considering a 'bent' b/c of lower back pain...
 

i love riding my upright bikes. but, i'm considering a recumbent b/c of lower back pain... and i've never even considered one before now. so, i don't know anything about them besides what i've learned in the limited research i've done. figured i would push the easy button and ask here...


anyways... i have plenty of questions.

1. how do you decide between a 2 wheel and a 'trike'? just personal preference? personally like the LOOK of the trikes.. but, being so new... i don't know any better.
2. with a two wheel... seems like it would be hard to actually start pedaling... is it easier than it appears? i know... i need to actually test ride one.
3. for those of you that have the trikes... do you ride on the road just like anyone with a regular road bike would? or do you ride at designated areas, like parks? i mean... they seem really wide.
4. during my research... i've seen several models that look like the boom is fixed, and i don't see 'size' options... do the seats move or is sizing not that important like it is on an upright bike?
5. is there that much of a difference between the suspension models and non-suspended? i'm thinking the suspended models would be great for my back... but, then again... i think the recumbent itself would great for my back.
6. other than having an SUV to transport.. how do you carrry recumbents(trikes)? I have an FJ cruiser... but, i don't think a trike would fit inside.
7. are there any recumbent tandems that are less than 2000.00? geeze... (trying to get wife into cycling) she thinks i should get two of the below b/c it's cheaper... and she would actually ride it. :D

after looking around... i really like this tadpole:
http://www.actionbent.com/tadpoletrike.html
but, i don't really know if it's a good starter trike or not... just like the way it looks.


any input, links or advice would really be appreciated...


thanks.

Sounds like me a year ago. Those are all good questions. Answering them is going to generate more questions. I think that the smartest and most cost effective thing that you could do at this point is to plan a road trip. Take your wife on a weekend getaway to a bike shop that specializes in recumbents. If you don't know of one check out bentrideronline.com. Leave all of your preconceptions at home because a recumbent specialist will work through them for you.

Depends on your priorities. I love both my 2 wheel and 3 wheel recumbents, for different reasons. All things being equal, I find a 2 wheel recumbent much faster, but a 3 wheel recumbent much more relaxing (ie no danger of tipping over, even on steep hills at low speed). There is more discussion of this here: http://ergocycle.ca/index.php?main_p...id=3&chapter=1

It depends. It does take bit of getting used to, and it is harder to get used to as the bottom bracket gets higher, but in either case, it is not that hard to get used to.

Trikes are wide, but because they are totally stable, it is much easier to track in a perfectly straightline- bikes generally tend to need a bit more room- check the tracks that wet bike tires leave- there is often a bit of weaving. Bikes are narrow on the ground and wide up high, trikes are the reverse- psychologically this does seem to effect drivers, who give me MUCH more space on a trike than a two wheeled bike (recumbent or DF). In many ways I prefer a trike for road riding, but it is important to ride in a vehicular manner.

It depends on the model. I would say most recumbents probably have booms that extend and retract, but some have fixed booms with seats that move. Many recumbents have a single frame size that can be adapted by moving the seat and/or the boom, others have a variety of frame sizes, and other adjustments to fine-tune the fit. Getting the right leg extension is every bit as important.

Again, it depends. A number of people with back problems do report feeling better after a nice long ride on their recumbents, suspended or not. I think that a test ride is the best way to sort this out. Personally, I have had two trikes that are unsuspended, both have mesh seats, which does provide some passive "suspension". I have had two highracers that are unsuspended, these have been fine for my purposes, but big bumps can rattle the teeth a bit. One thing to keep in mind is that good suspension is difficult to engineer, poor suspension is very easy. Without a test ride, it is often hard for laypeople to tell which is which.

It depends. If you search on bentrideronline.com, you will find that a number of people with folding trikes can fit them inside smaller vehicles than you have. For my two-wheeled recumbents I now have a Thule fork mounting tray for my roof rack.

Recumbents are still definitely a niche market, where we are looking at small batch production runs. This is expensive, but on the other hand, there is generally a high level of craftmanship and commitment on the part of manufacturers. If it is a tandem that you are looking for, and you are leaning towards trikes, I think that this is probably your best bet, but it is still way out of your price range:
http://www.tridenttrikes.com/chameleon.htm

This is manufactured by TW-Bents. I am biased in their favour, as I am the Canadian importer/ dealer for TW-Bents- I think you will have trouble beating the quality at that price. Actionbent is an American importer/reseller. Personally, I have emailed them to ask a couple of questions, and all I received were marginally coherent, rude, hostile rants which failed to answer my questions. Thinking we got off on the wrong foot, I tried to re-phrase my questions politely, and again, I received a marginally coherent, rude, belligerent, totally uninformative reply. You might want to try Boomer Bents and Bikes (http://www.boomerbentsandbikes.com/i...hp/trikes.html), they carry many of the same products, but have a much better history of customer service.

