In a way recumbent trikes are a safety device. In really windy conditions if a cross wind is blowing from the right, trying to blow you in front of traffic trikes are a great deal less affected.

If you have to ask you'll likely never understand.

Not true at all. Asking is good, in this case, trying is better.

Yes trying Is better but I'm quickly learning triking is best

I have to agree. It's like an Easy Chair that takes you places. No sore butt, no numbness in the ...er you know where... or the hands. And you don't have to straddle the top bar at stops. I wouldn't trade my EZ-1 for anything.

Just an observation.... there is no law that says you have to settle for one or the other. You can have a 'bent' and standard bikes as well. Just ride the one you feel like riding at the time. I have 12 bikes of all kinds, except for electric or motorized. I ride them all.

I kept both my road bike and my mtn bike for a while after I bought my bent. The problem is even ~10 days without riding the upright, and there's a painful re-acclimitization when going back to riding a road saddle. I don't have that anymore with my recumbent, which is why I don't have uprights anymore.

I realize a lot of people can do both. For me, though, there's no reason to keep a bike I would almost never ride. My next purchase will be an offroad capable trike.

I ride my bent most of the time as well, but I just couldn't bring myself to parting with my old friends. I now have 1 bent and 12 standard bikes. I ride them all every so often.

My next bike will be a Go Plus Tricycle, 8-speed.

I just recently got my first Tadpole trike,
Terratrike Rambler All Terrain.
Love the ride, It's a keeper

Congrats on the new ride. Post a picture in the pictures thread when you can!

It has benefits like some other workout equipment. Help increase muscle strength, lose weight, reduce stress ... In addition, Recumbent Bike is very suitable for the elderly, people with back pain. More details you can see at: https://www.bestforlives.com/best-re...-bike-reviews/

I have no problem with them . I'll probably by out enjoying one if - when I need one.
I have never been passed by one, but only for the timing. Those things can get out and scoot!

Oh sure, recumbents are OK for people who have physical disabilities like trikes for poor balance; and some bents are OK for various back ailments - on an individual basis. I originally went to bents for hand pain and shortly after than I discovered their speed capabilities. While many bents are designed for comfort first and speed isn't even on the to-do list, others are very capable of going fast. Once I discovered THOSE recumbents, there was no going back! Just a couple of years ago, at 60+, I recorded a 50-miler at 26 mph average speed. That would have been impossible for a younger me to do on my old road bike! I sort of regret not having one to train on when I was younger.

Recumbents joining club rides is problematic because the speed envelope is different: slower up hills, faster going down. Also, upright riders get surprised when something rides up alongside below their normal sight-line. Horses for courses...

My club is quite accepting of recumbents. I rarely ride in the pack; usually you'll find me hanging off the back, or if everyone is running a single line, I may be up at the front alongside whoever is currently pulling. In short, my position in the group is cognizant of the fact that I'm a lousy draft. When I'm at the back, I'm usually far enough back that I'm not getting a 'free' draft and only pile up behind them if they slow down unexpectedly.

I find it funny that cyclists will complain about car drivers only looking out for other cars and thus not seeing the cyclists - but then they turn around and do the same thing by only looking for cyclists who are at their height. If they looked for a wheel alongside of them, they'd see the 'bent every time, even a lowracer. There's a tandem in my club with a blind stoker. She says she can always tell I'm passing because of the distinctive hollow 'whoosh' sound my lowracer makes.

My natural rhythm for hills is different than theirs, though; and it's often easiest to go off the front, take the hill, and wait for everyone at the top. By the time they get there, I've had a nice rest. Hanging back and taking the hills like an upright makes for a good interval workout - loaf on the flats, charge the climb, ride the brakes on the downhill.

I'm 62 and just had cervical fusion. The Dr. says a trike type bent could get me back on the road faster. What would you suggest for a guy who doesn't like to ride slow?

Depends on your definition of "slow".

What specific joint on your body was fused? how recent was the procedure?

What's your eventual "goal"? to be back on an upright road bike, racing with cat.3s? riding weekly century on weekends?

I had 3 neck vertebrae fused (C4-6) 2 weeks ago. My preferred type of cycling is touring, Randonneuring and ultra-distance racing. Doc said he would put me on the fast track. On the trainer and Rouvy now. Maybe actual cycling in a month. Concerned that my ROM may be too limited for certain positions, mostly the aerobars. Although I'm in a more relaxed position.

Not a trike. Get a high-racer or mid-racer type bent instead.

The doc may be worried about falls. A spill from a bike with just-beginning-to-heal spinal fusion could be life-altering.

Gif: there are some faster trikes around. They generally have skinny tires, 700C rear wheels, and a a more laid-back position. The ICE Sprint X comes to mind: https://www.icetrikes.co/products/sp...ecumbent-trike

Also Bacchetta Carbon Trike, Greenspeed Aero, and Catrike 700. Trikes are always at a disadvantage in the speed department, due to multiple factors. If you want speed but are reluctant to chance a fall, I recommend a lowracer. Falling from 10 inches is a non-event - you may lose some skin but there's no impact damage.

There seems to be an assumption here - that trikes are much more immune to falls. If you roll a trike, your neck is probably going to see some trauma. Is it safer than a bike? Yeah, probably. But to hear of a newb rolling their trike isn't all that rare. Just pointing out that there is still a non-negligible risk with any type of (non-stationary) cycle. And it's unavoidable that the trike will be slower, even if it's a racy trike. If you are trying to recovery from neck fusion, you probably will have to accept a new normal. It's also important to note that neck fusion may prevent one from riding some of the faster unfaired bents out there, because a low seat angle would point your face skyward, not down the road.

I see mostly high racers on the brevets I ride. This Corsa in Norfolk looks good like a decent place to start. Can't ever remember seeing a trike other than a velomobile.

I think you need to be patient.

Determine your ROM and ability to ride after you've gone through at least 2 weeks of rehab, ask your PT whether he/she would clear you for cycling on public roads.
Once cleared by PT & physician for cycling, then start to look at your budget.

Personally, I started riding after long recovery, too..
I started with a used $450 Vision R40 and tried 5 or 6 more higher end recumbents.. and still enjoy riding my Vision R40 more than others.
I modified the seat on my R40 to be a hardshell seat with headrest, which made the bike better suited for longer distance.
50-60 miles on a single ride is very easily accomplished.



I personally find trikes unattractive, due to how much road width they take up, and the difficulty of transporting them; even though most rides I do are right from my driveway.

I think I understand now. When I think of recumbent, I am wrongly just thinking of a part of the broad group that includes the trike type bikes that are hugging the ground. My only (at least now anyway) reason for asking about what in my mind was a recumbent, is taking the balance factor out of the equation. So basically I was looking for something with 3 wheels that could get me on the road faster because falls may have less of a chance of happening. I'm thinking right now, if there is a major performance hit with the 3 wheeled variety, I'll wait it out and stick with my DF. At least for now anyway.