Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Buying a European velomobile in America has been fraught with poor selection/availability, shipping disasters and minimal expert guidance. Ben Parke has worked very hard over the last year to change all that with his new Minnesota dealership called Northland Velo. Ben's close business connection with Romanian based Velomobile World is bringing a wide range of models to his customers at discounted prices. We talk to Ben about the "shipping container load" quantities he is bringing in which he hopes will finally allow for scaling this business to new levels.
The world's largest recumbent show is returning to Germany soon and so is the Laidback Bike Report. We sit down with Franz, Gabriel and Florian (the Spezi producers) for a peek at the planned program and exciting new changes they have planned for this year.
This event only got its start a few years ago but the Pacific Trike Fest is returning to Portland, Oregon in June. Recumbent PDX is the force behind this fun gathering and Mel Birge joins us on the road riding his own Catrike to tell us all the amazing details.
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:51 What’s on Today’s Show
00:02:20 Panel Introduction
00:03:55 Sponsor Introduction
00:06:45 Recumbent News with Honza Galla
00:15:10 Northland Velo interview with Ben Parke
00:50:40 Discussion with Peter, Tray and Gary
01:01:20 Ben announces Velomobile World’s 2 new models for first time!
01:10:32 What to expect at Spezi 2024 with producers Franz, Gabriel and Florian
01:24:20 Pacific Trike Fest 2024 with producer Mel Birge
01:30:00 Sponsor Thanks
01:32:40 Announcements
01:34:24 Goodbye to panel and crew
Please subscribe to us on YouTube (goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so.
Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: 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: patreon.com/laidbackbikereport
*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*
TerraCycle t-cycle.com 800-371-5871 or +1-503-231-9798 (Outside N. America)
Trailside Trikes https://trailside.bike/ 352-419-4809
TerraTrike/Greenspeed wizwheelz.com 800-945-9910
Laidback Cycles laidbackcycles.com 916-619-1003
Connecticut Yankee Pedaller cypbikes.com 641-774-5557
Bicycle Man bicycleman.com 607-587-8835
AZUB https://azub.eu/
RecumbentPDX recumbentpdx.com (503) 231-1000
*Honza’s News Report Links*
--Recumbent News https://www.recumbent.news/
*Guest Links*
Northland Velo northlandvelo.com
Velomobile World velomobileworld.com
Spezi 2024 en.spezialradmesse.de
Pacific Trike Fest pacifictrikefest.com
*LBR Review Team Links*
*LBR Crew Links*
-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla https://www.recumbent.news/
-BentRider/Larry Varney bentrideronline.com
-Doug Davis Bicycle Evolution bicycle-evolution.com
-Nina Paley’s Links
-Nina’s blog blog.ninapaley.com
-Nina’s bike merchandise palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet
-Peter Stull bicycleman.com
-Josef Janning facebook.com/josef.janning
-Tim Segard bentrevolution.com
-Tray Bourgoyne Tray@netdoor.com
**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**
Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here: rcnpdf.com
**Viewer Submissions or Questions**
Send to laidbackbikereport@gmail.com
Buying a European velomobile in America has been fraught with poor selection/availability, shipping disasters and minimal expert guidance. Ben Parke has worked very hard over the last year to change all that with his new Minnesota dealership called Northland Velo. Ben's close business connection with Romanian based Velomobile World is bringing a wide range of models to his customers at discounted prices. We talk to Ben about the "shipping container load" quantities he is bringing in which he hopes will finally allow for scaling this business to new levels.
The world's largest recumbent show is returning to Germany soon and so is the Laidback Bike Report. We sit down with Franz, Gabriel and Florian (the Spezi producers) for a peek at the planned program and exciting new changes they have planned for this year.
This event only got its start a few years ago but the Pacific Trike Fest is returning to Portland, Oregon in June. Recumbent PDX is the force behind this fun gathering and Mel Birge joins us on the road riding his own Catrike to tell us all the amazing details.
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:51 What’s on Today’s Show
00:02:20 Panel Introduction
00:03:55 Sponsor Introduction
00:06:45 Recumbent News with Honza Galla
00:15:10 Northland Velo interview with Ben Parke
00:50:40 Discussion with Peter, Tray and Gary
01:01:20 Ben announces Velomobile World’s 2 new models for first time!
01:10:32 What to expect at Spezi 2024 with producers Franz, Gabriel and Florian
01:24:20 Pacific Trike Fest 2024 with producer Mel Birge
01:30:00 Sponsor Thanks
01:32:40 Announcements
01:34:24 Goodbye to panel and crew
Please subscribe to us on YouTube (goo.gl/CHOOgX) and Like us on Facebook (facebook.com/laidbackbikereport/) if you haven't already done so.
Lot's more info and you can also buy a hat on our website: 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: patreon.com/laidbackbikereport
*Thanks to these wonderful sponsors for making the LBR webcast possible*
TerraCycle t-cycle.com 800-371-5871 or +1-503-231-9798 (Outside N. America)
Trailside Trikes https://trailside.bike/ 352-419-4809
TerraTrike/Greenspeed wizwheelz.com 800-945-9910
Laidback Cycles laidbackcycles.com 916-619-1003
Connecticut Yankee Pedaller cypbikes.com 641-774-5557
Bicycle Man bicycleman.com 607-587-8835
AZUB https://azub.eu/
RecumbentPDX recumbentpdx.com (503) 231-1000
*Honza’s News Report Links*
--Recumbent News https://www.recumbent.news/
*Guest Links*
Northland Velo northlandvelo.com
Velomobile World velomobileworld.com
Spezi 2024 en.spezialradmesse.de
Pacific Trike Fest pacifictrikefest.com
*LBR Review Team Links*
*LBR Crew Links*
-Recumbent News-online news website by Honza Galla https://www.recumbent.news/
-BentRider/Larry Varney bentrideronline.com
-Doug Davis Bicycle Evolution bicycle-evolution.com
-Nina Paley’s Links
-Nina’s blog blog.ninapaley.com
-Nina’s bike merchandise palegraylabs.com/other-stuff-1/protective-bicycle-amulet
-Peter Stull bicycleman.com
-Josef Janning facebook.com/josef.janning
-Tim Segard bentrevolution.com
-Tray Bourgoyne Tray@netdoor.com
**The absolute best archive of early recumbent history is Recumbent Cyclist News**
Find years of publisher Bob Bryant’s hard work here: rcnpdf.com
**Viewer Submissions or Questions**
Send to laidbackbikereport@gmail.com










