Home
Site Map
Buy Now

  The Sidewinder Family


 

Designed with comfort in mind, Sidewinder Cycle is proud to introduce our exclusive patented line of recumbent cycles designed to meet your daily exercise and recreation needs.  Our recumbent cycles feature a patented two wheel drive system along with the ability to fold up to fit into the trunk of your car.  Sidewinder Cycle delivers two recumbent models, the new 2006 SportZ, Sport”E” (electric) and the Pro-Cruiser, ProE (electric).  You can call it a recumbent, recumbent cycle, recumbent tricycle, recumbent bike, recumbent trike, recumbent bicycle, comfort bike, or you can call it your personal exploration vehicle for your new adventure in life.    more...

Quick Search

Browse Categories Select One Recumbent Skitter EzPak Accessories   Sales and Service: 805-524-3022 e-Mail: sales@sidewindercycle.com Fax: 805-524-3021 Address: 678 Ash Circle Fillmore, CA 93015

“The SideRider”

Message from SideWinder

Hello again to all returning visitors and welcome all new arrivals to our second e-publication.  We are excited about the ending of the year and for the new-year (believe it or not).  We have continued with our push to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the recumbent world. 

Why you ask are we excited about the last few months of 2005 and for the upcoming 2006?  Well, that is because we have several new arrivals.  One is the addition to my personal family and the other is an addition to the Sidewinder Family, which is a New Model.  The model will be called the “Sidewinder Sport Z”.  We have been working on this project for over a year now making sure to perfect every angle weld all the way to the new significantly lighter differential. 

The “Sidewinder SportZ” has all the benefits of the Pro Cruiser plus more choices of colors to choose from.  The Sidewinder SportZr has been through several months of testing and has come back with rave reviews from riders.  The SportZ will have mechanical disc brakes along with a differential system that is 5 pounds lighter and wait till you see the price tag!  Check Sidewindercycle.com for price, pictures and specs.

This past year we have actually gotten out and showed our face at a few events.  People have been wondering what has happened to us in the past few years but all questions are answered when they see the new Sidewinder SportZ model then go home and check our newly designed website.  We have just been working hard in order to develop the ultimate comfort and functionally designed recumbent machine!  So, for those of you that stopped by our booth at the Quality of Life Expo and the Baby Boomers show, thanks, we look forward to seeing you at future events.  Please once again check the site often for up to date news of the events and demos that we will be attending and coordinating.  See, I told you, exciting stuff is happening.

Till next ride, be sore No more on a Sidewinder!

Michael Newhouse

Director of Sales and Marketing

Your Adventure

I felt compelled to choose this as our adventure story and to leave it un-edited in its original form.  Enough said, here is the email.

Dear Linda and Jim 

I thought about your request for a "testimonial" on my Sidewinder for a few days, and so much of what I had to say about my appreciation of mine I thought would sound "gushy" to someone who hasn't tried one, that I wasn't sure just how to proceed. Anyway, this afternoon I sat down at the computer and talked a little about my cross-country trip with the  Sidewinder, and such as it is, here it is, pretty much unedited. Please feel free to do with it whatever you like!

 My Friend and Faithful Steed, the Sidewinder

 I have enjoyed owning many vehicles -- tricycle, bicycle, unicycle,  bicycle with a motor, small motorcycle, larger motorcycles, cars, vans,  campers, sports cars -- they've been fine, but none of them have given me  the unique pleasure that I experience with my Sidewinder. Let's see if I  can explain that.  I've been fascinated with recumbent bicycles, tried some but never bought  one. They were so expensive! I would look in on them now and then to see  what was developing, take a test ride occasionally, but the price barrier kept me away.

About a year ago I was checking again on the Internet and ran into the
 Sidewinder. It looked fairly fascinating, especially when I saw the
 online videos. I went so far as to call Sidewinder cycle's 800 number,
 and found I could contact willing owners for a demonstration. I tried
 that and was very favorably impressed, but still not buying. The
 Sidewinder cost half again as much as my little Geo Metro had cost me.
Shortly after, Linda at Sidewinder called to tell me they had a Sidewinder
 that was not the very latest model, that I could save a few hundred
 dollars on. I decided to drive to Fillmore California to try it out.
 Linda and Jim both got on their Sidewinders and we took a very pleasant
 cruise around Fillmore. By the time we got back I had decided I wanted
 that Sidewinder! We closed the deal, folded up the Sidewinder and tucked
 it neatly into the back of my little Geo. The rest, as they say, is  history.

