A very strange bird

[Junkhunter]

First time seeing one of these. Drive is very interesting. It's a 3 speed. Can't wait to get it oiled and greased up so I can ride it. Should be fun. Anyone else seen one of these?

 

[detroitbike]

I remember these at the bike shows in the 80's . All were 3 speeds. I think 15-20,000 were sold.
It makes a great conversation piece in the store.
Every one I ever sold the people wanted to return.
I have one just for display.

 

[sam]

Is it a 3 speed or just a multy-speed--I see that the shifter can change the lever length .

 

[Junkhunter]

3 speed I believe.

 

[bulldog1935]

and not one of you guys put a name on it, I had to dig up the Alenax all by myself

http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2012/12/alenax-ultimate-vintage-freak-bike.html

http://sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html

not too far away from the modern "elliptical" exercise bike
http://www.streetstrider.com/
http://www.elliptigo.com/
which will be strange birds found in future garage sales

a Japanese inventor took it the next step in the wrong direction, with the Joggercycle

 

[Andrew Gorman]

I kinda like the Elliptigo, at least from a distance. Whenever I've seen one ridden in the wild-which is infrequent- the rider looks like they are really getting a workout.

 

[bulldog1935]

on greenways they have a tendency to swash back and forth taking up the whole path (making them difficult to pass)

not quite as bad as a pair of recumbent trikes stopped to compare trikes

 

[frankabr.]

I had one in the late 80's. Not very comfortable to ride, as the up down motion on both sides of the crank tends to push you up out of the seat. Also, very tiring very quickly. Lent it to a friend and it was stolen from him, so I guess someone liked it.

 

[DC Bike Blogger]

I've got a couple of Alenax Transbar Power bikes in the novelty category of my bike collection. It's a set of matching his and hers 1985 Pale Blue Alenax TRB 2400 Bikes. Alenax bikes were only manufactured for eight years, in Rochester, NY, with production ceasing in 1993. My bikes were made the first year they were made. Here are some photos: https://dcbikeblogger.wordpress.com/my-bikes/

 

[TR6SC]

Lever/treadle bikes go back to the 1880's. If you can pump those levers quickly, you have an advantage in speed. Cyclists with cranks and pedals can only power on the cyclic downstroke. Levers can be pushed as often as they can be pushed. Fast bikes.

G