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    • Lightning Riders

    While Lightning's website - lightningbikes.com - is the best information source on Lightning recumbent bikes, it lacks a moderated forum where Lightning riders - and would-be riders - can freely exchange ideas. Recumbent sites with forums exist, like wisil.recumbents.com & bentrideronline.com. But why bore all the non-Lightning folk to tears with endless writing about our favorite recumbent marque? We need a place of our own. 

    Curious about recumbents, and considering a Lightning? Want to modify a Lightning, or fix a problem that puzzles the local wrench? Post your questions here, and draw upon the collective experience of other cyclists. Got something Lightning-related to buy or sell? Let us know. The discussion can range freely, as long as the focus stays on recumbent cycling generally, and Lightning bikes in particular. Just one ground rule - the credo of Human Powered RaceAmerica (HPRA): 

                                                             "Go fast, have fun, promote technology, don't be an ass." 

    So differences of opinion are fine. Trolling & flaming are not. Who decides which is which? Me.

    My name is Joel Dickman. I've been riding recumbent bikes for over twenty-five years. I'm a long-standing (sitting?) member of the Lightning tribe, but new to running a website. Please cut me some slack if things - like the forum - don't work properly at first. A gallery of pictures of Lightning bikes - especially bikes that are distinctive - would be fun. Snap away and send them in.

    (Because of a recent spambot infestation, send me an email with your chosen username after signing up to post notes on the forum. I will then unblock you. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

    Contact me at joeldickman@hotmail.com

    (The 3 F40 riders pictured above are Greg DuVall, Tom Howe, and Gerry Pease left to right, at Playa del Rey, California.)

    Links Page

     Sheldon Brown's article on Recumbents

     John Schubert's 1986 Road Test of the P-38

    Tim Brummer: P-38 Design History

    RECUMBENT RACING - Pat Kinch talks to Richard Grigsby

    LIGHTNING PROGRESS - An HPV Development Case History - Tim Brummer (1995)

    LIGHTNING P-38 REVIEW - Becky "Arellcat" Taylor

     

    2007 Lightning R84 carbon fiber bike, made from new molds. Lighter weight than in previous years, with Lightning carbon fiber crankset .

    2009 Lightning R84.

    2009 R84.

    R84 rear view.

    R84 boom with carbon fiber compact crankset.

    R84 rear suspension. 

    R84 rear brake.

    R84 front suspension fork.

    Barclay "Beetle" Brown's R84 with roadbike-style drop handlebars, brifters, and what may be a GPS device.

    Pete's highly-modified R84 with 24" (ISO 520) front wheel and titanium fork. 

    R84 owned by Mike Jones.

    R84 with tinted large Zzipper fairing.

    2007 Lightning Phantom, with new seat mesh and chain idlers. (This is the new version of the bike called the Stealth some years back.)

    Larry Guevara's Phantom with Blue Angel paint by Spectrum Powderworks.

    Hansi's 26.45 lb. (with mirror!) new Phantom with light weight parts. This is as light - or maybe lighter - than a stock Lightning P38.

    Peder Torgersen's Phantom with Streamer front fairing and tailsock. Is that a mid-drive poking down below the seat?

    Peder's Phantom with bodysock.

    Peder's Phantom with home-brew Coroplast full fairing.

    Lightning X-2.

    Sandro Bollina's well-used Lightning X-2. In 1999 Sandro did a 58.13 second standing start kilometer at Interlaken, Switzerland with this bike. This may be a world record.

    Sandro's bike again. (HPV racer on left unidentified).

    Lightning X-2 leaning into a turn.

    Lightning X-2 head-on. Note the NACA ventilation duct in front of the windshield.

    Lightning X-2 opened up.

    Sandro's bike lying on side.

    Lightning X-2 riding by on a bike path by canal.

    Sandro getting the checkered flag at the finish line.

    Sandro's bike after a serious crash. Sandro survived, but the fairing may need replacement.