Back in east Hollywood...  
 I had bought a brand new mountain bike, partly to stave off my temptation  to spend a lot of money on a recumbent -- I could have bought a dozen mountain bikes for the price of a recumbent. The mountain bike went back to the store, and I began my love affair with  the Sidewinder.
I live near Griffith Park, which has many roads which have been blocked to
 automobile traffic -- ideal for hikers, bikers, and horses. Amidst these
 nature lovers, always friendly and curious about the Sidewinder, I began  to re-explore the beauty of Griffith Park.
Lots of mountain bikes passed me, since I discovered I was in no hurry. I  always loved walking, and I noticed a curious thing. On the Sidewinder,
 so comfortable and close to the earth, I was noticing more than I did even  when walking. Wow!

Those bicyclists seemed always intent on getting somewhere. I remembered  my bicycling. It was then I realized the difference between a bicycle and  my recumbent tricycle:  A bicycle is a great way of getting there.  The Sidewinder is a great way of being there. What happens is that the moment I sit in my Sidewinder, I have already arrived. I have come to call it my throne on wheels. I'm in no hurry to get anywhere. Wherever I can find a spot of shade, a beautiful view, I
dwell a while. I think being close to the earth has a lot to do with it.  I can reach over and touch the ground. My angle, in my recumbent  "throne," is halfway between Earth and sky. Many nights I have taken the  Sidewinder out just to view the stars. Daytimes I enjoy the earthside  beauty along with a perfect view of trees and sky. Much of the time in my  Sidewinder I'm going slower than a walk, in a state of comfort and  delight.

Of course the Sidewinder can really move. Going downhill, or on a
 straight smooth road, I can get up to speeds that are scary. I find much
 greater pleasure going downhill gently applying Sidewinder's hydraulic
 brakes. My legs rest comfortably while I enjoy a free scenic ride.
So much for Griffith Park. At other times I cruise comfortably around the
 neighborhood in east Hollywood, doing errands. Frequently I will ride
 just for the pleasure of it. It's very nice at night, with my tiny
cats-eye LED headlight in the greater-attention-getting and energy-saving
 strobe mode, and fleshing red LED taillights. I feel quite safe. And it's  fun.

In February I started a cross-country odyssey in my little Geo with the
 Sidewinder tucked in the back. I spent several months in Arizona, on many
nights viewing the beautiful night sky from my Sidewinder, and cruising
 around my brother's retirement community in the pleasant night air. I
 forgot to mention that a great thing I discovered is that I seem welcome
 to cruise on sidewalks or on the left or right sides of streets, whichever
 feels safer at the time. No one complains. I'm always greeted with waves
 and smiles, from ordinary citizens as well as law officers.

In Santa Fe New Mexico I found some bicycle/hiking paths along old rail  beds. Very nice. Smooth. Scenic. Again waves and smiles.
 The clutch on my Geo gave out as I was passing from Oklahoma into
 Missouri. It was slipping worse and worse, so I found a Chevy dealer in
 Carthage Missouri who could handle the repairs. But it was on a weekend.
 I spent four nights in a motel waiting for parts and the repair job.
I took stock. It was HOT. Luckily I found a motel right across the street
 from the Chevy place. Then....wait. I saw I could be in four days of
 misery, or four days in Missouri. I chose Missouri. With the company of
my Sidewinder, I cruised around this pleasant little town early and late,
 hiding out in my air-conditioned motel room in the blistering mid-day,
 reading and napping. I watched less than one minute total of the glorious
 multi-channel TV. My real-environment meditations on the Sidewinder had  spoiled me for this canned fare.
"Meditation Machine." Another name I used to describe my Sidewinder.

 The Geo fixed, I folded up the Sidewinder and drove to Indiana. In
 Lafayette I cruised again. More pleasant neighborhoods and countryside.
 My girlfriend's grandson got a big kick out of the Sidewinder and rode it  every time I'd let him. Others tried and enjoyed it, too.

