Recumbent Bikes & Trikes

[TPerry]

Well, the wife is on a health kick and since her old high school friend moved back into her mothers house up the road and my wife has seen her riding a bicycle she decided she had to have one.

She's had a TBI and also has MS so her balance is not the best in the world and her hitting her head hard again could kill her. So, a bicycle was out for her and we started looking at trikes. Even then they were fairly high up off the ground and some said they had a tendency to be unstable.

I started looking at recumbents, and found a trike she really liked (Sun Seeker X3-AX). Ordered it and got it in and she's having a blast riding it. I've taken a spin or two on it myself and was able to ride 7 miles and not really be tired (last time I was on a bike was about 10 years ago - at least). I'm probably going to get me a Catrike Villager this month.

Her bike is identical to this one.

Just was wondering if anybody else was in the recumbent bicycle scene?

Like most stuff that I get interested in, I started a forum up for recumbent bikes. I found very few others out there and figured it might not be a bad niche to try out. And no, the forum isn't running XenForo - I wanted to give a spin on another script to learn it - not to mention that the script I'm using also has a store add-on that you can sell digital and non-digital products through. Not really crazy about it - the forum is missing a lot of XenForo's features.

If your'e into recumbents, drop by and say hi.

 

[Martok]

There are plenty of members on @Clickfinity's CycleChat community who are recumbent riders. I have met a few of them and my other half @HaloJ has tried one of theirs and thought it was very enjoyable and comfortable. She actually tried a tandem recumbent.

 

[TPerry]

I was really surprised at how comfortable it was. You do use a whole different set of muscles for the pedaling - but the position you sit in (especially on the delta trike she has) is almost like sitting in a recliner pedaling.

We are already making plans to take some road trips hauling the bikes to ride (have to get a smaller trailer and a hitch for the Volvo C70).

I'll go read over at his site.. I never like to go to a "competitor" site and do any type of advertising - that's why I normally don't have a signature with any links in it.
What I found on forums were a lot of bicycle related ones - but recumbent specific ones were in short supply. The biggest one seemed to be Bent Rider Online.

 

[CTXMedia]

Yes, we've got a lot of "bent" riders on CycleChat if you want some advice or just to chat - one of whom did the LEL (London to Edinburgh to London - a ride of approximately 1400km) and after serialising the journey on the forum turned it into a book.

Here you go: Recumbents, Trikes and HPVs | CycleChat Cycling Forum

... and the 2009 LEL thread from Andy: Seeya! - arallsopp does the LEL | CycleChat Cycling Forum

I love 'em but unfortunately we live in a tiny 2-up / 2-down at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac so I don't have any practical way to store/secure one (and the wife thinks our money should be spent on silly things like food and clothing ... ).

When we win the lottery and move into a big house I'll order myself a quad, trike, and bent and spend my days rolling around the Yorkshire countryside looking for hospitable cafes and quality cake. Ohhhh, that would be the life eh?!!

 

[RandallC]

I dont know about that but I ride a Mountain Bike 2006 Schwinn Rocket Comp.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I am a road cyclist myself... I have a "level entry" road bike, I say that because the only carbon on it is the fork, full carbons are what the pros use and maybe one day when I hit the lottery (when I actually start playing it that is)... I have a 2015 Trek 1.2 road bike, it is very nice for what I use it for. Cycling is great for your health and fun as heck, too! Recumbent looks neat, I have seen them folks on our local organized road rides. The only thing I wonder if how is it going up a steep hill? Every now and then I have to stand up and climb up it - something that can't be done on a recumbent.

 

[TPerry]

The only thing I wonder if how is it going up a steep hill? Every now and then I have to stand up and climb up it - something that can't be done on a recumbent.

More difficult on the bicycle.. now on the trike? Simply put the parking brake on, take a rest and then continue to pedal.

 

[dilbert]

I run a cycling forum, but instead of talking cycling, it's more of a hangout. Square Wheels Cycling

One of the members has had MS for over 10 years, they are avid cyclist and rides on the dirt a lot. Their doc thinks that keeping active has helped keep MS in check. They're very inspiring.

I'm a road cyclist too. Not just the pros ride full carbon, many people do.

 

[CTXMedia]

Is that a "Dark Side of the Moon" jersey?

 

[dilbert]

Is that a "Dark Side of the Moon" jersey?

Yup, it was one of the first that I bought when I started riding a few years ago. It's a Primal.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Primal is a good brand!

 

[TPerry]

This is what will be coming home with daddy in about 2 weeks. We only went to test ride different ones to find one I liked in Austin (about 3 1/2 hour from home) - and it turned out to be the one I initially liked (Catrike Road). This one is in a "limited edition" factory candy apple red color that only goes to dealers that sell a select quantity of bikes yearly. I only had $1500 in my "mad money" account, so the other $1600 goes down with me in 2 weeks when I go back to Austin to pick it up.

Road the Villager and didn't really like it as well (the shock on the rear of the road was nice when going over speed bumps - something the Villager doesn't have). Test road a HP Velotechnik Scorpion fs26 (full suspension) but it was to much of a "race" bike for what I want. Also rode a HP Velotechnik Gekko fx 20 and felt like I was about to slide out of the seat. Road the I.C.E. Adventure and wasn't really impressed with it either. Road the TerraTrike Rover and ... let's say it was rather bland.

Yes, my hair is messed up... that happens when you ride a bike at about 18MPH with no helmet!

 

[CTXMedia]

Very nice - congrats - I can see many hours of fun and open road in your future ...

 

[0ptima]

Does the neck get strained when riding a recumbent bike?

 

[TPerry]

Does the neck get strained when riding a recumbent bike?

No more than sitting watching TV from a Lay-Z Boy.
I'll be getting a head rest that will allow me to rest it backwards though - but a lot of people never get/use them.

 

[TPerry]

Well, the wife "stole" my trike, so we got me another one (different style) and now I think our new puppy wants to ride off into the sunset on it!