..."and so far my wrists and butt don't really care for biking much. I have seen some recumbent trikes and I thought that it looked like a comfortable way to exercise, if such a thing existed."
@@@ YOU CAN RIDE IN COMFORT - ON A TRIKE.
Been there, done that. Found that you can find comfort on a trike. After twenty miles on my MTB, I am off it. At ten miles it is warning me. I was about to go for seat
#7 in an effort to find comfort when I decided it was time for a paradigm shift. I bought a trike from Utah Trikes during a Black Friday sale. It was a modified Terratrike Rover.
It was a great first trike. It was affordable. It was comfortable. No more riding in pain. No more pain in the ass, pain in the neck, pain in the wrists, etc. No more looking at the blacktop. Comfortable seating, great view and fun to ride.
I spent a year on it learning about trikes and what I wanted in the Next Trike. Then out to Utah Trikes to test drive the HPV Scorpion FS 20. I liked. I bought. They shipped. I sold the Rover onward for a bit less than my price and have been enjoying the Scorpion. Best part is when someone asks if I build it. Don't I wish?. No, it was fabbed by fussy Germans and looks like a high end Mercedes.
A good used trike makes sense. I have all the Craigs List trike offerings in Seattle area and LA area sent to my phone. There have been a lot more offerings this year than in past years. Market heating up? Saw some nice ones appear this month. Info: Get over to Bent Rider on Line forum. That is where a lot of bent riders hang.