow forks in the previous photo.
Weblinks: Bentech recumbents homepage ... website of the frame builder and designer Bentech group homepage ... website of fellow bentech owners, info, photos, helpful advice and links to other pages Recumbent links ... Mike Bentley's page of recumbent links Hostelshoppe ... Bikeshop specialising in recumbents ... building a long wishlist of bits and pieces Power on cycling ... another resource for home recumbent builders Kiwi HPV ... New Zealand HPV club, based in Christchurch.
Cost: I bet you looked here first huh??? :o) I am not sure if I should put this here, it may become too scary once it is all totalled up   item source frame bentech frames [incl. shipping and gst] headsets X2 1" threaded eBay, ritchey logic 1" threaded [new] front wheel rim: Alex DA2418; hub: LX 36h; spokes: SS 2x tyre [front] primo stelvio 100psi tyre [rear] michelin 100psi brake levers Burkes Cycles, Shimano Deore black V-brake levers [front and rear] chain x3 Burkes Cycles, SRAM PC950 cabling [inner/outers] lbs and from parts bin powdercoating ColourCoaters, hilton highway, timaru crank and bb eBay ... 105SC triple 52/42/30, 105 octalink BB front deraileur speedgoat, 105SC triple shifters speedgoat, SRAM X.7 rear deraileur speedgoat, SRAM X.9 rear wheel from parts bin, LX hub, X221 rim, 36h ... ex Nomad handlebar aluminium,  my handlebar design [word document or webpage] brakes, pedals, rack, from the parts bin, left overs from other builds and upgrades. misc bolts, cap head screws, et al