I think that someday I’d like a bent, but I’d like to have someone else to share it with. I guess I’ve gotta get through this schooling so I can go and getta job.
I’ve been riding recumbent bikes for twenty years. My wife of almost-three years and I have a recumbent tandem.
Don’t wait to get comfortable–get a ‘bent now. As others have mentioned, we get seen (I get more room from overtaking motorists on my ‘bents than I do on conventional bikes).
So it is ‘Recumbant Day’?
Many posts have been made pointing out that unusual objects are noticed more than familiar ones, making Recumbents, Tandems, etc more visible.
On our Trike-Tandem (Trandem) my wife and I are always seen clearly a long way off, by the reactions of those who slow to look, are held up or just can’t believe what they see!
I suppose having a Yellow and Black colour scheme helps (as planned!)…
I’m riding recumbents since 24 years, and I can assure you, car drivers usually pass me with way more distance than they pass an upright bike. So, yes you’re seen as an ALIEN and thus they treat you with more respect. It also helps when you are driving an arms length from the curb.
I have no choice with the trike – I have to avoid potholes etc as the camber-change throws us around. Sometimes violently!
THAT was a surprise as I it is the first time I have ridden a trike since I was little. So I have to plan the line/route very carefully…
My wedgie-riding wife is happier when I accompany her on my recumbent because passing oil gives her more room than when she is on her own.
Regular cycliing ensures that on her, what the French call les fesses are shapely – to the point where wolf-whistling younger males are taken aback when they find she is old enough to be a grandmother [even theirs...]. So she also appeciates my recumbent company as said younger males tend to ogle my cycle rather than her.
Actually, it’s funny how men, especially the elderly, usually are derogative, kids are thrilled and think they are cool, and most women just give big smiles when you pass them on a sleek recumbent.
Who of you rode 70.000km without accident on a regular bike? I did with my velomobile. They see you. And they think, it’s a strange kind of UFO so the keep distance in case I open fire with my alien laser rays.
never had an accident involving a car. closest calls were when passing traffic jams on narrow paths between the cars when someone decided to change lane .. but thats something you wont ever do with your pedal car.
Could todays recumbent be equal to the Benz “Motorwagon” in 1885?
I bet everyone snickered and said: won’t ever catch me in one of those (Nie wird mich in einem von denen fangen)…
I have to say, that doesn’t stike me as something I thought Yehuda would say. I don’t know, just struck me as odd, him saying it. This coming from a recumbent rider.
No – Yehuda uses food terms to pepper up his language. So he says, “Cake!” to mean “Result, Score, etc”, while “Stu” (a sort of casserole) means “You low-life freak”. You’ve just got to look at the context to understand what he means.
You HAVE to be comfortable with your inner Fred to be on a recumbent. OTOH, if you play nice, no matter what you ride, you’ll usually be accepted in whatever group you decide to ride with. Only one of our club’s folks was derogatory when I got my bent, but he was derogatory in general. Now he doesn’t ride much at all because comfort issues keep him off the upright for long distances and pride keeps him off the platforms that would bring him joy…. if only he would let it. Shame, really.
Ride what you like, but like what you ride.
A Rans Crank Forward http://www.rans.com/crank-forward should appeal to those who don’t like the other recumbents due to odd design. They look like hybrid bicycles except the seat post is angled and the seat is much larger.
Umm I have one of those, and the later ones are just as uncomfortable as any other wedgie. They used to offer an optional seat that used the bottom part of their recumbent seat with the 3″ pad but now all they have is one with 1/4″ of neoprene on a poly spade (their term). I’m desperately trying to make mine comfy enough to ride on a century, but no dice yet.
Even on a 26/20 SWB I found that I was at eye-level with drivers of the increasingly rare sedan. The trike is another matter: even with a good flag and lots of bright colors too many drivers fail to see me.
In this city there are still a few people who feel entitled to squeeze past rather than leave a little room but it is rare that someone doesn’t see my ‘bent. Distracted drivers claim not to see many things like emergency or police vehicles, buildings, excavations and even trains. Drivers who pay attention see pot holes, manhole covers and other things much lower than any cycle. I don’t think height or size is the major factor here. Dark/neutral colors with no reflectors or lights can be quite effective camoflage though. NOT a good idea in traffic.
Good Riding
I think that someday I’d like a bent, but I’d like to have someone else to share it with. I guess I’ve gotta get through this schooling so I can go and getta job.
I had a friend who made a Trike Bent in highschool…I got all my bent time out of the way early
I’ve been riding recumbent bikes for twenty years. My wife of almost-three years and I have a recumbent tandem.
Don’t wait to get comfortable–get a ‘bent now. As others have mentioned, we get seen (I get more room from overtaking motorists on my ‘bents than I do on conventional bikes).
