Laidback Bike Report

This year is the 25th Anniversary of one of the most highly respected recumbent manufacturers in the world. This past autumn AZUB Recumbents held a successful celebration event in the Czech Republic right in their home city, Uhersky Brod. Since the excitement has by now calmed down we thought it was a perfect time to sit down with the founders. CEO Aleš Zemánek shares some great stories of the origin of the company, its guiding philosophy, the challenges they experienced over the years and where they are headed today. Joined by marketing director Honza Galla, we also hear his take on everything including some wild stories and experiences. After the interview Aleš and Honza will be with us live to respond to your questions and comments along with special guest Matt Galat of Ja Yoe fame!00:00:00  Intro00:00:30  What’s on Today’s Show00:02:00  Panel Introduction00:04:00  Sponsor Introduction00:06:50  Honza Galla with Recumbent News Segment00:15:50  AZUB 25th Anniversary Celebration Event Coverage with Honza Galla00:31:20  AZUB CEO Aleš Zemánek Interview along with Honza Galla01:08:15  Discussion with Aleš, Honza and Matt Galat01:25:38  Sponsor Thanks01:28:30  Announcements01:29:20  Goodbye to panel and crewPlease subscribe to us on YouTube (https://goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so. Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: https://www.laidbackbikereport.com/.We would love to have you as a Patreon Patron where you can support all we do for as little as $1/month. Check out how it works and the benefits you can reap here: https://www.patreon.com/laidbackbikereport*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*TerraCycle  https://t-cycle.com/  800-371-5871Trailside Trikes  https://trailside.bike/  352-419-4809TerraTrike/Greenspeed https://wizwheelz.com/  800-945-9910Laidback Cycles https://laidbackcycles.com/   916-668-8766Bicycle Man https://bicycleman.com/ 607-587-8835AZUB https://azub.eu/  Connecticut Yankee Pedaller https://www.cypbikes.com/  641-774-5557Steintrikes https://stein-trikes-us.com/  931-237-0889HASE USA  https://www.hasebikesusa.com/  802-382-0093RAD Innovations  https://www.rad-innovations.com/  802-382-0093*Honza’s News Report Links*--Recumbent News  https://www.recumbent.news/*Guest Links*-AZUB https://azub.eu/-Matt Galat Ja Yoe Nation YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@JaYoeNation*LBR Review Team Links**LBR Crew Links*-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla  https://www.recumbent.news/-BentRider/Larry Varney  http://www.bentrideronline.com/-Nina Paley’s Links-Nina’s blog  https://blog.ninapaley.com/-Nina’s bike merchandise  http://www.palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet-Peter Stull  https://bicycleman.com/-Josef Janning  https://www.facebook.com/josef.janning-Tim Segard https://www.bentrevolution.com/-Tray Bourgoyne  [email protected]**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**  Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here:  https://rcnpdf.com/**Viewer Submissions or Questions**Send to [email protected] the show

Wally Swarchuk took 16 years to design and build his dream . This retired geography teacher from Canada began with no skills or experience in building bikes. He taught himself to weld and experimented with many prototypes before coming up with his current Tilt4orce Velocar. We hear his incredible story and then have our old friend Dr. Craig Cornelius evaluate this project using his many years of  experience building his own tilting trikes.Finally, our own bent triathlete Larry Seidman gives us a report from the 2025 Senior Games held near Des Moines, Iowa last summer.00:00:00  Intro00:00:30  What’s on Today’s Show00:01:50  Panel Introduction00:03:30  Sponsor Introduction00:06:20  Honza Galla with Recumbent News Segment00:09:13  Tilt4orce Velocar Project with builder Wally Swarchuk00:40:25  Tilting Trike Concepts and Tilt4orce Pros and Cons with Craig Cornelius01:27:20  Sports Report-2025 Senior Games with Larry Seidman01:31:53  Sponsor Thanks01:34:40  Announcements01:36:10  Goodbye to panel and crewPlease subscribe to us on YouTube (https://goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so. Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: https://www.laidbackbikereport.com/.We would love to have you as a Patreon Patron where you can support all we do for as little as $1/month. Check out how it works and the benefits you can reap here: https://www.patreon.com/laidbackbikereport*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*TerraCycle  https://t-cycle.com/  800-371-5871Trailside Trikes  https://trailside.bike/  352-419-4809TerraTrike/Greenspeed https://wizwheelz.com/  800-945-9910Laidback Cycles https://laidbackcycles.com/   916-619-1003Bicycle Man https://bicycleman.com/ 607-587-8835AZUB https://azub.eu/  Connecticut Yankee Pedaller https://www.cypbikes.com/  641-774-5557Steintrikes https://stein-trikes-us.com/  931-237-0889HASE USA  https://www.hasebikesusa.com/  802-382-0093RAD Innovations  https://www.rad-innovations.com/  802-382-0093*Honza’s News Report Links*--Recumbent News  https://www.recumbent.news/*Guest Links*-Wally Swarchuk and the Tilt4orce  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtmfdlOmIbMOcg1F5Lxvkg-Craig Cornelius  https://lefthandedcyclist.blogspot.com/*LBR Review Team Links**LBR Crew Links*-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla  https://www.recumbent.news/-BentRider/Larry Varney  http://www.bentrideronline.com/-Nina Paley’s Links-Nina’s blog  https://blog.ninapaley.com/-Nina’s bike merchandise  http://www.palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet-Peter Stull  https://bicycleman.com/-Josef Janning  https://www.facebook.com/josef.janning-Tim Segard https://www.bentrevolution.com/-Tray Bourgoyne  [email protected]**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**  Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here:  https://rcnpdf.com/**Viewer Submissions or Questions**Send to [email protected] the show

