MicahWedemeyer

Hi,

I've been commuting on my road bike for almost 2 years now, and I'm getting a little tired of the harsh ride. I could switch to something like a hybrid bike, but I'm quite curious about recumbents since they seem very comfortable.

So, in that vein, I have some questions about recumbent commuting:

1) How safe do you feel on city streets? Much of my commute is on-road with light to moderate traffic. Some areas are high-traffic but slow speed (ie. bumper-to-bumper) where I like to weave in and out in order to skip to the front. Is this possible and safe (relatively) on a recumbent?

Also, I'm willing to string up as many flags/flashers as necessary to be visible, but does it really help all that much?

2) What are the advantages/disadvantages for a short vs long wheelbase?

3) Do any recumbents fit on car-mounted bike carriers? Specifically, I've got a Saris Bones 2-bike rack. Are there any recumbents that would fit?

4) How easy is it to lock up a recumbent? I've got a U-lock and plenty of bike rack space, but would I probably need a new lock?

These are just my basic questions, but there is probably stuff I'm forgetting. If you have any advice at all I'd be happy to listen.

MaxBender

It's more human nature than technical, but drivers tend to notice recumbents more than traditional bikes.

aikigreg

1 - I am MUCH safer on my bent. If I am in an accident, I am practically guaranteed not to flip forward and hit my head, nor a lot of the other problems uprights have when crashing. Bents seem to naturally take you to the place where you have the potential for least injuries - your side and thighs. I don't use flags - I use blinkies and the best reflective tape I can find.

2. SWb is faster, more easily transported, and lighter. LWB bents are more comfortable and stable.

3. Look into a v-rex - I expect it would work well enough. Other SWB that aren't "stick-bikes" would work probably. I just sucked it up and got a different carrier and a hitch - saves me time and worry about my expensive bike.

4. Many bents have a triangle just like your upright, so yeah, it would work fine. Some don't, and you have to get something different - it just depends! Get out and try a bunch of bents and see what you like.

I love commuting on my bent - they are tailor made for commuting and touring.

N_C

I am an urban commuter who rides a recumbent. You'll love the ride a 'bent has to offer when commuting. I find when I get home after 14.2 miles of commuting which includes about 2 miles of climbing & 45 intersections that are sign or traffic light controlled I feel pretty relaxed & can spend an enjoyable evening at home with my wife & dog.

They are very safe on city streets. As safe as a wedgie bike as far as I'm concerned. A recumbent will handle differantly then a wedgie does. So weaving may be a little more difficult because of the way it will respond. How ever you shoulde never weave in & out of traffic anyway. If you want motorists to see cyclists as legal vehicles of the road you need to act as such. This means no weaving in & out of traffic because you're in a hurry. Not only that weaving as such is dangerous on any bike. I advise you to obey all traffic laws & not do so. Either find a differant route to commute on or wait in the bumper to bumper traffic.

You probably do not need flags & flashers unless you're riding at night on an unlit roadway.


A short wheel base is more responsive & long is not as responsive or twitchy but it will move as you wish it too. I like to compare a long wheel base to a big cadillac & a short wheel base to a little sports car.

Yes. I use a Sportworks tray style carrier, Thule now makes this style of carrier. A roof mounted carrier will work too as long as you have a way to trap the front fork. I do not recommend trunk mount carriers. Recumbents do not have the appropriate frame style to allow to be carried as such. Most 'bents are longer then a wedgie style bike & the frame design causes it to be way to high up so it will rock back & forth because of a higher center of gravity when on a trunk carrier. I have seen people use a trunk carrier to haul a recumbent & it always looks as if it will fall off. Plus with the way they sit on a trunk mount carrier one end sticks out past the side mirror of the vehicle. Not a safe thing to do.

I keep mine inside my office building so I don't lock it. Besides most people who would steal a bike do not know how to ride a 'bent. And the biggest target is mtn bikes. I think a cable would be easier to use vs. a u-lock. On some frame designs a u-lock is not very easy to use unless you can lock the front wheel to something like a bike rack, etc.

Sandwarrior

There are several brands and models to choose from. Take your time in selecting one. If possible, rent several of the different models and try them out

Doug5150

On a recumbent you MUST have rear-view mirrors, it's not nearly as convenient to turn your upper body and look behind you. I much prefer the helmet/glasses-mounted mirrors, but if a mirror is mounted on the bike, you won't forget to bring it along. As for safety--the main thing I do now is get into the line of traffic waiting at stop signs and signals. Too many drivers don't use their RIGHT turn-signals, and they don't check to their right before turning.They will check forward and left, and then pull ahead of you and then turn right, directly across your path (and across your front wheel).

