kingston 

I don't misunderstand how I feel about recumbents.

1989Pre 

I think it is because some prospective riders are reminded that some day, when they are aged and infirm, they might not be able to sit up straight. No one likes to be reminded that someday, they won't be able to ride a bicycle. A recumbent, to them, might seem like halfway to being rolled around the streets on a gurney. This, of course, evokes a defense response. Often, when humans feel fear, they react with anger. This is basic psychology.

BlazingPedals

Most, but not all, recumbents are designed as road bikes. But, their designs cover the gamut and some can even do at least moderately-technical offroading. Personally, I'd rather use an upright for technical stuff.

kingston 

I don't think it would matter. There is no doubt that people want to ride cool bikes like the pros, but I can't imagine recumbents would be competitive against bikes in anything but maybe time trials. My understanding is that recumbents don't accelerate, handle or climb as well as bikes. Three things that are pretty important in the pro peloton. Even RAAM is dominated by bikes. Recumbents are allowed, and I would expect that race to play exactly to their strengths. A recumbent for mountain biking? I chuckle just thinking about it.

If this has been debated ad nauseam in this forum, just let me know and I'll leave. I don't really care that much. I just joined in because there was a request to explain the attitude that I and probably a lot of other people have about recumbents. Fine for people who can’t ride bikes, but incomprehensible to me why someone physically able would choose to ride one over a bike.

AlmostTrick

I've not ever ridden a bent, but wouldn't mind trying it. I know there are many styles, so I'd have to do a little research to figure out what's what.



I'm seriously curious here, rydabent. How many cyclists have you converted? Do you put a notch on your top tube for each one? That would be cool, I think. Just think, at rest stops people would look at your curiously shaped bike and then ask about the notches. There's the open door to get your foot in!

Steamer

FIFY.

The "why" for me is that I find recumbents to be both faster and more comfortable.

I ride my uprights too and they are lots of fun too. But I don't ride them longer than 3 hours, and I don't ride them when I care about speed or efficiency.

rydabent

Pondering this some more, when I am stopped often the person tells me they had no idea that a trike like mine existed. They see the seat and want more information. So often I have taken to carrying the business card of the local bent shop.

So---------when people post the fact that they simply cannot truck the saddle on DF bikes why not offer the bent solution? Even on a bike form some novice would be biker may not know about bents.

BlazingPedals

Yes. The second year after I got my first lowracer (recumbent,) my best average for a century went from 18mph if I drafted like crazy, to 23 mph solo. The last time my riding buddy and I teamed up and did the 100-mile Black Bear Grand Fondo as a relay, I did my half at 26.0 mph. Along the way I had the pleasure of catching and passing a Cat1 roadie as well as the tandem class winner. But a 72-year old recumbent rider beat our team by 3:00 and he did the full 100. For our troubles, the officials added 8 minutes to our time and recorded us as tied with the first upright relay team.

BTW, ditto what Steamer wrote. Recumbents are bikes, too, just like a Corvette is a car even though it doesn't meet NASCAR regulations.

Steamer

I think we answered this already.

StephenH

My observation is that people tend to assume that everyone is like themselves.
So I'm comfy on my Brooks saddle, and I just assume that if everyone had one, we'd all be comfortable.
Some other guy got professionally fitted and is comfy, and he assumes that if everyone got professionally fitted, they'd all be comfortable.
And some other guy tried everything under the sun, couldn't get comfortable, and he just assumes everyone on an upright bike is riding around in agony until they get a recumbent, too.


I've seen rather mixed results on the switch to recumbent, by the way. One friend switched to a recumbent to solve neck pain, only to start having knee pain. She finally got things adjusted to avoid that, but is still slower. But now, she's also riding upright gravel and mountain bikes. Two other friends rode recumbents because one of them had such bad back issues they couldn't possibly ride uprights. Then they moved out of state and started riding upright mountain bikes and think that's the greatest thing since sliced bread. One local friend rides a recumbent primarily, but most recently rode an upright bike when he did a cross-country ride. And he has problem with hot-foot on the recumbent. And on the most recent ride, I noticed he was mostly riding one-handed, not sure if that was a hand issue going on or what. Another friend couldn't find saddle comfort on an upright bike, rode recumbents several years, but is now riding upright bikes for reasons unknown. Anyway, the switch to recumbent is not always a rainbows-and-unicorns deal, is not always a forget-your-upright deal, either.


FYI, I read this forum periodically when things get slow, which they are right now. So yeah, I was reading the Utility Forum and all, too.


A sales lesson: Long ago, for some reason, my mom started getting sales literature from TroyBilt Tillers. Now, I never used a Troybilt anything. Depending on how you looked at it, their sales literature was either the most wonderful or most awful literature ever. The reason: EVERYTHING about Troybilt tillers was COMPLETELY FABULOUS in EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY!!! After your read a few paragraphs of that tripe, you knew that was either a product that made Rolls Royce seem shoddy by comparison, or it was the most overhyped product on the planet. And if you went with the second option, it made you hesitant to believe anything they said about their product. So to this day, some 40 years later, I still have a negative impression of Troybilt because of their sales writing. Maybe it was a good product, a great product, a lousy product, I don't know and I don't care, but I'm not buying one.