So it is ‘Recumbant Day’?
Many posts have been made pointing out that unusual objects are noticed more than familiar ones, making Recumbents, Tandems, etc more visible.
On our Trike-Tandem (Trandem) my wife and I are always seen clearly a long way off, by the reactions of those who slow to look, are held up or just can’t believe what they see!
I suppose having a Yellow and Black colour scheme helps (as planned!)…
I’m riding recumbents since 24 years, and I can assure you, car drivers usually pass me with way more distance than they pass an upright bike. So, yes you’re seen as an ALIEN and thus they treat you with more respect. It also helps when you are driving an arms length from the curb.
I have no choice with the trike – I have to avoid potholes etc as the camber-change throws us around. Sometimes violently!
THAT was a surprise as I it is the first time I have ridden a trike since I was little. So I have to plan the line/route very carefully…
My wedgie-riding wife is happier when I accompany her on my recumbent because passing oil gives her more room than when she is on her own.
Regular cycliing ensures that on her, what the French call les fesses are shapely – to the point where wolf-whistling younger males are taken aback when they find she is old enough to be a grandmother [even theirs...]. So she also appeciates my recumbent company as said younger males tend to ogle my cycle rather than her.
Actually, it’s funny how men, especially the elderly, usually are derogative, kids are thrilled and think they are cool, and most women just give big smiles when you pass them on a sleek recumbent.
Yeah, I really don’t understand the undertones in the culture wherein certain bikers somehow are more important the less comfy their bike gets.
Whoops! I didn’t notice that my auto login had expired…
Ohhh, that’s mean!
Who of you rode 70.000km without accident on a regular bike? I did with my velomobile. They see you. And they think, it’s a strange kind of UFO so the keep distance in case I open fire with my alien laser rays.
No, they’re just afraid the magic might fail and you’ll drop in front of them and get them in trouble.
Please let us know where one can get those laser rays! Do they use rechargables?
never had an accident involving a car. closest calls were when passing traffic jams on narrow paths between the cars when someone decided to change lane .. but thats something you wont ever do with your pedal car.
Could todays recumbent be equal to the Benz “Motorwagon” in 1885?
I bet everyone snickered and said: won’t ever catch me in one of those (Nie wird mich in einem von denen fangen)…
I have to say, that doesn’t stike me as something I thought Yehuda would say. I don’t know, just struck me as odd, him saying it. This coming from a recumbent rider.
So that’s his name…!
No – Yehuda uses food terms to pepper up his language. So he says, “Cake!” to mean “Result, Score, etc”, while “Stu” (a sort of casserole) means “You low-life freak”. You’ve just got to look at the context to understand what he means.
You HAVE to be comfortable with your inner Fred to be on a recumbent. OTOH, if you play nice, no matter what you ride, you’ll usually be accepted in whatever group you decide to ride with. Only one of our club’s folks was derogatory when I got my bent, but he was derogatory in general. Now he doesn’t ride much at all because comfort issues keep him off the upright for long distances and pride keeps him off the platforms that would bring him joy…. if only he would let it. Shame, really.
Ride what you like, but like what you ride.
A Rans Crank Forward http://www.rans.com/crank-forward should appeal to those who don’t like the other recumbents due to odd design. They look like hybrid bicycles except the seat post is angled and the seat is much larger.
Umm I have one of those, and the later ones are just as uncomfortable as any other wedgie. They used to offer an optional seat that used the bottom part of their recumbent seat with the 3″ pad but now all they have is one with 1/4″ of neoprene on a poly spade (their term). I’m desperately trying to make mine comfy enough to ride on a century, but no dice yet.
It depends on the recumbent. Some are very fred-like, and some are super cool.
High Racers. Same height as most other cyclists.
Cars notice me when I’m in the lane on my daily commute at 45mph
(Big Hill)
Lowracers ain’t much different. Everybody sees us too.
Even on a 26/20 SWB I found that I was at eye-level with drivers of the increasingly rare sedan. The trike is another matter: even with a good flag and lots of bright colors too many drivers fail to see me.
Yehuda’s tip from long ago: flares!
Or perhaps those smoke-trails airplanes etc. use on air shows…?
Bem pelo contrário (On the contrary)!
In this city there are still a few people who feel entitled to squeeze past rather than leave a little room but it is rare that someone doesn’t see my ‘bent. Distracted drivers claim not to see many things like emergency or police vehicles, buildings, excavations and even trains. Drivers who pay attention see pot holes, manhole covers and other things much lower than any cycle. I don’t think height or size is the major factor here. Dark/neutral colors with no reflectors or lights can be quite effective camoflage though. NOT a good idea in traffic.
Good Riding