We were both traditional (upright) bike riders until we tried our first recumbent bikes in the summer of 2001. After test-riding several models, Niña picked a long wheelbase model and Larry chose a short wheelbase one. Since then we have ridden about 6,000 miles in the northern Pinelands in comfort and safety. This year, after much looking and dreaming, we bought recumbent trikes and are giving them their "shakedown cruise" in the MS-150.
Frequently Asked Questions on Recumbent BikesAre they as comfortable as they look? Oh, yes! Upper body posture is the same as driving a car, or sitting in your favorite easy chair to watch TV. No sore necks from craning your head upward to see the road, no sore shoulders, wrists, or hands from supporting your upper body weight on the handlebars, and no sore hips or crotches from – well, you know. Your legs still have to pedal, but that’s all they do, unlike on an upright, where they have to support part of your body’s weight. On a recumbent, as in a chair, your butt does that.
How can you go up hills if you can’t stand up?
Ever move a heavy piece of furniture a short distance by bracing your back against the wall and pushing it with your feet? On a recumbent, your back is braced against the seat back, and that’s braced against the frame. You can exert many times the force on the pedals that an upright rider can when standing up, even when pulling on the handlebars. And recumbents have the same low-end gearing as uprights.
Are they fast?
The real question, of course, is not "How fast is the bike?" but "How fast is the rider?" Recumbents offer advantages on certain types of terrain and have disadvantages on others, but the short answer is that a given rider will perform approximately the same on a recumbent as on an upright. Of course, he or she will probably go longer on a given ride, enjoy it more, and therefore ride more often.
What are they like to ride?
It takes a couple of days to adjust to a recumbent’s feel. Because of their small wheels, they are lower. They balance like uprights, but the steering is quicker. They don’t develop the gyroscopic stability at higher speeds that uprights do, so most of them can’t be ridden no-hands. You don’t feel what the bike is doing in the seat of your pants, but in your back, where it rests against the seatback. But once the adjustment period is over and you have the feel, you find yourself as much at home on a recumbent as on an upright.
What are the main differences between a recumbent and a regular bike?
Rider comfort, lower center of gravity, a sense of more power to the pedals, and quicker steering.
How do they compare in cost to a regular bike?
Pricing is roughly parallel to the bikes that serious bikers purchase. The components (derailleurs, brakes, chains, etc.) are identical to what uprights have. Fork, frame, and suspension technology is the same, and construction materials are identical. The more economical recumbents go for around $1,000, and they top out at around $3,500. Tandems, of course, are correspondingly higher.
Can they be serviced by my bike shop?
Yes. They look a little different, but they get the same service that uprights do. Wheels and tires may have to be ordered from a distributor, but that’s usually not a problem and service times are roughly the same as for other bikes.
How do you transport them to an event like the MS-150?
Depending on the model, some recumbents will fit a standard automobile bike rack. If not, the dealer will be able to advise on a recumbent bike rack. Most upright bikes will travel on a recumbent rack with no trouble, but the reverse is not always true.
Frequently Asked Questions (So Far) on Recumbent Trikes
- What are they like to ride?
Like a recumbent bike, but rock-solid. The most obvious difference is that they don’t lean in a turn (but the rider often has to). They don’t have to be balanced at low speed, and they don’t have to be braced with a foot on the ground when stopped. It’s a weird feeling at first to pull up to a stop light and leave our feet firmly clipped in. Steering is very quick.
How do they compare in cost to a regular bike?
As with recumbent bikes, they start at a little over $1,000. High-tech ones made of exotic materials can go as high as $5,000. Trikes come in tandem models, too, which are a little higher.
What’s the performance like?
Surprisingly, we do a little better on the trikes than on our recumbent bikes, even though they’re a little heavier. We’re not sure why, but it may have something to do with the stable platform at all speeds, coupled with the lack of lean and wander when putting a load on the pedals.
Can they be serviced by my bike shop?
Yes. Although they look very different from an upright bike, the components, the technology, and the service are the same.
How do you transport them to an event like the MS-150?
We have a minivan, so it’s easy. However, as with recumbent bikes, you can buy a rear-mounted automobile rack for one trike, or for two.
What are the main differences between a recumbent trike and a bike?
The solid feel, the openness of the seating arrangement, the wide range of seat positions, and the relatively softer ride that taking road vibration and bumps on three wheels offers over taking them on two.
Although our enthusiasm for recumbent riding is probably clear, we are not dealers, nor do we receive any compensation for what we say or for recommendations we might make. We are always glad to hear from riders who own, or who are contemplating owning, recumbent cycles. Our e-mail address is: klf3479@comcast.net
--Niña and Larry
Museum and had a snack, which was provided by the organizers. As the riders trickled in, we answered questions about the trikes. One of the Philadelphia TV stations interviewed Nina.
