Why Ride Recumbents 1: Comfort
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- čas přidán 7. 11. 2015
- Why do people ride recumbent bikes and trikes? One of the biggest reasons is the comfortable riding position of recumbents that avoids the well-known discomforts and pains of traditional diamond frame bicycles. In this video, recumbent riders explain why they made the switch to recumbents and love their new ride.
This video is part of a series of videos sponsored by both Catrike and Easy Street Recumbents of Austin, Texas. We are grateful for their support.
A few words about making these videos:
The interviews are mostly culled from several hours of interview footage collected at the 2015 Heart of Texas Recumbent Rally. The unexpected weekend Texas freeze cancelled all of the riding events this year, so we all had to make do with visiting, eating, and drinking in Austin. Everyone I talked to said they had a great time! But this also left a lot of time for interviews, so it was fortunate that Phil Allen and I had come down on Thursday with his lighting, mikes, backgrounds, and camera equipment for the interview setup. My wife, Patti, tried to come down on Friday morning and the highways from Dallas to Austin were closed!
A word or few about Phil:
Phil Allen is a professional videographer and editor, with (among other awards and accolades) a Texas Emmy under his belt for the documentary "A Fair To Remember" about the history of the Texas State Fair.
Phil did all of the "studio" interviews you see in these videos. Ironically, there are also a few outdoor interviews of his that we are using from the 2010 "Texas Catrike Rally" in Dallas, the first rally organized by Jane Knight, that preceded the Austin-based Heart of Texas Recumbent Rallies. This is ironic because I has asked him to come by and film this group at the Sonic while we were stopped for lunch, since it was near his house, and he might be able to use it as a a documentary subject. 5 years later and here it is finally getting used. Phil also provided technical and creative guidance on assembling these videos. And Phil created the 30-second commercial intro used on each video, including the narration. (I just replaced his stock video clips with riders from my video archive.)
I have been filming Catrike and HOT Recumbent Rallies since about 2010, and started editing and posting them just for fun. I have also been collecting video footage at various riding events since 2010 (sometimes riding with 2 or 3 cameras going) and that archive has come in handy for this project. After the first HOT Rally video posted, Mike Librik (Easy Street Recumbents owner) asked me to keep doing it each year. Mike kept wanting more interview footage, and I finally got him to bring in professional help from Phil in 2015. While I have spent many weekends planning out these videos and editing them together from the hours of interviews and years of riding video archive, I could not have put this together as well without Phil's guidance and insights. Phil and I have known each other since our kids started in school together in 1999. This is the first video project we have been able to work on together and I am very happy with the results. I hope you are too.
Steve Erickson - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Comfort is the word. I love my recumbent trike, and comfort is the main reason. I used to ride a regular bike until my hands started getting numb and my ass got very sore. No matter what kind of seat I got or padded gloves, nothing helped.
Sure, if you're young and want to go off road, a regular bike is the way to go, but I suspect even young bodies are damaged by regular bikes, and just not noticed until they get on in years.
What I hate is the price of recumbents, and I blame those idiots that outlawed them from racing competition because they started beating all the regular bikes. If they would have let the best design win, there would be more demand for recumbents and there would be more made, more competition, and lower prices. Probably 1/5 the price.
Idaho Spud : you're right. A lot of people don't realize that recumbent bikes have a speed advantage, especially on flat ground. some of the early history of recumbents in racing is discussed in Bicycleman's History of Recumbents, part 1, on my channel.
Steven H Yeah, and unfortunately they are not allowed in bicycle races
They are very wide for roads or street, even for parking, more heavier... climb a slope in this would be a hell. I know the advantadges but not for real world, no future for this bikes.
From someone with very limited experience, yes they are slow and useless. However I have found that I do not get any pains on my rides at all. Still get tired muscles but I am still sitting on my seat at the end of 170 km, unlike the Diamond frame bike seat that I was happy to get off. I ride a recumbent bike not a trike, although I have been looking for a trike for off pavement use. As I lead group rides I have no problem maintaining an average speed of 27 kmh . Yes I am slow on hills but you need to know that if I am on a 14 pound carbon fiber diamond frame bike and you are on a 56 pound Walmart bike , you will be at the top of the hill first because I am slow on hills Has nothing to do with the bike, it has everything to do with energy and muscle power. However I will enjoy the ride up just as much as the ride down. BTW trikes have overtaken two wheeled recumbents in sales due to balance ,comfort, and more rail trails and mups.
Agreed Spud - Comfort is the word - the ONLY word! The only way to increase the market segment of incumbents is to flatten the earth, or insist that everyone ride on flat trails. Having a recumbent myself, I wish it were not so - but body orientation is the limiting factor. I certainly would not have purchased my recumbent if i had ridden any hills with it.
Watching this while sitting on my recliner. Time to head out to the bike store and get a recliner on wheels 😁
Hi and very very well said!!! Enjoy ans Forza!
😉👍👌🤙
You won't regret it.
I saw a dude ride past me on a recumbent 20 years ago. I loved it, ended up buying one.
I'd never go back to a diamond frame.
Ive three recumbents at the moment. All bikes although I've had trikes in the past.
Recumbents are so much fun. A bike takes a little while to learn to ride but once you've got it it's great.
I was working in Tennessee and saw a guy on one, blew my mind. This was 15 years ago
I’m on the road and I saw an elder man riding one of these on the main roads and thought it was so cute and cool lol so I searched up “laying down bike” lol I could imagine the workout this gives
About time I found a video like this. Still want to see more on the bike discussion and demonstrations.
