[itself]

Well, I found a sweet, old classic Lightning P-38 for sale, had to grab it as I am looking forward to beating some roadies up with it! This bent can climb. I got a great deal, and she comes with 155mm bike smith cranks and an upgraded tilting stem. A bit of body wear but I don't look for pretty bikes, I look for functional ones. This one will be great to take on camping trips and not have to worry as much about an expensive bike on the rack, like my Aero.

I'll post pictures soon, I should have her by next weekend!

Lisa

[altozwei]

That is terrific news. Congratulations! I love my trike but I'd really like to have an SWB to give my rides a little variety. My x-seam is too short to even ride most SWB's and of the very few that might fit, they are even fewer and farther between as a used bike. Still, if I'm patient enough I'll find one eventually. Did you finally sell your tandem?

[itself]

Yes, tandem sold! check the Lightning bike fit chart here...their x seam goes pretty small..

Bike Fitting

Can't wait to get this new ride!!!

Lisa

[BlazingPedals]

Does it have the head tube gusset/repair?

[itself]

gusset repair? What do you mean? I called Tim Brummer, the owner of Lightning before I purchased the bike. From 1990-92, they had some stem/frame breakages, but it was only due to heavy riders really cranking on the bikes. My bikes history is good, woman owned first, then second, by a guy who takes really good care of his bikes and doesn't hammer on them. Both very light in stature.

Lisa

[BlazingPedals]

There weren't a few cracked frames, there were a LOT. At least, all of the older frames I've seen have been repaired. To listen to friends' stories, half of Tim's business must be repairing out-of-warranty bikes. Recently, a friend bought a used P-38. It had been completely redone, with new drive train and powder coated a very pretty yellow. You guessed it, they powder-coated right over a very visible crack in a top tube. By Tim's own admission, he builds the bikes to be lightweight, not to be durable; and it was common for them to crack near/at the head tube/top tubes junction. That stopped happening after he started putting a brace into the area.

[itself]

Good information, I did have the bike shop inspect the frame before they shipped it, and it will arrive next week. I am hoping there is no problem...

When did he start putting the braces on?

Lisa

[BlazingPedals]

It's been a few years now. Maybe 5 or 6?

[itself]

BlazingPedals,

Here is the real truth. I am afraid you are sorely misinformed, and should be more cautious about posting information when you do not have the facts. I am not trying to be mean. The gentleman below from the Lightning Riders forum tells the real story:

Pre-1996 P-38 frames somewhat less robust than newer ones
Hi Lisa,

Lightning has been building the P-38 bike since the early / middle 1980s. Some of the earliest frames are still in regular use (I have one of the originals with the permanently attached seat frame.) Because the bikes are so much fun to ride, many Lightning riders accumulate BIG miles on their bikes.

A very few of the more extreme high mileage riders - especially the people over 200 pounds - experienced frame cracks on older frames. Mostly around the head tube area, but once in while around the seat as well. This happened to me on a frame built in 1994. Lightning repaired my out-of-warranty frame at a modest cost and gave me a fresh powdercoat job too. The repaired frame was better than new.

In 1996, Lightning beefed up the P-38 frame in a variety of ways. The newer frames are easy to distinguish from the older ones: they have a small ovalized cross brace between the twin top tubes, just ahead of the seat area. The newer frames are more reliable than the older ones.

There is an old saying about bikes: light, cheap, long-lasting. Pick two. The point is that bike design involves trade-offs between competing desirable qualities. It is easy to make a frame that will be cheap and last forever. But it will be heavy, and less fun to ride.

If you weigh more than 200 / 250 pounds, ride over curbs and pot-holed streets, and ride in excess of five thousand miles a year on your bike, you may be better off not buying a pre-1996 Lightning P-38.

If you are of more ordinary weight and do not beat the crap out of your bike, you will probably find that your post-1995 Lighting P-38 will last longer than you.

Only the Avatar / Ryan Vanguard, Easy Racers, and RANS long wheelbase recumbent bikes have been in service as long as the Lightnings. All of these bikes - except the Lightnings - are built with heavier riders in mind, and they weigh significantly more than a P-38.

I have owned these other bikes too. The other recumbent bikes have their charms, but the Lightning is best, by a considerable margin.

[BlazingPedals]

I'm not trying to bad-mouth Lightning; I'm just trying to warn you of a potential, and repairable problem. I hope yours is new enough to have the brace, because I've never heard of any problems with the post-repair frames.