Third best reason to ride a bent or trike

[kingrollo]

I didn't mean to appear condescending. There are many out there with more recumbent experience than I have, and it seems that I've been one of the lucky ones. Not only are we all different, but our needs and abilities change over the years. I suppose we are all looking for something, and have varying amounts of success in our search along the way.

YMMV, indeed!

No probs mate.

I the seat instead of a mini saddle has obvious advantages , yes there is no pressure 'down there' - but slamming that seat along a bumpy towpath brings a different set of issues IME.

When I had my hamstring injury - a recumbent was a good send. For my battered spinal discs and bone spurs the benefit is less obvious in terms of comfort

 

[Conrad_K]

I remember how, after a decade of riding motorcycles, I learned to drive a car and was horrified by the restricted vision and endless blind spots.

Where I grew up you could get a motorcycle license at 13. I got mine right after my birthday, and for some reason my parents never explained, a motorcycle as well. I put 15,000 miles on it in two years. At 15 I got my car license, and a car. But the car was ten years old, and worn completely out. I spent all summer learning how to overhaul an engine, replace front suspension and steering parts, change U-joints, do bodywork, and prep for paint. It was a valuable learning experience that served me well throughout my life.

It was a ton of work for a bookish kid who seldom went outdoors, but I *needed* the car. Girls, you know.

Anyway, after two years and 15,000 miles, I was an experienced "operator", as my state likes to call drivers. I knew the rules of the road, how to keep from being run over by idiot drivers, and all that stuff. I just needed the bits about keeping the rolling behemoth in its lane, stopping distances, that sort of thing.

I remember the blind spots compared to a bike, and the feeling of being shut off from the world by glass and steel. But mostly, I remember terrifying my Dad, who was trying to teach me how to drive a car. Thousands of miles and two years of habit had programmed "stop" as "apply brakes." Unfortunately, squeezing the steering wheel with my right hand while poking the gas pedal with my right foot did the exact opposite of "stop" when driving a car.

Poor Dad. It's a wonder I didn't give him a heart attack while I was sorting out a new reflex pattern.

 

[Conrad_K]

the seat instead of a mini saddle has obvious advantages , yes there is no pressure 'down there' - but slamming that seat along a bumpy towpath brings a different set of issues IME.

When I had my hamstring injury - a recumbent was a good send. For my battered spinal discs and bone spurs the benefit is less obvious in terms of comfort

Same here. The recumbent trike isn't too bad, but the recumbent bike really hammers my lower spine when I hit bumps, of which there are a plentiful supply locally. Still, better than not riding at all.

I bought a mountain bike with an eye to riding the extensive dirt trails in my area, but... while the suspension irons out the bumps nicely, the "pressure 'down there'" is a big issue after surgery, even with the oversize seat I tried. That's a complete non-issue with the recumbents.

Obviously, I need a recumbent with at least a rear suspension, but lately home repairs have been eating what the accountants laughingly refer to as "disposable income."

 

[kingrollo]

Same here. The recumbent trike isn't too bad, but the recumbent bike really hammers my lower spine when I hit bumps, of which there are a plentiful supply locally. Still, better than not riding at all.

I bought a mountain bike with an eye to riding the extensive dirt trails in my area, but... while the suspension irons out the bumps nicely, the "pressure 'down there'" is a big issue after surgery, even with the oversize seat I tried. That's a complete non-issue with the recumbents.

Obviously, I need a recumbent with at least a rear suspension, but lately home repairs have been eating what the accountants laughingly refer to as "disposable income."

Exactly - I'm not saying you won't gain comfort from a recumbent - just that IME the comfort element is overrated.

 

[rydabent]

I must admit the IME the comfort factor of recumbents is massively over stated. Granted you aren't squashing your happy sack - but it's not the armchair ride often described.

YMMV

However on a bent your body is supported by about 250 square inches, and on a DF about 15 square inches. The pressure on your body on a bent is far far less. Less pressure equals less pain.

 

[kingrollo]

However on a bent your body is supported by about 250 square inches, and on a DF about 15 square inches. The pressure on your body on a bent is far far less. Less pressure equals less pain.

That's good to know. But my point wasn't that a recumbent bike isn't more comfortable simply that the comfort is overstated.

The obvious example being that that can't raise out of the seat on bumpy roads or speed bumps

 

[a.twiddler]

That's good to know. But my point wasn't that a recumbent bike isn't more comfortable simply that the comfort is overstated.

The obvious example being that that can't raise out of the seat on bumpy roads or speed bumps

But you can brace your your feet and back and raise yourself slightly on the seat when encountering potholes. I found myself doing it automatically before I realised I could do it on purpose. It can help avoid some of those brain rattling moments.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The obvious example being that that can't raise out of the seat on bumpy roads or speed bumps

Mesh seats and cantilevered seats dispatch with those with ease.

 

[PaulM]

That's good to know. But my point wasn't that a recumbent bike isn't more comfortable simply that the comfort is overstated.

The obvious example being that that can't raise out of the seat on bumpy roads or speed bumps

And it's not simply less pressure on your backside, it's less on your wrists and shoulders.

 

[grldtnr]

Every day in the trike is a 'fun' day, it has me giggling as I take the bends, and the fast descents has me gurgling like a drain, not so much when I am camping, as recumbents are a bit of a struggle to climb, but at least the trike is stable at slow speeds,you can go as slow as you like, even come to a standstill and sit there and pull away if in the right gear.
Plus I always have somewhere to sit at my pitch,
But if it's raining or wet, it's not so much, especially if a trike

 

[a.twiddler]

That's good to know. But my point wasn't that a recumbent bike isn't more comfortable simply that the comfort is overstated.

The obvious example being that that can't raise out of the seat on bumpy roads or speed bumps

Although I had issues with the seat recline, the suspension of the Grasshopper I found to be particularly good. I'm assuming that you've had several goes at adjusting the suspension, particularly the rear? The online manual gives details. Is the suspension working as it should? Even on my Spirit, which isn't as sophisticated as the Grasshopper's, it's a very good feature. Although it also has a mesh seat with a cushion, and a mesh seat has additional "give" which the hardshell seat might not have.

 

[kingrollo]

Although I had issues with the seat recline, the suspension of the Grasshopper I found to be particularly good. I'm assuming that you've had several goes at adjusting the suspension, particularly the rear? The online manual gives details. Is the suspension working as it should? Even on my Spirit, which isn't as sophisticated as the Grasshopper's, it's a very good feature. Although it also has a mesh seat with a cushion, and a mesh seat has additional "give" which the hardshell seat might not have.

Could be.

Another thing I don't like about bents is the tribalism that comes with them.

I've owned 2 and sure they are lot of fun and id recommend anyone to give them a try.

But let's be honest there are some pretty major drawbacks - certainly in a hilly area of the traffic dense west Midlands where I live it just isn't a practical as a DF - movability, the ability to glance behind , the hills, lack of support from manufacturers ....

YMMV