Nothing short of a revolution in electric assisted trikes is on the way before the end of 2025! We've talked about the French CIXI system in the past (most recently in our interview with their engineers at Spezi 2025) but now they are being implemented on trikes from ICE, HASE and maybe more. These trikes will have no chain, chainrings, chain tubes, idler wheels, derailleurs, cassettes, shifters or shifter cables. Let that sink in...On this webcast we interview Pierre Francis from CIXI. He is the co-founder and CEO who is excited to explain the PERS system in detail, talk about the early recumbent trike adopters and gives us a tour of the company's headquarters in the French Alps. Pierre also shows us the Vigoz their prototype car replacement vehicle which can pedal up to 120 KPH.Next we talk directly to the good folks at ICE Trikes to check in on their progress at creating  a completely new type of e-assist for their trikes. GM Adrian Davies, Marketing Director Phil Zschiesche and Product Designer Euan Crowder join us for a close look at the CIXI PERS ICE Trike coming this year.We also talk about HASE's two prototypes of the CIXI system as described by CEO Marec Hase. One of these even boasted two hub motors in the rear!00:00:00  Intro00:00:45  What’s on Today’s Show00:01:44  Panel Introduction00:04:15  Sponsor Introduction00:07:25  Honza Galla with Recumbent News00:12:15  CIXI PERS Pedal Generator System with CEO PierreFrancis01:01:30  ICE Trikes Implements CIXI System with GM Adrian Davies plus Phil and Euan01:28:20  HASE Bikes Experience with the CIXI System01:34:40  AZUB’s Honza Galla talks about where they are with pedal generator systems  01:36:22  Steintrike’s Victor Horvatski shares their progress with the CIXI System01:37:40  Trident Trike’s Tom Flohr updates us on their version of the pedal generator system01:39:12  Viewer Submissions-John Gunterman ascends Mt. Washington on his Steintrike01:41:10  Sponsor Thanks01:43:42  Announcements01:44:30  Goodbye to panel and crewPlease subscribe to us on YouTube (https://goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so. Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: https://www.laidbackbikereport.com/.We would love to have you as a Patreon Patron where you can support all we do for as little as $1/month. Check out how it works and the benefits you can reap here: https://www.patreon.com/laidbackbikereportThanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*TerraCycle  https://t-cycle.com/  800-371-5871Trailside Trikes  https://trailside.bike/  352-419-4809TerraTrike/Greenspeed https://wizwheelz.com/  800-945-9910Laidback Cycles https://laidbackcycles.com/   916-619-1003Bicycle Man https://bicycleman.com/ 607-587-8835AZUB https://azub.eu/  Connecticut Yankee Pedaller https://www.cypbikes.com/  641-774-5557Steintrikes https://stein-trikes-us.com/  931-237-0889HASE USA  https://www.hasebikesusa.com/  802-382-0093RAD Innovations  https://www.rad-innovations.com/  802-382-0093*Guest Links*-Cixi  https://www.cixi.life/-ICE Trikes  https://www.icetrikes.co/**Viewer Submissions or Questions**Send to [email protected] the show

