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Never having even seen a recumbent in person, I bought my first two Vision R-40's used, from Tony Licuanan in Seattle in 1996. The turquoise one was the second frame ever off the initial production line. Tony's wife used the other, a hot pink version with the 16" front wheel. Thus started my bent period. I rode that first R-40 exclusively until about 2006, when I bought the red longer wheelbase frame with the 9 speed rear cassette. A couple years later came the deep blue R-40 MWB, which I'd like to restore to its original configuration.
I had three main reasons for buying the Visions. Primarily I wanted to try something different, and I liked the "weird" factor of recumbents. After a year or two of intense scrutiny of RCN (Recumbent Cyclist News magazine - this was years before widespread internet use) I liked the configurable nature of the Visions. Mine came in SWB USS flavour, I got used to that and never did change it. Being an eye doctor, the name was the clincher. Most of my riding is work commuting, but I did manage a 200K brevet with the Randonneurs in May 2003. Just recently, I've added a couple of Optima Barons to the HPV stable, along with assorted Trikkes, Kickbikes and Magic Wheels. One day I'll learn to ride my unicycle.
- Steve Briggs, Feb. 2011 |
