Recumbent - How's the view?

one of the differences with 'bents is the view from the seat or in /bents' case, "cockpit". Does anyone have any comments on how different a bent feels to ride than an "upwrong"? I haven't ridden one yet, and might not get a chance to unless i BUY one (yeah, I know that sucks), but from what I see, 'bents do look a great deal more "passive" than uprights and therefore perhaps not as emotionally engaging. Instead of "mounting your trusty steed", you're just "laying back for the ride" and I can't help but find that a little dissapointing, to learn that the bikes that are faster are LESS fun to ride (keep in mind that's just my uninformed opinion right now). At this point I think i'd rather slap a front and tail fairing on an upright (which would still weigh less than most bents anyways). I'd appreciate it if some 'bent folks could provide me with a picture (mental or actual) of what the view is like from their point of view while pedaling and not coasting. From my estimations, it looks like while you're sitting down in the seat, if you look down just a tiny bit, you'll see your legs spinning away (which i find vulgar). anyways, i just want you 'bent folks take on it since undoubtedly this is something that comes up...

I'd appreciate it if some 'bent folks could provide me with a picture (mental or actual) of what the view is like from their point of view while pedaling and not coasting. From my estimations, it looks like while you're sitting down in the seat, if you look down just a tiny bit, you'll see your legs spinning away (which i find vulgar).
I've never seen it that way. If I look at anything besides the road while I'm spinning, it's the chainring. I did have a drunk shout at me this morning, "RIDE %$*#*@&, RIDE LIKE A PIMP!" :D

You can see a lot better. I can see the moon better, too!

:)

rabbitt what kind of bike do you ride? I'm a little confused if you ride a wedgie, otherwise known as a diamond frame or a recumbent.

one of the differences with 'bents is the view from the seat or in /bents' case, "cockpit". Does anyone have any comments on how different a bent feels to ride than an "upwrong"? I haven't ridden one yet, and might not get a chance to unless i BUY one (yeah, I know that sucks), but from what I see, 'bents do look a great deal more "passive" than uprights and therefore perhaps not as emotionally engaging. Instead of "mounting your trusty steed", you're just "laying back for the ride" and I can't help but find that a little dissapointing, to learn that the bikes that are faster are LESS fun to ride (keep in mind that's just my uninformed opinion right now). Laying back "cockpit" style is not anymore "passive" or less fun. Do you think flying an F-18 would be boring?
Nor are you just along for the ride. You only go as fast as the motor pushes.


I'd appreciate it if some 'bent folks could provide me with a picture (mental or actual) of what the view is like from their point of view while pedaling and not coasting.You find yourself looking at the bikes and road ahead if you're in a group. Just like on an upright but from a slightly different angle. When out alone is when it's really good. You can look around at things, anything that happens to be there, without having to raise your head to see it. Your head is already up.


From my estimations, it looks like while you're sitting down in the seat, if you look down just a tiny bit, you'll see your legs spinning away (which i find vulgar). anyways, i just want you 'bent folks take on it since undoubtedly this is something that comes up...It's true that looking down at all you see your legs spinning. But if your concentrating on the road ahead you don't notice your legs unless you want to. And, no offense, you find your legs vulgar?

SB

The view from a recumbent is comfortable. The view from an upright is your front tire. -And your butt and neck hurts, and your hands are numb also. :D
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If you bought a low- or high-racer you would tend to notice your knobby sagging knees, and your thoughts might turn to wearing long pants all the time, and you might investigate Thai cosmetic surguries as well. I have a traditional LWB so I don't look at my legs a lot. I certainly don't have to while riding.
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I was riding at twilight tonight and was astounded at how beautiful the SKY was from a recumbent. It was wonderful to actually be in a position to enjoy the view!

N_C, i ride an Xtracycle (wedgie). SoonerBent, i don't really find them vulgar, what i meant to say is "weird" or "different". I'm still in the process of mentally preparing for a 'bent. Any ideas of how i could simulate the 'bent experience? (ie getting a lawn chair and putting it in the street? Thanks for the encouragement, i know i want to get 'bent! Not only for the speed, but for the fun, comfort, and all the other perks!

