Originally Posted by
kk4df
I bought a bent earlier this year. I enjoy the long rides, and the DF bikes tend to make my back hurt if I'm riding much more than 100 miles. I had to stop a 600K brevet last spring at about the 400K mark, when my back muscles would not relent. The pain was fierce, and I could barely walk or bend over for several hours. I started mentally exploring the idea of riding a bent for the long distance rides, and the rest is history. My DF bikes (3 of them) have seen very little use since the acquisition of the bent.
I look very forward to starting this next season of brevet rides on the bent, with the first ride coming up on Jan 1.
I've been hearing about a fair number of ultra distance riders moving over to 'bents due to these issues. They're finding that their speed isn't different, just that they stand up and walk away at the end of the ride.
A couple of my friends have been doing brevets for years. They've got stories to tell:
http://www.ohpv.org/events/albums/rao2005/
http://www.ohpv.org/events/albums/alex508-2008/
Look for a couple of recumbent teams in RAAM this year, along with a couple solo riders.