Why should I consider a recumbent?

The main reason people buy recumbents is for improved comfort. But they also offer superior speed and visibility. The recumbent seat is the only real improvement on the bicycle seat in the last hundred years, (and many have tried to improve on the traditional bike seat. Remember, the traditional bicycle seat is about as old as the Pony Express!). We deal with many people each month who are trying to get a comfortable bike seat. They spend lots of money and time, and many can never find something that works for them. Recumbent seats are similar to seats in you car, your office, and your home. Imagine replacing any of those seats with a traditional bike seat! Recumbents also have solved neck, shoulder, wrist, and hand pain for countless people. Because of the superior comfort on recumbents, many people find they can simply ride further or longer than before. They are also much safer in an accident because the riding position naturally prevents flipping over the handlebars.

What is a Wedgie?

Aside from terrifying memories of middle school, this is a term coined by avid recumbent riders ("bent heads") to describe their rarely used, traditional bicycles. Still not sure? Try a recumbent for a month and then go back to your soon to be forgotten traditional bicycle. If you really think about it, traditional bikes do put you in a bit of a "primal" riding position!

Are recumbents hard to ride?

No, most people find them very easy to ride. The very first time out, you may wobble a bit and feel just slightly unstable, but this won't last long. After a trip or two around the block most people will have mastered the basics of recumbent riding. Over time, your skills will grow around the particular recumbent you choose. Some bikes, such as the long wheelbase bikes or under seat steering bikes, may take more time to master than others may. However, once you have the feel of your new recumbent mastered, you will probably ride many miles more than you did before on your traditional bicycle.

Are recumbents slow going up hills?

This question seems to have many answers. For the first month or two of recumbent riding, most people need to develop slightly different leg muscles for climbing, so right at first, you may find a recumbent slower. Those who have never climbed hills "fast" on regular bikes don't seem to notice (or care) if there is a difference. The one class of people who do comment on this is former road racers. For them, climbing hills on a recumbent does seem to be slower. However, most of them can go so much faster and more comfortably on the flats and down hills that none of them seem to care. So, depending on the rider, they may or may not be slower. Most people buying recumbents are more interested in the increased comfort, speed, visibility, and safety that recumbents offer for their entire ride.

Why are recumbents faster than regular bikes?

In general, recumbents are more aerodynamic than traditional bicycles. They are also more comfortable. This allows the rider to ride slightly faster and quite a bit longer before needing to stop and rest. (Or, it means you can still mow the grass after riding in your local century ride!) There are also many fairing kits ("windshields") to add to most recumbents which makes them even more "slippery" through the wind than before. Recumbents lend themselves quite well to streamlining and speed. In fact, virtually all the human powered land speed records have been set on some type of recumbent.

Am I less visible on a recumbent?

Until the National Department of Transportation and Safety does a 12 million-dollar study on this, no one will know for sure. So, using anecdotal evidence, we feel that recumbents are equally or more visible than regular bikes and that they are particularly safer based on range of vision and the natural riding style they offer. While some recumbents position the rider lower to the ground than traditional bikes, most recumbents have a very large cross section visible to traffic. Flags and appropriate colored clothing can supplement this. Most riders in our region indicate that they get more room and consideration from general traffic than when they ride a traditional bike. Bicycle visibility is a problem in general. One huge advantage of recumbents is that they offer the rider a much broader view of what is going on around them. Most riders will agree that better visibility provides safer riding, recumbent or not.

Should I buy long or short wheelbase?

This is a difficult question. Many people, based on initial test rides, will lean toward the short wheel base (SWB) bikes. But, notice the word "initial". This is because the handling characteristics of SWB bikes are very similar to traditional bikes. Also, many recumbents get test ridden in parking lots or on back streets, where the better maneuverability is quite noticeable. However, many people who purchase SWB recumbents based mainly on test rides, come back in a year or so and want a bike that offers a more compliant ride. The long wheel base (LWB) bikes often feel "clumsy" in many test ride situations, and we have people comment that it can take several weeks of steady riding to become "comfortable" with the feel of the long wheel base bikes. While the test ride is very important, it is also important to define what you ultimately want out of your recumbent and how you plan to use it. We can help you narrow the selection as you define how you are planning to ride, how often, how far, how fast, etc.