When you're riding side by side with a normal bicycle, it is the freakiest experience because you look left and my eyes are just above his hubs. You see the upright bike's whizzing wheels, and you thank yourself for how much air above you you're not disrupting!!!

lisitsa (cool name btw), what's you're ride, a lowracer? or a quasi-low?

I have been mixing rides up the side of a mountain between a low trike and a MTB, it actually occured to me this weekend on the MTB that I was over an hour into the ride before I noticed any of the beauty around me, on the trike I am looking around all the time, I tend to notice everything on the trike whereas something really has to catch my attention to see it on the MTB, Uphill the MTB is about 2% quicker down hill the trike is about 75+% faster (its faired).
After the weekend I don't think I will ride the MTB on 3 hour rides anymore (ouch) and you miss to much.

aren't recumbants dangerous in traffic?

aren't recumbants dangerous in traffic?

no. ride responsibly.

aren't recumbants dangerous in traffic?

After years of riding various types of bicycles in traffic, I've realized that the main risk factor is 'attitude' on the part of both cyclists and motorists.

To simulate riding a recumbent go to your local high-end appliance store and sit on one of the couches in front of a nice big plasma screen and ask one of the sales people to place a fan facing you off to the side of the screen. Now lean back comfortably on the couch and raise your feet to varying heights in front of you to simulate various bottom bracket heights and pedal your feet. The tv should be on the nature channel or something akin to riding outdoors and you will have an idea what it is like to ride a recumbent.
If you want to be more realistic just have some kids off to the side made random comments like 'tight ride', 'what is that thing', 'sweet', 'how fast can you go on that thing'. Don't forget, once you go 'bent you never go back. As far as your comment on be 'emotionally engaging', if I miss several days of riding due ot weather, schedule or whatever I start going thru withdrawal symptoms.

Andy
www.myvemma.com/unbent

lol. it sounds almost too good to be true. to the drawing board!

I'm rather new to this whole thing; but I can tell you that the first thing I noticed relative to the view, was that I could not longer crane my head around to look behind me.

Perhaps I'll get more adapted with experience, but right now I find it necessary to always wear my mirror; whereas on my wedgie I could take it or leave it.

Yea but I can't go and do that sort of thing very well.
I have a LWB and love it, but I tend to roll off the road into a ditch if I look up at the sky for more than a couple seconds.
You really need a trike for that sort of frivolity.
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Here's the view from a highracer. Warning, don't click if you have a slow connection but do turn your speakers up a little:

http://imageevent.com/trsnrtr/recumbentpics?p=0&n=1&m=24&c=4&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=2

It is true that on a bent I have always had to use a glasses-mounted mirror. But then again--you can keep watching in two different directions at once with a mirror.

When traffic is light I tend to ride in the roadway and watch behind me, when a car comes up I pull onto the shoulder long enough for it to pass, and then I pull onto the road again (the roadway is usually smoother, cleaner and easier to ride on than the shoulders). This requires that I check traffic behind me every 15 seconds or so, and I would never turn my head around that much--I would just stay on teh shoulder all the time. But with a mirror, it is pretty effortless to do.
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cool vid. how did you turn your head all the way around? did you just move the camera, or was the camera helmet mounted, or what?

rabbitt, all your replies are at the top level of the thread.
(switch the display mode to "threaded mode" to see what I mean...)

When you reply to a post, are you clicking the [reply] in the post you are answering, or are you scrolling back up to your own beginning post and replying to that?.....
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to be honest, i was lazily hitting "quick reply", but now i clicked reply under your (latest) message and we'll see how it goes.

I'm rather new to this whole thing; but I can tell you that the first thing I noticed relative to the view, was that I could not longer crane my head around to look behind me.

Perhaps I'll get more adapted with experience, but right now I find it necessary to always wear my mirror; whereas on my wedgie I could take it or leave it.

On my trike, I can look over my shoulder and still track in a straight line.

Well now that's working.

If all your replies get posted to the top level, if there's nested posts it's sometimes hard to understand exactly what post you're responding to.
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