Recumbents are way too expensive. I know it is a function of supply and demand, and how there is no mass market for them, but still.

Is there any way to get a decent setup for q reasonable price?

New? What is your budget? If you buy one of the budget priced recumbent bikes or trikes, expect a fair number of compromises when it comes to gear range, component quality, and weight. That's not much different from DF bikes but the starting price point is much higher.

Depends on where you live but the best way to find an affordable recumbent is to buy a used one. That's not without problems if you are clueless as to what makes a decent recumbent. Among my two wheeled recumbents are a Linear long wheelbase that I bought for $500 and an Haluzak Horizon bought for $850 (years ago). Both are good quality, lightweight bikes and I got a lot of miles on them for what I paid.

Price is a common complaint. Big-name manufacturer can cover the cost of building the frame with their volume discounts on parts. All of the recumbent manufacturer combined couldn't generate enough volume to do that. That's just the way it is, and the way it'll always be if recumbents don't get waaaay more popular than they are now.

Best bang-for-buck on new recumbents seems to be Performer. They're sort of the bikesdirect of the recumbent world. Not quite as refined or lightweight as something from a 'brand name' maker, but more likely to nearly hit your price point -- whatever that is.

The complaint is hollow. I see tons of very good, nearly new bents on FB and CL for very reasonable prices.

I was at the supermarket yesterday. My supermarket (Fred Meyers) has a sporting goods area and they do sell bicycles <shudder> and I saw a few being wheeled up to the check-out aisles. Cabin fever doncha know. Still, Fred Meyers? Whee doggie. With that kind of low expectation by the bicycle buying public is it any wonder that the only thing we ever hear about recumbents is that they are "too expensive"? Actually it is hard to find a recumbent bike much over $2K! Seriously. Performer OWNS the recumbent bike high ground now that Optima, Challenge, Raptobike, etc. and etc. are gone. Trikes ... Performer will soon own it all. Greenspeed is on life support. Catrike will remain a worthy competitor, as will ICE and HP Velotechnik and others. Still ... if you include trikes there isn't much that you can't buy for under $5K. That's what a full carbon racing DF from a mid-tier mass marketer costs. People routinely spend $10K on racing DF's. Enthusiasts, of course, a tiny fraction of a tiny fraction of American sports equipment consumers.

Well, not that my bents are high-end carbon or anything, (because they aren't)... but when people ask how much they cost and subsequently gasp, I basically ask them this: If they were planning a cross-country tour in a car, would they do it in a cheap used jolopy that was (in their mind) "a great deal"?

You get what you pay for. Try buying a Walmart "mountain bike" and try riding the Porcupine Rim Trail in Moab.
That Walmart bike wouldn't last 15 minutes.

Right now I would only buy a used good recumbent. As the resale prices are really low. Stay away from any bike sold by a department or box stores as they are junk made to last maybe 15 to 20 miles.

I bought my bent bike new in 2011 for $700. I added about $400 worth of accessories to make it a good commuter, but that's not an unreasonable price for a good but not super high end DF bike.

Sure there are a lot of higher end, more expensive bikes and trikes, but if price is your main driver, you might just have to look at some of the off brands that aren't necessarily made or marketed in the US.

I think TW-bents may still have a few vendors in the US. The guy I bought mine from used to be 'Action Bents' in WA.

If you ride it, the price of the base bike is almost inconsequential I paid $1000 for my used recumbent, and now I've ridden 50,000 miles, so the base bike cost is $0.02 per mile. You'll spend more over time on everything that wears out or that you want to improve (tires, brake pads, chain, cables, etc.), and if I was to sell it for half what I paid then that cuts my per mile cost to a penny. If you don't ride it, and then sell it, the cost of buying and selling used is minimal as most of them hold their value reasonably well once someone else has bought it new and then sold it on to you. There are a lot of well cared for and lightly used recumbents out there.

Bicycles are the ultimate status symbol. Park a $30,000 boat and trailer in your driveway and your neighbors might not even notice. Casually let it drop that you paid $3,000 dollars for a recumbent bike that you still have to pedal and they'll think you must be crazy with money.

Quoted for truth. The two wheel recumbent market is depressed and prices are very good.

Even the trike market is somewhat bloated and there are some decent buys, the problem is that trikes are expensive when new and even at 50% of original price, they still may be too high priced for the OP.

I got a used recumbent last season for $450. Ended up getting new wheels and a few other things so I'm probably up to ~$750. That's not much more than a similar quality upright. I don't see myself ever buying a new one, but I don't buy new uprights either.

I just bought a used recumbent tandem in good shape for $350 off Craigslist.

A good recumbent that's comfortable and that you like to ride is a lot cheaper than a gym membership.I have a Sun EZ Sport AX with over 35,000 miles on it and I've never regretted the $1500.00 it cost me. Nor the upgrades I've added to it over the years It's been a source of wonderful exercise and very enjoyable ridng Even with maintenance & upgrades, it has cost less than my wifes ongoing gym membership and the fancy workout clothes she has.

If you are serious about bicycling as a source of exercise, you'll pay the freight wilingly. If you're not serious, you'll gripe about the cost now matter how much it is. A lot of serious budget minded bicyclists buy used and then rehab the bike themselves. This saves them plenty. bk

TerraTrike has a few models of new recumbent trikes that are not too expensive. And then as others mentioned, scan the usual sources for used.

Worrying about the cost of an entry bent reminds me of all the newbs in the other forums who post for advice buying a bike. They can't decide between one hybrid for $430 or another for $440 and won't buy until they can identify which one is the "better deal." At the low end, bents cost more. In the middle range, they're about the same as uprights. At the high end, ... well, the high end is almost entirely uprights - or velomobiles (but they're a different class of vehicle.)

Yeah. My used, 5 year old velo cost more than every bike I've ever owned to that point, combined.

It will pay for itself, though, as my actual gas powered vehicle use has dropped to near zero.

Two wheel recumbents don't sell that well anymore and used ones can be found cheap if you scan the most common sites regularly. I have accumulated 5 used recumbent bikes in the past 3 years.
- BikeE regular frame
- BikeE XL frame
- BikeE tandem (BikeE2)
- Lightning Phantom
- Bacchetta Strada.
In average I paid about $200 per bike.

Terra Trike Rambler All Terrain Is how I roll, $2499
Great frame, Great ride, I needed the fatter mtb tires, the 24" wheel's and low gearing.
Gear system is mid range, works but I want better, I will up grade to Shimano XT level when I wear out my cassette and chain.

This Is my Gravel grinder I do lots of long 12 to 13% grades

very good point, just make sure it is comfortable and ride it till you are tired....over and over again....doesn't matter if it just a BSO, or RSO. this is how we make the most out of it.
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"BSO" covers it all. Recumbents are bikes (or trikes.)

I consider the original complaint just someone whining that they can's afford one. The problem is, every time in the past when an inexpensive bent was offered, the cry became "yeah but it doesn't have full suspension, the components are <105, doesn't come in red..." So there's no pleasing people; they're just looking for an excuse and price is a convenient one.

Estate Sales.. you cant take bit with you , not Pharaoh ?

If I may be so bold...

RANS Wave recumbent for sale in VA

The cheapest recumbent is the one you only have to buy once. Half stepping is usually pretty expensive.

Used TourEasy for sale in the bike shop , local to me.

the company that made them : Easy Racers Recumbent Bicycles | Bicycles