Mich. Recumbent Rally - West, Sept. 8, 2012

THE MICHIGAN RECUMBENT RALLY - WEST, organized by Paul Pancella, took place Sept. 8 in the parking lot of the College of Engineering building on the Western Michigan University Parkview Campus in Kalamazoo. That's a WizWheelz (now TerraTrike) tandem in the foreground, which was for sale. There's been a recumbent rally in west Michigan every year since 1997, always on the day before the Vineyard Classic Bicycle Tour in the Paw Paw area. Photos and captions by Mike Eliasohn

JOHN MISHLER of Richland brought his ICE Sprint FS, which he bought in September 2011 from SPIN bicycle shop in Lansing. Custom-ordered from the factory in England, the rear wheel folds forward and the seat is easily removable, resulting in a compact package that fits in the rear of John's Ford Focus hatchback. There's suspension on all three wheels. According to the SPIN blog, it also sells Catrike recumbent tricycles and Rans recumbents and crank-forwards, as well as upright bikes. It's at 206 E. Grand River Ave.; phone 517-372-3000.

KEITH VANDERBERGH of Wayland (that's him, minus his head) had his Rans Rocket Saturn-V for sale for $400. It was purchased in 2000 and has Magura hydraulic rim brakes on both wheels. As of Oct. 10, he still had it for sale. E-mail keith@icebergh.us or call 269-792-6324.

DAN WILSON of Bridgman tries Mike Eliasohn's Sun EZ Classic compact long wheelbase recumbent. This is the current version of what was the EZ-1. John Mathieson of Breakaway Bicycles and Fitness in Portage came to the rally with two recumbents and the news that in addition to Bacchetta and Sun, it will be selling TerraTrike recumbent tricycles. Breakaway, which also sells upright bikes, also has shops in Muskegon and Grand Haven (www.breakawaybicycles.com). The Portage store is at 185 Romence Road, phone 269-324-5555.