Recumbent - Semi-recumbent/NuVinci Hub for 76 Y.O. Newbie?

Hi Ya'll, I was on the General cycling forum asking questions about what might be appropriate for me and just about everyone suggested a recumbent.
Since then I've been looking at recumbent sites including your forum and I've decided that I'd like to try a semi-recumbent with a NuVici hub and if it feels good look for a builder that can build one that I can ride into the sunset. I think I may need the bike designed for optimum speed so as to keep up with my experienced road cycling partner (she's 10 years younger) at least for the shorter hauls.
Am I way out in left field with this thinking? Do any of you have some advice? And no, I've already discounted a motorized recumbent - I think I might fall asleep at the wheel. I'm not too concerned about the cost but I don't want to go crazy like over 5 grand.

I am 64 now and just recently got my first recumbent. It is a stratus le. I like the bent over my road bike because it is so much more comfortable. I use it for errands, trips here and there around town and for crusiing around the neighborhood. If it weren't for the traffic ( I live in Austin, Tx) I would have gotten a tricycle - no danger of falling as I get older. They sit to low to the ground to be safely ridden in an urban environment. You don't have to spend big bucks for a bent, unless you are interested in keeping the weight down, or having superior components. I won't win any sprints on mine, but it is a pleasure to ride and doesn't require much more effort than my light weight road bike. I would like to have the finest components and a light carbon fiber frame, but I don't need it and can't afford it anyway.
Gerald

Go to bentrideronline.com a recumbent specific forum/site. You'll get more advice/info than you'll know what to do with from some very knowledgable people

I know that the program in Portland that does elderly-only bike rides uses Sun EZ-3 SX deltas. (trikes, two rear wheels) I don't know exactly what their criteria was, but that's the recumbent they eventually settled on, and are reportedly very pleased with their decision.

Hi Ya'll, I was on the General cycling forum asking questions about what might be appropriate for me and just about everyone suggested a recumbent.
Since then I've been looking at recumbent sites including your forum and I've decided that I'd like to try a semi-recumbent with a NuVici hub and if it feels good look for a builder that can build one that I can ride into the sunset. I think I may need the bike designed for optimum speed so as to keep up with my experienced road cycling partner (she's 10 years younger) at least for the shorter hauls.
Am I way out in left field with this thinking? Do any of you have some advice? And no, I've already discounted a motorized recumbent - I think I might fall asleep at the wheel. I'm not too concerned about the cost but I don't want to go crazy like over 5 grand.

The NuVinchi is neat technically, but the efficiency losses on a continuous variable transmission isn't the best approach for keeping up with your partner nor are you needing NuVinchi's ratio step if you are going with a semi-recument as you likely will have a 26 or larger wheel. The losses would be milder on something like the Rohloff or SRAM-9 or even the Nexus-8.

Of course you can make the drivetrain decisions seperate from the semirecumbent frame-even down the road.

If it weren't for the traffic ( I live in Austin, Tx) I would have gotten a tricycle - no danger of falling as I get older. They sit to low to the ground to be safely ridden in an urban environment. You don't have to spend big bucks for a bent, unless you are interested in keeping the weight down, or having superior components. I won't win any sprints on mine, but it is a pleasure to ride and doesn't require much more effort than my light weight road bike. Gerald

Honestly, I tried the trikes, and I felt like I was totally going to flip the things when turning. If a person is OK with balancing a bicycle, the 2 wheels make more sense. If I had lost all inner ear sensation and had no balance, I'd have to learn how to use a trike. The steering is entirely different.

My low-end bent cost me about $2000. To some folks, that's rich. To others, it ain't no thing. To me, it was a big investment.

The NuVinchi is neat technically, but the efficiency losses on a continuous variable transmission isn't the best approach for keeping up with your partner nor are you needing NuVinchi's ratio step if you are going with a semi-recument as you likely will have a 26 or larger wheel. The losses would be milder on something like the Rohloff or SRAM-9 or even the Nexus-8.

Of course you can make the drivetrain decisions seperate from the semirecumbent frame-even down the road.

The NuVinci is very heavy, that's for sure, and if you spend a lot of time carrying your bicycle around, the weight is a problem; while riding, the weight is not a problem. I'm not sure about the efficiency losses, though; I've heard a variety of statistics and have no opinion of my own. I have a NuVinci hub on one of my bicycles, though, and I find it the most pleasant shifting transmission I've ever tried on any bicycle.

JUst got a great deal on sun sunray 20/26 Any one have one ?