Recumbent - Unsure of what to get...

Hey everyone, i just joined up today...I've never owned a recumbent, and yesterday was the first time i got to try one. I'm looking for a recumbent that will be really fast for commuting that's around 1500-2500 dollar range...I tried the Bacchetta Giro26 and really liked that one, the only thing i didn't like was the weight (31lbs) the rans f5 seems to be a similar bike and only wieghs 25 pounds.....I guess i'm just having trouble figuring out what i should buy...whether i should go with a highracer or a lowracer.....I guess if someone could give me a list of what they think the top 5 bikes would be for speed/commuting that would be great.

and do the lowracers make a huge difference in speed?

Thanks everyone

You will find many thousands of opinions and dozens of reviews at BentRider Online (http://www.bentrideronline.com/).

My advice is always test a bunch, buy the one that best suits, ride a few thousand miles, and see how your opinions may have changed.

BROL is a great place to ask about his as gcottay mentioned. Lowracers tend to be much more expensive than highracers, though at the upper end of both the prices converge. Lowracers are considered to be worse for climbing than highracers.

The right answer is test ride, test ride, test ride. I am picking up my new Bacchetta Corsa (highracer) on Saturday morning so I empathize with your desire to pick a bike already.

Thanks for the info guys....I was curious though, is the Bacchetta corsa strictly just for road? how does it do over potholes and the like?

Can't answer the pothole question but will repeat...try all you can and get what feels comfortable for you. If you don't like it no amount of "good for potholes" will cover your dislike or displeasure. My humble opinion from a long wheel base rider.

Oh for sure, i definately need to try out some more, its just a shame that there aren't many shops around Toronto. I may have to order one....i just need to gather as much info as possible in order to find the right one. Do you think its possible to go faster than a road bike on a bacchetta giro26? and would it be harder going uphill on the bike since it weighs 30 pounds?

check out the lightning phantom (supposedly really great on hills) and it's big brother the p-38 if you have the cash to blow

Hey thanks for the info...the lightning phantom looks and sounds like a great bike, I guess my 2 main choices have boiled down to the Bacchetta Giro26 and the Lightning Phantom.....The only thing that sucks is that the nearest Lightning dealer is in Newyork...about a 7 hour drive.....hmmm wonder if i can have it shipped....my only fear with that is, if something screws up on it...its kind of hard to bring it back lol.......are recumbents easy to maintain?

Most of the maintenance stuff is your basic bicycle stuff - hub bearings, headsets, cables, chains, shifters, brakes, etc.
Any Bacchetta dealers closer?

Where are you? I would not recommend a lowracer for commuting in heavy traffic. That's just me - others have used them with no problems.

I'm in Toronto and there is a bacchetta dealer about 20 minutes away from me.....That's where i tried out the Giro26...i also tried out the corsa....the giro26 felt really comfortable and speedy..not as fast as the corsa.....but i did like the option of being able to change to a thinner tire on the giro26 and the price.......at this point, i'm down to 3 choices, the Giro26, the Lightning phantom and the Rans F5.......but i'm pretty sure the rans is strictly for road.........so the giro26 seems the best at this point..............i'm so excited about getting one, i just don't want to jump into getting one too quickly, so i really do apreciate of you giving me the tips..thanks ;)

The Rans F5 rolls on the 650c wheels, like the Bacchetta Corsa. As far as I can tell, that pretty much limits you to 23mm wide tires. The Giro26 as you note has 26" rims and can take fatter or thinner tires, depending on your preference. Rans makes the Enduro at a higher price point that has 26" rims. If you hunt around you can also find the older style Rans F5 Enduro with a trussed frame that takes fat tires. http://www.angletechcycles.com has a few of those in stock.

I came very close to a dual 26" highracer and opted for my Rans V-rex for commuting and riding with my kids. The 20" front wheel and lower bottom bracket make stopping & starting much easier than the 26" front wheel. If I'd found a Giro20 for the same price as the V-Rex it would have been a tough choice.

You should also check out the Volae bikes: www.volaerecumbents.com since they're mail order. The Expedition is basically their Giro26 equivalent, the Tour has a 20" front wheel. Their bikes are on sale at www.hostelshoppe.com right now.

It would be really hard to go wrong with any of these bikes; Rans, Bacchetta, Volae. I have heard more comments about the dual 26 bikes being a problem for stop and go traffic than the 26 x 20s. On the other hand, the 20" front wheel won't negotiate rough terrain as well as a 26. Trail riding is possible with either style using wide tires, but you did say you like the option of thin tires.

Another thought is to go with a used bike to minimize cost until you have some experience. One bike is never enough anyway.