Recumbent - Neck pain?

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PVyrus
08-31-06, 01:13 PM
I've never tried a recumbent (yet), and they look like loads of fun and very comfortable, but from what it looks like you have to hold your neck at a very steep angle to look ahead especially on the lower bents... is this hard?

jeff-o
08-31-06, 01:54 PM
No. Many recumbents have an adjustable back angle, but even without this the angle isn't so severe that it's difficult to hold your head up. The lowest recumbents usually come with a neck rest. Try sitting on the floor with your back to the front of your couch, on a 45 degree angle. See? No problem.
bobkat
08-31-06, 02:21 PM
When I first saw the heading "Neck Pain" I thought to myself that it would be unusual for anyone with a bent to get neck pain. Usually I only see that with DF's and it usually goes away with bents, one of their main selling points.
Although I've had limited experience with the real high bottom bracketed bents with an extreme lay-back position, for most bents it is like pedalling a recliner or a lawn chair. Much less risk of pain as you are seated in a natural position an are able to look around and see things that someone on a DF looking at a space just in front of their front tire, never sees.
I suppose it might happen, but I can't recall encountering anyone with a bent who got neck pain, but lots of DF riders with it as their cervical vertebra are held fairly rigidly in a fully extended position mile after mile which any orthopod or chiropracter will tell you, is not a great position.