Recumbent Bicycles and the Mobile Lifestyle

[Seraphim]

<p style="margin: 0px;">I've been getting questions about recumbent bicycles, and I decided to start a thread about them, wanting to keep the thread relevant to the theme of the forum: living a mobile lifestyle.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Rather than attempt to explain what a recumbent bicycle (lovingly referred to as a 'bent) and duplicate better written explanations, I thought I'd start with a link:</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recumbent_bicycle" target="_blank" target=_blank>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recumbent_bicycle</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Dw and I got into 'bents about 6 years ago. We used to love riding until I was involved in a car wreck which left me in pretty much constant back pain, which was quickly aggravated to the status of 'inbearable' when I tried to ride my bike.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">We finally discovered a shop that sold a few 'bents, and I found I could go thirty miles without pain - in comfort, as a matter of fact -&nbsp;as the 'bent's seat supported my lower back. Over the years, with all the exercise I've been getting - strengthening the back muscles - the ordinary daily pain has all but gone.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">We travel with our bikes strapped to the back of the van, specifically looking for places to ride.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><img border="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="baseline" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-...OE/li5BxWuM9AA/s640/11%208%3A21%3A22%20PM.jpg"></p>

 

[Seraphim]

<p style="margin: 0px;"><img border="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="baseline" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...OA/U0Z5J5fWKc8/s640/11%208%3A15%3A34%20PM.jpg"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">An excellent resource for 'bents is <a href="http://www.bentrideronline.com" target="_blank" target=_blank>http://www.bentrideronline.com</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Articles forums and links.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">The one drawback to 'bents can be the cost.&nbsp; Mostly handmade, with a small market, the markups are high. Cheaper knock-offs can be had from importers like TW-Bent, but it's best to start with an older, used bike. </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">On the above link, there is a forum for those who eschew cars, and those who extended camp from a 'bent.&nbsp; A van dweller might find some good information about living out of a vehicle, while travelling mostly by bike.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">A lot of members there are former DFers (rode diamond frames) who have converted for various reasons.&nbsp; Freddy Markham, for example, was a well known racer who now is a big supporter of 'bents.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p>

 

[Seraphim]

<p style="margin: 0px;">A last note for now: there is a large DIY community of builders who design and manufacture 'bents.&nbsp; Plans and instructions are available, one of the most common is building a long based 'bent from two old donor bikes (standard diamond frames) which can be found cheap or even free.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I'll try to locate a link to those plans and post.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Here's a site with instructions and links:</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home" target=_blank>http://sites.google.com/site/recycledrecumbents/home</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p>

 

[Wild_E]

Those are some good links in this post and in the other post as well, thanks Seraph!

 

[Gravediggerjason]

I love bicycles I use to collect and restore vintage Schwinn's and other older American made bikes and I've built a few recumbent trikes tad pol style they are a blast to ride like peddle go-carts <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp;

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Bents aren't hard to build (from donor bikes).. binder dundat, and you can save a pile of money. One thing about them that one has to be aware of is that they can't handle difficult terrain as well as, say, a mountain bike. Front and rear suspension really helps, but still doesn't allow it to tackle terrain that even a hard-tail MTB handles with ease. Still, unless you wanna get crazy and especially if ya got back problems, a 'bent rules. ..Willy.<br>

 

[Seraphim]

Any type of riding where you are required to stand up on the pedals isn't suitable for a 'bent. I ride a tadpole all terrain, but that's not true mountain biking.

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;One thing I REALLY like about a recumbent trike is that, no matter how slow ya go.. can't tip over. See tons of bike tourists every summer walking their bikes up the Crowsnest Hwy; talk about exhausting. A recumbent trike with a granny/mid gear could just spin up that hill at 2-3 MPH, and in comfort. ..Willy. &nbsp; <br>

 

[Seraphim]

Well... You CAN tip one over, and I've the road rash to prove it. It just takes an extra helping of 'stupid' to accomplish lol.

 

[Willy]

Well... You CAN tip one over, and I've the road rash to prove it. It just takes an extra helping of 'stupid' to accomplish lol.

<br><br>&nbsp;As the sayin' goes: "Don't play stupid with me cuz you're gonna lose!".. speed is overrated; slow 'n steady wins the race.<br>

 

[bobbert]

Well... You CAN tip one over, and I've the road rash to prove it. It just takes an extra helping of 'stupid' to accomplish lol.

