Biking_Lawyer

I am in the market for a new bike. I already own a mountain bike and 2 fixed gear bikes. Deciding between a entry/mid level road bike and a bent. I know nearly nothing about bents though Reason I am considering a bent is due to herniated disk in lower back (and i'm only 30) that acts up now and again on longer rides.--plus they just kind of look fun. Budget is around 1K. Can you please direct me to some resources re: bents or briefly summarize pros/cons? I think I would mainly be interested in a short wheelbase (maybe one with under the seat steering?)

How are bents are far as maintenance? I have heard climbing hills is high impossible on some bents and that the longer chains spew muck in your face.

I know I asked for a lot, but I would appreciate info/advice/insight



thanks

sch

Hills are harder for most riders, because the bike is 10-15# heavier than an
equivalent road bike and the riding position puts more emphasis on the legs
and allows no input from the upper body. To get some idea how much
your upper body contributes to a hill climb, try riding one of your road bikes
up a hill with just your fingertips on the bar steering only. Chains spew
nothing unless they are very dirty to start with. OTOH smaller diameter
wheels on bents rotate faster than larger wheels of road bikes and thus
throw water etc off at a higher velocity. Rooster tails off small wheels
(406-454 sized) can be 3-4' higher than 700c size wheels. Maintenance is
the same, except the chain is a lot longer. Not all bents are back friendly,
you have to study the riding position and extrapolate to what you find
comfortable. SWB bents come in two general styles with above seat
steering: chipmunk or praying mantis position and 'superman' position.
Chipmunk type have the knees in front of the bars and flexed elbows,
superman position has the knees behind the bars with elbows more extended.

aikigreg

You're hearing some bent myths and not a lot of fact. I won't try to sell you, because bents aren't for everyone - you have to be a bit of a free thinker and not a sheeple. If that is you, then find some local benters and give their bikes a try when you're not under the watchful eye of a salesman.

If you're in dfw I've got several for you to try. I finally gave my road bike the heave-ho this year since it was gathering dust - bents are just much more fun for me.

SingleSpeeDemon

With a budget of $1000 you can definitely find a very good, used recumbent. There are some cheaper new ones on the market, but why not scour Craigslist to find a bargain?

I'm trying to buy the whole 'bents don't climb well argument, but every ride I take, I prove to myself that they can indeed climb. It's just a different technique and muscle group propelling me to the top.

The biggest advantage for me is that I actually enjoy riding again.

unixpro

I bought my bent used in Feb. for 1K. It is a 2006 Giro 20 with very low miles, so I think I got a pretty good deal. I spent another $600 totally outfitting it for commuting (aero trunk, kevlar tires, new 'puter, fenders, etc.). It has taken me a few months, but I'm now turning in record times both ways, and I'm getting faster every week. My ride includes a 2.25 mile hill climb on the way home and I'm even doing that part faster than I was on my DF.

I plan to use my BushBate to get a fairing, since I'm a year-round commuter. My wife says that'll be the ultimate in geekiness, but it will mean that I won't be dealing with rain or winds across my hands and feet next year.

Aikigreg is right, though, they're not for everyone. You're not going to be as fast off the line, and you're going to have to learn how to use your muscles differently. People will stare at you, although most will be simple friendly stares of curiosity.

Oh, and that hill I'm working on getting up every day? In the mornings on the trip down, I regularly hit speeds of 30-34 MPH. I pass cars.

dlharrison

To obtain further information on recumbent bikes, look up www.bentrideronline.com. I have never heard of "chains" spewing up muck - another falsehood. Recumbent are slower on climbs due to the riding position but are faster on flats and downhills. You need to find a bike shop that sells a variety of recumbents and ride a number of different styles. Don't let DFers' talk you out of the recumbents.

charly17201

As a pretty new bent rider - mine was delivered Feb 23rd - I can tell you I love it and I have a SWB/USS. I moved to a bent because of neck and shoulder pain from riding the DF had gotten to be too much. Ridin' my bent is like sitting in an easy chair --- SO comfortable.

I've ridden in rain, a small amount of snow, lots of wind and just a little bit of 'nice' weather. There is a learning curve to it though. After putting mine together, I spent a couple of hours just practising take offs since it was so different. And the steering is much more touchy/lighter than a DF - that was the hardest thing for me to get used to. I'd get it in to the big ring and high gear and scare myself until I got used to it, but it is very easy now to get it up to 20 mph now.

I am still climbing slower than on the DF, but it is a heavier bike and you're using only your legs instead of throwing in your upper body (and all that body language). If you can, get some test rides before choosing. Even if you don't buy from a LBS you can at least get an idea as to what you like.

Chaco

I have a Stratus XP, which is a long wheel base bent. I've ridden over 5,000 miles since I got it the end of June last year.

On flats, downhills, and gentle climbs, I'm able to keep up with just about everyone and often do much better. Keep in mind too that here in San Diego, there are tons of triathlete riders on the road. On steeper hills - 8% to 12% grades - I have to struggle, and I'm definitely slower, despite being in pretty good shape. No matter what people say, it makes a difference that you can't stand on the pedals from time to time. If nothing else, the ability to stand on the pedals temporarily relieves your quads, whereas on a bent, it's your quads all the way.

