When asked why I ride one, I always start out by saying, "Let's put it this way...I wish I had gotten one years ago."

YUP------------got my first one 10 years ago, and wish I had gotten one 30 years ago.

Got my first one 20 years ago, wish I had gotten one earlier too.

Makes an excellent touring machine

Faster. I got mine because it's faster than my DF. I love the fact that the increased aero produces such a noticeable result. I had a terrible time trying to break 50 mph on my DF, now I do that regularly.

All the other stuff mentioned are pleasant side benefits (which I very much appreciate).

Another benefit that I didn't see mentioned and one that wasn't a reason for me to get a bent - but still pretty cool >> Applause. In all my years of riding DFs, I never once had anyone look up, see me coming down the road, stand up & start clapping for me. I've been riding my bent for a little over one year & this has happened multiple times (& no, I'm not even including all the "Cool", "That's great", "Wow", etc comments that regularly come my way).

... and yes, I do wish I had gotten one years ago. Although I've always enjoyed riding my DF(s), once I started riding my Musashi, I felt I was made for this...

Edited

'Applause' Wow that's a new one, cool beans

Because I'm smarter than I look....

Another reason has been on the internet. Someone had a camera aimed out the back of his car. Along comes this DF rider with his head down and just flat slams into the back of the car full speed.

What I find funny is when discussing DF vs Bents, DF riders all claim they do not stare down at there front wheel. Well now there is video proof that at least one does!!!!

As was mentioned, aerodynamics are vastly improved on a recumbent, even just a high racer. Comfort is huge, and if that were the only gain that'd be worth it to me.

To illustrate this in a more tangible way, I have compared electric bicycles using a vision R54 and an upright. With an average speed of 20mph for both bikes I'd have a watt hour per mile of around 13 on recumbent and 26 on an upright.

This different in aerodynamics, of course, matters more and more at faster speeds, OR, with greater headwinds. Whats that I say? Yes, on a windy days it's way way better to be on a recumbent no matter your average speed.

For me, all the reasons in the first posts, plus got really tired of getting wet and blown around in bad weather. So a recumbent trike with fairing was the way to go for me (I couldn't afford a proper velomobile at the time). Current ride: Steintrike Nomad Sport + Leitra Wildcat nose fairing + Novosport tailbox.

Because they look cool- especially when they're going almost 40 mph on the flats

Why? It's more fun.

SP
OC, OR

No pain, better view, and safer!!!

^ All the above

Greater endurance also. When you start out on a ride, you have just so much "stored energy" on board. Bent riders do not have to use part of this energy holding up their torso and head. Trike riders dont even have to expend energy balancing their trikes. All that energy not used can be fed into the legs for longer or faster rides.

Energy used to hold up torso and head on an upright bike - negligible. Same for energy used to balance a bicycle. How much energy is required to keep from falling down while standing up?

I use a TON of upper body when I ride my mountain bike, I have to keep my abs, shoulders, back and arms in good shape...

But then again I am out of the saddle quite often..

Maybe you'd like MBB bike where you can use your upper body if you want to (you can also not use it; it's pretty much up to you...)

Then you can look at all the peripheral reasons for riding a bent.
You dont have to buy high priced clothes to protect you from your bike.
You dont spend a great deal of riding time staring down at your front wheel.
You dont spend big bucks trying to find a saddle that may lower the pain.
You do sit upright and have a great view of the world you are riding thru.
After riding 15 miles you dont have to jump off your bent to shake out your hands and pick at your laundry.
After riding 15 miles you dont walk funny when you stop and get off your bent.
You dont have to lie to the other guys that your saddle causes you no pain at all.

Being a brand new tadpole rider I can agree with most of the above. Especially about it being fun. However I must throw a spanner in the cogs......I have ridden DF for more years than I care to admit to. I have only been ridding the tad for several days and one of my knees is starting go give me problems which I don't ever remember being a problem in the years past. Of course I was never 68 before either. I guess time will tell.

1) Check to make sure your bottom bracket is the correct distance. Just like a DF, having the seat too high/too low can hurt your knees.

2) With a trike, it's possible to really push hard on the pedals with your back planted in your seat. If that's what's hurting your knees, well, don't do that.

Knee pain. You loose the advantage of your body and leg weight pushing down with gravity when on a bent...
Spinning become more Important.
Mashing become more dangerous....Partly because your using your engines differently.
The 'Bent Rider Online ' Forum people know a lot about these Issues..Go talk to them...
Factors I had to consider while doing my Tour Easy fine tune....
Seat angle,
Pedal to seat back distance,
Crank arm length,
Handle bar height and pull back.
Etc......

The ride for me Is completely pain free, I get bored or tired before I get pain but I don't ride that far.
Setup and fit is still critical but you must not forget that you are using your body differently so you will need miles to get your, 'Bent Legs'...

TANSTAAFL: "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch",
As Robert A. Heinlein said In one of my favorite stories... The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

I have to disagree. Immediately after I got my first bent, a Rans Tainwind, when I got home from one of my usual 4 30 mile routes, I got home early and felt less tired. All 4 routes have been extended by at least one third.

A friend of mine riding a Bachetta was having knee pain. Ultimately, it all came down to getting things adjusted just so. One of the issues she thought fixed it was getting the right thickness of cushion under her- that had a similar effect on geometry to moving a saddle fore or aft on an upright bike, and wasn't an adjustment you'd necessarily think to make. Anyway, she just finished another (hilly) 1200k on the bike. So don't give up too soon.

On the original question- the recumbent riders I've asked all had a single specific reason they switched- it wasn't a Troy-Bilt laundry list of how everything was perfect- bad backs, saddle issues, neck pain, circulation issues in the groin area, etc. One of them just finished a transcontinental ride on his upright bike, another is now riding an upright bike again, so people do switch back and forth as they feel like it.