Contact and comment

You can always reach me directly.

Email is welcome at adcarson@recycledrecumbent.com - I read it regularly. If you write and I don't respond, type in this email address.

I am sometimes near the phone at 414-499-4366, and it takes messages that I do respond to.

I am also on the Bentrider message board - my 'handle' there is 'ADC1'.

Snail mail reaches me at

A.D. Carson

Recycled Recumbents

5428 N. Dexter Ave.

Glendale, WI 53209

I'd love to hear from you, hear about your project, respond to your questions and comments. I hope you will share your project with me in pictures - I want to post your bike on the BIKES BY OTHERS page. Let's be proud of your work!

My workshop/blog style entries are on the Announcements page of this website. I participate frequently on the http://www.bentrideronline.com message board as 'ADC1'

Please write. I look forward to hearing from you! Your comments help shape the site, and offer me the best reward (often, but there are critics) for keeping it running.

NOTE ON GOOGLE SITES - so far I have not found an acceptable, open 'comments' function that works in the Google format. Just try to find help from them. While I struggle to find a way to allow your comments here on the website, please feel free to email me directly adcarson@recycledrecumbent.com, and I'll post anything pertinent to the website here, I promise.

READER COMMENTS:

March 25 (2009) appx. Carl mentioned Nova's tube notching program - he says this is great for generating wrap around the tube sheets that will give you a cutting profile for carving a tube notch. http://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-frame-tubing/Tabbed-Tube-Notcher.html

Actually in April (2009) Roger wrote back to report on his bike - he has the orange metallic one people have admired on the ADC's Bikes page. That bike is what, Roger, at least 5 years old now? I was pleased that he wrote - Of course my orange Mch 2 is still being used often and I still totally love it. I have yet to find a riding experience to match it. within the last two weeks I put new Schwable tires on it front and rear because I have worn the old tires out they were a combination of Primo Comet and Maxxis tires. Good tires but very slow. The new schwalbes make the Mach 2 about 1 to 2 mph faster! Again Love the new website! As always your friend and fan in Florida, Roger

Some more modern comments. Edited and collected 4/15/2011

From Doug, who basically bought a kit to build our for himself - finished the buildout and took my new Mach 2 out on it's maiden voyage this morning....one word..."SWEET"! I rode my neighborhood 12 mile course which is mostly 'rollers' with a few short climbs. The bike was a real joy to ride. Can't wait to take it for a day tour. It fits me perfectly and the buildout went without a hitch. Pics to follow. I'm a 'happy camper'!

Ed also bought a frame - his was 'naked' - I think he wants to fool around with USS handlebars before he paints it - the frame arrived today. My first impression is "two thumbs up". I won't have a real chance to look it over closely and to start working with it until next week but thanks for doing such a nice job and getting it done so quickly.

Richard got a complete bike in March, 2011 - this is some of his commentary - I assembled it last night and took it out for ten miles this morning. It's exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much for your efforts. It also seems to be the most attention grabbing recumbent I own! One problem was that I left the hose clamps at the bottom of the seat with the screws pointing slightly upward. This left two little holes in the seat fabric. Is there an easy way to fix this or should I have you make me another seat cover? I told Richard about the time I bought dental floss at a Michigan grocery store to re-stitch a seat tear. And directed him to the step by step instruction on covering a seat!

John is building a bicycle per these plans this April, and he's doing a good photo-essay online about his work. Take a look here - http://is.gd/6jDY9a

Unsolicited, we made the "Make" online blogzine - http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/04/recycled-recumbents-revisited.html Ward, who wrote to show me that link, also writes - I'm still riding the bike I built from your plans and I still haven't painted it. Less likely to get stolen if it looks ratty. If they only knew what a great ride it is. That was built in 2006, I think. Right, Wardoman?

Barb built her own bike about 4 years ago and is still going strong with it. She was having a problem with the brake cable rubbing on her car mount - I suggested running the cable all the way to the rear in a housing. She writes - Took your advice and ran the cable in the housing on the side of the top tube. It works great!! Attached it to the tube with zip ties. Tested and worked great. Splurged on new brakes too as the old ones wouldn't center properly. The springs were gone and who knows how old they were! The frame does not look bent at all, so that is great too! May have some more cables to replace in the near future, but for now everything seems good! Now if the weather would just warm up!!

Thanks for your help and your good advice!!

