This is how I acquired my recumbent. Myself and three friends were riding out in the mountains west of Las Vegas Nevada. We rode every weekend and we rode the best road bikes. We were in very good condition and were in training for an event in Atlanta Georgia. You may have heard about the bomb exploded at that event, years ago.
To continue;
We encountered a very fit and skillful individual who was riding a Linear recumbent and the race was on. None of us ever saw a recumbent and we did not know what is was.
We could not pass him on the hills, he tore away from us on the down hill runs and took the turns like like a race car, and waxed us on the flat straight highway. He waved good by as he left us in the dust. We do not know who he was.
Years later I saw a Linear recumbent for sale, out in Nevada, and I recalled how fast the recumbent was that we raced. I bought the recumbent, thinking I could ride fast,but I am not fast with it. And forget the hills!
I am fast with the road bike, but the recumbent is just a fun bike to ride. I ride them both.