You would need to test-ride bikes to see if they would or wouldn't irritate your back. Recumbents have a much wider variety of rider positions than upright bikes.

Trikes are slower than the two-wheelers, but trikes don't require balancing.

Hard at first, gets easier. It's much easier with a bike you can put your feet down when sitting on, like a long-wheelbase.
I have had no trikes. I kinda-sorta want one, but lack the storage space right now.
Either the boom or the seat usually adjusts. Some higher-end ones are basically custom-built to the rider's measurements (nocoms, I think?)
O've not had any suspended recumbents either. I would if I had the money to blow, but I feel there is not nearly as great a need as you have with upright bikes.
I've seen them strapped to rooftops.
If you REALLY want to ride as a pair, some of the delta trikes have a really neat feature: you take the front wheel off one, and it hooks onto the back end of the other, so they form a 2-trike "train". Either rider can pedal as much or as little as they want, in whatever gear they want, they can take turns being in front, and they don't get separated from each other.

The first trikes I saw this on is the $3000+ Kettwiesels, but now other cheaper ones have the option too. If I wanted the wife/SO to ride with me, there's no doubt a pair of these trikes is how I would do it.

I don't know anything about them, sorry.

Nothing else to add particularly.
~

You might want to start reading the 'BentRiderOnline FORUM As they are all about Trikes and 'bents.

I bought a TerraTrike 'Rover' for $999.00 and I love my Trike~! It's a 'Tadpole' - 2 wheels in Front, one wheel in back, seat height is 18.5" which is easy on the knees, has a weight limit of 400lbs. Trikes can be ridden most anywhere, roads, MUPs, etc - while the Trike itself is wider, it's not any wider than your shoulders.

Trikes are *not* as fast as 2 wheeled 'bents, but trikes are so very comfortable (a riding lawn chair)...
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/...0-12-31010.jpg

Um, don't you mean 'tadpole'? It's been my understanding that deltas were 1 front and 2 back...

I've always seen the 2>1 trikes called tadpoles as well which makes sense. Big head, little tail. :)

If you can ride an upright bike, you can learn to ride a recumbent bike. A little tricky at first for most of us, but then too, so is learning to ride a bike in the first place.
The RANS 'bents that I own and have owned all have seats that move forward and back, with fixed BBs.
At some point, you will need to measure your X-Seam, to know what 'bent should (more or less) fit you.
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/tech_xseam.php

wow... i didn't think i would get this much info this quick. Thank you to all that responded(great info!!)... guess i'll be spending some time over at Bentrideronline.com. Retro Grouch was right... all these answers are leading me to more questions.

thanks again everyone!!

Sorry, was not awake when I wrote this...

I must concur with all the above responses and have but one small piece of advise: Try out as many different styles of bents as you can and then when you get a feel for what style is right for you, see if you can test ride your choice model for at least a few hours... then see how you feel the next day. A long time ago I test rode a Bike-E and was almost sold on it but later my lower back was killing me. Since then I bought a LWB from recycledrecumbents.com, and since sewing a more heavy duty mesh onto the seat frame it has proven quite comfortable. But still I often feel a bit stiff after a day on this bike, I think it's being stuck in the same position all the time that is the problem. At least on a DF you can stand up occasionally, or change your hand placement. Still I feel a lot less pain over all on the bent than on my other bikes, which now actually feel downright awkward to me to ride.

What ever your ultimate decision, here's hoping you end up feeling a lot better while riding to your heart's content.

that's a good point andy... didn't think about waiting a day after the test ride to see how i feel. i have to be careful of the 'impulse buy'...

That's really my point about making a road trip to a recumbent specialist.

Diamond frame riders make a big deal about differences in ride and handling among bikes that have relatively similar frame geometries. Recumbents are a more rapidly developing design technology and there are huge design differences. Unless you go someplace where you can try them out you're stuck with your own preconceptions about how the different designs are going to ride and handle.

