Spring is when bents and trikes really shine

[rydabent]

If you live in the snow belt like I do, I cant ride for at least 4 months, and probably 5 some years. I remember when I got back on my DF bike in the spring, after about a 20 mile ride, by rump hurt bad enough I couldnt ride for at least a week. But since 2005, I went to bents and trikes, and have no such problem.

With their comfortable seats, they really shine in the spring, and are no hinderance to riding as far as you can or want to.

 

[ExBrit]

It's odd. because I used to own a Bacchetta 'bent and I had exactly the opposite experience. I found the seat was no more comfortable than a regular bikes and because I can't stand up on a 'bent I couldn't relieve the pressure so my limit was less than 50 miles. On the other hand I ride my road bike with a Brooks B17 for 200 miles with less pain. I sold the 'bent eventually. It's a shame because there's a lot I like about the 'bent like no neck pain, no wrist pain, better aero, etc.

 

[Moodyman]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always understood with bents you’ve only got one riding position. You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

Edit: my experience comes from riding stationery gym bikes - bent style as well as upright.

 

[grldtnr]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always understood with bents you’ve only got one riding position. You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

Edit: my experience comes from riding stationery gym bikes - bent style as well as upright.

You don't need to,once you've got set up right, the recumbent position is like relaxing on a comfy sofa, you have far better support all over your body, arms are relaxed , no pressure on shoulder,wrists,elbows, whats not to like, the only issue is the neck, but it then you can hav a neck rest /headrest fitted.... seeing over hedges is another downside.
But you are comfortably whole body supported, , chest is open for easy breathing, and have an unobstructed view ahead.
Gym bikes , recumbent or otherwise do not count

 

[rydabent]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always understood with bents you’ve only got one riding position. You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

Edit: my experience comes from riding stationery gym bikes - bent style as well as upright.

But they are like a very comfortable lawn chair. Comfort is the number one thing among many, for riding a bent or trike.

 

[Anthony-C]

You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

Well you can... if you try standing your shoulders push into the seat lifting your behind off it, which is handy for unavoidable potholes.

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

And you get a fantastic view of the sky, not the road 6 feet ahead. The feeling of riding in “Panavision” was my first and most striking memory of my first time on a recumbent.

 

[Ian H]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always understood with bents you’ve only got one riding position. You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

...or trike.

There's trikes and there's recumbent trikes.

 

[Time Waster]

My SMGT was not supremely comfortable and I often had to shift a little on the seat or take a break every half or full our. This is the same as on my upright df bike. Easier to move position on my df bike though.

My bent has the large seat but I'm possibly at its limit, perhaps a little over. Sometimes it feels like the top bends slightly in too short for true comfort. The other thing no head rest. I can get a stiff neck at the end of the day if I haven't had loads of breaks.

I think ime Bents might have more comfort but df bikes, especially drop barred ones, offer the ability to change positions to ease any discomfort. Now the saddle issue is about having one that fits you, set up right for you and is comfortable. I've not really had much issues with upright saddles. Except my first drop barred sports bike I got at 9 years old. That had a solid plastic sports saddle! That became uncomfortable after 10 miles or so. Proper ride with my dad and sister.

 

[a.twiddler]

Recumbents aren't for everyone. Having barely scratched the surface with my low budget experiences, all I can say is, the ones that I have, work for me. Since I'm not huge, I probably don't demand too much from a seat, as long as I can actually reach the ground.

I would say, though, that the SMGT and SMGTe have had several seat options over the years and if the one that came with @Time Waster's is not right, it's a big part of the cost of a bike that was bought as a bargain, to get hold of a replacement that is right, or possibly big enough in this case, unless you were lucky enough to find the right used seat. Nevertheless, would you diss all diamond frame bikes having only ever tried one? Like recumbents, there are so many different kinds.

 

[rydabent]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always understood with bents you’ve only got one riding position. You can’t sit back, lean forward or stand to engage other muscles in the way you can with a normal bike.

Edit: my experience comes from riding stationery gym bikes - bent style as well as upright.

You do use different muscles on a bent or trike, but they soon work just fine. And since the seats on a bent or trike is like a comfortable lawn chair, there is no problems in that area.

 

[Time Waster]

@a.twiddler is right about seats come in different sizes and styles on Bents like SMGTe and even SMGTs which being the old version in an old model was available in two or three seat sizes I believe. I have the larger seat size which suits up to 6'6" I think, one inch taller than me. However the bends in the glass fibre seat still have to fit you. If they don't then the idea that all Bents are like sitting in a comfortable chair is a myth. You still have to make it fit you just like DF bikes.

The SMGTe comes with a mesh seat on a metal frame. I suspect that's easier to achieve comfort. Also the GF seat on the SMGTe is a two part rigid seat that allows adjustability. However you cannot retro fit modern SMGTe seats to a SMGT AIUI due to different mounting points to the frame.

