Jeff Wills

A good friend is riding across the U.S., starting in a month or so. He's riding his Easy Racers Gold Rush- there are plenty of them around here. It's a shame that the company has gone downhill in the past couple years.

It's his second time. He did this (but a different route) in 2005: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ER2005

banerjek

Totally agreed with this. While some riders will be faster on certain terrain on a 'bent, that shouldn't be the primary motivator. The aero advantage doesn't really kick in until you start getting into higher speeds, and not so many people have the legs to do that. The real reason to do it is it's fun.

If you wanted to compare a touring bike with dropdown bars vs a LWB recumbent set up for touring, the 'bent will be faster except when you're going uphill. The LWB and touring bike will be faster than the trike in practically all conditions. That doesn't make the trike a bad ride -- they're tons of fun and the seating position gives you a panoramic view. Moreover, when you're only a few inches over the ground, it makes it seem like you're going faster and the connection with the road and everything around. Trikes are fun at any speed, even very low ones.

A 'bent suitable for touring will give you a panoramic view, a few mph more than the trike, and probably a couple more than the touring bike in anything not involving climbs. However, 'bents limit which muscles you use much more than the touring bike which allows you to stand, sit, or shift forward and back. The LWB recumbent has a huge turning radius and is not nimble at all -- the handling is totally different But definitely a great way to go for long days. My hot rod is a highracer which I love and is pictured below. Faster than anything you're considering and good on climbs, but I wouldn't recommend it for touring as both your legs and neck really need to be conditioned for long days.

The drop bar touring bike is not as fun in many ways as either the trike or the LWB 'bent, but is the most versatile of the three. It's a solid choice, even if it is boring. Based on the vibe I've been picking up off you, I'd recommend at least taking a LWB for a test ride.

cat0020

Right tool for the right job, there is no best tool for everything.
A bike that is meant to go fast may not be best for everything else, best to know your priorities and parameters, then look for the least compromise.

Skankingbiker

Going add my 2 cents here at join the chorus of "it depends" on a lot of factors including set up. I have had my recumbent for about a year now. I just realized that have a tad more upright seat position allows me to noticeably increase my power output. One little change and I went from feeling like I was "kicking air" to feeling like I am driving my bike.

A lowracer will give you the best aerodynamic advantage, but it may or may not be faster overall depending on your positioning and comfort. Some folks find a really laid back position to be most comfortable; others find it hurts their neck and limits visibility.

Also, I would caution that no matter what kind of bent you get, you need at least a couple months of conditioning to train your muscles and feel confident in handling at speeds. Unless you have crazy innate balancing skills and/or regularly work all leg muscle groups, you WILL be much slower on your bent in the first few months.

VegasTriker

There is something nobody has mentioned and that is the presence of rumble strips at the edge of many roads in the west where I live. They are strategically placed at the edge of the road and for most cases there is enough pavement to the right of the rumble strip that you can easily ride a long or short wheelbase recumbent but not a trike. The clear area is often too narrow for the wheels to both stay on the pavement and not hit the rumble strip. The width of the front wheels on my Catrike 700 is 29 inches but on the Greenspeed GTO it is 36 inches. It varies with the trike. You don't find the strips in town but they are ubiquitous along main roads in rural area.

robnol

azub max finest recumbent

TroyOHchatter

I have ridden all three and honestly believe, for a long tour, a fast trike would be the best choice. I think that there is mental and physical energy in keeping a bicycle on the straight and narrow. Meanwhile, a speedy trike is comfortable but also offers much less mental fatigue. I think figuring this in, over the long run, a Catrike 700 would be faster than any recumbent bike for a long tour.

BlazingPedals

I've never gotten my brain tired from riding. Tell me, is it sore the next day?

Skankingbiker

Depends on the number of carb-replacement beverages at the end of the previous days ride.

tonibat

Azub Origami. Not just because it is foldable. That comes as a bonus !