[mlts22]

I have no clue on this, but a family member wants to find/buy a recumbent that can be used for touring/long distance rides (centuries, etc).

My question is, is there such a thing, or is a 'bent a 'bent?

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[Doug5150]

I have no clue on this, but a family member wants to find/buy a recumbent that can be used for touring/long distance rides (centuries, etc).

My question is, is there such a thing, or is a 'bent a 'bent?
Racing is different than touring.

The bikes that people say are generally the fastest over-the-road are highracers, such as the bikes made by Bachetta and Volae. These bikes use two large wheels. It is widely noted that large and small diameter wheels both roll equally well on smooth pavement, but then the road surface is poor, smaller-diameter wheels lose a lot of speed compared to large-diameter wheels.

The "classic" touring bent is the "standard" LWB--that has the seat fairly upright, a smaller wheel in front and the pedals set low. Some examples are the Tour Easy (classic & expen$$$ive), RANS Stratus (classic & moderately expen$ive) and Cycle Genius Falcon (recent-design and rather inexpensive).

...-but people tour on all kinds of bents however. Pretty much anything they can get racks made for.
~

[aikigreg]

+1. Just about any bent can be a great touring bent. Once you find one that's comfortable for a long distances, it's just a matter of the rider's stamina and strength. I've done ragbrai and I saw every kind of bent there is and was.

[jeff-o]

For riding centuries, almost any decent 'bent can be used, no matter what the configuration. For touring the pack thins a little bit, but not much. Look for a recumbent that can accept a rear rack (and touring panniers), and you'll be fine. I recommend a trike because it makes things even easier, but you can just as easily ride a SWB or LWB without any issues.

[banerjek]

I'd recommend having the family member take different kinds of bents for a spin and see which one s/he likes best.

Handling, riding position, cruising speed, visibility, speed, climbing ability, etc vary significantly from one style to another. One other thing you may want to consider is wheel size. If you have different sized wheels, you will need to carry twice as many tubes.

Like jeff-o says, any kind is fine for a century, so the best one depends on your personality.

[JanMM]

Yep, right, a 'bent is a 'bent.