Recumbent while I recover from injury - which seat/bike?
I'm a roadie looking to recumbents while I am unable to sit in a normal saddle. Hoping that you folks have some advice.
I have some kind of groin injury. Dr. thinks it might be a bruised pelvic bone. I won't know for sure until I get an MRI next week. Whatever it is, it's painful for me to sit on a saddle with weight on my groin. Dr. estimates that likely I should be out of the saddle for 4-6 weeks. So I'm looking for a used 'bent. I don't have significant opinion about what kind - LWB/SWB/Trike. Just something that is comfortable to sit on and will allow me to exercise my legs. Looking at local Craigslist listings, some of the seats look like some of my weight would be pressing against my crotch, which I don't want. For example, this Bacchetta Giro. On the other hand, this Terra Trike looks likely to be more comfortable. And this Rans Rocket looks possible? Any opinions about either a good strategy for comfort and basic exercise potential, as well as specific comments about these bikes (including asking prices) would be most welcome. Oh - added info. I tend to being prone to various orthopedic complaints. I figure that something will come up again and that I'll be glad to have an alternative rig in my stable. So I'm not just buying this for the short term riding, but for longer term insurance. |
Only a very upright seat will put any pressure at all directly on your crotch.
You want a laid back seat. Laid back seats are more aero too. Keep in mind that seat angle is adjustable on most recumbents. For example, the Giro on CL you linked to, with the seat laid back to a reasonable degree will place less pressure on your crotch than the Terratrike. The Rocket's seat, if positioned upright, will put some pressure there too. By the way, the link for the Rocket in your post just takes you back to the Giro ad. But no bent will be anything like an upright bike in terms of crotch pressure. So depending on how severe the issue is, it's possible you can't screw it up in this particular respect. |
You mis-linked the Rocket but I found it HERE.
For a groin injury, I'd steer clear of anything with a carbon or Euromesh seat (like the Giro.) They might work, but they might not. The Rocket or the trike would probably work OK though (hard to tell for sure without test-sits.) Prices seem OK but not great. Looking though the list for Minneapolis, I saw this https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/r...149408248.html I'd call him and verify that the bike he's selling is the recumbent in the second picture. If it is, that's a RANS Vivo which is relatively rare and always desirable. Get it if you can! |
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
(Post 21565605)
You mis-linked the Rocket but I found it HERE.
For a groin injury, I'd steer clear of anything with a carbon or Euromesh seat (like the Giro.) They might work, but they might not. The Rocket or the trike would probably work OK though (hard to tell for sure without test-sits.) Prices seem OK but not great. Looking though the list for Minneapolis, I saw this https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/r...149408248.html I'd call him and verify that the bike he's selling is the recumbent in the second picture. If it is, that's a RANS Vivo which is relatively rare and always desirable. Get it if you can! I sort of suspected that the Giro would be less favorable for my condition - that's why I posted. The point that Steamer made above, that it might have to do with seat angle is a good one, but I think I'll investigate the to Rans bikes first. |
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
(Post 21565605)
You mis-linked the Rocket but I found it HERE.
For a groin injury, I'd steer clear of anything with a carbon or Euromesh seat (like the Giro.) They might work, but they might not. The Rocket or the trike would probably work OK though (hard to tell for sure without test-sits.) Prices seem OK but not great. Looking though the list for Minneapolis, I saw this https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/r...149408248.html I'd call him and verify that the bike he's selling is the recumbent in the second picture. If it is, that's a RANS Vivo which is relatively rare and always desirable. Get it if you can! |
Well, the upright in the foreground is an upright, definitely not a recumbent at all, and not a RANS Rocket. The VIVO was the suspended version of the Rocket. The cue is the main tube that extends so far back. If you look hard, you'll see the rear shock tucked up tight to the main tube, and the fact that the rear rack has to attach to the -- seat stays?? -- instead of the main tube.
Considering the 1-D-10-T posted a pic of him on a steer as the main pic, he's probably not seeing any responses and you may be able to talk him down substantially. It is, after all, about 20 years old. Tell him old Rockets generally go for $300-600 and offer him somewhere in that range depending on its condition. Otherwise, the other Rocket listed is a recent model and would be a nice ride. |
There is no doubt you need to do some sit tests. But you should actually be riding if at all possible. Sitting and riding aren't quite the same activity in terms of where you weight concentrates. If you are going to be stationary, you at least need to have both feet up on the pedals.
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Craigslist is for the patient, and I'm not patient. One person didn't respond to enquiries. A second changed his mind and decided he wasn't selling. A third bike just wasn't in such great condition, etc.
So I did the impulsive thing and bought a new Catrike Eola. It's a pretty nice ride. In fact, I'm not wholly sure that I really wanted a trike, rather than a 2 wheeled recumbent, but there was nothing close to what I wanted in-store anywhere in the area. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...038b2945a8.png |
Nice trike and by a company that puts a lot of effort in building trikes that last a long time and handle superbly.