    Ben Treen's P38 with Mueller Windwrap front fairing and rear Aerotrunk.

    Glen Graham rides a P38 with a new & transparent large Zzipper fairing.

    P-38 with large Zzipper fairing parked in a snow bank.

    Bill's Lightning P38 with small Zzipper fairing.

     

    Becky with new P38, "like a gazelle". A real beauty. Bike's not bad-looking either.

    Becky's bike with Streamer front fairing & Tailsock rear fairing.

    Carol Shaw's P38 - probably late eighties / early nineties vintage.

    Larry Guevara's Lightning Voyager with aero panniers against Golden Gate Bridge backdrop: two outstanding examples of engineering.

    Larry's Voyager again. Note the U.S. Air Force-themed custom paint work.

    Ben Fox's first P38 (of many) with Shockster rear suspension, smaller Zzipper fairing, and Aerospoke wheels - 26" rear, 20" front.

    Ben Fox's more recent P38 with Terracycle fabric rear fairing and ISO 451 20" front wheel.

    Ben Fox's vintage 1980s P38 frame stripped of paint, serial #071. The seat is steel and permanently attached to the frame.

    Ben's vintage frame with new red paint and some updated components. Note the seat attachment.

    Ben's frame ready to ride.

    Home-brew aluminum tail fairing framework courtesy of Paul W.

    Paul's framework covered with fabric. In testing, the fairing did not increase his speed. Back to the drawing board.

    P38 with Mueller Windwrap front fairing and cloth bodysock.

    Kenneth Evans' old Lightning P38 with HED aero wheels.

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    Building a Lightning P38 frame.

    Tim Brummer, designer and builder of Lightning bikes.

    Close-up of S & S frame couplers on a P38 Voyager.

    P38 Voyager - travel version of P38.

    Lighting Thunderbolt - no longer being made. Lightning's least expensive bike.

    Mike Kapala's Lightning Thunderbolt. Higher seat & shorter wheelbase than P-38 & Phantom.

    Susan Reed putting big miles on her P-38 with HED aero wheels. Susan recently completed her second cross-country PAC tour.

    Fast Freddy Markham in Gold Rush races Carl Sundquist in Lightning X-2.

    Dennis Taves' modified Lightning P38 with rear suspension and mid-drive. Notice there is no rear derailleur.

    Chris and Alyce Broome with Lightning tandem bike. Visit Chris's website at http://webpages.charter.net/ccbroome/lightning.html for more pictures.

    Chris & Alyce Broome with Lightning F40-inspired Coroplast full fairing on a P38.

    Chris Broome on wife Alyce's Lightning P38 next to Subaru Outback car.

    Chris on Bram Moens' M5 low racer next to Subaru car. Which bike would you prefer to ride in heavy traffic?

    Tyger (the racing maniac) Johnson and Lightning F40 with modified tail.

    Tyger Johnson / F40 picture with a full canopy over his head.

    Lightning P38 with mid-drive added.

    Close-up of mid-drive.

    My (Joel Dickman) P38 with hardshell seat minus fairing.

    Creative routing of a V-brake noodle to avoid interference problems on a P38 front fork.

    Rick Martin shortened the base of his Lightning P38 seat by removing two inches of tubing on each side, inserting dowels, and covering the joints with a sleeve and JB Weld adhesive.

    Close-up of shortened seat base on Rick's bike.

    Eric Warp's "Warp Drive" faired P38, made from Coroplast and Zzipper bubbles.

    Perry's "rideable egg" homebrew fairing with Zzipper bubble front.

    Lightning X-2 fairing.

     

    Lightning handcycle in full fairing, with pilot Jon Franks.

    Lightning handcycle.

    Lightning handcycle.

    .

    Lightning handcycle in action.

    Lightning F40 and P38 side by side.

    F40 strip-tease.

    .

    Wally Kiehler's F40 minus Spandex cloth mid and tail section.

    Wally's bike fully clothed.

