knees?
 

I started reading 'The Big Ride', a woman's story about 700+ riders riding across the country, and she has some comments about recumbents. I want a r.trike, but her comments made me pause. The mechanical problems, like chains breaking because they were so long, and physical problems, like riding without the benefit of gravity is hard on the knees with recumbents. Mostly I'm wondering how knees hold out with recumbents, because mine are as worn as the next guy/gal at mid-age.

Harder on the knees? Easier?

First of all, I'd love to see that artical so I could read it for myself. There are exceptions to everything but in this case I think she is off base. The comment about breakage is null and void. I've been around recumbents in either clubs, rides, or my own ownership of these wonderful bikes and trikes for 8 years. I've been around people that have had broken chains (3 out of hundreds and hundreds) and all broke at the link. As far as her comments about gravity...........I wouldn't know how to answer that. She sounds like an "OVERTHINKER" which I brushed shoulders with when in engineering projects at a well known research centre in N.Cal. These people always think there is "wormy wood somewhere" and most often "outthink" themselves. Now, lets get back to realality and practicallity. There are three (3) things a bike and/or trike does: Up hill, down hill and flats. The recumbents win 2 of the 3 hands down. They are not the best over-all up hill. Now, having said that, if you were to ride a DF (diamond frame) up a hill while doing it sitting, the same results would be achieved. Now lets get to the primary issue of your inquirey.........How about my knees? If you have ever gone to a workout center you can use a horizonal or parallel leg press machine that allows you to lay on your back oe sit with you back against a solid and raise or push weight with your legs only. The average person can do 300 to 400 lbs. you can not push down that much weight by pulling on your handlebars. With a recumbnet you are able to push harder because you push against your back.........Now the problem.....Because of this machanical advantage you can do damage to your knees if you tend to mash instead of spinning as you should. Also, it hasn't been proven, but I would tend to think that short chanks (150mm to 110mm) might help. Now what to buy. For climbing the best is the RANS Rocket or any bike or trike with a high BB or crank center to your hips. This is also true with trikes. Hopefully this has been some help to you and maybe some others with the same questions.

Thanks BentKent! It isn't an article, it's a book. 'The First Big Ride, A Woman's Journey' by Eloise Hanner. A very enjoyable book, actually, but since I'm seriously planning on my 50th birthday gift to myself being a trike, and her comments took me aback. It was just the experiences of the recumbents on that tour from her viewpoint, but she did note that whenever she came up on a recumbent or they came around her, she gave them plenty of space...but this was also a trip in 1998, and there have probably been alot of improvements by now!

The more I end up with sore neck, sore bottem and arms, the more I look longingly at trikes, in particular. I want to tour, and heck, it looks more fun than a go-cart!
There was a recumbent on my last club ride. Passed him in the first few miles, but soon enough, on those long, flat stretches we have here in Yolo, he'd be zooming by me.

recuments present their problems like any other bike. They are no more likely to cause aggravation than conventional bikes. People who have it in for recumbents must either be unable to cope with a slightly different set of circumstances or suffer from xenophobia. It is amazing how many cops have given me a hard time in the "cops hate cyclists" town of Toronto, just for being on someting a little different. Hex on them.

As far as the mechanical question [chain] a bike is a bike and things go wrong or wear out, not any more or less on a recumbent.
I have had a recumbent for several years and I dont see any difference on the knees. As one of the others said, you have to watch that you are not making extra pressure by being in too high a gear. As far as difference I think it is relative, as with any sport there are some things that you can do but have to watch the 'way' you do it. Keep on biking...

I say go for the trike! Or, if you want a good 2 wheeled touring machine then look at some of the long wheelbase 'bents (Tour Easy, GRR, RANS Stratus, etc). The chains on a recumbent are longer hence it doesn't pass over the sprockets and idlers as many times as it would if it was shorter (like on a DF), for a given speed. Keep the drive train clean and it will be trouble free and last for many miles. There are guides and measuring tools to indicate chain wear and replacement time. Check into sheldonbrown.com. There is lots of good info there on chain wear and care. As for the knees, make sure the bike is fitted and set up correctly, and spin, don't mash. If you are wide hipped you might need some pedal extenders. Now go get a 'bent.

I'm coming up on 55 years old, I've been riding recumbents for 23 years, commuting and touring (covering nine states and parts of Canada) and have had no problems with knees. As far as mechanical problems, flat tires once in a while and about three broken spokes... that's it.