Expect to be a bit slower than you would like, especially when first beginning to ride a trike. It uses different muscles than a DF bike so there is not as much crossover with the stamina you may have built up. It gets a lot better with time and effort but you probably will never be quite as fast on the trike as on a road bike. It is well worth the loss in speed when it comes to comfort. I was off my Catrike 700 for many months while awaiting hand surgery. I know what it is like to start out all over. Hills that are a real annoyance in the beginning will feel like just part of the ride after a while. It is now fun again to ride. Good luck with your new toy! |
Maybe I should start a new thread, but here are first impressions of a brand-new trike rider.
1. Unfortunately, the groin pain doesn't go away. My doctor thought that I have a bruised pelvic bone and that the pressure of the saddle was the problem. There's no pressure on my groin with the trike, but I get pain anyway. Maybe the diagnosis isn't right. I had an MRI earlier in the week, but no results as yet. 2. It's sort of fun, and it's definitely good for my back also, but I really wish I was on a DF bike. Not only is a DF bike easier, but I miss being higher up. The scenery is better. Also on the trike, it's harder to see road hazards (and with 3 parallel wheels, harder to avoid them) 3. I'm very aware of safety. It's not just that I'm not as visible. I'm also less maneuverable. If somebody else makes a mistake, I'm a sitting duck without much ability to rapidly change course. I'm riding more on trails than roads, but some roads are unavoidable. 4. Yes, it's slower. C'est la vie. THe small wheels on the Eola make this more true than some other rigs, I suppose. 5. Yes, different muscles. I feel very much leg-limited in speed, even though my HR remains low. If I stick with the trike long enough, the muscle development will come, I suppose. And I'll feel the opposite effect whenever it is I go back to the DF. |
I was kinda surprised to see that you got a trike. I guess that's what shops stock these days, so you were just getting what was available. Sure the trike is low. I don't get why lowracers are too low but trikes that are just as low are OK. If it's any help, I've been riding lowracers for almost 20 years and I don't feel 'invisible' due to my height. OTOH most of my riding is done on country roads, not downtown rush hour. Ride to be seen and you'll be OK.
If that seat still hurts you, it seems like regular chairs would hurt you too. Can you add extra padding? Or as an experiment, take padding away? |
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
(Post 21580313)
I was kinda surprised to see that you got a trike. I guess that's what shops stock these days, so you were just getting what was available. Sure the trike is low. I don't get why lowracers are too low but trikes that are just as low are OK. If it's any help, I've been riding lowracers for almost 20 years and I don't feel 'invisible' due to my height. OTOH most of my riding is done on country roads, not downtown rush hour. Ride to be seen and you'll be OK.
If that seat still hurts you, it seems like regular chairs would hurt you too. Can you add extra padding? Or as an experiment, take padding away? It's pedaling that hurts. It makes me think that the problem is in the hip joint. We'll see. |
All I can offer is to keep the cadence up and the pressure on the pedals down..
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On my recovery trike it took me a while to settle in on boom length and seat angle, and it hurt my knees until I pointed my toes instead of letting my ankles hang. It was fine for the recovery time but I was glad to get back on the upright
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
(Post 21582008)
On my recovery trike it took me a while to settle in on boom length and seat angle, and it hurt my knees until I pointed my toes instead of letting my ankles hang. It was fine for the recovery time but I was glad to get back on the upright
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See Hostel Shop bikes https://hostelshoppe.com/
https://hostelshoppe.com/collections/recumbents inventory low . sales up? ... |
Originally Posted by fietsbob
(Post 21583512)
See Hostel Shop bikes https://hostelshoppe.com/
https://hostelshoppe.com/collections/recumbents inventory low . sales up? ... |
Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
(Post 21581962)
All I can offer is to keep the cadence up and the pressure on the pedals down..
40 miles today, and it was pretty tiring, even though much of the route was flat (just a couple of steep hills). I can't tell how much of this is just that I'm out of shape and how much is the transition to a recumbent. I'm used to weekend rides between 60-100 miles on the DF. But I'm beginning to enjoy it. I want to be able to cruise at a reasonable speed and watch the scenery go by, like I can on a DF, without feeling like I'm working for every pedal stroke. |
Originally Posted by MinnMan
(Post 21583616)
I'm not there yet. I feel like I'm mashing mostly. am trying to get the hang of spinning, but it'd different from spinning on a DF.
40 miles today, and it was pretty tiring, even though much of the route was flat (just a couple of steep hills). I can't tell how much of this is just that I'm out of shape and how much is the transition to a recumbent. I'm used to weekend rides between 60-100 miles on the DF. But I'm beginning to enjoy it. I want to be able to cruise at a reasonable speed and watch the scenery go by, like I can on a DF, without feeling like I'm working for every pedal stroke. |
And I got a sunburn on my shins. It didn't occur to me to guard against that.
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A couple of thoughts. I had a terrible bout of prostatitus a couple of years ago due to the horn of diamond frame bicycle saddles. This caused a lot of pain in the hips area. However you mention your hip joint may be involved. Since my mid 30's my right hip has not been good. The only way I keep it from hurting bad is by taking Glucosamine Chondroitin. I buy mine over the counter at Walgrens. I take one pill a day and I don't have pain. Don't take the pill for a couple of weeks and I can't walk. Hopefully your doctor will find a solution to your pain. I've always kept a recumbent for those times of injury that made diamond frame riding uncomfortable. I also like the recumbent for longer rides. They are just much more comfortable. Good luck with your search for pain free bicycle riding.
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