rydabent

Yesterday I was stopped on the bike path by two guys. The first one was a big man that wanted to know if my LWB bent was comfortable. I assured him it was. About that time a second guy rode up and heard us talking, and said but how are they on hills, and to get started. I pointed out to him that I had pretty much the same gearing that was on the mountain bike he was riding, and I demonstrated I could ride off from a stop on a line no wider than 6 inches. He of course had bought into the "conventional wisdom" but totally false information about bents.

andr0id

Bents go slow up hills because the old farts riding them go slow up hills, not because they're bents.

rydabent

And-----------------they roll past all the snot nosed young snobs going down the other side of the hill. What goes up must come down.

bent4me

Bents are slower uphill because they are heavier. I have been bent for 17 yrs and recently started riding my old Fuji DF. It is by no means a light weight at 34lbs loaded and is much easier climbing hills. IMHO recumbents are generally built for comfort not speed. It's tough for the lightest carbon fiber recumbent high racer to compete with a 15lb DF.
Just sayin'

VegasTriker

Yes, I too can't count the number of times I have been asked the question, "Are they comfortable?" as I lie stretched out in my lawn chair seat on a Catrike 700. Some day I am going to be a smart ass and say "No, it is way less comfortable than sitting on a tiny seat all scrunched over the handlebars."

BlazingPedals

Some of the myths are perpetuated by us. If the only bents someone sees are ridden slowly, wobbly, by a white-bearded old guy wearing sandals, then that must be what all bent riders are like, and by extension it must be the bents that are causing them to be that way. Right???

Rick@OCRR

Funny you should say that! When I started riding a recumbent a DF rider (and friend of mine, actually) told me that now I'd have to grow a full beard, eat enough to get a pot belly and ride really slow up the climbs!

Unfortunately I do fit the stereotype by being over 65 and wearing 6-6-1 SPD sandals .

He also said most recumbent riders are retired engineers but I'll never accomplish that!

Rick / OCRR

VegasTriker

"He also said most recumbent riders are retired engineers"

More misinformation about recumbent riders. They come from all walks of life but because recumbents cost so much money, a lot of them are well educated upper income people (but not all!).

If I look at the background of the recumbent riders I know well enough to know what they do or did for a living:
Scientist
Medical Doctors (X2)
Construction Engineer
Business owner/Painting Contractor
Timeshare sales management
Retired military

Only one of us has an aerobelly. Only one has a beard and that is much more recent than his trike. All could belong to the 50+ forum

BlazingPedals

For good aerodynamics, fairings tend to be round in front. So round bellies are aerodynamic. (So says the theory, anyway.)

Tony Marley

15 years ago, when I was in the Las Vegas bike club, I was the only 'bent rider in the club without a beard, and the 'bent riders were the only ones to ride in SPD sandals. And at our monthly club meetings, only the 'bent riders showed up in Birkenstocks.... But, several of us would regularly cruise along with the young studs Lance-wannabees, which would really tick them off.

I rode my Ti-Rush through/over the Rockies with no problem.

Now, however, the motor for my 'bent is not as fast as it used to be. I now say, "I don't have to ride fast, I just have to ride far."

rydabent

Well I am a retired service engineer. I also am a veteran.

But I dont wobble, I dont have a beard, and in the summer time when I ride I dont have a pot belly. Lets not talk about the winter months.

downtube42

Ha, salt and pepper bearded software engineer with SPD sandals here. Plus I'm a randonneur so add fenders, lights, and reflective gear.

When someone asks about the recumbent when I'm on a long brevet, I point to Mr DF friends and say, "after 200 miles they'll be tired and hurting, and I'll be tired."

Rick@OCRR

What recumbent is good for brevets? I've been looking at alternatives to the cheapo Sun I've been riding and looking for a quality recumbent for distance rides (double centuries, etc.). Been looking at Bacchetta and other SWB's but want to explore other options before I buy.