DF bikes get fit and comfort initially from buying the right sized frame, bents you usually have kind of one size. DF bikes you can fine tune seat, seatpost height, stem length, pedal crank length, etc. Bents you might have two lengths of boom or one length you might need to cut down if short, these are adjustable. Seat might be adjustable like SMGTe rigid two part seat or you adjust the angle as per your preference. You might change crank length, indeed I've heard shorter cranks than FF bikes are better. Bars can be changed to different types OSS, USS, tiller, hamster bars, etc. DF bikes you get flat, bar ends, butterfly, drops, and a few others. Along with adjustable stems.

Imho there's no excuse for not achieving comfort in any type of bike. Due to economies of scale I think DF bikes are easier and cheaper to get right. No idea how to sort my seat issues out. Might need someone to modify a seat from HPV to benefit from what I think are the better seats in SMGTe. I think there's aftermarket seat makers too but SMGT is an old model.

 

[a.twiddler]

@a.twiddler is right about seats come in different sizes and styles on Bents like SMGTe and even SMGTs which being the old version in an old model was available in two or three seat sizes I believe. I have the larger seat size which suits up to 6'6" I think, one inch taller than me. However the bends in the glass fibre seat still have to fit you. If they don't then the idea that all Bents are like sitting in a comfortable chair is a myth. You still have to make it fit you just like DF bikes.

The SMGTe comes with a mesh seat on a metal frame. I suspect that's easier to achieve comfort. Also the GF seat on the SMGTe is a two part rigid seat that allows adjustability. However you cannot retro fit modern SMGTe seats to a SMGT AIUI due to different mounting points to the frame.

DF bikes get fit and comfort initially from buying the right sized frame, bents you usually have kind of one size. DF bikes you can fine tune seat, seatpost height, stem length, pedal crank length, etc. Bents you might have two lengths of boom or one length you might need to cut down if short, these are adjustable. Seat might be adjustable like SMGTe rigid two part seat or you adjust the angle as per your preference. You might change crank length, indeed I've heard shorter cranks than FF bikes are better. Bars can be changed to different types OSS, USS, tiller, hamster bars, etc. DF bikes you get flat, bar ends, butterfly, drops, and a few others. Along with adjustable stems.

Imho there's no excuse for not achieving comfort in any type of bike. Due to economies of scale I think DF bikes are easier and cheaper to get right. No idea how to sort my seat issues out. Might need someone to modify a seat from HPV to benefit from what I think are the better seats in SMGTe. I think there's aftermarket seat makers too but SMGT is an old model.

I suppose it boils down whether you want to persevere with the SMGT and make a few phone calls or emails to see if anything is available to improve the seat without breaking the bank, Dtek, or fibreglass seat manufacturers for example, or just call it a day and put it down to experience.

 

[Time Waster]

Right now my Brompton and df bikes get most use as they suit my circumstances. One for commuting by train and the other because I'm getting fit again and it's easier to use it. Bent legs take a bit of time to get but df bikes don't have the same need to train your legs.

For local rides I'm not sure my SMGT is great due to hills. I'm too used to my df 2x10 geared bike. 3x9 bent I think needs a tweak of the gears so the ones i use most don't need chainring and cassette changing at the same time. You know how when the gears are right you're on one chainring when cruising but hit a hill you might just need to drop a few gears on the cassette or keep them the same and drop a chainring for a bigger change. My bent gearing seems to mean a lot more changing of gears. Possibly related to not having got bent legs or gearing issues or something else.

However, I'm not ready to give up on my SMGT just yet. It is a good bike despite not being quite right for me right now.

 

[grldtnr]

Right now my Brompton and df bikes get most use as they suit my circumstances. One for commuting by train and the other because I'm getting fit again and it's easier to use it. Bent legs take a bit of time to get but df bikes don't have the same need to train your legs.

For local rides I'm not sure my SMGT is great due to hills. I'm too used to my df 2x10 geared bike. 3x9 bent I think needs a tweak of the gears so the ones i use most don't need chainring and cassette changing at the same time. You know how when the gears are right you're on one chainring when cruising but hit a hill you might just need to drop a few gears on the cassette or keep them the same and drop a chainring for a bigger change. My bent gearing seems to mean a lot more changing of gears. Possibly related to not having got bent legs or gearing issues or something else.

However, I'm not ready to give up on my SMGT just yet. It is a good bike despite not being quite right for me right now.

Some recumbents come with a lot of adjustability in the seats, not the actual seat itself, but the position it can achieve, notably Azub and ICE, ICE build trikes only, and have a number of sets and cushioning to achieve that perfect fit.
As regards Azub, they build 'solo' bikes as well as trikes,plus a tandem, to my mind the Azub has a better system, I bought an Azub Tri-tris , and happy I did. Unfortunately not many dealers in the UK, one in Scotland ,and one in Devon, but plenty on the continent France, Belgium and the Netherlands, are all within a long weekender.
As good as the HP velos' are, I think Azub & ICE are superior, Azub frames are actually built by themselves, and not in the far east like ICE and Velotech, who only assemble and finish.