I’ve ridden regular bikes all my life and as I have gotten older it’s been a painful experience. My shoulder hurts, my wrists hurts and hand gets numb. I have test ridden my friend’s cat trike for a day and I must say what a difference. I had no pain riding it for 4 hours. I’m hooked and planning to buy a recumbent in the near future....
Please tell us you bought one
I have one each. Frankly, I much prefer my Cannondale hard tail over my Catrike.
1. Visibility - I can see over cars and can turn and look over my shoulder on my diamond frame. On the trike, I'm so low to the ground, I can't see over hedges, newspaper machines, bridge railings, guard rails or around cars. I can't turn around to see behind me. I'm much easier to see on an upright bike. People don't seem to see my trike at all. I've had WAY more near-collisions on my trike than on my bike.
2. Power - I can stand up and really put the hammer down to climb and accelerate quickly on my standard bike. I don't seem able to climb as well or accelerate as quickly on my trike. Even though I'm pushing with back support, when I really pound the pedals, I slide up the seat. I lack power on my trike.
3. Safety - I can ditch my bike if I need to. I can't leap off my trike. This may come out a wash, because I'll never lay down my trike and get road rash. But I've never done that on my two-wheel either.
4. Comfort - I can get up out of the saddle an use my legs to absorb bumps. I can also hop up and down off of curbs if a sidewalk doesn't have corner ramps. These things are impossible on a trike. And, even though my trike has a mesh back, I still sweat like crazy and soak the seat and back.
5. Maneuverability - I can go places on my bike that are unimaginable on a trike. And that's not limited to trails. I can easily fit between bollards, weave through slow traffic and avoid pedestrians. The trike is much more cumbersome. The turn radius on a bike is zero. The turn radius on a trike is wider than my driveway. I also don't need to dismount my bike to use ATMs, use a drive through window or patronize a kiosk. Also, I can walk my bike backwards. I have to dismount to move my trike backwards. Speaking of that, if I ride up to a pedestrian area that doesn't allow bikes it's a lot easier to dismount and walk my bike by holding the handlebars. Walking a trike is clumsy and it's not easy walking it through a crowd until you get to a place where you can get back on.
6. Cost - Both my new Cannondales cost less than my single, second-hand Catrike.
7. Portability - I don't even have a way to transport my trike on my car. The racks are very pricey. My bike rack cost less than $100. And if I don't want to mount the rack, I can break my bike down and put it in the trunk.
8. Public transit - Good luck with THAT!
9. Weight - 'nuff said.
10. Accesories - I can get accessories for my standard bikes from any store from Walmart and Target to Nashbar and Performancebike. Trike accessories are more specialized and expensive.
My trike is fun on well-groomed, uncrowded bike paths and trails that have zero technical challenge. Most of the time, a standard bike is the way to go for me.
Relief from joint pain is why we moved into trikes. Started about ten years ago, riding a Scarab Trike (made in Corpus Christi Texas) and now have migrated into the Catrike 559 for its folding capability. I've crossed Washington, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Colorado on trikes and would never go back to a vertical bike.
AERO IS EVERYTHING
Great video. I especially enjoyed the shot of the person having to be put in an upright bike position in a CAR. The positioning makes no sense at all for a car, OR a bicycle!
Been 'bent for almost 20 years now, test rode a friend's Bike E a few times, and I was in excellent shape then (speed/distance inline skating was my main thing at that time), and even though I could ride DF bikes with no problems/pains back then, I still found the recumbent design more to my liking. Bought one for myself, and though I own a nice high-end upright Mt bike too, it almost never gets ridden unless I'm deliberately going off-road, which is RARE. Anything else, gimme that recumbent bike!
After seeing the cost of production trikes... I'm currently building my own from plans off the web and second hand bikes. Can't wait to give it a go
you will be sorry , been there done that.
These are great bikes..especially for the elderly, those who are over-weight and those who have limited range of motion.
And those who are lazy.
@@IAmNotABot9 And those that like comfort over distance. Too many of us wait till we are hurt before looking at an alternative.
Will be test riding a TRIOT trike in March. It has great suspension and has a height and seating angle that comes super close to sitting on a recliner.
The Catrike Dumont is the cat's meow in folding trikes.
Nice film.
I see plenty of Catrikes. I like the fact they are American made. The Dumont is great and they keep on coming out with innovation after innovation. Terra Trikes is an American company too. I don't know if their manufacturing is in the U.S. as well. But my favorite American recumbent trike manufacturer is TRIOT Trikes. They are fantastic and represent the ultimate for comfort especially for seniors. Unsurpassed seat comfort, excellent suspension, and impeccable quality! Super for seniors. Test ride in March!
I have one on order, a Catrike 559! Hope it's here by September 2021! Looks like a blast.
got my first trike...
my friend laughed at me and called my trike (bike for disabled.):)
made him try it
he never let me ride it for the 70km ride we did
he bought my trike
I made 300 bucks and able to upgrade to a narrower one
This is the definition of don't knock it until you try it . Haha 🤣
I want one. On a standard diamond frame roadbike, my front wheel slipped out on some wet leaves last winter, slamming my kneecap onto the pavement. I've barely been able to walk since. I have arthroscopy scheduled for next week to deal with the damaged cartilage in my kneecap and give me a manipulation under anesthesia. Nothing like this would have happened on a trike.