In addition to how it rides, there are some practical considerations to think through too. Transportation, storage and even how it will fit through your door. Every recumbent design carries it's own combination of positives and negatives. A recumbent specialist will have dealt with all of these issues before and will be in an excellent position to advise you.

yup... there is a recumbent/tandem shop in Birmingham(alittle over an hour away), so the wife and I will be visiting soon.

If you're looking at bikes/trikes such as Actionbent, you should also be aware that there are reasons they're cheaper. Compared to a 'brand-name' recumbent, they will be heavier. From what I've seen, the designs still (after many years) are not quite as polished. For instance, one model I saw from a few years ago had the chain line going right through the chain stay and required a chain tube to deflect the chain & keep it from chewing the frame in half. Also, you're not paying for local bike shop support. I wouldn't go so far as to tell you DON'T buy from one of those importers; but if you do, be very careful about what you're getting, and expect to do your own work on them. Otherwise shop costs could eat up all your purchase-price savings and you'll be left with a cheap bike that cost as much as the better ones you couldn't afford.

As far as trike vs bike. Really, the only advantage they have is that they're harder to tip over. They're harder to store, harder to transport, harder to pedal down the road, and harder to get in and out of. They're loads of fun; but that's more of a subjective analysis than the other items.

thanks for the heads up Blazing... the only problem with being new to the 'bent' culture is that i don't know which is which when it comes to 'name brand' bikes yet. I'll figure it out the more I read though... and once I make it to the shop in Birmingham.

To discover the 'name brands' check out the brands listed at the top of: http://bentrideronline.com/
I would mirror what you have read above. Test riding is the best way to make a decision.

allot of good info passed along here...I got bent last January and started with a recumbent trike by Terratrike...loved it and upgraded to a mid level trike by them a few months later...I then added a 2 wheel recumbent by Bacchetta in October...go test ride some recumbents and see what feels right to you...they are allot of fun and great exercise...you will know when you have found the right one for you when it just feels right...my best advice would be to spend a little more money on a mid level recumbent with better components over a starter one...I found that out the hard way with my first trike...my second one was double the cost of the first one and then some but it has much better components and is made out of alluminum instead of chrome moly steel, meaning its much lighter and faster to boot...you get what you pay for with these bikes and these things ain't cheap...I would suggest a Catrike if you want a great trike or a Bacchetta if you want a great 2 wheel recumbent...good luck with it all and whatever you choose in the end...forgot to mention the reason I got bent was because I too have lower back pain...I have what is called spina bifida...after years of riding DF's I couldn't take the pain anymore...no problem with my recumbents...

Having ridden a recumbent since 1993 I agree with all the posts so far. Bentonline has a links page that lists most of the manufactures and allows you to look at their websites for information. Going to the shop that specializes in recumbent bikes will help a lot. Plan at least a few trips. First is to test the different configurations, two wheel, three wheel and then short wheel base, long wheel base different wheel sizes ect. Your second trip should include some longer test rides on selected models after the first general test and information session. Third trip is a charm, this should include an extended ride on only one or two choices. Good luck and have fun! My last bit of wisdom is not to let the price get in the way to a certain extent. We all have budgets but one or two of the bikes will just feel "right". Let that be you guide. Spending a few hundred dollars more on something you may own for decades will be money well spent in the years to come. I ride a Ryan Vanguard and totally enjoy it. Longbikes is the equivalent in today's market. Let us know how it goes!

I have both a swb uss 2-wheeler and a tadpole trike (almost the same model as you like). I moved to bents because of shoulder and neck pain from riding DFs.

1. how do you decide between a 2 wheel and a 'trike'? just personal preference? personally like the LOOK of the trikes.. but, being so new... i don't know any better.

Personal preferences is the biggest reason for choosing a 2 or 3 wheeler. There are riding differences. The best recommendation on how to choose is to test ride anything and everything you can.

2. with a two wheel... seems like it would be hard to actually start pedaling... is it easier than it appears? i know... i need to actually test ride one.

It takes getting used to taking off (and stopping) on a 2-wheel bent. After putting my first together I spent the evening just trying to take off and stop for a couple of hours. Same thing the next morning. It took me several weeks before I stepped up to putting the clipless pedals on, then getting the loose enough to be able to get out quickly.

3. for those of you that have the trikes... do you ride on the road just like anyone with a regular road bike would? or do you ride at designated areas, like parks? i mean... they seem really wide.

Yes, I ride on the road. In fact I have done my commute on my trike, but mostly on the 2-wheeler. The biggest drawback to riding the road that I never noticed on a 2-wheeler is the road crown and gutter angles. On a 2-wheeler, you naturally maintain an upright position. With 3 wheels you will definitely feel the sideways slope of the road. Luckily on my commute I only needed to endure a couple of blocks of some what steep gutter angles. The rest was much nicer.