<div><br></div><div>Yeah, I have a nice scar that runs down the bottom of my forearm.&nbsp;</div><div>I was on my Catrike Pocket last year, cruising down the road appx. 20 mph, &amp; a damn grey squirrel darted out in front of me. I slammed on the disc brakes &amp; would you know it, the rear wheel lifted off the ground, &amp; the right front wheel twirled around along with the rest of the trike. Left a big gouge in the frame &amp; chainwheel up front <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div>

 

[Seraphim]

Ouch....

My worst one was riding quickly down a gravel road on my old Sun tadpole; my phone case fell and I reached to grab it, and in turning to my left I jammed the right side of the steering forward... Rolled over on the gravel.

 

[Guest]

I guess I am the opposite here. I've trouble getting balanced and going on the bike variant, and my back starts hurting pretty bad after a little while. The Arch that I relax into on a normal bike is close enough to my motorcycle that it's comfortable as long as I stay seated.<br /><br /><br />I would love to try the trike style though. They look like fun.

 

[SirJoey]

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I have several bents for sale on Craigslist right now.&nbsp;</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>They can also be found on my website, along with several more which are NOT for sale. www.bikesandtrikesandmore.com</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I'm a LONG-time enthusiast! Due to severe back problems, I bought my first one 27 years ago, <br />way back in 1985, when they were practically unheard of, &amp; I've been "bent" ever since!&nbsp;</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I currently own at least NINE of 'em! Five 2-wheelers, <br />three trikes, a quad, &amp; several other wheeled oddities.<br /><br />Nice to meet some other bent enthusiasts on here! &nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[BigT]

I love recumbents, and for the same reasons the OP mentioned.  I hurt my back many, many moons ago and thought my days of riding bicycles were over.
Then I finally bit the bullet and paid the price for a used, European, full-suspesion touring model ($1,700) and rode it for the next 10+ years.  
I've been riding the blue one, a HP Velotechnik Street Machine since 2006.  The yellow one, a Bacchetta Giro 26 "High Racer", I've had for only a few months.  

It's great exercise and now my back feels like I never hurt it at all (most of the time).  I'm actually able to ride a "regular" hybrid bicycle.  Something I never thought I'd be able to do again! 

I'm not sure how the heck I'm going to fit them in my van, even if/when I upgrade to a full-sized model.  The Street Machine fits on the rear bike rack, but I haven't been able to get the Giro to fit back there.  The Bacchetta is considerably lighter weight than the SM, so perhaps I can get it to go on the roof between the kayak and solar panel.  :-/

I just have to decide which one to keep. They both have their uses, but neither does exactly what the other is capable of.  

 

[Vagabound]

I love recumbents, and for the same reasons the OP mentioned. ...

BigT:  Nice bikes!  Thanks for reviving this thread.  Although the OP and others are likely long gone, maybe we can get more people interested in talking about these.  I like the idea of recumbents, but haven't had the chance to ride one yet.  The idea of building a DIY bike has my wheels turning.

Although it will likely offend the sensibilities of the purists, when I think of using a recumbent for mobile living, my first thought (other than where the heck to store it) is whether anyone has yet combined recumbents and motors?

That could turn a comfortable bike into a comfortable, long-range, economical, shopping vehicle.

Vagabound

 

[BigT]

People add electric motors to the hubs of recumbent trikes all the time.  I don't see it much on two-wheel bikes, though.  They're already pretty fast.  

For about $200 you can get a kit that converts any bike into an electric-assist bicycle.  I've been thinking about getting one for my hybrid bike, just for high-speed kicks.       http://www.thelashop.com/48v-1000w-...kxEgnGW6XdajoRa2n5Enf2_RiaBo-L-j1MaAtST8P8HAQ

I like the front wheel drive kits because they're easier to mount/install and make your bike 2WD.    

I've considered mounting one of the kits to my recumbent, but there's no place to put the multiple accessories on the yellow bike, and the blue one is enough of a tank already.  I'm not sure I want to add another 25lbs to it. 

It would be fun, though!

 

[towhee]

I'll jump in here. I ride a Catrike pocket. Boy do I love it and I ride everyday.

So, naturally, preparing to hit the road, I'm thinking how to bring the trike with me.

I've got a thread going on BROL about racks for trikes. http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=130788

I discovered that I can get it onto a trunk rack (the kind with straps). But it's difficult. That method wouldn't be my first choice.

I will probably end up with a hitch mounted cargo platform modified to take the trike. I like the dual functionality. It can carry the trike or it can carry other stuff.