Actually, you don’t. I wear cheap boxers and wool knickers, no padding. to ride mine, including on my frequent 50 to 70 milers. I am not naturally well-padded either. Ride a retired mid-60s racing bike converted to fixed fitted with a Selle italia Flite Trans Am, which is a pretty standard sport bike saddle, just particularly well made. Might put on padded shorts for a century.
My wife’s ridden over 50 miles on her randonneuse in plain cotton pants, no padded shorts, with no problem on a Brooks.
They are…. I have to admit when just running errands and chores, I use my ancient Peugeot City/mountain hybrid because it has the panniers, etc, but my short wheel base recumbent (Kind of like what Stu is riding, but with below seat steering), but when I road bike for FUN? The recumbent is my FIRST choice. They’re great for touring, fantastic in wind, very comfortable, not so hot on hills. Lots of spinning in low gears because you can’t stand on the pedals.
Ahhh – the physics of cartoon clothing!
Fizz’ collar is a wide band that goes up out of sight in frame 1 yet is a narrow strip in the rest.
Physics? how on earth does she get the frame one top on/off over her head? Elastic will only stretch so far!
I can let the collar slide but why has Recumbent Stu ended up to the right of the third frame and not the left for his muffled expletitives.
Knit picking am I?
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that Joe and Dave are showing the early stages of intolerance that too often leads to unjustifiable restrictions on liberty just a bit further down the road.
(“I think recumbents / long hair / Dylan going electric / bare feet / beards / miniskirts / any religion except mine / any religion / eating ice-cream in public / etc / etc / etc are stupid – let’s ban them.”)
Well, if you think that, then you must never have given the US Constitution a Close Reading. To think that so much Patriot blood has been shed for Freedom! Riding a recumbent is like burning the flag: both strictly outlawed by the Constitution and Jesse James. Let me tell you, if you would just repent … o wait, is this the Wall Street Journal comments or did I mix up my tabs? Has anyone seen my blood pressure medicine?
Actually, that’s a pretty cool highracer that Stu is on — looks like the Italian Bacchetta, or similar. I’d love to get my hands on one of those or the Czech Azub; both are a bit spendy though.
Whatever turns your crank, bent or wedgie, ride what makes you happy.
I’m pretty sure that if the UCI hadn’t banned recumbents from their sanctioned events in the early 30s the conversation would be more like “why are you still riding that old-fashioned uncomfortable safety bicycle?”
Actually, bicycle development would be light-years ahead of where we are now if it wasn’t for the UCI’s “definitions” of what constitutes a bicycle. Graeme Obree anyone?
Doubtful they’d be the “preferred” contraption for racing, since there are climbs in many UCI road races. Who the hell wants to watch a bunch of bearded guys with bellies spinning at 110rpm up a climb at 7.1 mph?
I’m pretty sure it’s safer to race in a group on diamond frames. I can’t imagine what a pack of recumbents would look like, not to mention a recumbent wreck.
Recumbents ARE raced in packs, even in velodromes. Escaping the pack is easier because aero advantage in the peleton is less obvious for recumbents and that’s why recumbent races look chaotic to roadies. Climbing is simply a function of weight. Most recumbents are heavier than racing bikes but there are some less than 10lbs and they climb just as fast. Another reason why roadies think that recumbents can’t climb is that on the flats the recumbent rider is flattered by the better aerodynamics, but invariably the lack of real power in the legs show up at the first hill. Falling with a lowracer recumbent is way safer than with a road bike. As a passionate racer, I’ve had my share of crashes and the closeness to the ground often makes a crash less painful. Because inmost cases recumbent riders fall to the side, a crash usually involves the elbows and they can easily be protected by pads. Falling over the steer is impossible with a lowracer, so it’s very unlikely a recumbent rider flies through the air and falls on the head.
Cute Kid! Good to see she’s back… (now where’s the cat?)
Socks doesn’t want to be within 10 feet of that bike…
Isn’t the cat’s name fenders?
Joe, do you need contrived padded pants to ride a wedgie bike?
Actually, you don’t. I wear cheap boxers and wool knickers, no padding. to ride mine, including on my frequent 50 to 70 milers. I am not naturally well-padded either. Ride a retired mid-60s racing bike converted to fixed fitted with a Selle italia Flite Trans Am, which is a pretty standard sport bike saddle, just particularly well made. Might put on padded shorts for a century.
