Oh Im quite sure that all DF riders are perfect and clip in at the first try.

See post # 95

Wait-wait-wait.......YOU participated in a ride of silence?

OP should start a thread listing all of the people on BF he alone converted to trikes.

I dont know about on BF, but a lot of people stop me on the trails to ask me about both my bike and trike. I give them the business card of the local bent shop. I do know of at least 2 or 3 that have bought trikes.

After several test rides I can say I don't find recumbent bikes practical... They seem comfortable for the flats where you don't have cars to deal with. When I have cars I want to be able to pivot my head around which isn't nearly as easy when reclining and they seem to require mirrors for any rear visibility. The 2 wheelers were the most maneuverable, but I wouldn't want to ride through the city or tight spaces. I don't see them being easy to bail off of, maybe rolling to the side but wouldn't likely get far enough away to avoid a wreckless car. The selection of tires for most of them seems pretty limited at least on the small front wheels, so good luck finding something puncture resistant for commuting. Ithink all of these reasons explain why I see lots of spandex racers with recumbents on bike trails, but almost no recumbents actually commuting through the city very often.

Strava says I have 15k miles on my current recumbent. The previous one probably had more but I didn't have Strava back then. Longest single day ride was 400 miles, and longest event was over 900 miles.

I also have an upright MTB, rando bike, commuter, and (as of today) a CX bike.

Longest single ride on an upright would be 400k/260 miles, and longest event 600k/370 miles.

For comfort, the 'bent is untouchable. True story: on a 1000k brevet, we stopped for a quick nap. The upright guys lay down on the wet grass, while I stayed clipped in, leaned against the fire station, and had a good snooze - because my 'bent seat was the most comfortable thing around even after a few hundred miles.

For speed on the flats and downhills, solo, the 'bent is also untouchable. No contest.

For climbs, anything above 2% the upright reigns. The steeper the grade, the bigger the difference. I don't know why. Don't care. It just is.

For group riding, upright is the way to go. The 'bent sucks in groups, particularly if there is any terrain. I've ridden two 1000ks with groups, in terrain, and it's a pain. I killed myself to stay with them climbing, rode the brakes descending, and loafed on the flats. The draft behind me is sub-par, and I can't see my front wheel well enough to draft closely.

For fun? Just plain enjoyment of riding a bicycle? Upright. I don't know what the magic is that comes with a lively upright, but there's nothing like it.

I find recumbent evangelizing to be silly, and people who'd rather be shot than ride one to be equally silly. If I had the dollars and space, I'd have a velomobile, FWD 'bent, carbon road bike, fixie, SS, tandem, and a 36" unicycle. It's all good.

I'm gonna flag that last post ^^^ so that any time I feel that perverse desire to get a 'bent -- which admittedly creeps up every few years -- I can re-read downtube42's astute litany and remind myself that no, I don't want to own one.

Maybe just borrow one...

Except his experience is not universal. My bent climbing is only very slightly shy of my upright climbing. Some folks never get the knack of it.

Both platforms are fun.

Fair point, but I was referring to his comments about group riding as much as his comments about climbing.

Hills are the main problem when riding with uprights.

The other incompatibility goes the other way. The bent rider has to lollygag on the flats. Although this is a nice problem to have.

High speed pacelines are a compatability problem, but if the group riding is more a loose bunch, the bent rider (on a high racer) doesn't really have much trouble fitting in.

I biked to work on recumbent bikes frequently Spring - Fall for about 12 years. (Now retired.) Riding from the suburbs to a hospital in downtown Indy. Not NYC but lots of traffic. Correct that cannot turn around to look to the rear but mirrors work well for that. Take-a-Look mirror is great. Suitable 20"/406 tires are available - maybe less so during covid times but that is true for many bike parts. Never felt the need to jump off of my bike to avoid a wild car.

I unfortunately have jumped over a car hood. I survived, but the bike didn't. I wouldn't have had time to react if I was lower and couldn't see over the parked cars she was popping out from. Also a few times I almost ran rattle snakes over and was able to have my whole body probably out of striking range simply by lifting my legs up.
I know about mirrors since my bikes, motorcycles and even cars have all had them, but they all had blind spots to check for.
maneuverability, vantage point, and visibility were by far the biggest negatives to me.

I sometimes complain that there are so few bent riders in my club, but that's only because I wish there were more guys who could give me a little challenge. On the other side of the coin, loafing while everyone else is working hard is sort of fun. But every once in a while I need to warn them the Happy Feet are taking over and I'll wait up for them somewhere down the road a bit.

