Recumbent - what does recuberent triking do for your health

hello , i used to race race mountin bikes back in the 80s, and am now thinking of taking up cycling again now iam 42 now and with two slipped disks, i understand that the recumbent bike position is not bad for this condition do any of you have expirience of this? also on a normal bike i remember mountin biking was pretty physical on the upper body ! how do bent bikes compare with this?

Recumbents tend not to work the upper body much. In fact, one of the thing new riders can find difficult is relaxing their upper body so as not to affect the balance (not an issue on a trike though!)

I haven't had slipped disks, so can't give you specific advice. In general, a recumbent position places much lower stresses on your back - 1) because you aren't hunched over the handlebars, and 2) because your weight is spread out over a large seat.

If at all possible - find a dealer and test ride a few different models. That should give you a good idea if it works for your back.

One of the things you might consider is the fact that no the bents do not exercise the upper body very much. Personally I think this is a good thing. On a DF bike you have to tension the upper body and arms to hold yourself up. That means the energy that goes to doing this is available for the legs. That IMHO means a bent rider can ride faster and further. Additionally it means that the back and spine are not subject to stress or torque. This is why so many people that cant ride a DF bike anymore have switched to recumbents. All this goes for both bent bikes and trikes.

I haven't had any slipped discs, but I've had a bad back for many years. Different 'bents feel different to the back. In all honesty, my back prefers a racing bike -- being able to alternate positions really helps a lot.

I used to be 424 lbs. I thought there was no way I'd be comfortable on a DF bike and for a while, I was right. I found a dealer that specializes in recumbent bikes / trikes and made the trek to go check them out. I had a blast. A few weeks later I bought a delta recumbent and I love it. Super comfortable and easy to get a feel for. It has enabled me to drop 50 pounds and get myself into a physical condition more apt to riding more. If you are considering riding again and are unsure of your physical limitations like I was, I heartily recommend these vehicles. It was just what I needed to get back into cycling without getting frustrated and quitting.

Is the OP asking about biking or triking or both?
I'd suggest that bicycling in general does not work the upper body.

many thanks to all of you, i am going to test ride a few recumbent trikes soon.

Recumbent bicycling/triking sure does wonders if you are suffering from Carpal Tunnel syndrome. My recumbent bikes and trikes have all have underseat steering and exert no pressure on my hands. I was able to go from riding a few hundred miles a year with numb hands to a few thousand miles after making the switch. If you really have bad back problems, you might be sure to try a delta trike as well as the more common tadpole variety (two wheels in back vs two wheels in front) as the seat is higher and easier to get back out of. A very few of the people who tried riding my Greenspeed GTO needed serious help to get back up on their feet. It never gave me a problem but I don't have back problems either. Also a hint, lighter is usually better. Trikes are heavier than bikes but some of the cheaper brands are downright obese.

Hello, I agree with VegasTriker.....I had to quit cycling 20 yrs ago, with carpal tunnel and osteo-arthritis in my wrists, I couldn't lean on the handle bars anymore. Then I found out about recumbents and rented 3 different trikes, finally settling on the Catrike Trail. Now with direct steer and 27spds, 1500k and counting, I've found the freedom I was missing not riding for all those years. Plus I dropped 50lbs the 1st 6months, its been so much fun I feel like a kid at 57yrs young.