 Next touchdown Richmond Indiana, pleasant pathways around a small lake
 with ducks in my sister's community. A nice Greenway Trail for several
 miles from the outskirts to the heart of the city. Wide, beautiful trees,
 bridges, parks, pedestrians and cycles only. More longing looks and  friendly enquiries about the Sidewinder.

Next Brookville Indiana, my niece's home in the country. About an acre of
 mowed grass between the house and the road. The roads, winding through
 nearby farms were nice to cruise on the Sidewinder, yet my greatest
pleasure was in discovering I could shift into low gear and cruise easily
 around the huge front lawn, visiting a variety of beautiful trees. This
 may seem like a strange thing to do, but I was so entranced by the ease of
 getting around, and the heightened awareness I experienced being seated so
 comfortably, close to the earth and close to everything I was seeing, I  just went along with it -- a feast of noticing. Contemplating fine details  I would ordinarily have missed.

Kettering Ohio and old friends. My buddy fell for the Sidewinder
 immediately and rode it a lot when I wasn't on it. Again, the sidewalks
and streets in his neighborhood were ideal for cruising.  

 Next touchdown for the Sidewinder was here near Hancock New Hampshire.
 Narrow gravel road downhill both ways from the house I am staying in. I
 enjoy our part of the tree-lined road that's fairly level. Cruising the
 broad lawns, enjoying trees, flowers, berries and the edges of the dense
 woods has been fine. The Sidewinder is so comfortable I can just sit in
 it going zero mph, soaking up the sun's rays or basking in the shade, or
 reading a book. When I feel like moving, I'm already in the driver's  seat.

I mentioned that a bicycle is a great way to get there, while the Sidewinder is a great way to BE there. You don't have to get off and look  for a place to sit down. You're already there.   If all this slow-motion meditative enjoyment doesn't appeal to you, let me remind you that the Sidewinder can get around just fine. Only you'll  enjoy the trip more than on a bicycle.

Tech Tip

Tech Tip from James Nunes.

The importance of proper tire inflation.  Recumbent tricycles are more sensitive to differential tire pressure. If the tires are at a different pressure, the effective tire diameter is not the same. On a Sidewinder recumbent with dual front wheel drive, unequal tire pressure will cause friction in the gear box.

Just as in a car, with a low tire pressure, the tricycle with a low tire, will pull to that side and cause unnecessary gear rotation inside the differential.

 Bicycle tubes are thin, and they do leak air over time, through the tube walls. Check the tires before riding, and keep them at the tires’ recommended pressure, and at the same pressure in each tire. The recommended tire pressure is printed on the tire sidewall.

Riding your Sidewinder will be much more enjoyable, give a smoother ride and take less effort, if you pay attention to tire inflation. This simple maintenance chore will enhance tire longevity and prevent side wall cord separation.

Health Story

A healthy body is a well hydrated machine.

A healthy body is more than a well-oiled machine. It's a well-hydrated machine. Why? Because human beings need water to survive and thrive. To keep your family and yourself going strong, try these tips for maximum hydration and good health in Summer and Winter.

 Get on a water schedule. Start the day with a glass when you get up, then have at least one more with each meal.
 Take water breaks. Mid-afternoon is prime time to break for a bottle of refreshing water, as is before, during and after any kind of exercise.
 Pair your caffeinated beverages with a glass of water. Since caffeine acts as a diuretic and actually dehydrates you, fight back by re-hydrating immediately with a glass of water.
 Keep water within reach. Stash on-the-go sizes where you'll have them handy to quench your thirst - in your gym bag, briefcase, purse and car. And remember, water doesn't have to be chilled to be refreshing.

Drinking lots of water when it's hot outside makes sense. Why? Because as the temperature rises, so does your body's need for water. Water not only keeps you cool and comfortable in the warm weather, it also prevents dehydration, a potentially serious condition. Early signs are dry lips and tongue, lightheadedness, loss of energy and dry skin. Moderate dehydration can cause headaches and dizziness

Two age groups, children and older adults, are particularly susceptible to dehydration. Children must be reminded to drink water since they rarely drink enough on their own. Seniors should simply make drinking extra water part of their daily routine.

No matter what your age, however, don't rely on thirst as an accurate signal because it shuts off before you've had enough to drink. That's why, when you and your children are out having fun in the hot summer sun, remember to drink beyond the point of quenching thirst. Stay cool, healthy and refreshed by keeping your favorite bottled water within reach.