We get a serious evaluation of the top two internal gear hubs for your trike. Mel from RecumbentPDX breaks it all down comparing the Rohloff and the new 3 X 3. Then our German correspondent Jascha Buettler takes us to Dronten in the Netherlands for the 25th anniversary celebration of Velomobiel.nl.Our pal Marshall Randall and wife Kelle are the new owners of Recumbent Cycle-Con. They are with us to share the exciting details of next year's event.Finally, Larry Varney returns with a review of the e-Lightning P-38.00:00:00  Intro00:00:31  What’s on Today’s Show00:02:20  Panel Introduction00:04:10  Sponsor Introduction00:14:00  Mel Birge from RecumbentPDX compares Internally Geared Hubs00:53:17  Jascha Buettler covers Velomobile.nl 25th Anniversary event in Dronten, Netherlands  01:01:30  Larry Varney reviews the e-Lightning electric assisted recumbent bike01:17:20  Marshall and Kelle Randall new owners of Recumbent Cycle-Con talk about its return in 202601:31:30  Sponsor Thanks01:34:10  Announcements01:35:55  Goodbye to panel and crewPlease subscribe to us on YouTube (https://goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so. Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: https://www.laidbackbikereport.com/.We would love to have you as a Patreon Patron where you can support all we do for as little as $1/month. Check out how it works and the benefits you can reap here: https://www.patreon.com/laidbackbikereport*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*TerraCycle  https://t-cycle.com/  800-371-5871 or  +1-503-231-9798 (Outside N. America)Trailside Trikes  https://trailside.bike/  352-419-4809TerraTrike/Greenspeed https://wizwheelz.com/  800-945-9910Laidback Cycles https://laidbackcycles.com/   916-619-1003Connecticut Yankee Pedaller http://www.cypbikes.com/  641-774-5557Bicycle Man https://bicycleman.com/ 607-587-8835AZUB https://azub.eu/  RecumbentPDX https://recumbentpdx.com/  (503) 231-1000*Honza’s News Report Links*--Recumbent News  https://www.recumbent.news/*Guest Links*RecumbentPDX  https://recumbentpdx.com/Velomobile.nl  http://Velomobile.nlLightning Bikes  https://www.lightningbikes.com/Recumbent Cycle-Con  https://cycle-con.com/*LBR Review Team Links**LBR Crew Links*-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla  https://www.recumbent.news/-BentRider/Larry Varney  http://www.bentrideronline.com/-Nina Paley’s Links-Nina’s blog  https://blog.ninapaley.com/-Nina’s bike merchandise  http://www.palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet-Peter Stull  https://bicycleman.com/-Josef Janning  https://www.facebook.com/josef.janning-Tim Segard https://www.bentrevolution.com/-Tray Bourgoyne  [email protected]**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**  Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here:  https://rcnpdf.com/**Viewer Submissions or Questions**Send to [email protected] the show

Many of the frames for our bents are manufactured in Taiwan. Around the world many recumbent brands have trusted George Chen and Performer Cycles to provide this metal or carbon fiber skeleton for their products for over 25 years. He also sells his own brand of bikes and trikes to markets globally. We sat down with George to learn more about the history and philosophy of his company, his designs and video of production from inside his factory.We also speak to our pal Dana Lieberman owner of Bacchetta Bikes. He updates us on his new line of fully integrated e-assist two wheel bents and a brand new recumbent two wheel tandem. Dana has worked closely with George at Performer Cycles to create a completely new design for frames on motorized versions of Bacchetta's legacy bikes.00:00:00  Intro00:00:31  What’s on Today’s Show00:01:30  Panel Introduction00:03:15  Sponsor Introduction00:06:00  Honza Galla with Recumbent News00:11:40  Dana Lieberman with update on Bacchetta Bikes00:51:45  George Chen Founder/CEO Performer Cycles in Taiwan01:24:25  Sponsor Thanks01:27:05  Announcements01:28:15  Goodbye to panel and crewWe accidentally restarted the 2nd part of Dana’s video. You can jump from 00:20:30 to 00:25:05 to avoid 5 minutes of duplication. We apologize for this.Please subscribe to us on YouTube (https://goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so. Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: https://www.laidbackbikereport.com/.We would love to have you as a Patreon Patron where you can support all we do for as little as $1/month. Check out how it works and the benefits you can reap here: https://www.patreon.com/laidbackbikereport*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*TerraCycle  https://t-cycle.com/  800-371-5871 or  +1-503-231-9798 (Outside N. America)Trailside Trikes  https://trailside.bike/  352-419-4809TerraTrike/Greenspeed https://wizwheelz.com/  800-945-9910Laidback Cycles https://laidbackcycles.com/   916-619-1003Connecticut Yankee Pedaller http://www.cypbikes.com/  641-774-5557Bicycle Man https://bicycleman.com/ 607-587-8835AZUB https://azub.eu/  RecumbentPDX https://recumbentpdx.com/  (503) 231-1000*Honza’s News Report Links*--Recumbent News  https://www.recumbent.news/*Guest Links*Bacchetta Bikes  https://bacchettabikes.com/Performer Cycles  https://www.performercycles.com/*LBR Review Team Links**LBR Crew Links*-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla  https://www.recumbent.news/-BentRider/Larry Varney  http://www.bentrideronline.com/-Doug Davis Bicycle Evolution  https://www.bicycle-evolution.com/-Nina Paley’s Links-Nina’s blog  https://blog.ninapaley.com/-Nina’s bike merchandise  http://www.palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet-Peter Stull  https://bicycleman.com/-Josef Janning  https://www.facebook.com/josef.janning-Tim Segard https://www.bentrevolution.com/-Tray Bourgoyne  [email protected]**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**  Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here:  https://rcnpdf.com/**Viewer Submissions or Questions**Send to [email protected] the show