[Blackberry]

This may be an old story in the recumbent world.

I've bee cycling diamond frame bikes for more years than I want to admit. About 18 months ago, a bulging disc sidelined me for a few months. Then after a great year of cycling, the disc bulge hammered me again with a vengeance. Since October of 2005, with the help of physical therapy, I've slowly worked my back into semi-reasonable form.

But--I hesitate to get back on the bike and am thinking about a recumbent. My basic questions are these:

1) Has anyone out there had a similar back problem and, after recovery, were they able to comfortably ride a recumbent reasonable distance 30-50 miles on a given day?

2) Suggestions for a good, comfortable bike for general road use. Speed is not my priority. Something I can ride for several hours at a stretch is.

Thanks for all of your help!

[The BikeForums Team]

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[cjs1948]

This may be an old story in the recumbent world.

I've bee cycling diamond frame bikes for more years than I want to admit. About 18 months ago, a bulging disc sidelined me for a few months. Then after a great year of cycling, the disc bulge hammered me again with a vengeance. Since October of 2005, with the help of physical therapy, I've slowly worked my back into semi-reasonable form.

But--I hesitate to get back on the bike and am thinking about a recumbent. My basic questions are these:

1) Has anyone out there had a similar back problem and, after recovery, were they able to comfortably ride a recumbent reasonable distance 30-50 miles on a given day?

2) Suggestions for a good, comfortable bike for general road use. Speed is not my priority. Something I can ride for several hours at a stretch is.

Thanks for all of your help!
Simply put: Heaven is a TRIKE (Logo) and a camera (FZ5). I was able to ride the trike even with the pain.

Chip

[jeff-o]

I suggest you try a few recumbents before you buy one. I have heard of a few cases where someone with a back problem buys a bent, hoping that they will be able to ride again. Unfortunately, they find that even the plush, full back support of a recumbent isn't enough to ease the pain.

Find a bent shop, and try a few bikes, especially a trike. Only then will you know for sure, that this is the solution to your problems.

[BlazingPedals]

There's no reason to think a trike will be any better for your back than a 2-wheeler; in fact getting down into a trike could exacerbate the problem, as could the necessity of leaning into turns. Or not. I agree with jeff-o, test ride as many different bents as you can find. If you ride enough of them, one will speak to you. (Where's that FAQ when you need it!!?)

[MaxBender]

...test ride as many different bents as you can find. If you ride enough of them, one will speak to you...

+1

My year of internet research on what bike to buy (And the one I just knew was perfect for me)
went out the window with a test ride.
A ride of less than 1 mile each on 4 different recumbents told me all I needed to know.

[funbun]

+1

My year of internet research on what bike to buy (And the one I just knew was perfect for me)
went out the window with a test ride.
A ride of less than 1 mile each on 4 different recumbents told me all I needed to know.

Uhh, which one did you choose?

[cjs1948]

There's no reason to think a trike will be any better for your back than a 2-wheeler; in fact getting down into a trike could exacerbate the problem, as could the necessity of leaning into turns. Or not. I agree with jeff-o, test ride as many different bents as you can find. If you ride enough of them, one will speak to you. (Where's that FAQ when you need it!!?)
A trike was merely my choice in the broader recumbent category. For me, more than getting on, the greater difficulty was getting the trike to the ride. I figured out how to load and unload it into the pick-up with one hand--the other bracing and supporting me against the truck. A shock cord seat may help with some back problems but that isn't the point either. The world of recumbents is broad enough that one of them is likely to work. The larger problem will actually be finding them to try them.

Chip

[MaxBender]

Uhh, which one did you choose?

Rocket, Ye-ah!

I thought I needed a RANS Force 5 Enduro. Actually, based on my reading, I KNEW I needed one. Nothing else would do. The local dealer had a Force 5 XP in stock, so I scheduled to check it out. Not that it's a bad bike, but the test ride let me know it just wasn't right for me. Maybe having an XL frame size handy would have helped, I'm not sure. (6'2" rider here)
I test rode the Force 5, a Lightning Phantom, a RANS Rocket, and a RANS VRex.

After squeezing into the Force 5, what impressed me about the Rocket was that when I slid the seat all the way back, (Assuming I would barely fit) and my feet did not reach the pedals! I adjusted the seat properly, and had a good time riding it. The VRex rode marginally better, but was $700 more. I also liked the portability of the Rocket, as I can pop the seat off and throw it in the trunk of my Honda Accord. Also, one tube fits both wheels.

So I bought the Rocket, and like it a lot. I broke it in on the Wheels O' Fire ride this past weekend and had a lot of fun riding it. Now if I could only get it to fit right on my Yakima rack. :)

Satellite Love!