SWB's are lighter and (potentially) easier to transport. LWB's ride more stable in gravel and over rough surfaces. SWB's may fit into public transportation bicycle racks, if they are permitted (more on this matter below).
Most recumbents don't attach well to most conventional bike racks. Either the recumbent frames don't have holes in the right places, or the wheelbase is too long. Even if they fit, the standard retention straps may not work well, and you'll be using ratcheting cargo straps or whatever to hold the bike on. What a lot of people do is buy a recumbent they like, and then worry about finding a cheap rack that fits it well. There are a few rack brands sold specifically to load/unload and hold recumbents well, but they are (obviously) more expensive than the generic types.
Monotube and mono-beam frames can be a problem as they don't have any "holes" in them for locking through. Master Lock Street Cuffs (the 9-link ones) is one lock that can be useful for those cases.
Another matter I have seen complained about is that most bents are not transportable on most public transportation bike racks (bike racks on public busses and trains). These racks are intended for conventional upright bikes and so have a rather short wheelbase limit--but even if you get a SWB that will fit into the wheelbase limitation, because of the potential retention system problems, some transportation systems specifically refuse to allow transporting recumbents on their racks at all. If you'll want to use public transportation bicycle racks, check into this first.
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Also there is one upright comfort-type bike that is worth looking into: that is the Rans crank-forward bikes. These have (what is claimed to be) a much more comfortable pedalling position, but (unlike most-all other "comfort" bikes) can still can be pedalled efficiently over long distances. The Fusion lists for $850 and is sold through mail-order if you have no local dealers. I don't have one but ordered one yesterday (3 to 4 weeks they says...-sigh-). ....As far as public transportation goes--this bicycle is rather long compared to a regular bike. Some people have found that it will fit into a bus rack if you flip the front wheel around backwards; others have found that even doing this isn't short enough to fit.
~

MicahWedemeyer

Thanks all, these are great replies.

I will have to try and find one that I can take on the train, but here in Atlanta, there is no rack on the train, you just take it in the car with you. So, I'll bet no one would say anything about a SWB 'bent.

Hmmm, I have a lot to think about, I guess.

GreenGrasshoppr

What do you mean by "harsh"?

If you mean bad asphalt (cracks, potholes, etc.), you will definitely need suspension, especially if you go for a SWB.

jeff-o

I ride a trike every day to work, and I feel safer on it than I ever did on my DF Trek. Cars give me more room. I can't get knocked off by anything. Weaving is out of the question, though (and very dangerous, even on a regular bike!)

It's pretty tricky to transport a trike by car; unless you can fit it inside or in the back of your pickup, there are only a few racks available that will accomodate a trike. Transporting one on a bus is almost out of the question.

Locking up is easy; I usually just attach the rear wheel to something secure. My trike doesn't actually have any triangles, so it's difficult to secure the frame itself. Other designs are a bit better in this regard.

blknwhtfoto

I don't think suspension is needed on a SWB recumbent myself. I do have a steel frame and a nice padded seat(from Actionbent), those two things might take some of the shock away.
I use a ULock and a locking kryptonite Cable Lock, I don't have a triangle, just lock it up in a way that fits the situation.
I have two Cateye LD600 lights in the back and two Viewpoint Flares in the front. People see me just fine. On a recumbent you have to be a very defensive rider, mostly because cars often times can't see you due to the height of a car in front of them. This is not to say that you can't go fast(I usually ride at about 20mph in the city), but just think ahead of the game.
I put my 'bent on the busses down here, the only problem is that I have USS so if there is another bike on the rack I often have to do some maneuvering to get it into the rack, but it always works out. When I'm up in Portland, OR with my bike I'll bring a bungee cord to secure the bike down, but mostly that is my issue with their racks.
I think SWB are "zippy like a motherf*****"(my brothers words), quite agile especially once you get used to the handling and its limitations. Such as its turning radius. They're quick to accelerate and can make some pretty fancy moves in traffic. Clipless pedals or something to secure your feet are a must for SWB with a med-high BB, they also can make it easier to lean and do some tricky things to evade the cars.

I say go out and ride a bunch of bikes and if you're still thinking about it the next day then do it. Either LWB or SWB they're super fun.

Doug5150

I have found that suspension isn't as necessary on recumbents as it is on uprights, because of the differences in the seats used. Roads that were bumpy enough to be uncomfortable on an upright saddle are merely annoyances on a bent, the road does nothing more than make the recumbent rattle. Just get a recumbent that can take fat tires (like 2.3" Big Apples) and inflate them low (30-40 psi or so).
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If you live somewhere that you need suspension just to roll down the "paved" street, then maybe you just need to admit you don't live in a bicycling sort-of town.....
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gnome

I have been commuting by bike for roughly 6 years and just recently got a SWB 'bent. I feel much safer on the 'bent than on my old upright. I can see so much clearer ahead and with the essential rear view mirror can easily see the traffic behind me. I find it is much more comfortable thanks to the mesh hammock type seat on my 'bent.