Don Mega , recumbent trike accidents are really NOT worse. For one thing, it is exceedingly rare to have the "leg suck" accident you describe, and it is easily preventable by using shoes that clip to the pedals. There are many more injuries encountered by people falling from, or being thrown from standard bikes and breaking hips, legs, or worse.
I had a race against those trike recumbent bike with my road bike and man those things are friken fast man. My road bike is 29 lbs and I still beat that trike but man that thing accelerated super fast vs my bike. Those trikes have a very low center so the wind is not a problem vs a normal road bike. Only problem with trikes is the downhill issue with corning at fast speeds. Overall when I am older there is no doubt that I will buy one.
Not so bad as that!
I thoroughly enjoyed riding my upright bikes since I was 12. Did a lot of touring (my longest one day distance was 164 miles). My wife switched to recumbent due to never finding a comfortable seat. We bought custom Rans Rocket Saturn 5 recumbents. I sold my dream bike, a Gary Klein custom frame decorated with cherry picked bike "jewelry". Then my wife got into du-athalons and bought a Trek woman's tri-bike. I'm now 71 and my joints and balance "ain't" so good. I'd love to get a trike!
164 miles touring??? Mate you will do that on a single day with a recumbent trike....plus you can take a nap at 13h00...yes while sitting comfortably on your trike.
Why recumberent??? The question sounds to me why automatic gear but no manual cars?? Why bullet trains instead of sticking to steam engine??? Not only bikes, for all inventions the answer is CONVIENCE. If you are asked to walk with your body bend forward, how far or long can you go on??? How long or far can you walk or run without footwears??? How long can you work under a burning hot sun??? If you are given a pair of good footwear, or a walking stick or back support for your spine or condusive weather condition or environment, could you walk, run or do any activity for longer hours??? If you could answer all these questions, then you know why COMFORT is important.
I want both. Recumbent for nice paved roads and mountain bikes for those challenging fun trails. I guess it depends you want to do.
Recumbent trikes are also fantastic to tour with....200km a day feel.like a walk in the park
Just took a fall of my speed road bike; concussion,, bruises,, internal bleeding in one hand,, my left side of the ribcage got smacked by the handle bar; disaster; so wanna ride these types now,, had to learn the hard way,,
Sorry you had a fall. Trikes definitely avoid that hazard. Be sure to test ride many brands to find the best match. Prices vary by country. In the US, you can get best deals on Trident, TerraTrike and Catrike, but there are many options.
@@tunesmith1982 hi kind sir,, thanks so much for that valuable information,, I'm an avid cyclist but never really paid attention to trikes and such well till accident,, I'm gonna look really deep into it and add a trike to my bicycling routine,, must say my experience testing one is non existent,, but that'll change as I get the chance to operate one,, all the best and thanks again,,
Rancho Cucamonga,, CA
I get a lot of looks and comments about my Giant Stiletto chopper every time I take it out & that's just about every dry day available a year.They built them 2005/6 & mine was brand new off the floor. It's on par for coarse, you just have to go with it.
I like this Vid, I am 71, I when back to riding a bike after 20 years, I find I cant do it, I am looking at a trike
what kind of recumbents do you guys have i made a inifinty recumbent bike
best i've done was 120 miles in one day... a few aches and sore legs, but a million miles away from a regular bike !
These things are fantastic for touring....200km a day feel like a walk in the park.You can take a rest on a steep hill...then just start padling again...you cant do that with a normal bike...have to push it to the top...then start riding again
im in the uk , got 2 love them , my back is not good . my son has balance issues , best thing i have ever bought .
Do you feel that you are leaning back and pulling your head forward? I have a bad neck and this would not work for me.
petmom ful - many people ride recumbent bikes or trikes because they have back or neck problems. You can get good neck rests and choose a vehicle that has a comfortable angle for you.
Thank you Steven. I got my rec. trike a few weeks ago. As soon as I tried it, at the store, I knew it was for me. I got the Terratrike Rover. My husband knew how much I wanted it so we financed it. (We are retired, so careful about money.) I absolutely love it and feel it was worth the money. It is so fun to be on a bike again. I got the neck rest, in case I need to lean back on it. Next summer, I am going to buy the rack for my car, and a basket for my little doggy. lol
petmom ful - I'm so glad you found a vehicle that is comfortable for you!
Thank you. I have to add that the only reason I am able to ride a bike again is because I had terrible arthritis in my neck, and after a huge failure of doctors to help me, I went on a low fat, whole foods, plant based (vegan) diet, and my pain is gone!!! It took about 7 months, but it went away. I am on a bike again, yay!! This ol' gal is so happy!
After riding for 23 years on regular bikes, my life stopped. A work accident and a chronic illness left me with physical sequelae. I recently found out about electric-assisted trikes...e-bike. But it is impossible to buy one. They are very expensive.😪
Recumbent trikes, bikes and velomobiles are amazing as long as cars are not involved. My neon red velomobile has a pole with an American flag, two sets of intense front, rear lights and Christmas lights. People still claim that they can't see me.
A loud airhorn is a good accessory. Unfortunately, some drivers just do not pay attention and are a hazard to any bike or pedestrian.
I have been knocked off my road bike by cars...think 4times...with the trike...not even one close call...
when you get up in age and your back starts giving out but you can still move your legs the recumbent bike is perfect for you
Inspiring stuff. Get the cars out of the way and let's get everyone triking!