My wife’s ridden over 50 miles on her randonneuse in plain cotton pants, no padded shorts, with no problem on a Brooks.
I’m sure recumbents are comfortable too.
They are…. I have to admit when just running errands and chores, I use my ancient Peugeot City/mountain hybrid because it has the panniers, etc, but my short wheel base recumbent (Kind of like what Stu is riding, but with below seat steering), but when I road bike for FUN? The recumbent is my FIRST choice. They’re great for touring, fantastic in wind, very comfortable, not so hot on hills. Lots of spinning in low gears because you can’t stand on the pedals.
You don’t, Joe seems to want them though…
Ahhh – the physics of cartoon clothing!
Fizz’ collar is a wide band that goes up out of sight in frame 1 yet is a narrow strip in the rest.
Physics? how on earth does she get the frame one top on/off over her head? Elastic will only stretch so far!
I can let the collar slide but why has Recumbent Stu ended up to the right of the third frame and not the left for his muffled expletitives.
Knit picking am I?
He circled ‘em showing off that he can do the same thing as an upright….
What came first being a complete wierdo or riding a recumbent?
The answer actually is “yes”
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that Joe and Dave are showing the early stages of intolerance that too often leads to unjustifiable restrictions on liberty just a bit further down the road.
(“I think recumbents / long hair / Dylan going electric / bare feet / beards / miniskirts / any religion except mine / any religion / eating ice-cream in public / etc / etc / etc are stupid – let’s ban them.”)
Well, if you think that, then you must never have given the US Constitution a Close Reading. To think that so much Patriot blood has been shed for Freedom! Riding a recumbent is like burning the flag: both strictly outlawed by the Constitution and Jesse James. Let me tell you, if you would just repent … o wait, is this the Wall Street Journal comments or did I mix up my tabs? Has anyone seen my blood pressure medicine?
Nothing wrong with a recumbent, just another bike in the quiver.
Look mom – no hands….
Look mom – no feet….
@#$%^& Look mom – no teef….
Hey, it’s my Bacchetta!
Looks a lot like my Bacchetta Carbon Aero! Probably faster than Joe’s bike! — Steve in Peoria
Faster, by a lot. Maybe a race is in order in a future strip to shut Joe up?
Actually, that’s a pretty cool highracer that Stu is on — looks like the Italian Bacchetta, or similar. I’d love to get my hands on one of those or the Czech Azub; both are a bit spendy though.
Whatever turns your crank, bent or wedgie, ride what makes you happy.
Bacchetta may be an Italian word, but it’s an American company. (Speaking of nit-picking.)
I’m pretty sure that if the UCI hadn’t banned recumbents from their sanctioned events in the early 30s the conversation would be more like “why are you still riding that old-fashioned uncomfortable safety bicycle?”
Actually, bicycle development would be light-years ahead of where we are now if it wasn’t for the UCI’s “definitions” of what constitutes a bicycle. Graeme Obree anyone?
Yep – motor racing has managed to accommodate engineering developments – well, to some extent at least – so why not the cycle racing powers that be?
Doubtful they’d be the “preferred” contraption for racing, since there are climbs in many UCI road races. Who the hell wants to watch a bunch of bearded guys with bellies spinning at 110rpm up a climb at 7.1 mph?
I’m pretty sure it’s safer to race in a group on diamond frames. I can’t imagine what a pack of recumbents would look like, not to mention a recumbent wreck.
Recumbents ARE raced in packs, even in velodromes. Escaping the pack is easier because aero advantage in the peleton is less obvious for recumbents and that’s why recumbent races look chaotic to roadies.
Climbing is simply a function of weight. Most recumbents are heavier than racing bikes but there are some less than 10lbs and they climb just as fast. Another reason why roadies think that recumbents can’t climb is that on the flats the recumbent rider is flattered by the better aerodynamics, but invariably the lack of real power in the legs show up at the first hill.
Falling with a lowracer recumbent is way safer than with a road bike. As a passionate racer, I’ve had my share of crashes and the closeness to the ground often makes a crash less painful. Because inmost cases recumbent riders fall to the side, a crash usually involves the elbows and they can easily be protected by pads. Falling over the steer is impossible with a lowracer, so it’s very unlikely a recumbent rider flies through the air and falls on the head.