Originally Posted by
bobbycorno
But have you actually ridden one, or are you just speaking from untested assumptions? Riding a high-performance bent is nothing like sitting in a chair. By means of illustration: I rode the Rocky Mountain 1200k (my first and so far only 1200) back in 2008 on a 'bent. On the last day, every df rider I saw was standing on the pedals to get the pressure off, shaking his/her hands to get feeling and circulation back, stretching to relieve neck, back and shoulder pain, etc. I just kept on pedaling. At the finish, my legs were tired, and my left achilles a bit sore, and that's it. No other aches, pains or complaints. My finishing time was 79:50 - almost exactly "middle of the pack", which is right where I was on shorter brevets on my df. I must admit tho', that I've had further achilles problems in the last year that have put me back on a df for now. We'll see how that goes.
SP
Bend, OR
Only sat on one. And yes, I could tell I would have more problems than on my Bike Friday, Surlys, or other uprights. Any wider seat will give me more issues than the saddles that I currently use. I don't get back pains or issues with wrist/hands etc. In fact, my back tends to be even better from riding (and carrying a backpack while commuting).