I spent ~£200 on my commuter bike including things like waterproofs, helmet, lights etc it was second hand sure but even so, it was what I could afford. I would love to buy a recumbent trike but frankly no one seems to sell them second hand and new ones can cost over £2000. I just can't afford it.
There is actually a pretty good second hand market here in the US, and the recumbent trikes and bikes are built to last, so it's usually a good deal. I am not familiar with the market in UK (where I presume you are) but you could try contacting a local recumbent club and ask what forum they use to sell or trade their trikes/bikes.
Try to save a bit of money each week...you will never regret it.
I own a Catrike expedition had it over 10 years... also a Visions recumbent 2 wheel... both are WAY SLOWER than a "diamond bike" You don't have the advantage of standing to pedal... hence more leg muscle work. Both bikes are VERY comfortable. The comfort completely makes up for the SPEED.
Go and watch speed records....all by recumbent bikes and trikes.
am planning to start a company in india with these trikes.any advise on design and mechansim as I can make the bicycle just for 350 Usd if electric anothe 180usd.apprecaite advise pls
I want to get one, but the prices are screwed up.
M. Molli - try buying used vehicles from owners who upgrade. This is where you get the best deals.
Thanks Steven, I bought my first trike (second hand) just a few weeks ago. It's so much fun and so different from riding bicycle .. I'm happy.
@Max Pain Agreed, visibility is important to me.
Being 2019 now... "prices" are even MORE screwed up on EVERYTHING. dammmmn
@@tunesmith1982 Without trying out and exchanging different types of recumbents it can be too risky if one lives in a remote area.
i love that video wish i was there but its dark hearyou are all great
A lot of those problems sounded like poor bike fitting issues.
Michael, As you age certain body parts may start to complain about what you are riding. Yes a proper bike fit does some good but the diamond frame still puts you into a position of holding your head up to see the road , you are still sitting on a small object, and you are holding your upper body weight on your hands. This adds up eventually, for you, not yet. Some will get off the bike and do something else, and some will find a recumbent bike to be the answer to pain problems. I can no longer hold my body weight on my hands due to nerve damage and I thoroughly enjoyed my diamond frame touring biking for 30+ years, So I eventually bought a recumbent and voila no more pain except tired leg muscles. Wish I had started sooner.
Anyone know what is the red bike at 4:40? I like that.
i have so much lower back pain when i ride my Trek and am getting tired of it. keeping my eyes open for a recumbent. not sure i like the ones that are very low to the ground but idk because i haven't tried any. bike shops usually don't carry them.
Buy used off craigslist or whatever is available in your area . Before that figure out what use you want the bent for and and make a choice based on length , height, and speed or comfort or both.. Not all seats will work wonders but most seats can be replaced . I replaced the brand new Euromesh seat that so many people love with a seat from recycledrecumbent.com . This is a cheaper alternative to what is currently on the market.
At 2:52 is that a catrike pocket?
I almost never see recumbents in my area (suburbs of Chicago). I always hear how riders say they are mobbed by people asking questions and wanting to know where they can buy one. But it has not seemed to led to an increase in recumbent riders. It;s an odd conundrum. I am currently debating internally between a tadpole trike (Ice Adventure HD 26) and a 2-wheel recumbent (HP Velotechnik Speedmachine). It's so frustrating that there are so few bent riders to build a community around. A trike club would be awesome, as it is difficult to fit in with DF riding clubs. I just never see any trikes.
I just bought a used ice adventure fs 20 full suspension
I want one, always have.
Ive saved my pennies and finally can buy one🤞
See ya on the roads ✌
my biggest issue on my road bike my balls after 1hr of riding starting to hurt...and I tried just about every saddle no help....thinking of trike now
I have fake knees and cannot ride a conventional bike. Will I be able to ride this bike.
I want one of these; I am a grandma and cannot ride a regular bike due to having a bad neck. But on these recumbent bikes, it looks like the people are leaning way back and having to pull their head forward. That does not look comfortable to me. Any comments? Would an adjustable seat solve this problem?
Update: I went to a store and tried one of these today. It was so sweet; I bought it! The seat is fully adjustable, and it is so comfortable! Now I have to wait a week until it comes in!
I did get the neck support. I am so comfortable on the bike. I keep the seat, which is fully adjustable, pretty upright. So there is no forceful neck pulling. But I can see me trying to ride in a more recumbent position in the future. It is so fun, and worth every penny for me.
For exercising 30-45 minutes a day, I can't justify the price of these. I'm sure they are comfortable and enjoyable
but we'll "justify' a thousand other things that are bad for us... without even blinking ONE eye.
Get a set of rollers for the rear tire and you can pedal indoors for hours!
Jesus Christ is back, He loves his recumbent trike Azub Tricon 20.
God bless you.
Where did they get those Texas flag jerseys they are wearing? I want one
With the recent tragic death of James Dobson in Mississippi, we must double down with our efforts in having truly effective safety equipment on our trikes. You want to let traffic ahead of you see you ASAP, but you especially want traffic coming up fast from behind you the opportunity to see you ASAP so they won't run you over which is what tragically happened to James Dobson. A first vehicle swerved around him, but a second vehicle did not see him in time. It was a narrow lane without a bike lane with a slightly widened taper just before a cross street. We must use rear facing flashing lights bright enough and high enough to be seen by stacked up cars behind the first car that comes up on us from behind. Double flag pole our trikes!!!!!!
