Originally Posted by erik forsgren
A Bigha is a good compromise between an upright and a real fast recumbent. The practicality of the bike in question is indisputable however. If you intend to ride in intense traffic and you just want a comfortable bike then Bigha is an option. But if you are interested in speed as well you should consider other options like M5 lowracer, Bacchetta Aero, Optima Baron or Challenge Fujin.
It's hardly a choice of BigHa or "something fast." For better speed without going to a racer I could choose almost anything; for instance my V-Rex at half the price. I think the argument most people have against BigHa is that it's a Yugo, outfitted with all of the most expensive options possible and sold as a Cadillac. Let's just compare it to another small-wheeled bike, a Sun EZ-1. I choose that because I regard them both in the same performance category.
* Bigha: praying hamster position, EZ-1: easy-rider position. Both comfortable.
* Bigha seat is taller, also has taller step-through.
* Bigha fenders included, EZ-1 they're a $30 add-on
* Bigha has mechanical disc brakes, EZ-1 has V-Brakes. I won't go into pros and cons here.
* Bigha suspension, EZ-1 3 inches of foam in the seat.
* Bigha free waterbottle, EZ-1 none.
* Bigha Basic = 47 pounds, EZ-1 37 pounds
* Bigha Basic = $3400, EZ-1 = $499
* Bigha buy from Bigha, EZ-1 buy at virtually any bike shop
Adding the BH electronics and kickstand will cost $700 and weigh 5 pounds extra. That's right, the $3400 Bigha Basic apparently does not have a kickstand as standard equipment.
I'll rephrase what I wrote in a former post, with one addition: The target Bigha customer is older, well-heeled, looking for comfort and luxury, and
is uneducated regarding other recumbent offerings. That last one is MHO, but you'll notice that on the Bigha site, the only recumbent they compare themselves to is the also-expensive Cannondale, in which they emphasize the electronics of the $4100 Complete version. The difference is, people actually take the Cannondale on tours, and finish. I've always assumed that anybody interested enough in recumbents to join a forum would automatically be the wrong audience for Bigha, but maybe I was wrong.