Recumbent - thinking about a bent

I'm thinking about a bent. This would be my first one if I buy one. I've noticed that several companys are no longer in business. Where's a good place to start also are there any "bent shops" close to Louisville Ky? I would really need to test one first. The trikes are cool but I have thoughts about a wide trike with cars passing. The Lightning seems to be a good one?

I've got a catrike 700 and I get more room from cars on it than I ever did on an upright. I dont know why but I'm not complaining.

Like Bruce, I ride a Catrike. Mine is a "Trail" with some upgrades, and I too have never had any problems with cars here in South Florida, not allowing enough room. I think the trikes are so weird looking that folks tend to move away from then a ways as they pass.

By the way, I like the trike a LOT better than my short wheelbase recumbent that I was riding before. We have a lot of sand down here, and the two wheel recumbent would tend to crash in the sand. I dumped that darn thing a half dozen times in the two years I rode it, usually in a curve with a hole or bump in it, or running slow getting through a little sand. The Catrike handles sand without any issue....

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee

If anything, trikes are better in traffic than bikes unless you need to slide through some very very narrow openings or must cope with Manhattan NY volumes of traffic.

You may want to check on BentRider Online (http://www.bentrideronline.com/). The site sponsors are all active in the business, forum members have centuries of experience, and some formal reviews are available.

Many companies that produce trikes also make a narrow track version (a bit smaller between the two side-by-side wheels). My trike doesn't need any more space to get through than a normal bike's handle bars. You do sacrifice a bit of stability, but the only time I've dumped my trike is when someone hauling a low trailer with a pair of kayaks cut over a bit too soon and about cleaned my clock with the last 6 feet of one of the boats. It was either take a crack across the helmet or say hello to the ditch. :eek:

I'll give you the standard 'try a bunch before you buy' if you can. It is always good to see and feel the difference in what is available.