Oh no 😢😢😢
I want to get one of these but theyre so expensive even if theyre used
but we'll spend 30k and more for a car not even thinking about it !!! love it
@@plutoplatters Well, but cars are more easaly available due to mass production. For those who are pisspoor even a run down second hand car will be too expensive due to insurance.
eu imagino c ótimo pedalar uma byke dessa
I'd love to buy a recumbent but the prices are exorbitant and I will never be able to afford one 😟
I'm right there with ya! I love to ride, but have all of the problems of sore neck (been broken TWICE), numb hands, and let's not even mention the ol' jewels! But my God - the price of those trikes is CRAZY!!
You can get some good basic trikes new for $1200 and even less for a used one. Recumbent bikes are also very comfortable and those cost even less., especially used. Compare to a price of exercise machines, or health bills from lack of exercise or injury from a fall, or the cost of a bike you don't actually ride and it sits useless in the garage. Contact a local recumbent enthusiast group and see if they can help you find a deal.
Can I steer one with just one arm ? My right still works but left is damaged
Not a problem , but some bents are easier to control than some others.
Many trike dealers can adjust the controls for one arm control, i.e. controlling both brakes and all gears from the same side, if needed. Steering with one arm is not a problem.
So low to the ground that when you are done, you can lean right on into your rascal scooter.
The seat is also wide enough to carry your insulin shots and extra pear of diapers
Look how long the chain is!
Want a shorter chain? Get a Cruzbike.
I guess these people never had a proper bicycle "fitting" done. I ride 100 mile centuries, and do light touring and no neck or bottom problems.
As you age certain body parts may start to complain about what you are riding. Yes a proper bike fit does some good but the diamond frame still puts you into a position of holding your head up to see the road , you are still sitting on a small object, and you are holding your upper body weight on your hands. This adds up eventually, for you not yet. Some will get off the bike and do something else, and some will find a recumbent bike to be the answer to pain problems. I can no longer hold my body weight on my hands due to nerve damage and I thoroughly enjoyed my diamond frame touring biking for 30+ years, So I eventually bought a recumbent and voila no more pain except tired leg muscles. Wish I had started sooner.
I've never heard of anyone who does centuries a few times or more during the year NOT complain about some back, neck, shoulder or arm pain/stiffness/soreness/problem. And these guys are the hardcore type which ride around the 4.1 mile course 7 or 8 times almost on a daily basis. Me? I am that 16-20 miler guy (4 to 5 times), I am older at 53, a stout 200 lbs at 5'11" but with a 44 chest and 34 waist and some degenerative lower back changes, which becomes more common as you age. I do have a nice road bike which was 'fitted' by my bike shop back then, but I still get some neck/shoulder soreness and there will always be some varying degree of butt soreness, no matter which seat I have (of course, some better than others).
@@brucewmclaughlin9072 if you truly have a bad back as I do, I cant stand the bumps, not even with the shocks absorbing them on a trike, and I get neck pains in my recliner and it dont vibrate or hit bumps. Rem it all comes from the neck, all the power in your body and this is the number one reason why trikes are not really practical in my opinion.
@@z4u68 I ride a Giro A 20 touring bent , and I have modified it to what I want. The nice Euromesh seat it came with made the bent look fast but with no lumbar bend in it and too narrow.so that I was sitting on but not in , I replaced it with a seat frame from recycledrecumbent.com , sewed my own full mesh seat and now I have comfort regardless of distance. I run 1.75" wide tires and have noticed that if pumped to the max they are rather fast but I feel every bump and I do not have suspension to fall back on . So I reduced the pressure and the sacrifice of speed is well compensated by a comfortable ride.
Trikes are practical but they are not for everybody, just as a hard shell seat is great for the people who want speed over comfort.
The trike I had for awhile was good with a more upright seat which made the trike easy to ride and no need of a headrest . Some trikes have a built in recline that you can not change and others that you can replace the seat if need be.
have you tried Big Apples on your trike? Suspension is not always as good as we would like to think it is. On my former mtb I could take 6' jumps bounce a couple of times and not feel it at all ,but riding over pea gravel I could feel it in my hands quickly . The shocks were set up for nasty bumps not small bumps.
Have ever done a 17 000km tour on a bicycle??? Come back and talk again...then take a recumbent and do a 11 000km tour...you wont get the smile off your face.
pretty much all of those look like they wont even get up to 20kph on a normal bike... not particularly representative. id like to see those do some monster curvy descents on a recumbent and a few 15% ascents...
I have one... it takes a LOT to keep up at anything over 10 mph. fact.
is this good for prostatitis ?
rukisan159 . I looked up a few sites to verify my first guess, and it seems the answer is yes. Recumbent seats, on both bikes and trikes, do not irritate or apply pressure to the prostate area as traditional bike seats do.
i have one hand,,,how will i steer a recumbant?
One handed steering and braking is possible with a specially configured recumbent trike. A good recumbent dealer can help with this.
thank you
yeah, single tiller trikes are available... i've raced with a guy who had one.
what if you sleep while riding??
This is what make these this so fantastic to tour with...you can park in the shade when you are tired...and take a nap.After a loooong day...you got a nice comfortable chair to sit in and have a cup of coffee.These things are fantastic for touring...the trikes and the bikes.
How do they climb? With a normal bike you can put your entire body weight into a pedal stroke, this seems like you can't get that advantage
Major Games, 3 points on climbing on a trike. You push against the seat, you put in as low a gear as needed without ever losing balance, and you make maximum use of the 'clipless' shoes (which means they are clipped to pedals) to pull as well as push on each rotation.
