Considering a Recumbent?

Patrick:

I recommend riding several bikes before deciding on one. Take them for LONG rides and throw some hills in there, so you can be sure you're getting what you want. The guys at Coventry are very willing to let you do this, as long as you give them some form of collateral like your driver's license or something. There is a bit of a learning curve to begin with, especially when riding at slower speeds with longer wheel based bikes, but I'm sure you'll have no problems. I have let many people ride mine, and most just get on and go like old pros. Some things to consider before making the commitment to buying a recumbent: One, sticker shock. 'Bents tend to be more expensive than conventional bikes. Two, they can be heavier than a conventional bike. Three, you have to build up your "recumbent muscles", as you use different muscle groups than you do for a diamond frame (DF) bike, although this takes most people only a few weeks at most. Four, pulling hills can be a challenge at first, but once you get your new muscles built up, I see no difference versus riding a "wedgie" up hill. Obviously, you cannot stand up on the pedals, but you can push back against the seat, which can give you a tremendous amount of power. Going down hill, though, is awesome! Finally, getting your bike around can be a challenge depending on what kind of vehicle you have. However, there are plenty of options for that as well. Overall, I think a 'bent is the better choice for me. I do still ride my mountain bike, but most of my riding is done on the road over long distances. For this purpose, I feel that a 'bent cannot be beat! There are no issues with sore, numb hands or neck, back, and butt. My limit on a DF is around 60 miles before I have to get off the bike for a while to rest all my sore parts. On a 'bent, I can easily go 100 miles in a day. Sure I'm tired, but definitely not sore! Also, the considerable potential health problems, especially for men on a "wedgie" can be avoided when riding a 'bent. 'Bents are certainly not the end-all-to-be-all, but for me I don't think I'll ever go back to riding a DF other than when taking the MTB off road.

By the way, you should come ride with us. I will add you to the riding group email list, if that's okay with you. I cannot seem to reply to your emails, though. My email address is allsupd@hotmail.com, so I'm not sure if your antivirus is blocking me?

Take care,
David