4. during my research... i've seen several models that look like the boom is fixed, and i don't see 'size' options... do the seats move or is sizing not that important like it is on an upright bike?

Most bikes either make their size adjustments through either the boom sliding in and out, or through seat adjustments. Most web sites will tell you somewhere in the description of the bike which method is used on which bike. Most ActionBents the boom moves. The descriptions should give you an "X-seam" which is the size range. Not measured like a DF bike (or your pants 'inseam'. I'll try and find you a link and post it here on how to figure it.

5. is there that much of a difference between the suspension models and non-suspended? i'm thinking the suspended models would be great for my back... but, then again... i think the recumbent itself would great for my back.

My 2-wheeler is fixed, but the trike has rear suspension. Again this is more to a persons tastes. Next trike I get will not have the suspension. I feel like I loose too much power to it. Could be my imagination, but I've really got it as tight as I can and can still draw the tire into the rear rack when I'm trying to power through an intersection.

6. other than having an SUV to transport.. how do you carrry recumbents(trikes)? I have an FJ cruiser... but, i don't think a trike would fit inside.

I've seen some car-top and rear racks on the internet. I rarely drive and mostly ride.


I will also say that at first I was absolutely in love with both bikes. First ride out the drive on the 2-wheeler and I had that silly "bent rider's grin" all day. Danged if I didn't have the same thing again with the trike. And I still love riding both.

But after a week on the trike I started having severe neck pain. Didn't notice it when riding, but I was placing pressure on my neck and coupling it with some neck strain too. Took me a good month or so to get it sorted out so I was happy and truly comfortable. I am on the short-side at 5'4" and it took a combination of boom adjustment, seat adjustment, headrest removal and a curved sponge in just the right place where my neck makes contact to sort it all out.

Some out there will say ActionBents (or any Chinese/Asian) bikes are junk because they are imports/low quality. I think the ActionBent is a reasonable starter bike for bents. As long as you are handy and knowledgeable or willing to pay your LBS to work on it. And, know that you will need to replace/upgrade some components. But who out there doesn't do some sort of mod/change to any bike that they've bought over the years? I haven't had any frame problems on either of mine in 5 years. Components wear out no matter how good they are.

Okay, that's my 10-cents worth. Hope it helps some.

Here's how to measure your x-seam to determine what size you need or which 'bents fit.
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/tech_xseam.php
Some racing models use inseam, because the important measurement is how far you can reach your legs past the front wheel.

You may want to figure out first what is causing the lower back pain. If its a leg length imbalance you may still have some with the bent if you don't correct for it by say shimming a cleat.

A couple of pluses of a trike - you can climb hills really slowly without falling over. On my 2 wheel I find going under 6 kph the bike gets too twitchy, and obviously you can't stand to climb slow like you could with a DF. If you live somewhere that's snowy the extra balance in the winter roads may also be a plus. However they are also generally lower to the ground too.
No its tricky at first, it took me some time to get the hang of just balancing on one. But once you learn its like the same as having learned to ride your regular bike. I tested out a bunch of models and found ones with low pedals easier to get started with, but I ended up buying a high racer :)
I don't have a trike, but a comment on bents in general because you are lower I would not want to ride squeezed in a lane with a car. If the lane is wide enough to share or there's a bike lane, great, if not, take the lane.
Seats move. Most bikes still have two sizes or if they don't there may be a broad range but still a range. You obviously need the correct distance from seat to pedals.
Long wheel base bents generally are a more comfortable ride. Some SWB rides can be harsh so you either want suspension or nice fat tires if comfort is a big concern.
Trikes are tricky to transport. My SWB bent can go on most trunk bike racks. A LWB bent you may need a specialized roof rig.
Recumbent tandems aren't cheap, if you buy one buy one used because that way if the wife doesn't like it you can likely resell it for what you paid for it. Two bikes or trikes may be better.
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Test ride as many as you can and if there is a recumbent riders group near you find them! They can also be a good source of test rides at a meetup.

yeah, i've spent alot of time on bentrideronline... researching and checking out different brands. I'm really looking forward to test riding a couple.

Crazybikechick, my lower back pain is from 'Degenerative Disc disease'... I wish it was something like leg length imbalance. then again, that might be painful too. anyways... thanks again for all the info guys and gals.