Paul MacCartney's Vanguard

I got interested in 'bents due to the discomfort of my conventional bikes (I have five other bikes). I went to the local 'bent store, Bicycle One in Gahanna Ohio, and tried all of the two wheel 'bents they had in stock (Bicycle One is a great store BTW). Of course, the Longbike was the last one I rode. I fell in love. It was completely superior to all the others. It is a very solid bike. The seat is amazing. The components - top notch.

That was nine months ago. Since then I've had my eyes out for a used bike. $2,500 is a bunch of money for a bike I figured. I saw this bike on ebay for $1,100 and bought it. After riding it a bit and sharing it with friends I've come to realize that $2,500 is a deal for something that brings so much pleasure.

Thus, I'm in the market for another Ryan or Longbike - maybe a Duplex/Gulfstream. One thing that continues to amaze me is the sheer quality of the bike. I'm convinced that with routine maintenance this bike will last more than a lifetime. One of my bikes is a 1967 Schwinn tandem, so I'm speaking from experience.

Here's a short testimony to the bike. I hate the cold. Despise it. Strange thing for a guy living in Columbus Ohio, but true. I won't golf if it's less than 72 degrees. When I retire, it will be south of Naples Florida. Tampa is too cold in the winter. All that said, I gladly ride my Vanguard in 30 degrees. It's that much fun.

I'm convinced - if more people tried the Avatar/Vanguard/Slipstream, more people would own one.

These pictures were taken by the guy who sold me the bike. He's got a small bike business in Colorado.

Cheers!