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!

That's the #1 problem. Recumbents are relatively expensive and the market is relatively small. Not many shops have more than one or two recumbents on the floor for you to sample. The used market is even worse, there's usually only one so you have nothing to compare it to.

Whatever your recumbent buying budget is, I think it's worth while to add around 10% to pay for a road trip to a recumbent specialty shop. Not only will they have several different styles and brands for you to see, but they will also be able to discuss things like transporting and storing a recumbent.

Bicycle Man has a very good reputation, and is in New York, which shares a border with Ontario. But, of course, they may be quite far from you.
Home - Bicycle Man
Lots of good info on their site.

Depends on where you are in Ontario. It's a pretty wide province. If you don't find anything by summer, you might consider looking at the Midwest Recumbent Rally in Wisconsin sponsored by the Hostel Shoppe. There are many manufacturers who bring bikes for test rides and there is a pretty good selection of used recumbents for sale. It is the first weekend in August this year: https://hostelshoppe.com/92/Midwest-Recumbent-Rally/

Actually, my GF and I are currently thinking of a two week tour that passes by just 60km of that place. Thank you, that is a really good tip :thumb: ...and they seem to have demos for what I am looking for. I'll contact that guy when the tour is set.

I also wasn't aware of the Midwest Recumbent Rally, I'll keep it in mind.

Dont overlook trikes either. They are great for touring since they have 3 wheels to share the load, and are a great camp site seat.

This doesn’t add much to answering your question, but I do want to say kudos to you for learning to ride a recumbent BEFORE test riding.

I’d never even sat on a recumbent prior to my “test ride” (more of a slow test wobble). Given that I could barely pedal up the block it was hard to tell the difference between any of the ones I rode. I chose based on budget, components and aesthetics.

If I were to test ride now that I’ve got a few hundred miles under my belt, it would be a very different situation.

My only other thought is that sometimes beginners get a “beginner” recumbent, then shortly outgrow it and want something that might be a little more advanced, different angles, etc. Nothing wrong with a recumbent which might be considered beginner, but keep in mind that with experience you might want something different. I’m only saying this because this had been my own tendency before. Now I buy things that are a tiny bit advanced for me, knowing that I’ll grow into it.

Thanks for your comments! :thumb: I have ridden a SWB, OSS recumbent tandem before for a full day, as well as the mentioned USS streetmachine. Those were very fine. I am thrilled by USS (!) touring recumbents, because there's nothing between me and the surroundings. It gets the 'recumbent grin' going in no time.

As for growing into a bike: this seems to be an especially important thing with recumbents, given their value and effort to get one. I am a bit cautious over picking one just because of internet research. Bikes feels very different on the internet, than in real life... I have heard comments along lines of 'growing into it' for the 2x26in wheels, compared to a 20/26 setup. I really would like to know how a 2x26 feels and how it feels on the long run, compared to 20/26.
Maybe, I'll start another thread some time about my specific desires and bikes to consider.

I am 5’6” with 41” X-seam and ended up getting the Bacchetta Giro A20. I considered the A26, sat on one in the shop and my feet could barely touch the ground. I think if I was doing long touring miles it would be great, even at my height. I ride in the city though, with lots of starts and stops, so the smaller front wheel lets me get my foot confidently down, as well as the height difference between the seat and bottom brackets is less than on the A26.

Not sure of your height or riding location would affect your decision, but it did for me. I’m interested in how your test rides go and what you learned. Please keep this thread updated.

I am almost 6' (and 43'' X-seam, if I remember correctly), so chances are higher I can touch the ground, I guess.

If this undertaking goes until the end, it will be a long project because I need to earn the funding for it first (in progress, at least ;)). I will keep this thread updated and may add one more specific to model selection (options).

Actually the bent shop here in lincoln tho small has 8 or 10 trikes and bent on sight most of the time. Trikes are selling very well.

Dana at Bent Up Cycles in California has a demo Azub Max for sale. He specifies that you need to be quite tall to fit one properly. In the meanwhile, there is the Azub Six . . . .

I heartily agree it would be worth visiting a recumbent specialty shop to narrow down the choices.

They may be rather distant, but a visit could well be money well spent.... I recommend you travel either to Hostel Shoppe in Wisconsin or AngleTech in Colorado Springs, Colorado to test ride a variety of bikes and trikes and then make an informed decision.

