With the dual-range automatic shift. 
here’s one 400 bucks.
I just saw their commercial again, and now I’m curious. Have any of you ever owned or ridden one? I’ve never, to my knowledge, even seen one. I can see the appeal for riding around town.
Opinions (humble or not) please.
Peace,
mangeorge
Short answer: They weigh a ton and the tranny works for shit.
I bought a Trek Cruiser.
No gears to shift, coaster brakes, light, durable, & the minimum # of moving parts to break.
Fitted it with lights, bell & basket, and I couldn’t be happier. Biked 11 miles last Saturday, & wasn’t breathing hard by the time I got home.
I’ll be able to use this bike 10 years from now, with nothing but new tires & a tune-up.
I’ve tried a couple of automatic shift bikes (electronic, not mechanical) and the shift mechanism was so primitive as to be almost useless. On an automatic shift automobile, when you are coasting along and suddenly need to accelerate, you step on the accelerator and the gearbox downshifts to give you more power. I haven’t seen an automatic shift bike that does that, and I’m sure the Land Rider is no exception based on the description here.
If standard derailleurs are too much trouble for you (and I can understand that - they can only be shifted when the bike is in motion, and while pedaling gently), I recommend bikes with 3-speed internal gear hubs. They are very reliable and durable, and you can shift gears while the bike is stopped. They are common enough that most bike shops are familiar with them, unlike this Land Rider system. This Electra Townie has a 3-speed hub and a very user-friendly geometry (the pedals are further forward than on most bikes, so it’s easier to get your feet down), for around $330 retail - I would recommend something like that over the Land Rider. There are also 7 and 8 speed internal hubs, but the 3-speed seems to be the most robust and probably enough for most people. (There’s also one company, Rohloff, that makes a 14-speed internal hub - fantastic product, but very expensive.)
When racing bikes were new and called “English” and then “Ten Speed” bikes, I had a Schwin “Paper Boy Special” which sported a three speed hub. Man, was that thing troublesome. It left a bad taste with me, though I’m sure improvements have been made. Maybe I’ll look into that type. I’m not exactly looking for a bike right now, though. I keep seeing that commercial is all.
Derailler shifting is a real problem, as you say, especially in city riding where you often need to stop unexpectedly and get caught on a slight uphill in a higher gear.
Anyway, the seat is what keeps me from riding. I no longer sit well, if you know what I mean. :eek:
Gah! Now that I’m thinking about it, and it’s springtime, I’m missing it. Guess I’ll go investigate my options. No Land Rider, though. I never really considered that.
Derailleurs of that era were also troublesome. Both have gotten better. I was recently talking to a bike mechanic who mentioned that he has never seen a broken Shimano 3-speed hub. I’ve had two bikes with SRAM 3-speed hubs and they worked flawlessly. The only tricky part is when you need to change a flat tire - then you need to remove the shifter cable, and adjust it afterwards. But it only takes a minute after you learn how.
SRAM makes a nice “DualDrive” hub that might interest you - it’s a 3-speed internal hub that also takes a 8- or 9-speed cassette. Combined with a rear derailleur, it gives you 3x8 or 3x9 all in the rear. You can keep the internal hub in 2nd gear (direct drive), and if you ever get caught standing still in high gear, you can downshift the internal hub to get started.
In that case I recommend one of these. (The Dynamik is next on my wish list.) Or even a true recumbent, like this or this. These have conventional derailleurs, but they can be upgraded with internal hubs if necessary. (Although I would recommend more than 3 gears for a recumbent, because you can’t stand on the pedals for extra torque.)
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- Then don’t buy an upright, because they are all uncomfortable for the same reasons, and no accessory will fix that.
Another cheaper recumbent is the Sun Super Cruizer: http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_04/recumbents/ez1_sx.html .
[-scr4 ninja’d my other recommendation, the Cycle Genius…]
- Then don’t buy an upright, because they are all uncomfortable for the same reasons, and no accessory will fix that.
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For the ultimate in comfort, they’re a bit harder to transport but long-wheelbase recumbents are said to be best.
One cheaper ($1000) one getting high owner remarks is the Cycle Genius LTX: http://www.cyclegenius.com/ltx.htm
The Rans crank-forward bikes are getting good comments too–but they do cost more money. My local shop has a Cruz for $700 IIRC, and I think it’s the cheapest of the lot, and it might be a previous-year-model–already discounted.
To be fair, I own a Sun Speedster CX:
http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_04/recumbents/ezspeedster_sx.html
My last upright road and MTB bikes both cost around $1500 each. This bike cost around $1000, and is much more comfortable to ride.
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Yes, the Sun bikes are pretty nice too. A bit heavy, but that may not matter if your area is fairly flat.
There are different schools of thought on this one. My experience and opinion is that the seat should be reclined as far as possible to take the weight off your butt and spread it over your entire back. But these extremely-laid-back recumbents are usually short-wheelbase, like the Volae and Bacchetta bikes. (The Reynolds Nomad is an exception, but it’s no longer made and not many are in existence. And you can’t have mine. 
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The Cruz is new this year. Last year they only had the Fusion, and it had a 20-inch front wheel. By all accounts the newer 26/26 models are better.
p.s. Another “feet forward” bike (like the Electra Townie) getting good reviews is the Giant Suede. Starts at $260 MSRP for a single-speed model.
Okay, I’ve looked at the pictures and read the specs. Time to take some notes and go test riding.
Thanks
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- Ahh well, the Cruz is stuffed way in the back looking unwanted. I thought it was maybe older, but perhaps there is no interest in it. For full price I’d prefer the Dynamik but who knows… I need a second bike, something easier to ride than a SWB but still comfortable to ride, for when someone else wants to go riding on my bent but has no bike, or only has a crummy upright bike. -But of course, I still want something cool enough for me to ride…
- Ahh well, the Cruz is stuffed way in the back looking unwanted. I thought it was maybe older, but perhaps there is no interest in it. For full price I’d prefer the Dynamik but who knows… I need a second bike, something easier to ride than a SWB but still comfortable to ride, for when someone else wants to go riding on my bent but has no bike, or only has a crummy upright bike. -But of course, I still want something cool enough for me to ride…
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Also I would not recommend the cheaper “comfort” bikes, as many higher-mileage riders who have tried them say that (aside from using cheap components) the actual riding positions is not real good for pedalling efficiency. They are somewhat more comfortable than a normal frame, but not much. And really–they still use a conventional bicycle seat–so if you have comfort problems on a regular seat, then these bikes would hardly be any solution. If they had better rider positioning, then they could use a bigger flatter seat, like the Rans bikes do.
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I built and own a motorized Land Rider it works great.
Updated link. Updated prices-between 400-800 dollars, depending on type and size of bike.