First of all, I'd love to see that artical so I could read it for myself. There are exceptions to everything but in this case I think she is off base. The comment about breakage is null and void. I've been around recumbents in either clubs, rides, or my own ownership of these wonderful bikes and trikes for 8 years. I've been around people that have had broken chains (3 out of hundreds and hundreds) and all broke at the link. As far as her comments about gravity...........I wouldn't know how to answer that. She sounds like an "OVERTHINKER" which I brushed shoulders with when in engineering projects at a well known research centre in N.Cal. These people always think there is "wormy wood somewhere" and most often "outthink" themselves. Now, lets get back to realality and practicallity. There are three (3) things a bike and/or trike does: Up hill, down hill and flats. The recumbents win 2 of the 3 hands down. They are not the best over-all up hill. Now, having said that, if you were to ride a DF (diamond frame) up a hill while doing it sitting, the same results would be achieved. Now lets get to the primary issue of your inquirey.........How about my knees? If you have ever gone to a workout center you can use a horizonal or parallel leg press machine that allows you to lay on your back oe sit with you back against a solid and raise or push weight with your legs only. The average person can do 300 to 400 lbs. you can not push down that much weight by pulling on your handlebars. With a recumbnet you are able to push harder because you push against your back.........Now the problem.....Because of this machanical advantage you can do damage to your knees if you tend to mash instead of spinning as you should. Also, it hasn't been proven, but I would tend to think that short chanks (150mm to 110mm) might help. Now what to buy. For climbing the best is the RANS Rocket or any bike or trike with a high BB or crank center to your hips. This is also true with trikes. Hopefully this has been some help to you and maybe some others with the same questions.