    Wally with F40 street streamliner next to racetrack streamliner at 2009 Ford Human Power Challenge.

    Wally enjoying the Ford test track.

    .

    F40 unzipped.

    Joe Martin's flaming F40.

    Gerard racing his F40.

    Gerard's bike underneath the blue fairing.

    Carl Murdock's clean & tight Lightning F40.

    Rear view of Bill Hannon's F40. Bill recently did a 3 hour 56 minute century ride at Black Bear, Michigan on this bike. Bill is 67 years old.

    Ken Lebold takes a winter ride on his F40.

    Texas F40.

    White Lightning - Abbott prize-winning bike - first HPV to exceed 55 mph. Don Guichard, Butch Stinton, Tim Brummer, Jan Russell, Chris Dreike left to right. Stinton & Russell were the pilots, with Guichard, Brummer & Dreike designing and building.

    Bram Moens' M5 low racer modified by Lightning.

    Rear view of Lightning-modified Bram Moens M5 bike owned by Joe Giannone.

    Tim Brummer on U2 time trial bike. Lightning no longer sells this bike due to changed USCF rules after Tim's 2005 Moriarity New Mexico ride.

    Bram Moens' M5 low racer modified by Lightning.

    Bram Moens' M5 high racer - current unfaired recumbent hour record holder - 32.357 mph powered by Aurelien Bonneteau.

    Wally Kiehler's F40 next to Chris on carbon fiber low racer.

    Tim Woudenberg in Lightning F40 and Michael Wolfe on Bacchetta Aero starting the 2006 Furnace Creek 508. Both Tim and Michael set recumbent records in their respective classes.

    Bob Fourney on Lightning F90 during 1998 solo Race Across America attempt.

    Tyger Johnson and Richard Nicodemus at Northbrook Illinois HPV races.

    P38 set up for mountain & hill climbing in South Korea owned by Joe Imms.

    Ian's P38 with trailer.

    Charles Dibella's Stealth set up for touring in southeast Asia. Visit Charles' website at http://www.bikepaths.org/

    Andy Goetz's P38 with Xtracycle rear cargo-hauling attachment. 

    Andy's P38 pickup truck bike again.

    Lightning F40 receding into the distance. What a beautiful planet! Let's avoid turning it into a giant toxic waste dump.

    Bob Krzewinski (right) and Wally Kiehler (left) with Bob's F40 after his November 2006 hit-and-run encounter with a motorist.  Bob escaped with minor injuries (note cast on his arm), but his Lightning bike was trashed

    Bob Krzewinski (fully recovered) racing his F40 in Michigan.

    Lightning carbon fiber crankset with bottom bracket.

    Lightning cranks with bottom bracket, chainrings, and mounting hardware.

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    Imitation is the sincerest flattery: Easy Racers Aptera & Woodside J-Dart Pro bikes. Both lack the twin top tubes of the Lightning original. If you are going to copy, copy the best.

    Richard Myers' Challenge Jester enclosed in a Lightning F40-inspired nosecone & bodysock fairing. Richard raised the seat of his low racer in order to see over the top of the fairing. HPRA benevolent dictator Garrie Hill stands against fence.

    Another shot of Richard's bike. Garrie Hill created the carbon fiber nose fairing. 

    Rear view of the Banana bike.

    Not Lightnings... but a great picture: 3 Battle Mountain streamliners - Coslinger Special, Kingcycle Mango, and Sam Whittingham's record-holding Varna bike (82.819 mph) left to right.

    Simon Sanderson's 25.3 pound front wheel drive streamliner. "Amanita Virosa" is a white poisonous mushroom also called "destroying angel."

     More Destroying Angel photos can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhpclub/sets/72156048282386821

    Simon Sanderson going topless in Destroying Angel.

    Birk Comet with strange integrated helmet fairing.

    Helmet-faired Birk Comet again. Remember the science fiction film Alien?

    WAW velomobile owned by a rider with a sense of humor.