Why Ride Recumbent?
There are some very good reasons for reclining. You rest on a supportive and comfortable seat, rather than perching on a saddle. Your diaphragm can expand freely, improving your breathing. Weight is taken off your wrists, your neck does not have to strain to see where you are going, and you have better all-round vision. Recumbents are quite often very beneficial to cyclists with back or knee problems, who would otherwise need to restrict or stop cycling altogether.
Recumbent bikes and trikes come in many flavours, and are often very fast machines, partly due to the improved aerodynamics of having your legs in front of you not below you. And with a firm supportive seat to push against, a recumbent cyclist produces just as much energy as an upright cyclist. It is also argued that recumbents are safer than upright cycles – for one thing, the first part of your body to hit an obstruction is your feet, not your head. Brakes can be pulled as hard as they will go with no fear of diving over the handlebars, and car drivers seem to be much more wary of recumbents. Read lots more on the General Info page….
Which Recumbent?
That all depends on what you intend to do with it 😉 Two-wheelers are generally lighter and faster, and happier in traffic. Three-wheelers are more stable, especially at very low speeds, and can be a lot of fun to play with as they’re like pedal-powered go-karts.