Kathy in Minnesota ordered a bike in March, she and her husband had a few challenges assembling it from the boxes. This was her comment from a first ride - We did it! The bike is together and everything seems to work. Now riding it is another thing. Yikes, I had no idea I would be so scared. I've been reading all the tips that you and others have been giving Bike Butterfly -- what a timely thread -- on BROL and will try again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. I'm not riding an SWB and I'm not 85 like Anthony, I'm only 63 -- I CAN DO THIS! I haven't heard a comment since this one two weeks ago.... How is it going, Kathy?

Brian got a kit in March (I've shipped several kit bikes this year) - here he is in mid-assembly - I received the frame on Friday, and every thing was in good order. I'm impressed with yr desgin and craftmenship. It's trully a work of art! So far I have the crank, deriler, chain and rear wheel and most of the head set -still working on geting the frok crow installed- and have had a blast doing it. My friends and family look at the assorted tools, parts and canibilized bikes with a mixture of fear and amazement (or is it pitty?) The only real problem so far was in my selection of front wheel. I got a 48 spoke hevey duty BMX Wheel. I didn't stop to think that the axel was 3/4 inch! (%*#!&) I'm not quite sure if I can adapt it to the fork or not. But the frankinstine process has been a real hoot so far. If it's half as much fun to ride as it has been to build, I should be in good shape! Brian I hope you are rolling by now!

This kind comment posted on BROL was from my delivery (in Virginia, where my Dad lives) to Mike and Andrea of a new bike. We had fun with her first ride, in the snowbound parking lot near Waynesboro - Andrea and I had the pleasure of meeting A.D. (ADC1) in person today when Andrea took delivery of her brand new Mach 2. She will be riding this when the Niagara Falls event comes around. It is a beautiful bike and A.D. took the time to make minor adjustments and made sure that the bike fit. You can tell he loves helping people with recumbents just as much as he love building them.

2013!!!! I actually have a new comment to put tack on! Totally unsolicited, this from Rick on 8/8/13 - "In addition to Mr. Carson's highly regarded recycled recumbents, his site also includes used recumbents from well-known companies. I purchased a RANS Velocity 3 (AL) and the recumbent arrived well packaged; with a follow-up email of detailed assembly instructions - all at at a very reasonable cost. The RANS was in near mint condition. The overall buying experience provided by AD Carson was exceptional, personable and very focused on buyer satisfaction. 5 Stars! Rick Landers, Publisher, Guitar International Magazine, guitarinternational.com"

2013, October - Aaron came by for a tour and discussion today, he wrote back this comment last night (made my day!) - It was great to meet you in person today too. You have a terrific website but it can't do justice to the work you are doing. Recycling diamond frame bikes into your recumbents is truly an art. You have a great design and your fabrication process is top notch. I was a manufacturing engineering consultant for ten years and visited hundreds of factories and I have never before seen a single person do so much in such an efficient manner. Your process secrets are safe with me and I promise not to reveal them to anyone. I am very grateful that you took the time for such a detailed tour.

2104, October. - this was so sweet and unsolicited. Published on the Bentrider message board - I have been a member of BROL for just over 3 years. I don't generally comment much but I read a lot of the messages for information. I know that AD Carson is an active member of BROL and his moniker is adc1. I know that his recyled recumbents has gotten reviews over the years of his mach bikes. I recently had experience of going to his site www.recycledrecumbent.com. I saw a terratrike zoomer listed. I have a terratrike tour which is absolutely fine but I decided I wanted something a little quicker and narrower. I keep the trike down in a closet at the beach in Delaware and only get to ride a few times a month but the tour was a little wide for the space making it difficult to get in and out of the condo. In any event, I inquired about the zoomer. ADC could not have been nicer to deal with and he and I exchanged over 50 emails attempting to come to a deal. I had numerous questions and he always responded quickly and politely. I am not mechanical at all so I asked about shipping the trike without breaking it down. ADC went out of his way trying to find ways to ship it. Some of the quotes were just unreasonable but finally got a shipper for a reasonable price but somehow it cost more than quoted. ADC had a couple of other folks interested but we had an email handshake and even though I told him he could sell it to another buyer he said no and that we had a deal. Well, it turned out he ate some of the shipping overage to make this happen. I ended up (at no request of ADC) sending an additional $25 to the agreed upon price since I did not think it was right for him to eat the entire amount. His site and his emails told me the zoomer was about 6 years old but had little wear. Well, once I got it, you would have thought it was brand new. I have not had an opportunity to get it out yet but I am sure it will be great.

You didn't think I'd put 'bad' comments on here? Actually, I would - fire away if you've got something relevant. Thanks for reading. ADC