Usually, this is no big deal. It became a bigger deal for me last weekend on a century, when we were fighting 30 mph headwinds for almost 50 miles, while going uphill at the same time. By the time I go to the 12% grades, my quads were toast.

But now consider the plus side. I've done 7 centuries in the past 9 months, and never had a butt ache, back ache, neck ache, etc. In fact, my bent is every bit as comfortable as my office chair. Almost everywhere I ride I get people asking me about my bike and commenting how cool it looks. Kids and surfers especially seem to be intrigued by it.

As for safety, I think I'm safer than most DF's. The eye naturally sees things that are out of the ordinary, and a bent is definitely that. Most cars give me a pretty wide berth, whereas they tend to squeeze DF's a lot more.

The main thing is to get a bent that's good for your riding habits. Some are better at slow speeds and tight situations than others -- mine is definitely NOT good for those! Others are better on longer rides, etc. Try to find a shop that has a variety of bents and try them out.

I think about the days when I had a DF, and how my neck would hurt for days after a 60 mile ride. Would I trade my current comfort for the ability to go a bit faster on a steep hill? Not a chance.

Biking_Lawyer

What is the advantage/disadvantage of OSS vs. USS, and where can you find bikes with USS. Most of what i have seen is OSS. Due to my back problem, I probably should not be comfortable with an upright model and would be more interested in a more reclined position.

-holiday76

for most riders, the difference between USS and Above SS is personal preference. ABove might make you sightly more aero, but not so much in my opinion that it matters to most people. ABove allows you to have a cockpit to mount computers , bottles, etc. Under is more comfy for some poeple because of the natural arm position. I've ridden cross county with a lwb uss setup for about 6 or 7 years and liked it just fine, riding up to 125 miles fully loaded in a day. I've ridden that with a person on a swb ASS setup on that same 125 mile day and they liked that as well.

This year I converted my lwb to above, but I've only put about 20 miles on it so far. It seems liek it will work fine and be comfy enough.

Get on both and put a few miles on them and see which one you like better and is comfortable for you. That is all that really matters.

Wilbur Bud

You can go here and search by type of steering. Of course, its more or less current market and doesn't address manufacturers out of business or models no longer sold new.

Artkansas 

As others have said, recumbents are different and use different muscles. That takes a little training. Last fall I rode my recumbent in a century ride through the hills of Arkansas and beat a diamond frame rider. So it's the rider not the bike. As far as maintenance, most of the components are the same or similar to DF bikes, so there's no reason for higher maintenance needs.

The hardest part for me is executing slow-speed extreme turns, such as riding circles in the street during a parade. There the problem is not balance, but that it's hard to keep the speed from going to zero from 1 without pedaling in such a long turn and the OSS makes pedaling in a very sharp turn a little more difficult. You don't get turns that sharp in regular riding.

My Bacchetta Giro 20 has very sensitive steering, so it scared me at the beginning till I got used to it. Now, going down a mountain road is like riding in the coolest little sports car. The trick is to relax and not grip the handlebars hard, pulling them back and forth with your biceps. At the beginning, you can even just hold your hands open and just cradle the handlebars in between your thumb and forefinger.

SingleSpeeDemon

That's great advice. The key is to relax and 'guide' the bike, don't steer it.

BlazingPedals

There's a never-ending drone of reasons why 'bents are bad, but it's always told by someone who doesn't know anything about them first-hand. Or at best, someone who rode one once and didn't like it because it was different from his upright. Duh! You don't ride a recumbent, you pilot it.

Test ride a few different models - the more different from each other the better. Don't go into it with preconceptions. You'll either like them or you won't.

At $1K you'll be able to get a low-end new bent or maybe a mid-range used bent.

Mr. Markets

I just got my ($$$) bent this week. So far I love it. The osteoarthritis that killed me on a DF
is no longer in play. And yeah, pleople ask you Q's like "Isn't it harder to ride?" and "How will cars
see you?" etc. To which I reply that 1) I don't feel beat up and stiff in the neck or back after
getting off it and 2) my head is about as high as your butt in drop-forward position, so I am not
as low as you think. I also tell them I can now see the world.

Granted, my legs (and body) are not in real shape to ride a long time yet, and I always sucked on
hills, so I have nothing to add to the debate there, but for sheeeeeeer compfort, the bent is a
dream come true. I gave up skiing years ago because of the OA issue, and didn't want to give
up biking for that reason -- and now I don't.

BTW, my bike is a Longbikes Slipstream (which I reviewed in a post in this forum). It has USS (a main selling
point for me) and was built to handle my larger load...

