The Bicycle Man, LLC

Lightfoot World Traveler - Bicycle Man, LLC

 

 

 

 
OPEN 10:00am - 6:00pm Wednesday through Saturday

 

 

Recumbent Companies that went Out of Business

 

Lightfoot Cycles - World Traveler Recumbent Bicycle

 

Lightfoot Cycle's World Traveler



The Lightfoot Cycle's World Traveler is a very comfortable and stable road bike, good for long-distance touring and fast recreational road riding. The two large 26” wheels roll easily, even over less smooth pavement. Its moderate length and high seat help make it easy to balance at slow speeds. It is very strong, and is capable of carrying large riders and large touring loads.

This tall bike will best fit persons from 5' 6" to 6'3". Riders as short as 5'4" will find the seat will adjust for their leg length, but is to high to allow easy starts and stops. This makes stop-and-go riding awkward for them. For these shorter riders Lightfoot makes the Gazelle. It has the same ergonomics with the crank 2” below the seat as on the Traveler, but with a low 22" seat height, good for riders from 5'2" to 6'3". Lightfoot does this by giving the Gazelle a rear 26" wheel and a front 20" wheel.

Traveler ergonomics are moderate, with the bottom bracket 2" below the seat. The Traveler's seat height is a fairly tall 25".

If you prefer a dual 26" bike with a more relaxed pedal position, check out our longer Ranger, with its crankset 7" lower than the seat. The 2005 Ranger has the same seat height as the 2005 Traveler.

The Traveler provides good view and road awareness and plush long-distance comfort. The head-up position makes it great for scenic trips. Though the seating position is the most reclined of any of the Lightfoot bikes (as is the custom 26/20 Gazelle), it is not at all extreme. You won’t need to bend your neck forward or use a headrest and your knees don’t interfere with your view. The bike is still ride-able with street shoes.

The Travelers medium-long wheelbase makes it a bit more nimble but a little less shock absorbing than the limousine-like Ranger. It is more efficient, quicker on pavement than the Ranger while the Ranger is better for rough roads and off pavement riding.
The Traveler also accepts a front fairing. This bike's taller height and shorter wheelbase make it less suitable for the Lightfoot AeroJacket body sock. Side winds can affect it significantly, we don’t recommend this combination.

The Traveler is designed with safety, comfort and usefulness as primary criteria. It is built of aircraft-grade 4130 Chromoly steel in the US and powder-coat painted for durability. Lightfoot is known for strength, not featherweight; this bike is very sturdy. The frame’s large diameter bottom tube gives good stiffness for stable handling and efficient power transfer.

The medium-long frame of the Traveler may require a tandem-size car-top bike rack, and will not fit front-of-bus racks. It can be carried on a rear-mounted car rack with the (quick-release) front wheel removed. It is awkward to carry up stairs or maneuver through tight corners and corridors.

The mesh seat is very sturdy, breathable, with a contoured bottom, and with simple tension adjustments to shape the seat back's contour. It adjusts quickly forward and back for lots of size adjustment. The seat base foam pads are easily replaceable and adjustable to your preference. Pads are available for customization of lumbar and shoulder support.

The Traveler has "over-seat" steering. This allows pushing the bike, even uphill. It also allows some use of "body-english" for steering and balancing, permits effective emergency maneuvers, provides bracing in the event of collision, and facilitates stronger climbing. The Traveler will steer hands-off, though not as easily as the Ranger. Because of the smaller amount of tiller (side-to-side movement of the handlebar when steering), linkage steering is rarely desired on this bike.

Like all Lightfoot bikes, the Traveler has plenty of room for fenders, and mounting points for racks. Wheels used are standard 26" MTN (590 BSD). The standard touring crankset has 22-32-42 chainrings; a 30-42-52 road crankset and derailleur is available on a special-order basis. The very powerful Avid mechanical (cable-actuated) brakes are standard. Hubs are Shimano Deore, crankset is TruVative. The Traveler will accept the Under-Seat Pannier Rack and carries it high enough to accommodate large pannier bags.

Specifications are subject to change. Components are subject to substitution with components of similar quality.

Traveler $2250

Frame: Chromoly steel
Finish: Powdercoat; polyester, UV-resistant, baked-on
Number of Gears: 24
Gearing: 19 to 99 gear-inches
Shifters: SRAM 3.0 Comp
Derailleurs: SRAM 4.0
Crankset: Truvativ 5D,
Bottom Bracket: Shimano LX
Brake Levers: Avid FR5
Brakes: Avid Mechanical Disk
Headset: Cane Creek Aheadset
Wheel rims: Alex DA-16
Wheel hubs: Shimano Deore
Tires: Kenda Kwest 1.5, 100psi
Weight: 34#
Rider Weight Capacity, Nominal: 350#
Wheelbase: 66"
Seat Height: 25"
Total Length: 92"
Total Width: 18"
 

Lightfoot has stopped selling through dealers. We stock the similar (but lighter) RANS Stratus XP.


 

 

 

 

 

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