Recumbent - Your views???

I'm hoping to test ride a Bacchetta Giro tomorrow. I'd like to hear personal opinions on what you prefer, a 26/20 or 26/26. As one new to bents, it's a blank page for me right now but I've done a lot of research and now I'm ready to do some testing. I want a machine capable of double centuries so speed and comfort are both important to me without the fanatical need for lightweight. (Iowa doesn't have mountains but near the rivers we've got some pretty good hills) So, I guess what I'm saying, I need a pretty versatile machine without putting undue stress on the bank account and thus the marriage. I'd like to keep in the $1500 range. So back to the original question...pros and cons of 20 vs 26 front wheel?

I'm enough of a big-wheel chauvinist to believe that dual-650 would be faster than 26/20. Big wheels roll just a little bit easier. They also cause the pedals to be up a bit higher, which is bad for low speed handling and stop-n-go, but good for cruising speed aerodynamics. A riding buddy showed up on Sunday with a brand-new Aluminum dual-650c Corsa. Probably more than $1500 worth of bike, but very nice! He said it was much better feeling than the steel version, whatever that means - lighter? stiffer? livelier? warmer? ;)

Unless you are under 5'7" or 5'8", I'd go with the twin 26s, like BP said. Personally, I prefer the 650s in hi-racers, but I ride pretty smooth roads and don't do loaded touring.

Honestly, I'd skipand go straight to the corsa or aero, and it's be big tires front and rear. Great bikes!

Well, dual of any tire (26, 650, etc.) would cut down on your required inventory of replacement tube and tire sizes. As the "blank page" newbie you say you are, you're on the right path in test riding before deciding but I'd say your $1500.00 budget severely limits your selection of highracers.

Well, dual of any tire (26, 650, etc.) would cut down on your required inventory of replacement tube and tire sizes. As the "blank page" newbie you say you are, you're on the right path in test riding before deciding but I'd say your $1500.00 budget severely limits your selection of highracers.

I like the point of interchangeable tires and tubes. About the budget, I could go higher but I thought the Giro 26 looked like a good choice given the reviews I'd read on it. For a day of 255 miles (which I'm planning for next summer) Would the Corsa be that much better? I don't plan to do ultra self supported rides or touring, but do want to be able to do a very good ave. speed with long dist. comfort.

Hawkijohn didn't mention the word, "highracer" but I'll just chime in and say that dual big wheels is one point that differentiates a highracer from a standard short wheelbase bent. The other qualification being the severely reclined seating. Fast or not, reclined or not, a 26/20 bike isn't a highracer.

IFor a day of 255 miles (which I'm planning for next summer) Would the Corsa be that much better? I don't plan to do ultra self supported rides or touring, but do want to be able to do a very good ave. speed with long dist. comfort.

If you are not carrying a load and are riding reasonably smooth roads, the dual 650s will be faster in my not so humble opinion. However, if the roads are bad, high pressure 650s can be tiring.

I like the point of interchangeable tires and tubes. About the budget, I could go higher but I thought the Giro 26 looked like a good choice given the reviews I'd read on it. For a day of 255 miles (which I'm planning for next summer) Would the Corsa be that much better? I don't plan to do ultra self supported rides or touring, but do want to be able to do a very good ave. speed with long dist. comfort.My two cents...sounds like you've already settled on a high racer. My brother just got a Giro 20 and loves it. He too was after a rig that could do some good speed and still be comfortable for long rides (not touring). He and I test rode ten bents with various BB heights and agreed that the high racers' bottom brackets are simply too high for long distance comfort. And their riding position makes it that much harder to spy road hazards. To each their own but those two tidbits will be reason enough for me to go with something like a 20/26 when I've had enough of my wedgies.

For the record, we tried bikes by Volae, Longbikes, HP Velotechnik, RANS, Burley, Bacchetta, & Easyracers.
Good luck!

It's a very individual thing, whether or not the high bottom bracket is a problem over distances. I did a 200 mile ride this spring, with virtually no pedal-height-related problems. On my lowracer the bb is about 9 inches higher than the seat. I find the position very comfortable.

They way bachetta is burning up the ultraracing circuit, I don't think the bikes are unsuited for long distances, just some people.

Last February when I bought my Corsa I test rode a Giro 26/20 before I rode the Corsa. I'm sure it's something I would have gotten used to but after years of riding a DF the steering with a 20 front wheel just felt odd. I felt much more at-home on the Corsa with the dual 650s. Whichever Bacchetta you end up considering I highly recommend getting the Euromesh seat. It's light and very comfy.

If you're loads will ever exceed 230 pounds you might want to think about the Strada. Personally being a larger rider I find the Strada a good platform for Brevets and did the 600k (372 mile) one this year and had no problems with the Strada. If you will never exceed 230 pounds with gear and rider the Aero and Corsa are probably your best bet (although there are ways to lighten the Strada up a few pounds such as removing the Flipit and going to a carbon seat, and then there are wheel and crank upgrades too, but I am still working on lightening up the engine so those last upgrades are a ways out).