Biking_Lawyer

Thanks for all the responses---Blazing Pedals--what kind of bent is that in your avatar--ideally I think that is the style i want to go with. I do not like the upright bikes, and they would probably kill my back worse than a DF

lowracer1

The bike blazing pedals rides is an Optima Baron lowracer

https://www.optima-cycles.nl/main/nl/...html?Itemid=27

here's a good pic of the various postions on lowracers. Very comfortable and fast.

lowracer1

In case you haven't seen this video, here's a good idea of just how fast a lowracer can be on hills. Ignore the 2 bikes at the beginning of the video with the kids on the back of the bikes. They weren't valid targets to pass.

BlazingPedals

Here's a better pic of my Baron. The spoke covers being used in my avatar were only there for racing purposes. (and yes they worked!)

Dchiefransom

Where are you located? Someone should be able to point you toward a shop with recumbents to try out. Your budget will limit you in the new bike category.

charly17201

At work I have one person that doesn't like 'bents. BUT, she doesn't ride to start with and I've never gotten her to give me a reason why she doesn't like bents. Everyone else is just like "I can't believe you ride that thing." And most of them think it's cool. But I'm still the only bike commuter.

Doug5150

Random points:
-The main advantage of a recumbent is not that it's faster, but that it's vastly more comfortable than an upright bike. Recumbents are generally slower than a good upright road bike would be, but you may find that you still ride more miles, just because you can stay on the bike and pedal longer.
-The faster-than-uprights recumbents are the more-reclined types, but the more-reclined types are more difficult to pedal up hills.
-Maintenance is the same as an upright. Never had a chain throw anything on my face, but with some recumbents you may tend to get oil on your right leg more often. Chain tubes can prevent that. With most bents cross-chaining is not any issue, so you can use all the front/rear gear combinations.

-The two main disadvantages of recumbents is buying them (not many dealers around) and transporting them (many are tough to fit on vehicle bicycle racks). With a normal bike taking the front wheel off makes it considerably more compact, but that's not very true with most recumbents.

-If you have a bad back you should do some test-riding before buying. Most seat-backs are adjustable for tilt, but you are somewhat limited to where the pedal placement is because you have to push against the seat-back to pedal. So you cannot very well take a bike with upright seating and recline the seat way back.

-Actionbent sells a couple of lower-priced under-seat-steering short wheelbase bikes online. Sun and Cycle Genius are two other lower-priced dealer-only brands, but they don't have a USS SWB like you want.

-Opinion #1: I started out with a short-wheelbase bike and found the jittery steering rather tiresome and of no advantage. It also handled rather poorly in gravel, which was sometimes an issue when I was riding on the street with car traffic. I went to a LWB (Cycle Genius Falcon) and its stability is much better.

-Opinion #2: When you're coming from an upright bike, at first recumbents seem dog-slow because recumbents never feel as lively as upright bikes do. When you only take a 5-minute ride, the comfort advantage isn't really obvious--it really takes a 30-40-50 mile ride to understand the difference.
~

sch

You should be aware of the premium put on a healthy neck for
the lowriders pictured. Some of them have not readily apparent
neck supports that catch the back of the head meaning the
neck muscles don't have to hold your head up, and some do not
though it may be an option. Study of the riders will show that
some of these bikes put the rider in a 'turtle on its back'
riding position. This gives extremely low air resistance but again
these machines need some study for the prospective owner if
your neck is sensitive. FWIW DF riders on aero bars have a
similar premium on healthy necks and here there is no possibility
of a neck support.

Lowracers video is very nice and shows what low air resistance
can do, but I think he has 300 watt legs that are not common
equipment.

aikigreg

If you have to be "sold" on a bent, you don't want one.

bobkat

I've never heard of the long chain spewing mud thing! Ha! That's a new one!
Bents as a rule may not climb as well as uprights partly because they tend to be heavier and also because you can't stand on the pedals. But you compensate by gearing down and spinning. I tell new bent riders that on hills drive it like you would an underpowered car. Gear down and keep the rpm's up!
My new bent, a Rans V3ti is very light, almost as light as my wife's carbon fiber upright, and while she used to pass me on hills (I'd pass her on straightaways and donwhills) I can now keep up to her and sometimes pass her because of the light weight and custom gearing on it. And she runs marathons and does cycling classes all the time which tells you a bit of her "engine" on that lightweight bike!
I first bought a bent because of severe back problems and now, even if I could get a brand new back, I wouldn't go to an upright, except for mountian biking. Bents are too comfortable, not only for your back and neck and hands and...........etc. No comparison at all.
I used a LWB bent with a rather upright seat for my back problems and it worked really well, maybe even better than a more reclined position. But everybody is different and its great to try different styles.
For a variety of silly and invalid reasons (except maybe jealosy) upright bikers tend to look down on bents, although as more are trying them, this is gradually changing. The racer groups are the worst for this. So you will hear a lot of nonsense about bents, 90+% of which is not true. Bents aren't much for off road mountain bikes though.
But a bent for your back? I wish I had discoverd bents years ago. If I had, I truly think I would NOT have had anywhere near the back problems that I ended up with. I sometimes partly joke that if I were in change of pre approval for an HMO or medical insurance plan that I would insist on 3 to 6 months use of a LWB recumbent before any surgery be performed!