Rick / OCRR

Retro Grouch 

The funniest question often comes up on group rides. Folks ask tadpole riders if their bents are comfortable. Well duh! The tadpole riders are always sitting on their trikes because that's the most comfortable place to sit.

Retro Grouch 

Spend an afternoon at a recumbent specialty shop. There are several variations on the recumbent theme and they all ride a little differently. You also need to consider how you are going to transport one with your car and where and how you are going to store it. SWB is a solution to those issues that works for many people. If I were riding a double century, however, I think that I'd be looking for a longer wheelbase bike.

BlazingPedals

Heyyy, what's wrong with SWB for long rides? Admittedly, long wheelbase bikes have more room to hang bags and stuff; but folks do PBP every year on short wheelbase bikes, even lowracers. It's really a matter of preference; try various types and see what you like better.

osco53

Too funnay,,all this

rydabent

Your point is well taken. I am a member of the bike club here in Lincoln, and often help run sag stops. You dont have to have a very critical eye to see what happens when people ride up to the sag stop. DF riders immediately jump off their bikes, shake out their hands and start picking at their laundry. Bent riders OTOH ride up, stop, often stay seated use up the last of their water and then get of their bikes or trikes. Further the trike riders after picking up some goodies and refilling their bottles, go back and sit on their trikes while they eat their munchies. Say what you will, but comfort on bents is a good thing.

BTW my trike is a great destination ride. I like to ride it to bike races etc. Once I get there, I have a great comfortable seat to watch without sitting on the ground.

dallascyclist

Its always about the bike, not the rider, I've heard this countless times as I've blasted past the uprights in my velomobile. Of course, I can take those same guys down on the velodrome and a track bike because "[sic] I'm so much stronger because I ride a recumbent" (this was actually said to me) Admittedly, cranking a ~30kg velo up the hills with them does build muscles. <G>
*shrugs*

I think its more likely because I actually ride. a lot.

No beard, but I am a engineer or was, now I'm a recovering engineer and in the clothing business.

rydabent

The bottom line remains that "conventional wisdom" has been so ingrained that there is a great deal of misinformation. This is always brought out since most of us bent riders always get asked the same questions based on that conventional wisdom. The biggest point is do you have to walk up hills? And of course the answer is with pretty much the same gearing as a mountain bike no I dont.

catgita

I don't know why people are so worried about how a bent compares to a racing bike. Racing bikes are unpleasant to ride in so many ways, and impractical, which is why it is a shrinking segment of the market while every other category is growing by double digits.

I rode bents for 6-7 years, arguing the same things about how superior they are. Well, now I ride a mid century French style Rando bike and have no desire to ride my stable of bents. I just love the rando.

One day, riding my Phantom, a woman looked at me most seriously and asked "do you get a better workout that way?", and I replied "yes, but only for my grin muscles".

polyrhythmia

Funny thing about the beards, had someone mention that it was odd I didn't have one. Did study engineering, but never became one. Recumbents just don't look like what people think a bike should look like. People ask if it's comfortable, but maybe they are wondering if it's easy to ride.

BlazingPedals

I think when they ask if it's comfortable, what they're really asking is, is it awkward to ride?

rydabent

Back in the early 70s during the gas "crisis" most everyone got a "racing" bike mainly because that was all that was available. The racing bike lines then hit a huge decline when mountain bikes became available. They took another small hit when more recumbent became available.

Now one segment of cyclist, the long distance cross country riders are migrating to bents for the comfort and the view.

downtube42

I started with a RANS V-Rex, which worked reasonable well as a brevet bike. Two SR series, PBP, an R-12, and a couple 24-hour races. But I didn't like carrying two size tubes, and carrying a spare tire on long brevets meant two tires. I switched to a stick bike - a Volae Team. It's served me well for a couple SR series, PBP, a 1500k, and a 24-hour race, all with better times than the V-Rex. If I had by druthers though, I'd have bought the touring model with clearance for wider tires, fenders, and disc brakes. But that's me, other people have other priorities.