Have seen the ad, but it's sold.
I'm hoping that I will be traveling to/through California using a recumbent already ;)

Thanks Tony for the Wisconsin tip. I'll keep it on my list :thumb:

I'll second the Hostel Shoppe recommendation. Have never been there but have bought lots of 'bent stuff from them, including a RANS tandem. (Without a test ride, which sometimes works out just fine. :) )

20/26 vs 26/26
 

[QUOTE=alias5000;20186809
....I really would like to know how a 2x26 feels and how it feels on the long run, compared to 20/26.
Maybe, I'll start another thread some time about my specific desires and bikes to consider.[/QUOTE]

I agree with others -if you can arrange a trip to a well stocked bent shop, by all means do it. I started my Bent experience with a used, entry level Sun EZ Sport CX which is the 20/26 setup. I still have this bike and ride it occasionally. It’s a bit on the heavy side, but a good bike for the price. My next Bent was a Rans Stratus XP which has 26 front and back. I like this bike a lot. It’s lighter and much faster than the EZ Sport. I’ve also ridden a Rans Stratus LE which is 20/26. I don’t understand the science behind it, but the 26/26 seems faster. In my experience, the biggest difference between a 20 and 26 in the front is the ride quality. Cracks in the pavement, potholes, and the occasional rumble strip will shake your eyeballs out with a 20” wheel, while the 26 rolls over them much easier and smoother. Personally, I would stay away from the 20” front wheel on a touring bike for these reasons, and I don’t have to carry two sizes of spare tubes. I’m a big guy, so I pull a Burley Nomad trailer when touring to minimize weight on the bike. Both of my bikes handle the trailer with no problem. Happy Trails!

I am in Ontario as well and in the market for a recumbent due to not being able to ride.

I was thinking about making the trip to Bicycle Man in NY as well to test ride a Bacchetta A70. I am just worried about being hit with duty, which along with tax would be 26% pushing the cost to $4000 cnd. There is alos Hamilton Bike N Bent locally. I may also check them out, but they don't carry Baccheta.

Just tour back from the bicycle man and it'll look like you've made a bike tour into and out of the states... :innocent:
I'm most likely going to visit that shop when doing a tour nearby (hopefully) in May. If that will not happen (work related issues, or really bad weather), I will drive down for a visit.
Might have to find some way to honor that guy's time without a clear commitment to buy (from him), if importing becomes an issue.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. European SWB 20/26 recumbents seem to be very much relying on front suspension. The streetmachine I've ridden felt like it does profit from front suspension in normal city riding alone. But it would still slow down the bike, I guess.
Now, I'm even more intrigued to try out a 26/26 SWB :)

Where are you in Ontario? You might check out https://www.ucycle.com in Toronto. They usually have a number of 2 and 3 wheel bents which you can take out for a spin. That's where I started 15 years ago. I didn't buy from them, but found a small dealer in Orillia that sold Catrikes off his dining room table, literally. My "Expedition" is great for fully loaded touring, pulling a Bob trailer easily with all my gear. I just had to tweak the gears a little so I had a really good "low" for hill climbing. Good luck in your research. Mike

Thanks, Mike. Toronto is within reach. The trike bug hasn't bitten me, yet, so I'm more into 2 wheel recumbents. From the brands they carry, it's mostly HPV I think I'd be interested in and I've already tested the Streetmachine. I've sent them an email about stock bikes.

Things have moved a bit since and I thought, I'd update this thread. Recumbent bike funds have now become available, so I spent more time thinking about actually spending this money. With the Canadian Dollar being a bit weak, and Azub having increased prices, a new recumbent is now even more out of the reasonable range of money to spend on a bike for me. Further testing of the HPV Streetmachine GTE has left me with grin and comfort, and the used market heavily leans towards HP Velotechnik and less to Azub Max's. Secondly, the planned bike tour that would pass by close to the Bicycle Man is on hold due to sports health issues within the team, and visiting a store knowing that I am not going to buy new leaves me uncomfortable. The logical conclusion is to enter the HP Velotechnik Streetmachine used market. I have seen quite a few nice ads recently on Craigslist and bentrider and one of them will be mine.
The difference between 20/26 and 26/26 (untested) isn't worth multiple thousands of dollars to me right now.

Thank you for all of your opinions. It is good to know who is around and I am very happy to have learned about (20/26 vs.) 26/26 experiences. Funny enough: out of these conversations, someone else around me is now looking to buy a used Azub Max.

Watch Craigslist for something - anything - with a different seat. You could test without buying (just don't tell the seller you have no intention of buying.) A Bacchetta can take one of several seats, so testing different seats may let you find a solution. Carbon seats tend to be love/hate, depending on if it fits.