ea_hound

Hi! I'm looking for some advice. I use to be an avid bike rider (didn't ride anything special) but due to a knee surgery and some post-op complications (missing tendons on the outside of my knee and muscle atrophy) and a recent diagnosis of osteo-arthritis I can no longer ride an upright bike. I did great on the stationary recumbent bike at PT but I love being outside and there are some great places to ride by my house. Can anyone recommend a good recumbent bike for me to use or at least share some advice????

Thanks so much!

cplager

Trikes are generally a bit slower than 2-wheelers, but if you have a medical condition such that putting a let down quickly might cause a fair amount of damage, then they are the way to go. Long wheel based recumbent bicycles have the pedals closer to the ground than short wheel based recumbents and are generally considered easier to ride.

So, it depends what you want/need. It is highly recommended that you try to ride as many different types as possible. I also recommend poking around Bent Riders On Line (BROL) as the traffic is much higher and you'll get more feedback and info to read.

Good luck (and welcome to the dark side),
Charles

Peter_C

First, I'm not a DR - so when you say I honestly do not know if that's too much damage for you - I can't say.

Over 30+yrs I've had nine knee surgeries, and finally in 2009 I had a left TKR (with rescission), and bought my first 'comfort bike' at 378lbs... I've got OA badly, right knee needs replacing, right hip replaced July 2011, shoulder done June 2010, etc.. I bought my Rover DEC 2010, and never looked back. I am not fast, but I can ride better than I can walk!

My first tour of the GAP was this June (9 days, 200+ miles), and just last week I completed my first metric century (am down to 303lbs now).

The muscle atrohpy may take some work with a PT DR and "Muscle Stim" - 18 weeks to bring back the left inside of the quad for me. - Again, I'm not a doctor - but I was pretty hosed (still am in some ways), but a lot better since getting my trike! 650 miles on the bike, some 1300+ miles so far on the trike (so far). Did your Ortho say the knee is now stable? Lots of questions to ask both an Ortho and a good PT DR that is into cycling...

My 'story' is here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...gery-and-More! if you're bored and want to read about my beginnings. I'm mostly over on BROL now (trike section) here: https://www.bentrideronline.com/messa...splay.php?f=13 - best of luck to you~! PM me here or on BROL if you wanna chat or ask more questions.