So they suck up hills?
James, Take a 14 pound carbon bike and park it beside a 53 pound Walmart special. They both will not move , they will not climb. Put an out of shape rider on the 14 pound carbon bike and you on the Walmart special and when you get to the top of the hill you will proclaim that carbon bikes are useless? It is all about the rider not the machine. I have not had to get off my bent on any hills so far, however I do not race and I just don't care if someone is faster on a hill ,as I still get to the top , in comfort, sitting. There are people who do distance and speed on bents and there are several in my meetup group that leave me and most of the diamond frame riders in the dust. Want speed on any bike, you need to train for it not assume that you will just get on and be faster. bents do have aerodynamic performance which is why they are banned from racing.
@@jamesdowney723 unless you're really fit, yes, even then slower than an upright.
Impressive for this old boy, now.. what kind of cost ar.... never mind.
Timothy Bradek , they can be pricey, but you can also get good deals on a used one, or a new base model Terratrike or Trident brand. Remember the most expensive bike is the one you buy and never ride. I ride my trike much more than I ever rode my standard bike.
Hold on, I gotta text Santa *-*
Your Sexiest Physician
I would buy a recumbent if they were cheaper.
At last, something that could solve the issue of pain and numbness I feel on a regular bike, but wait......3000 dollars?! People would put up with a lot of pain to not spend that ridiculously marked up price that probably only costs 30 dollars in material to make. I would love to have these things, but it's the price of them that is a total block to getting one. I'm sure they would make more money if they lowered the price, because then they'd sell more of them.
People spend that on a racing bike all the time.
They're not cheap (mostly because they're made to order in small numbers) way out of my price range new, but they show up used for less now and again.
Build one and see what it costs, using new materials. Then decide if you can put your idea on an assembly line to reduce the cost per unit. Could you do it without going to China? ..just a thought...
Whats next? cars Where you’re supposed to lay down when driving? 😂
Remember the old times very aerodynamic
If they become fully driverless, then yes.
"Able to see more" i doubt it
That's an issue racing road bikes have because to keep your hands on the handle bars requires some interesting twisting to look over your shoulder (particularly in my case as I don't see out of my left eye, so looking back to that side while keeping balance and going in a straight line is a challenge most bike mirrors aren't wide enough for me to use to cover that blind spot).
But there are disadvantages as well. The only recumbent I've ever seen or been able to try was a two wheeled model, and it was a complete act of futility to keep that thing upright long enough to get any speed. They're all also hella expensive.
@@DFX2KX It takes a while to get used to the two wheeled recumbent and a single ride will not be that while. 3 weeks to get comfortable riding and a year to train the muscles that you use even though they are the same muscles used on an upright just in a slightly different way. It has taken over a year to get my 49" wheelbase bent to be comfortable at below walking speeds and to do tight corners . Some two wheeled bents are easy to ride others have a longer learning curve.
Price ? Where I live we have "Obsession bikes " where the nice bike featured is a piddly 16300.00 and people with disposable income will buy that bike and upgrade it.
I coast down hills faster than they do and I paid 2200 US for it. I may not be fast uphills but I never walk any hills either.
If you buy a bent, buy it used as the first one will not be your last one. Unlike a diamond frame bike ,recumbents come in all sorts of styles and they all have different attributes.
the Argument about not being able to see as you are scrunched up looking at the floor. really? lol
The difference in view is actually quite remarkable and enjoyable, especially from a trike. Really.
Steven H I agree .I rode two wheels for years but now have mobility problems and trikes are fantastic for comfort and ease of use and the view is great!
Having ridden a Long Wheel Base Recumbent for a few years, I completely agree that any recumbent is more comfortable and for the mainstream bike rider - that is the ONLY benefit. If you only ride flat areas, you can benefit from lower aero drag. But neither comfort nor wind resistance is significant as recumbent riders seem to advertise. The HUGE problems that I have found with recumbents are that you lose the use of your body weight to generate power - this is significant on flats but overwhelming on hilly terrain, maneuverability is degraded (not a problem for a trike), your visibility on roads is degraded, trikes are dangerous on roads, and the value per cost ratio is terrible. Being one who greatly regrets purchase of a recumbent, I strongly advise anyone to ride a recumbent (of any type) on hilly terrain before buying. Your money will get you a higher quality mainstream bike.
The dogs could easily bite the head of a recumbent because they sit down that low😁
There are air-horns built for trikes. They are recharged with a bike pump. One honk from that and the biggest dogs do a somersault to get away. Better than pepper spray!
Its enough to list why people like recumbents, without a lengthy rant of incorrect claims about "regular bikes." Enjoy them for what they do well, don't try to claim that everyone else is in pain or stupid, because they're not.
Okay, but how much are they???
About the cheapest I've seen is $1500 for a very base model with only 8 speeds. Prices go up from there. I've even seen some fat tire versions (including some with 4 wheels) upwards of 5-6 grand.
You can get a couple of decent basic trikes new for $1200. Recumbent bikes are often less. Used trikes or bikes are available for good prices from folks who are upgrading. You will probably still pay $700 plus for a good used trike. Never get fewer than 8 speeds.
I have never seen a trike on the road with the cars.
We ride them in downtown Dallas on weekends all the time. Of course you don't ride in rush hour traffic or high speed roads, but people actually notice trikes more than bikes, because they are wider and unusual.
