Los Angeles Times Article Recumbent 6-16-08
 

Here's a nice articles on recombent riding in Los Angeles

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/

Did not see the article but the video was interesting.

"poised to be the next big thing in the industry"
Well, uh, no info given about why they think that might happen.

That was a pretty good article and I enjoyed reading it, but it seems to me that they were going pretty slowly, weren't they? I regularly ride 18-20 on the flats without even thinking about it. If I'm pushing, I get into the 25+ range, and I know the bike can do more.

What about hills? I live in WV, and that is a major concern.

What about hills? You have to learn to ride them all over again, starting with very low gears and getting used to the methodology, but you can certainly ride them. I have 4 of them that I ride every workday. One is very long, and I started running it nearly in granny gear. I've gradually gotten faster and better so that I'm now going between 7 and 10 MPH, depending on the specific portion of the hill I'm on. I expect to get better as I continue.

I've heard repeatedly that 'bents are wonderful on the flat, but you can't do serious hills on them. And, believe me, we have serious hills here. (We are called "The Mountain State" for good reason.)

On some of the hills here, I regularly ride my bent past people who are walking their "normal" bicycle up the hill.

Where is "here" for you?

You can do serious hills on them. You can do serious hills on anything, if you work at it. It will take some time for you to become as good at hills on your bent as you were on your DF, but that's all it will take -- time. The biggest difference is that you can't stand on the pedals to climb like you can on a DF, so you tend to gear down and spin more.

Ottawa, Ontario

It's not the Alps, but we have some good hills, especially on the Gatineau side.

Mountains aren't hills, they're mountains. Bents may be slower on steep climbs. If this is an issue, don't get one.

Here we are either relatively flat (by the river) or steep climbs. I'm thinking of getting a 'bent for trips on the flats--which is most of what I need to do--and keep my DF for those times I need to go up into the mountains. I've been having wrist and shoulder problems of the sort that are said to be relieved by "getting bent;" as I play piano and organ, pain, numbness, and stiffness in my hands and wrists is a major concern.