Lightning Thunderbolt
Note: We discontinued the Thunderbolt in 2004. It has been replaced by the Phantom.
The Thunderbolt has the most comfortable seat I’ve tried
— Bill Volk
The Fastest Recumbent under $1400* (way under)
NEW MODEL! Thunderbolt A-10: 8-Speed Road Performance
a long 13% grade with a
60 pound load during a
European tour.
Word is out on the Lightning Thunderbolt. Faster, better performing, and more comfortable than other recumbent brands costing up to twice as much! What makes a recumbent fast is a combination of frame stiffness, geometry and carefully-chosen components and Thunderbolt has it all. The design of the bike makes it faster than other bikes, even those that weigh less and cost much more!
The Lightning Thunderbolt represents a breakthrough in recumbent value! For under $1,000, the Thunderbolt has a perfect balance of unsurpassed comfort, speed, climbing ability, strength, safety, and versatility. This great price to performance/comfort ratio was achieved by combining Record Setting Lightning design features with clever engineering, a simplified frame/seat design, and thoughtful components selection.
For recreational or casual riders, the Thunderbolt may be just the ticket to miles of recumbent fun! The Thunderbolt A-10 brings an 8-speed road power train for the fastest bent anywhere near its price!
The Thunderbolt is designed to be easy to ride. With a seat two inches higher (compared to the Phantom and P-38), and a wheelbase 2 inches shorter, it has more of a traditional bicycle feel, and is a quick learn. For areas with rougher roads or for those riders who want a more cushioned ride, the Thunderbolt is available with a front or dual suspension for just over a thousand dollars. An amazing value!
This is truly a comfortable ride with very little effort to maintain a cruising speed. I find it very difficult to find a reason to ride my uprights. I’m really pleased with this bike.— Jim Murphy, Cincinnati, OHWayne
The A-10 is GREAT! I’ve ridden it around my neighborhood for about a week to get the feeling of it before going on the road. I finally took it out this past Saturday for a 20 miler and it was great. I felt better on it than I ever did on my regular road bike. No soreness at all. I think I could have gone 40-50 miles with no problem. I had to raise the handle bar some and also I lengthened the boom to adjust to my leg length. I’ve gotten several favorable remarks from friends and strangers. Thanks again for your help. I may be in the market for a fairing in the near future.
This is truly a comfortable ride with very little effort to maintain a cruising speed. I find it very difficult to find a reason to ride my uprights. I’m really pleased with this bike.
— Jim Murphy, Cincinnati, OH
Features
- The same patent-pending Ergofit seat shape as on other Lightning recumbents, but with a simpler to manufacture frame and mesh seat.
- Functional, reliable components, including Shimano rear derailleur, Grip Shift shifters, alloy rims, high pressure tires, and V-brakes
- Exclusive Lightning Tilt Steering included as standard equipment on both models.
- Optional Quick Size Kit with new chain take-up and quick release boom and steering adjustments lets you quickly resize the bike for multiple riders, and lets you use all gears without adjusting chain length.
- Built in California
Specifications
| Model | Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt A-10 |
|---|---|---|
| SIZES | Small/Medium | Small/Medium |
| RIDER HEIGHT RANGE | 5′ to 5′10″(S/M) |
5′ to 5′10″(S/M) |
| RIDER WEIGHT LIMIT | 200 lbs. (S/M) | 200 lbs. (S/M) |
| POWDERCOAT COLORS See Full Color Chart | Azure Blue, Yellow (S/M) |
Azure Blue, Yellow (S/M) |
| WEIGHT | 30 pounds | 28 pounds |
| WHEELBASE | 40 inches | 40 inches |
| OVERALL LENGTH | 61 inches | 61 tinches |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 21 inches | 21 inches |
| SEAT BACK ANGLE | 50 to 65 degrees | 50 to 65 degrees |
| FRAME | TIG Welded Multigauge CrMo | TIG Welded Multigauge CrMo |
| FORK | Tapered CrMo Unicrown | Tapered CrMo Unicrown |
| SEAT | Lightning Ergofit Clamped Aluminum Frame |
Lightning Ergofit Clamped Aluminum Frame |
| STEM | Lockdown Tilt Steering | Lockdown Tilt Steering |
| HANDLEBARS | Aluminum, 30 degree bend | Aluminum, 30 degree bend |
| GEAR RANGE | 24 to 114 inches | 25 to 120 inches |
| BRAKES | Custom LCD LH pull V-Brake | Custom LCD LH pull V-Brake |
| BRAKE LEVERS | Tektro RBP 377A | Tektro RBP 377A |
| BOTTOM BRACKET | CH-47 Sealed Bearing | Shimano Deore Cartridge |
| CRANKSET | Cyclone AL-337: Alloy Arms 28x38x48 SQS Rings |
Cyclone CFM: Alloy SQS rings, 30x42x52 |
| CHAIN | KMC SS71 | KMC SS71 |
| CASSETTE | Suntour 11 to 30, 7 speed | Shimano Alivio 11 to 30, 8 speed |
| FRONT DERAILLEUR | Epoch M811S | Shimano Sora |
| REAR DERAILLEUR | Shimano Acera | Shimano Alivio |
| HEADSET | DiaTech SBN Threadless | DiaTech SBN Threadless |
| HUBS | Shimano Acera | Shimano Alivio |
| PEDALS | Platform Type | Platform Type |
| SHIFTER | Grip Shift MRX | Grip Shift Centera |
| FRONT RIM, 16X1⅜ | Sun M17 Alloy, 36 spoke | Sun M17 Alloy, 36 spoke |
| FRONT TIRE 16x1⅜ | Raleigh, 37-349 100psi | Primo Comet, 37-349 100psi |
| REAR RIM | Weinmann Alloy 26x1.5, 36 spoke | Weinmann Alloy 26x1.5, 36 spoke |
| REAR TIRE | IRC Metro 37-559 100 psi | Primo Racer 32-559 100 psi |
| Options | ||
| Kickstand | ||
| Suspended Fork | Ballistic 600A (adds 2 lbs.) | |
| Rear Suspension | Shockster RS3.5 (adds 3 lbs) | |
| Quick Size Kit | Let’s you adjust bike fit with no tools and without changing the chain length. See Accessories page for details. | |
Pricing
| Description | MSRP |
|---|---|
| Thunderbolt | $800 |
| Thunderbolt A-10 | $1,000 |
| Suspended Fork option, add | $100 |
| Rear Suspension option, add | $200 |
| Custom color (see color chart), add | $90 |
(Note: this bike was not available as a frameset.)