Holy bottom bracket! I read the whole thread and I think Steamers post says it best. If your not having fun why bother? I own three really great 'wedgie' bikes and one fine recumbent. I mostly ride my Haluzak these days as it is far more enjoyable, read comfortable, than the others. If we ride trails it's on the MTB, tarmac or gravel the recliner is the go to ride. Steep hills require a wedgie. If I had acquired a recumbent years ago I would have those "bent legs" and the wedgies would not have seen as much use. Having worked in sawmills for 30 years, riding dirt bikes and snow skiing for fun has left me a bit beat up to say the least. I ride to share my faith, stay in shape and have way more FUN than I deserve!

Cheers, MAC

Scenic Drive, Trinidad CA

As Steamer says, YMMV. My M5 gives up very little to the uprights in my group on climbs. I got it specifically because its height lets it blend in with the group better than my lowracers, which are admittedly a bit anti-social.

Well, I believe in diversity. I have SEVEN recumbents. The only kind I do not have is a MBB Cruzbike type. NEVER do I get the desire to haul out one of my two uprights to ride.

My fastest so far is a Rapbobike FWD low racer. But fast often means twitchy and punishing ride. I would never ride the Rapto on a century.

For long distance I would use my LWB faired Goldrush with Rotor crank.

The most comfortable so far is my old Vision R-40 USS, although my Barcroft Dakota with Tweener bars and Rans seat comes close.

My Rans V-Rex with suspension fork is not fast, but is a good errands around town bike, smoothing out the bumps.

My latest is a used Challenge Serian SL with USS. But like the Raptobike, it is twitchy and demands attention. I wrecked 2nd time out with it and broke a vertebra. I am going to fatter tires!

So I agree that variety is nice, and there is an optimum bike for every task. Don't have any desire for a trike, though. They are not practical for driving on the road and are hard to transport, heavier, and more expensive.

I think a trike with an aerodynamic cover would be a wonderful touring machine out West in cooler months but would be a bear in Appalachia.

Horses for courses.

I'd guess my preference would be 75% bents for touring and 25% uprights. Alps? Upright. Anywhere west of the Mississippi (except southern Misery), give me a good climbing bent.

Don't understand most of these comments. What is the big deal about rear view mirrors? Easy to mount except on USS bikes. Better than turning your head around anyway. Do you not use rear view mirrors in a car?

I have ridden my bents in Atlanta downtown traffic for 25 years. Get noticed more than upright bikes, especially with my high-end day taillights. Easy to put my feet down on both sides while still on the seat when stopped.

I have been hit identically by passing car mirror on upright bikes and bents. MUCH less damage on a recumbent, because your butt takes the impact. On uprights, it is over-the-handlebars your head goes. So many upright cyclists end up paralyzed in Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta. That being said, HighRacers are my least favorite bent because of the higher distance for your butt to fall.

Can't understand the comment of lack of tire sizes. Maybe not at your local shop, but there are all sorts of 20" tires from slim to fat available. Rear is usually 750, 26", or rarely 650. No shortage of tires there either. Schwalbe is my fav for puncture resistance.

You can never climb as fast on a bent because:

1. You cannot stand up and apply your weight to the pedals.
2. With the exception of MBB bents, you cannot utilize your arms to get the pedals down.

Bents win on flats and downhills every time, but lose on the uphills. But some bents like Cruzbike come close on uphills.

Bikes would be different if the notorious International Cycling Federation had not banned them from competition when a French cyclist started winning on one in 1934.

How about up hill into a really bad wind?

The more the headwind, the more advantage recumbents have, as they are usually more aerodynamic, especially low racers.

But again, one cannot stand on the pedals, so you are at a disadvantage going uphill.

Saying that recumbents have a speed advantage is ignoring the sheer variety of recumbents. Some are more aero than upright, some are worse. A Bike-E or a ReBike will never be faster than a road bike. Neither will most trikes. The bents that can actually beat a road bike are few and far between.

You have a point. There might be 3 people in the USA that still ride their Rebikes. Never made any claims for trikes.

ON AVERAGE, the average recumbent is faster than the average road bike. Add a partial or full fairing and there is no contest.

But you are right, speed depends on the design of the bike. A low racer like the M5, Nocom, or my Raptobike FWD are the fastest, although the Cruzbike Vendetta with its reclined rider position may be almost as good.

If recumbents are not competitive speed wise, why did they bother banning them from competition? If you can't beat them, ban them, I guess.

Yes back in the early 30s a second level racer was beating all the level one racers. The old fools in the UCI probably encouraged by money under the table by DF bike manufacturers decided to declare that recumbents were not bikes.