Test-riding recumbents
Guys,
I am thinking of a recumbent as touring bike. Budget for this is coming up this year and so I might be able to seriously look into this in 2018/19.
Now, the recumbent world isn't the biggest and it's pretty tricky to find places to try out a few without traveling 300km+ as it seems.
I am lucky enough to know someone who owns a few and is lending me his HPV Streetmachine. I really like this bike and will ask to take it on a weekend tour this year. However, there are also other bikes that sound appealing to me (Azub Max, due to 2x26' wheels).
The one recumbent bike store within ~100km that I am aware of does not seem to have any of the recumbents in stock that I am looking at.
Other than traveling to the Recumbent Cycle-Con in Nashville (or even the Spezi in Germersheim, Germany) - or knowing someone with the model, how can I compare a few models without buying? Any other tips I have missed?
Spending so much money on something without being able to try isn't quite appealing to me.
Thanks!