First recumbent on my route

[classic33]

The "Cool Breeze" prone?

it looks a bit uncomfy to be honest. What supports your head?!
And from looking at the article about it, it's only been made like that in order to win races where you're not allowed a fairing.[/QUOTE]


Not that bad. Like anything you get used to it after a while. Whether others get used to seeing you ride it is another matter. As for supporting your head what supports it anywhere else?
You can get a fairing for it, but I think that would restrict rider visibilty a bit.
As for racing, not my intended use. M62, junction 24, Ainley Top to Elland. Nearly a two mile run, downhill.
On the same stretch of road passing cars, speed cameras present, on a Brox. So that puts me doing over fifty MPH on a four wheel recumbent.

As I said before, what is unknown to a person frightens them.

 

[bonj2]

As for supporting your head what supports it anywhere else?

Nothing, but you don't have to bend your head backwards so much on anything else. You have to bend your head back on that, due to your body being almost horizontal in order not to be looking downwards at the road. I know from lying in bed reading a book like that, that it isn't particularly comfortable.

 

[Arch]

As I understand it, the prone is primarily a racing machine for sprinting, so you wouldn't expect to be in that position for hours and hours - just like a sprint racer on an upright wouldn't be - and their aero position requires them to have their head pretty tilted back...

 

[classic33]

As for supporting your head what supports it anywhere else?

Nothing,[/QUOTE]

What lies between your shoulders & head or is your head seperate from the rest of you body.

 

[Blonde]

I'm dead jealous.

I wonder what impact the lower riding position would have on my visibility..

I spotted one this morning. Very easily, despite the fact that is was a super low speed machine. I went 'Ooh look, a recumbent!' which is exactly why drivers don't run you over when you're in one!

Seriously, if a driver is directly behind you, or a way off with no other vehicles in between you and them, they can see you as well as any other vehicle. It's only when a driver overtakes another vehicle that is directly behind you that they may not see the 'bent until they are level with you, but I'm not sure if this would impact on your safety anyway. I guess if you're on a 'bent, you shouldn't use another vehicle as a 'shield' when pulling onto a roundabout, as drivers t'other side of it wont see you at all. But then, you probably oughtn't do be doing that anyway...ahem..

 

[Arch]

It's only when a driver overtakes another vehicle that is directly behind you that they may not see the 'bent until they are level with you, but I'm not sure if this would impact on your safety anyway.

Someone once said to me "I saw a recumbent today, it was in front of a van in front of me, and the van pulled out to overtake, and I was really close, so I didn't see the recumbent until I was nearly on top of it."

Out of politeness I refrained from pointing out that a) he was obviously driving too close to the van and in that situation, he'd not have been able to see an upright bike through the van anyway.

Sadly, I seriously doubt that a lot of people look ahead to the extent of seeing a bike in front of the car in front of them...

 

[mosschops2]

No, still weighing options..

You forgot that you're also thinking of an Airnimal (sp??) - another area of Bonj-expertise!!

 

[Blonde]

It's only when a driver overtakes another vehicle that is directly behind you that they may not see the 'bent until they are level with you, but I'm not sure if this would impact on your safety anyway.

Someone once said to me "I saw a recumbent today, it was in front of a van in front of me, and the van pulled out to overtake, and I was really close, so I didn't see the recumbent until I was nearly on top of it."

Out of politeness I refrained from pointing out that a) he was obviously driving too close to the van and in that situation, he'd not have been able to see an upright bike through the van anyway.

Sadly, I seriously doubt that a lot of people look ahead to the extent of seeing a bike in front of the car in front of them...[/QUOTE]

Neither do they signal to indicate they are going to pull out to get around something, which means the driver behind does not register that they are going to have to do this too. Instead they often accelatrate to fill the gap left behind by the overtaking vehicle, then slam the brakes on when they see the 'obstacle' and realise they need to either slow down behind or overtake it, then 'cos they cant slow down enough in time, they swerve out wildy.. Every single driver behind then does the same, until one brighter spark actually puts the indicator on to give those behind a chance to react and get ready to slow down/pull out early.

 

[HJ]

Funnily enough, after HairyJock mentioned the fact that I could go on a recumbent tour in Edinburgh, the local rag does a story on it. Strangely, it failed to draw the usual rabid anti-cycling crowd and only had two comments.

Bonj - now's your chance.....

So have you tried one yet then Goo?

Looking down the comments there was one familiar name, look to see you are helping to bring up the quality of debate in the Evening News.

 

[goo_mason]

So have you tried one yet then Goo?

Looking down the comments there was one familiar name, look to see you are helping to bring up the quality of debate in the Evening News.

Sadly not - was so skint after paying for a new boiler on the first day of my hols and then £100 for an entryphone repair (which I wish my neighbours would hurry up and cough up their shares for) that I didn't see any Fringe shows or go anywhere when I was off for two weeks. Sigh.