@@tunesmith1982 You guys make these things seem like they are very popular, but I drive all over the country and I never see one, on a reg bike you don't have to stop and get off and stand up to stretch On a reg bike you just pull yourself forward and put the weight on your legs for a while. sitting in that one spot all the time on these three-wheelers is a big no no, Put two bikes a reg one and a three-wheel Let them both go far as they can without stopping the reg bike would win.
Хочется,да не можется
Put some airplane siding on that thing & make an electric assist velomobile
looks to me like a 3 wheel recumbent sucks for trail riding...... looking into getting one... might re think it seeing how many times this guys buddy had to get off of his 2 wheeler... and push this guy and help him along...
What are you talking about pushing and helping? Nothing like that is in the video.
Steven H lol i mustve posted that to the wrong video... i watched one on trail riding with a 3 wheel recumbent and they were talking about how great it is... but their was a guy following the rider on a regular mountain bike... and he had to get off his bike repeatedly and push the guy out of muddy spots and sand and up steap hills... it was actually kind of funny to see that as they talked about what a "great ride" it was...lol no they look great for the road... but they look worthless off road...
Keith Clarke , i have to agree that trikes are not generally for off-road. I have seen a few balloon tire models that would work well for certain trails, but most recumbent trikes and bikes should stay on the street! The exception was the special ICE brand trike that was ridden to the south pole and it had massive balloon tires.
Steven H it was ridden to the south pole... really.... i thought you had to an act of god and congress just tonget a permit to go to antarctica... let alone brave that insane landscape and cold to ride a recumbent to the south pole ;p
Search for keywords Maria Leijerstam, South Pole, Recumbent, Trike for more info on the expedition.
id ride one but wont were spandex
Make it electric....then no worries
michael jones , spandex is optional. And with recumbents, you especially do NOT need those special biking shorts with pads in the butt!!!
Comfort Yes, aerodynamics yes but that low to the ground in my opinion is much less visible and more prone to accidents, i have been riding bikes all my life, social, commuting and racing and would like a velomobile for the advantages I have mentioned but no common sense has prevailed, you can't ride very aerodynamically or comfortably when you are dead, flattened under a truck, also they are about twice as heavy as normal racing bikes and therefore very slow up hill.
Neal Archer your concern is a common one. However, I contend that trikes are MORE visible than bikes. A bicycle and rider appear as a vertical line to a driver from behind, and can be lost in the landscape of other vertical lines. A trike is wider, unusual, and larger than a large dog. People see them more readily than a bike in most situations.
Honestly, I'm pretty sure that unless you're another CAR, you're effectively invisible either way. At least around these parts.
The one accident I've ever gotten in would have probably killed me if I where in a recumbent (frame of the bike buckled, but I ended up going OVER the front of the car and not underneath), so yeah, it's a risk. If I got one adding lights (and a shell for aerodynamics) would be a MUST.
So it’s a bike for seniors?
Recumbent Bikes and Trikes are for all ages. The first one we got was for our 8 year old; it was a KMX trike. They are great for cruising on a nice day so you can look around and not stare at pavement in front of you. Its nice not to sit on a butt wedge or lean on your wrists.
Recumbent bikes are also great for speed as they are more aerodynamic than DF bikes.
So yes, trikes are better than DF bikes for seniors because of balance issues etc. But they are not exclusively for seniors.
Steven H
I am a senior, 5'2, 117lbs. Would a kmx good for me?
So many squidward!!!
you can't see better riding a recumbent. I can rotate must of my trunk around a see what's immediately behind me.
you shouldn't have your neck in either a recumbent or road position for as long as you will if you ride.
recumbents makes using catheters easier.
Aaron ___ yes, with recumbents, good mirrors are very important.
Aaron ___ lol on the catheters.
99% of the problems described here can be fixed by riding an upright Dutch style bike
Even saddle sores and sit bone bruising over long distances?
Recumbents are gonna cause traffic in different countries... So they're not gonna evolve or smthn... Drivers already hates normal cyclists, whic has thin frames. But a recumbent has a large width, which drivers hate the most .
They lost me at the "advantages", other than comfort, what advantages? And where do you take these bikes, trails, gravel, a couple of blue and red descends? I guess only on tarmac in traffic, exactly where I don't want to cycle.
Looks a bit slow
They looks so comfortable but its like they want $3,000 for 1
Say what??
@@jinjer5042 they wanted $3000 for a bike like that
@@brian13m3g4 Price too high and by the way it looks too comfortable, I might end up dozing off while riding one of those 🤣🤣🤣
Trident Spike and TerraTrike Rover x8 are very decent trikes listing new at $1200. And because they are starter trikes from which people may later upgrade, you can often find good deals on used ones. Stay away from any cheap one speed or 3 speed trikes. You want 8 gears at a minimum.
My friend had a choice....either stop riding or his little friend would abandon him. He stopped riding. That was 30 years ago....he eventually went bent!
If they gan sell a upright bike for $300, you should be able to get a recumbent for $1000...just saying...
Ok so we know why senior citizens don’t like bicycles, but why do people ride recumbent?
There's a lot of videos explaining why recumbents are favored. Years ago I used to ride diamond frame bikes; I've had my last one. I like the idea of riding like I'm sitting in a recliner, no more neck and posterior pain or my hands going to sleep.
