Recumbent - Bent or not?

I'm about a 2000-3000 mile-per-year commuter with only one year under my belt. I currently have a hybrid for commuting, and am thinking about my next bike. Recumbents are interesting to me but I'd like some input.

I'm not really having any problems with my bike (Giant Cypress, a fairly cheap bike from the LBS), I'd just like to be a bit faster; I'm taking 35 to 45 minutes for 10.5 miles now, depending on headwinds (somewhat hilly terrain). It would be nice to get that down to 30 to 35 minutes, maybe even a bit faster. Also someday I'd like to do some touring but I don't think that's in the near future, probably more like in 15 years.

My commute is 10.5 miles, and 4 of that are over gravel that is often fairly washboarded. I have an alternate route which is about 1.2 miles farther and fully paved, though a bit rough.
Also, I'm in Michigan so 4 months or so are in snow/ice conditions. I mounted Nokian studded tires this winter. The gravel parts in particular are covered with packed snow in the winter.

So what is the opinion? How are recumbents on gravel and ice and bad roads? Should I be looking at suspended bents or not?

I think there are some 'bent dealers nearby. However, it's not in my budget to buy from them, I'll probably have to go to actionbent.com. I really don't want to go test ride a bike at a place I don't intend to give money. I may try to find locals that I can talk with. I am pretty handy, would rather do all my own work, have built wheels and can weld; I may even pick up some junkers and try to make something.

My alternative is to buy a Surly LHT frame and build a heavier duty touring/commuting bike with drops. I don't really have any pain or numbness riding now, FWIW.

Hmm...

Would any of the local shops allow you to rent a recumbent for a day? Buying a 'bent sight unseen, with no prior experience, is a bit of a crapshoot. It may prove to be a novelty with no practical advantage for your situation. On the other hand, you may be hooked after the first ride.

>>How are recumbents on gravel and ice and bad roads>>

Generally, no better than upright bicycles. Most recumbents don't handle unpaved roads particularly well. Suspension could help, but adds cost and weight to the mix.

As you suggested, starting out with only a small outlay of cash would be smart. You can always spend more later if the 'bent bug grabs hold.

Two things about this situation bother me.

Number 1:

I'm not really having any problems with my bike (Giant Cypress, a fairly cheap bike from the LBS), I'd just like to be a bit faster...

...and number 2:

I think there are some 'bent dealers nearby. However, it's not in my budget to buy from them, I'll probably have to go to actionbent.com.

So, you don't have a real need to get a bent, and the only one you can afford is esentially a kit bike, with no support from a LBS. A better upright bike will also be faster than your current one, as well as be better equipped than a bent in that price range. For washboarded gravel roads, you'll want fat tires and suspension, and will be severely hampered by ice and snow. IF you're a tinkerer and willing to do whatever it takes to make an unfinished product work, an Actionbent might make a decent second, fair weather bike; but I wouldn't recommend it as your only commuter bike.

Hi, I know that with the gravel roads, your going to want the 26 inch tire with a 406 on the front so you have a wide choice of the heavier tires. I know that there are a fair number of lightly used ab bikes for sale right now, you may want to start looking for them. A lot of the guys move up in a year or two. I would only recommend this, if youre very experienced as a bike mechanic, because the ab bike has so little Proper Known support from the manufacturer/ seller. There are a couple of ab lists on yahoo, join them and maybe you can find something to your liking in the lightly used market. If you are fairly tall it would help, because all of the ab bikes so far are short wheel base. Its best to be able to put both feet down immediately from your seated position and be able to put the flat flat on the ground. This is a little different from the upright bikes in that regard. I think anyone five ten or up can do that with the lower ones.

I have a swb actionbent with the 20" in the front and 26" in the rear (I don't know what the metric sizes are.)

Crushed limestone is ok to ride on for me, although anything above 15 mph is suicide. Gravel is pretty much out for me. I'm just not comfortable with it.

Don't rush into any decisions. Try a bunch of bents, even if you have to travel a bit out of town. Any honestly almost anything will be better than your hybrid. I had one for years and had no idea how much it slowed me down and kept me from enjoying my rides until I bit the bullet and bought a bent.