Recumbent forum?

[buddybikes]

I may need to do day on day off with a recumbent due to back/feet/hands breakdown. I convinced my wife for me to try/look for a recumbent. Wondering if anyone new of good forums for me to check out.

thx

[unterhausen]

bent rider online, aka brol

[NHAero]

BROL for sure.
Happy to talk with you, I rode high end 'bents 2004-2006. Faster than an upright bike for me, even considering my then location in NH and VT.

[joosttx]

B.R.O.L

[54ny77]

sorry can't suggest a forum, but i would highly recommend checking out schlitter recumbents if you need to go that route. they are sweet, beautifully crafted and crazy light/high performance. buddy of mine has one due to variety of back issues, and he suffers no roadie fools ("uprights" as they call 'em!) on the flats and descents!

[dnc]

Originally Posted by NHAero

BROL for sure.
Faster than an upright bike for me, even considering my then location in NH and VT.

What makes it faster ?

[unterhausen]

try drafting on one and you'll get the idea. They are significantly more aero

[dnc]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

try drafting on one and you'll get the idea. They are significantly more aero

I am more interested in pedal power.

[NHAero]

The standard image amongst roadies of a recumbent rider is Santa Claus in a lawn chair My last 'bent was a Challenge Fujin SL 2. My times in hilly NH and VT routes were noticeably faster vs. on my conventional bikes. They are slower uphill, you can't stand up, but the aerodynamic advantage wins on the flats and downhill. These days the best 'bents weigh in closer to uprights than when I was riding them.

I went back to uprights when I realized that my discomfort on my Bob Jackson, built for me in 1972, was due to the frame being way too long for me (57.2 TT.) It's hard to ride a recumbent when the other folks you ride with are on uprights. But I do miss the feel of that Fujin - sitting that low to the pavement made it feel like I was going fast even when I wasn't!

Bents are very stable and I feel you are less likely to be as hurt in a crash. But the speedy ones are less visible to cars, so that adds risk.

What is also a fun ride is a small light lowslung trike, feels like a go cart. But heavier, less aero, and more rolling resistance, so slower.

[steamer]

Originally Posted by dnc

I am more interested in pedal power.

They're not mopeds.

Bents are a lot of fun. A different riding experience to be sure, but it's just another form of cycling. It's all just pedaling.

[Ken Robb]

I

[Ken Robb]

I tried several different models 10 years ago and suggest you try to do the same because there were significant differences that were not obvious just by looking at each one.

One of my long-time motorcycling pals used his 'bent for basic transportation around San Diego. He had quite a complete fairing and semi-permanent luggage. He also put way over 100,000 miles on his BMW GS 1100 too. He and his wife owned a car but they didn't use it very much.

I decided against buying a 'bent because of visibility problems. They can be pretty easy to see when flying neon orange flags but my ability to see what was happening around me in traffic was severely compromised because I was so close to the ground. If I lived in the country with little auto traffic I'd really consider owning one because they can be so comfy!

[EPOJoe]

Yep, bentrideronline would be the forum. I've been riding 'bents along with my "upright" road bikes for around a decade now. Everything has positives and negatives. For pure speed on the flats, my uprights have a hard time keeping up with my lowracer due to a dramatic aero advantage but it's still more fun climbing on an upright. For pure fun, it's hard to beat a trike, and some of the modern racing trikes can hold upright road bike speeds. My bro and I recently picked up a pair of Ice VTX racing trikes and we've both been shocked by how fast they are. No problem holding normal road bike speeds on these things for a 40 mile ride (for me that's 19-20mph). For a trike, that's astounding.

[steamer]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I tried several different models 10 years ago and suggest you try to do the same because there were significant differences that were not obvious just by looking at each one.

One of my long-time motorcycling pals used his 'bent for basic transportation around San Diego. He had quite a complete fairing and semi-permanent luggage. He also put way over 100,000 miles on his BMW GS 1100 too. He and his wife owned a car but they didn't use it very much.

I decided against buying a 'bent because of visibility problems. They can be pretty easy to see when flying neon orange flags but my ability to see what was happening around me in traffic was severely compromised because I was so close to the ground. If I lived in the country with little auto traffic I'd really consider owning one because they can be so comfy!

My emphasis.

Not all bents are low. The top of my helmet when riding this one is about 5" above the top of the neckrest. If I am on my Kish in the drops, the highest point on my back *might* be a few inches higher than that, but not by much. It might even be a little lower. (I haven't had it measured with me on the bikes).

On my low bents I help compensate for any conspicuity loss by using a flashing Dinotte in the back and Cygolite on the front.

Since bents have a natural head/eye forward position, I feel they help me see better and anticipate / see trouble more quickly.

[buddybikes]

wonderful for the feedback, NHAERO why did you go back to regular? Did you ever get my Bilenky tandem operating, I so miss (mentally) that bike.