Article Contributed on: 5/8/2009 5:11:34 PM
When
Franklin Banker rides his bike around town, he attracts a lot of stares and exclamations of, "Cool bike, man!"
"Everywhere I go, people, especially young people, will ask me where I got it," said the Lakewood resident with a chuckle.
Banker rides a recumbent bicycle, or "bent" for short. Instead of perched upright, the rider is in a reclined position pedaling with legs stretched out in front.
While searching for a more comfortable alternative to his upright bike, Banker came across a recumbent at REI. He didn't like the sore shoulder and numb legs from traditional biking, and the recumbent is an ergonomic option with plenty of back support.
"I can ride this bike all day, and my legs never fall asleep," he said. "I've never been tempted to go back."
He described recumbent biking as similar to riding the exercise bike at a gym, with the exercise concentrating on the hips and thighs.
Banker said he and his wife,
Pat, enjoy riding trails, such as Bear Creek, Platte Valley and Clear Creek. They also hop on their bikes to ride around town.
"We love Belmar," he said. "We'll ride through the Lakewood Commons, Belmar Park and sometime stop for a cup of coffee or lunch."
Lakewood's bike system was recently recognized nationally. On May 1, the League of American Bicyclists named Lakewood as one of its 2009 Bicycle Friendly Communities.
The league noted Lakewood's construction of grade-separation crossings to increase cyclists' safety, investment in bicycling programs and facilities and Bicycle Systems Master Plan as factors in its decision.
Banker said only about 1 or 2 percent of the bikes he sees are recumbents.
In 2002, two years after Banker purchased his recumbent, the manufacturer, bikeE, mysteriously went out of business, he said. For replacement parts, he and other bikeE owners turn to eBay.
The price tag on recumbents may be a deterrent, Banker said. They are not mass-produced like upright bikes, so they are more expensive. He bought his for around $700, but since bikeE closed up shop, most new recumbents are more than $1,000.
"Most of the market (for recumbents) are men over 55, but women are discovering them, too," he said.
Banker shares his love for recumbents by selling them online through his affiliate marketing Web site.
He said recumbent riders share a sort of camaraderie. He always gives a friendly wave when he encounters another bent rider.
"This bike is how I communicate with strangers," Banker said. "Everyone wants to talk about it."