They don’t seem to be favored for recreational cycling. They certainly aren’t favored for off road, and no one competing athletically favors them either. So, they seem to be leisure alternative for those who want to be active but have restrictions or impairment. No hate, cuz my backside doesn’t like the position of traditional road bike either, but I wouldn’t choose a recumbent until it was either recumbent or retire.
It's comfortable and it is fun. That's why. You can ride 50 miles and not be sore. That's why. You can see the sky and the trees and the world around you, and not just be staring at the pavement in front of you. That's why. It makes you WANT to ride. That's why.
If you want to be the fastest or ride tricky off-road trails through trees, or have the lightest frame, or have the cheapest alternative, go ahead and pick a standard bike. It's fine. Do what you enjoy. But if you ever find that you choose not to ride because you hate the soreness afterward in your neck, your butt, your back or your wrists, or you are just not enjoying your ride, try a recumbent bike or trike. Many people love them and will never go back.
But you cant put your weight into the hills like a reg bike, You cant raise up off your seat on the bumps like a reg bike, I had a back surgery and Id never ride a trike, these bikes are not all of what they are built up to be.
it's nothing
1. Take one of those 3 wheel recumbent bikes.
2. Slap on an electric battery.
3. ????
4. PROFIT !!!
bingo... No calories burned and the waistlines expand !!
on a trike you sit in one position, on a reg bike you can move around. On a reg bike you go over top the hood of the car, trikes you die. I could go on and on , if you have a funny back, on a reg back there is no constant pressure on your back, on a trike you have weight on your back all the time, reg the water spray is under you, trike your down there with it and a ton of these bikes the trike dont have fenders Then here is the big one , the tell all ... before you buy one of these, Go on a bike trail and look at the bikes , I mean on a nice day when tons of people are out, You almost never see one of these trike bikes, I will take the raise up off the seat to avoid the bump any day over a trike. starting out on your way, you can put all your weigh on the pedal to get going, not on a trike, its a struggle to get going up a hill. Just keeping it real folks, and Most trikes you cant truely adjust the angle on the seat , that is set in one place, Now it can go up and back , lay down or sit up But the angle that your back is bent stays the same, you have no variety even there, well unless you want to spend a lot of money and get a reclining angle seat. I have a bad back and if its bad for me, its bad for you even if you have a good back, you will get a bad back faster on a trike then a reg bike.
Max, it's fine that you like your bike, but some of your criticism does not make sense or is untrue. Do you get back strain sitting on your couch at home? Of course not, unless you have a lousy couch. Recumbent bikes and trikes both SUPPORT your back, they do not strain it. Recumbents are proven to be more ergonomic, and put LESS strain on your back, your butt, and your wrists. And while some bikes or trikes have a fixed angle, many have adjustments. But most people ultimately only want one particular angle and don't need an adjustment.
It's true that if you are riding off road trails or rough bumpy roads, you can lift yourself off the bike seat at a bump. But why are you on that road? I manage to do all my riding on decent paved roads and even when there is a bump , the trike frame and seat design absorbs most of it, unlike a standard bike seat. And a even on a smooth pavement, standard bike seats can get very uncomfortable on a long ride, giving those seats the loving name of "ass hatchet" by some. I can ride 50 miles with no discomfort, no back strain, no wrist strain, no neck strain, and no butt-hurt at the end of the ride. And I do not have shocks on my trike. You can get those if the roads in your area are particularly bumpy. And you can get fenders. And you can even get some pretty awesome off-road trikes. Did you know that a woman rode to the South Pole on an off-road recumbent trike? That was a bumpy ride. But you could never do it on a bike.
I am thinking you have never ridden a mile on a decent trike. You should give it a shot. Especially to help your back. Happy Trails!
It speaks for itself these bikes are very rare... you never see one ... a person with a bad back does not like sitting down.. the neck is free in a regular bike... u talk about the lower back what about the neck..but I win the argument for the simple fact that no one or almost no one owns one of these bikes... they know a car issue and you're dead.
If these bikes are so good, why are the riders of these bikes the way they usually are, patronizing and unbareable?
As with any enthusiast, people are proud of their own choices. I hear the same comment from recumbent riders about diamond frame enthusiasts.
From my experience, I find recumbent riders to be very generous and helpful. If you have an interest in the vehicles, recumbent owners will go out of their way to help you learn about them and make a good choice. They are some of the most kind and helpful people I have ever met.
But of course, if you dis their ride, they may be resentful. That's just human nature.
Recumbent ,a bike for coach potato 🤪
You can't whelly, jump curve,go through narrow spot,see over the bush so dogs can't surprise you, visible on the road,...etc. ... $$$$$ not for a bike
To each their own
This was a waste of time, I thought I was going to learn about recumbents and not listen to a bunch of people whine about real bikes. Moving on.
Recumbents ARE real bikes.
To sum it up: no saddle pain, or pain in the back, wrists, knee or neck. Faster, because recumbents are less air resistance. Plus you can go touring/ holiday with them, thanks to big panniers. You can carry you stuff with them. I know one guy who cycled from the Netherlands to the Norwegian/ Russian border in less then 3 weeks time. Averanging 98 miles pro day, on a recumbent of course.
Boomer bike
recumbents - when you want to look gay... just saying...
Classic gay = happy, so OK, yeah, you will definitely be happy on these! LOL
Garbage. Being stuck in one position does not make a comfortable ride. Being able to change and vary your position is important to stay limber and relaxed on a bike. Slouching in a Wall-E chair is far too limiting when it comes to *_riding._*