hi, active cyclist here who had rotator-cuff repair surgery a month ago. it could be months until I am cleared to ride a regular bike, given both the extension necessary to ride one and the risk of falling.

I'm wondering, could I possibly ride a recumbent bike in the meantime? That would solve the falling issue (I think), but I am not sure how much arm extension is required.

Any insights appreciated.

Riding a recumbent TRIKE would solve the falling problem. You could still fall from a recumbent bike, although you wouldn't be falling from as high up (depending on which recumbent bike you're talking about.) Definitely less shoulder strain and range-of-motion required, though; I ride mine with my elbows at my sides.

elbows at your sides?!? that sounds great. any particular model to look for? I am completely new to the genre, not even sure which stores carry them.

If this is a temporary thing, you might look into getting a used one. Older RANS recumbents almost all used some type of 'praying hamster' steering. Lightning bikes also used it. Some recumbent bikes and virtually all recumbent trikes use some form of under-seat steering, which would also put your elbows at your sides.

LOL at "praying hamster".

If the main consideration is not crashing and re-injuring your shoulder, I would stay away from two wheeled recumbents. Every one of the recumbent riders I know (including me) has crashed on occasion. You live in a section of the country that gets a real winter with snow and ice. That's an additional factor to consider. Trikes are really nice for eliminating that problem but the good ones are very expensive and the cheap ones come with significant limitations (weight, gear range, component quality, and durability).

I would strongly suggest you take a road trip to a recumbent specialty store. A typical bike shop that stocks a couple of recumbents isn't good enough. There are several quite different recumbent bike/trike designs and they all ride a little differently. Under seat steering, common on tadpole design trikes, won't put very much stress on your repaired shoulder, but might not provide enough elbow support to be comfortable.

There are also storage and transportation issues with recumbents that are a little different than conventional bicycles. A recumbent specialty store will have solutions to offer you.

Be prepared that once you get acclimated to riding a recumbent you might not want to go back.

[QUOTE=BlazingPedals;18336283]Riding a recumbent TRIKE would solve the falling problem. You could still fall from a recumbent bike, although you wouldn't be falling from as high up (depending on which recumbent bike you're talking about.) Definitely less shoulder strain and range-of-motion required, though; I ride mine with my elbows at my sides.[/QUOTE
Without a doubt a trike would work great for you. That is a tadpole trike. Your arms pretty much fall to your side, and there of course is no weight on your hands, arm, or shoulder.

I had rotator cuff surgery last January. My doc wouldn't let me ride my bent until June.

Depending on how much damage you had, even riding a bent can be painful. Mine was pretty bad, so now, almost 10 months later, my shoulder still bothers me after an hour or so of riding my bent. On long rides, I often ride one-handed, with my "bad" arm draped across my chest to give my shoulder a break.

That was my experience too. With under seat steering you still have some tension on your shoulder due to the weight of your upper arm. I even tried riding with my arm in a sling. For me, riding with above seat hamster bars was much more comfortable.

Had a rotator cuff repair done this year. Doc let me ride seven weeks after surgery, and I went back to work two months and a week after. Hope all this wasn't too soon. Been riding a Cruzbike QX100 since Thanksgiving this year.