I have a red flashing light and reflective tape on the tailbox, reflective tape on the cranks and two flashing lights on the front of my 'bent. I also have reflective tape on my helmet and all the lights and reflectors make me fee much safer at night, in bad weather and at dusk.

I haven't yet tried to find a rack that will fit my 'bent and my old U-lock and cable work well with my bike.

If you haven't ridden a 'bent before, I wouldn't commute on one when you first get one. It takes several days to learn how to start, stop and ride a bent properly.

If you are going to commute by 'bent I would recommend mudguards to keep you cleaner in bad weather.

markw

There's a pretty healthy Bacchetta group in the Atlanta area. Check out their forums at https://www.bacchettabikes.com it's under community/forums. You could probably hook up with those guys for a test ride. If you check the links in my sig, you'll see my Corsa (mid line Bacchetta) in a sportworks (now thule) rack. This is a standard bike rack, not recumbent specific. It takes like 10 seconds to load, and works with 1 1/4" receiver hitches, along with 2".

As for the commute, I'm riding my Corsa to work 3 times a week (20 miles 1 way, 120/wk). It takes me right at 1 hour to 1:05 to get to work depending on how many lights I hit. I highly recommend one of their high-racer models. Depending on your height, if all you're going to do is commute, then look at the Giro Series. The 2007's will have front/rear disc brakes on the Giro 26.

They're fun to ride, so hook up with the Atlanta guys and check them out. I'm not sure of the LBS there, but I think they've been mentioning something like Daltons on a bike trail?? Not sure.

World Tour

My bent is the best bicycle I've ever had. It has 1.5" 100psi tires (not shown), 26" rear, 20" front and moves along faster than I could dream about going on an upright. It's super comfortable and no more numb crotch, wrists or palms. It was custom made for me, I'm 6'6" and 230lbs., the bike is nearly 8' long and I have made a carrier for it with parts from a couple carriers combined. You'll figure it out. A 2" receiver hitch is best and has the most available options for racks. You may have to combine a couple different carrier/rack bits together.

Bent is the way man...

redbikee

I have taken my V-Rex on MARTA many times. No problem. Also fits on the bus racks.

BlazingPedals

I commuted by bicycle for about 6 years, year-around in Michigan. My commute was only 2 miles each way, and bike commuting was not only cheaper but faster for that distance. I split my riding, upright in bad weather and bent in good weather. In that time, I was hit by cars 4 times. In none of the accidents were either bad conditions or poor visibility a factor. All were on my upright.

My fav recommendation for a commuter is a Rocket. Triangulated frame is easy to lock, short, and fits on a 2-arm bike carrier. It's maneuverable and able to take fat tires and fenders. And it's relatively inexpensive. If you discover you like long wheelbases better, a Bacchetta Agio looks like a good bet, too; although I haven't seen one in person yet to tell what fender clearances look like.

markw

Depending on your height, the Bacchetta Giro 26 would make a good commuter. With that being said, I ride my Bacchetta Corsa (aluminum one) 20 miles each way to work. Averaging 18-19mph for my commute, something I could never do on the upright. Storage is good with a "Brainbox" which just slides onto the back of the seat. If you do get one, consider the Euromesh seat. This time of year, they're closing out the older/last years models. The 2007 Giro 26 is supposed to be speced with disc brakes, and the ability to run 700c wheels with a fork change. Good stuff, and very nice bikes from the guys who gave you some of RANS more popular models.

Mooo

The Rocket is a pretty decent pick. Hugely adjustable.

The dual 20's are strong, can accomodate a broad range of tire widths, and only one tube size needed.

You can put a couple of different types of racks on them.

The bike can be ridden fairly upright or quite laid back.

It costs around 11/17 as much as a VRex, or can be found used occasionally for 6-700.

Yeah, I can see it, although a Tailwind might work just as well. I kind of like the lower BB of a LWB because stuff doesn't fall out of my pocket if, say, I want to ride to lunch.

jawnn

forget the insanity of weaving in trafic, your begging for trouble.

I got a short bent bike and I realy wish I got a long one, long bikes are so much easyer to ride. the short bike does not have the turning radius that I thought it would....maybe after a year it may be more fun.

don't waste your money on a cheap bike.... they all cost too much. ride one before you pay for it.