I remember several years back reading of shaft-drive bicycles, and I believe it was a Dynamic brand that was pushing them, and that was the feeling I got from their sales literature. I get that sort of feeling from CruzBike's sales pitch. Meanwhile, there's some other recumbent manufacturers that don't give me that impression. Maybe I'm the exception, and that's actually a good way to sell stuff. Or maybe they turn more customers off than they turn on and just don't realize it.

Moe Zhoost

With racing development of bents officially stifled by the UCI, we will never know how the field of competition would have changed. RAAM is dominated by DF bike "entries". Perhaps that is because bents would not be competitive, but it's more likely that most folks ride what they want to ride.


I often have these sorts of thoughts too. For instance, I cannot conceive of why someone would undertake riding/traveling somewhere when they are not willing (or physically able) to return to the origination point by the same method. Of course this does rule out such activities as whitewater kayaking, downhill skiing, and certainly skydiving. Just because "completing the circle" is important to me, that does not mean that those other activities should be relegated to whatever group one wants to disparage. I ride my trike because it's fun and it's different.

Above all, let's all not be too serious here. It's all about enjoying ourselves, right?

JanMM

Team RANS demonstrated in the 2009 RAAM that 'recumbents are slow' = alternative fact.
Team RANS finishes first in RAAM - RBR Recumbent Bike Riders Inc

rydabent

The RANS team destroyed the old wives tail that bents dont climb. They increased their lead over DF teams riding UP the west side of the Rocky Mountains.

Retro Grouch 

See how well that works when you wait for them to ask first?

rydabent

I do not ride a bent because I cannot ride a DF bike. Altho I am 78 I would not have any problem riding any kind of DF bike. I ride bents because of comfort, superior view, safety, and speed.

chopsteeks

Too funny but so true !!

downtube42

Well let's settle this once and for all.


Nah, just kidding.

Retro Grouch 

I'm not as old as rydabent but I have been around for long enough to have acquired my good sense. As such I do what I think is best for me and try not to think very much about what others might either do for themselves or think about me.

That's often easier to say than it is to practice.

La Tortue

Just to tag onto this thought the current winner of the California Triple Crown did it on a recumbent. Those not familiar with the race it is a road race title that is the compilation of three 200 mile races that all average around the 20,000 ft climbing range. LOL, This win confused the race officials so much they checked his bike for a motor. Even though they didn't find a motor they denied him the title because they felt a recumbent gave him an unfair advantage. I believe this is the first time in history a recumbent has been ruled to have a climbing advantage over an upright bike by race officials. Weeks later the director wisely reconsidered and reversed the decision giving Jason Perez the 2016 California Triple Crown win.

Leebo

Yikes? Thats wicked funny. How do you get the front wheel up over a 6" log or 1' ledge? Wheel base length? Tight tech singletrack? Rock gardens? So funny. Most mt biking is more than a dirt road.

RL7836

Rydabent, Many people have shared tons of good information with you on this forum & at least one other. For the most part, this shared information appears to bounce off you & not be comprehended.

I've found that, as a general concept, if someone is not looking for a solution, they are unlikely to be receptive to one that is suggested.

- smokers - if they are not looking to quit, how interested are they in hearing about some approach that may help them stop their habit?
- my wife's driving skills - she always gets worse gas mileage than me even though I drive much faster. There are many ways she could improve which would make her a safer driver, have better efficiency & reduce repair bills. As you'd expect, I have 'shared' some suggestions with her. Also, as you'd expect, they all bounced off as she has zero interest in changing any of her habits.
- I could continue with many examples (ie: people who eat unhealthy food, are overweight, drink too much, don't exercise, etc, etc, etc), but what I've eventually learned, is that few people are interested in change. The few that are, will generally make themselves visible - usually by asking questions ...

... like these people. They've shown they're interested, want more information and are receptive to receiving this information.

I believe there's an old adage about ropes - pushing them doesn't work very well. When you wait until someone pulls on the rope, your rate of success goes way up ...

tmac100

I have a Greenspeed GTO that I was going to start riding because I had it after my ex and I parted. But I have not ridden the GTO because I ride DFs on long-distance tours.

My travelling companion's son has serious back problems and cannot ride a DF without the threat of serious permanent back injury. He has (after getting medical advice) tried riding a Greenspeed Magnum and it was fine wrt his back, so I am loaning my GTO to him. The challenge is packing it and taking it as "sporting goods" special baggage to Melbourne.

The only reason why he is going to ride the GTO is because it is OK (medically) wrt his back and he can thus get some exercise. Everything else - weight loss etc is a plus.

Steamer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RHBV3Ku8Ew#t=175
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKAa...ature=youtu.be

Retro Grouch 

I had to stop mountain biking because I kept breaking things - like collar bones. I understand what you're saying. You and I, however, aren't most people. Check out how many posts there are asking what tire size is necessary to ride a crushed limestone rail-trail. Those folks (and there are a lot of them) really do think that's off road mountain biking.

Leebo

Steamer, kind of lame vids there. The bike is rolling over stuff. Not lifting the front wheel up. Sure some rocks, but here in MA that's beginner stuff. And not steep ups and downs. Comical at best, plus a foot dab.