Posts by Kenneth
1 - 5 of 130 Posts
Joined
·
452 Posts
Joined
·
452 Posts
So back in about '95 I got a nerve injury from riding stiff-armed in order to support my weight because I had tilted the nose of my saddle down in order to avoid numbness in my privates. Totally un-coached, I started trying to average ~3K miles per year about 10 years earlier, so I had some serious time invested in that position. Lost strength and range of motion in my left arm such as I could no longer ride and bought a Lightning P-38 short wheel base recumbersome similar to yours. I had fun with it, and in the right conditions it was fast as Hell. I once encountered a cycling club from Grand Junction headed up the Crystal River Valley (CO133), a gradual but steady grade leading to the brutal 3 mile grind to the top of McClure Pass where no recumbent dare tread. But the steady grade, along with a light quartering headwind allowed me to drop all but a couple of them before I turned around. I rode a full year on it, including several centuries, trying to make the most of it, as my neurologist had only given me a 50% chance of recovery. In the meanwhile saddles starting have holes in them to avoid soft tissue damage, and over that winter I recovered. In the Spring I bought an outrageously expensive anatomic saddle, leveled it, and never rode the Lightning again, selling it on Ebay. It was a beautiful thing though, I'd like to try one with a fairing.Last long (60+ mi.) ride of the season, ride in comfort:
![]()
Lightning P38 and F40 Recumbent Bike - Bicycle Man
Lightning P-38 and Lightning F-40 Recumbent Bikes. The legendary P-38 is still Lightning's flagship and at 24 lb, one of the lightest recumbents made.
bicycleman.com
1 - 5 of 130 Posts
