FAQ

What is recumbent, and what is the right term?

The popular term recumbent (in German "Liegerad", in French "couché") only applies to bicycles with a rider in a completely laid back, lying position. On other models the rider is more in a sitting rather than a lying position. The main difference compared to "traditional bikes" is that the back is bending backwards rather than forward, so the upper body is not supported by the arms which is tiring, but the seat. This is reflected in the English "recumbent" term, or its short form, "recu". We will also use this term in the following.

What is the main difference between traditional bikes and recu?

The two main differences are a more comfortable rider position and reduced air drag. The net effect is that you can ride faster and longer without fatigue or pain. More on this in the following points.

Why is recu more comfortable?

Most of the body weight is not concentrated on a tiny saddle but evenly distributed on a large sofa-like seat. It is a lot more like sitting in a car than riding a bicycle. Recumbent riders have repeatedly reported about a "Oh, I gotta fasten the safety belt!" feeling. There is no weight on the arms, hence no pain in the wrists. Also the position of the neck and the head is more natural and relaxed, there is no need to keep the head up right with effort, hence no stiff neck. You can spend several hours in the saddle without discomfort or chronic pain. We have to note that pains in the saddle of a traditional bicycle does not train us or make us any stronger. The difference can easily be simulated at home: watch the telly for an hour down on your hands and knees and then an hour from the sofa and decide which one you preferred.

What makes a recu faster?

There are 3 significant factors: air drag, braking and comfort.
Air drag: looking from the front, the rider on a traditional bicycle looks like standing, in the contrary the rider on a recu is almost lying. The front area of a recu is smaller, the shape is more aerodynamic and hence the air drag is reduced. Due to this fact pedalling with the same power a recu will ride a lot faster. Air drag is proportional to the speed on the square (double your speed and the air drag will be multiplied by the factor of 4), so the difference will get more significant as you go faster. Cruising at 20 km an hour, the difference is hardly noticable, at 30 kmh the difference is already significant and downhill at 50kmh the advantage of a recu versus a traditional bicycle is huge. On longer distances this advantage can add up to a significant time difference on the same course.
Braking: a recu can gather enormous speed riding downhill, but you should not be worried about about how you are going to stop. The longer wheel-to-wheel distance and the lower center of gravity means an increased braking power without risking stability (ever tried braking suddenly with the front brake at 30kmh on a traditional bike?)
Comfort: there is no need to stop and rest your numb limbs and body.

When is a recu slower?

Due to its length and the rider's position on the bike, recumbent are sometimes less agile than traditional bicycles. It is harder for example to jump on curbs and tackle other such road obsticles. In traffic recus are fast and agile, however one has to pay special attention when riding a recu with low bars in traffic, as it has wider handlebars.

What are the health effects of using a recu?

There are several positive effects and only a single one negative effect.
Alleviating the soft tissues: there are negative side effects of riding a traditional bicycle for both men and women. It is mainly the consequence of the fact that most of the body weight is supported by a relatively small saddle, so there is a lot of weight concentrated on the soft tissues of the crotch. This reduces blood flow, which can possibly lead to health risks such as numbness or even impotence with men. In the big and comforable seat of a recu there are no such problems.
Muscles and joints: As mentioned before, on a traditional bicycle one has to support a great portion of the body weight with the help of the arms and shoulders which can negatively affect muscles and joints, and cause fatigue and pain.
Chest: on a traditional bicycle the rider's chest is compressed, which forces the intestines against the abs making breathing harder. On a recu, however, the lungs are expanded and can be used to their full capacity.
Legs: Human feet and legs are more fit for loading in the vertical plain, just like in case of traditional bikes. On a recu, the legs are extended forth, so there is a lower blood pressure in them compared to the situation on a traditional bicycle. People not used to this might sometimes experience numbness and a burning sensation in the feet after a long trip on a recu. There are two ways to help this problem. Choose a model whose chainset is not much higher than the seat and use comforable shoes with which the weight on the sole is evenly distributed on the whole sole.

Isn't that sort of position tiring for the neck?

No. On recus with a steep seat angle setup, you sit like in a chair. On other models with a more laid back position, there is a support for the head so you don't have to worry about keeping your head upright. Recus that are between these two categories like Carbonrecumbent you have two choices. You can set the seat up so it feels like you are sitting in a chair, or set the seat back and put on a head support. Both solutions will provide perfect comfort.

Is there a psychological effect of using a recu?

That is a very important aspect. On one hand, afer all the pains endured in the saddle of a traditional bicycle, it is an unforgettable feeling to switch onto a recu and pedal for long hours without any sort of pain. Cyclists who thought that pain is inevitable when cycling for long hours will be shocked to feel that there is no such thing on a recu. On the other hand switching back to your traditional bike you will find yourself looking at the front wheel and the road below, because you will notice just how hard it is to keep your head upright. Recu riders can enjoy the sight of the road ahead and the scenery without any effort to keep the head upright. It is a completely different feeling compared to traditional bikes.

Is difficult to learn how to ride a recumbent bike?

To ride a standard bicycle is also not an innate ability - it has to be learned. Who already has the balance can be familiar with recumbent bikes easily. It's advisable to make the first steps at a dealership where there are many different kinds of bikes. Bikes with a steep seat back and low bottom bracket are the most suitable for beginners. But at the cost of some endeavor every bike is to be controlled. (Tip: let's begin on a moderate downhill where the bike is self-rolling. You can lower your legs to the ground and get a feeling how to keep balance.) After the uncertain first kilometers the ride will be stable and safe. To ride in a heavy motor traffic more practice is needed in starting and riding straight ahead - but this is true to every type of bikes.
It's worth to notice that the biomechanics is in some extent different from that of the standard bikes. To ride a recumbent bike is more tiring for the novice but after a several time the body accustoms to the new task.

Can I climb with a recu?

People usually ask this question because you cannot stand up in the saddle that you tend to do on a traditional bike climbing a steep road. That is true, however pushing yourself against the seat can have a similar effect. It is all up to your strength and your gear ratio if you can climb that hill or not. It is generally better to use a lower gear with a higher cadence on a recu.

Can I kit my recu out for touring?

Yes. Some models come prefitted with racks for touring, most others will accomodate mounting racks as well. You cannot wear a backpack, but you can mount a seatbag on the back of the seat. There are special banana-shaped bags made for recus, that can be attached to the seat on both sides. We have to note that on a traditional bicycle mounting panniers and loading the bike with weight can negatively affect the steering and stability of the bike, however there is no such concern on a recu as the bags go between the two wheels and close to the ground.

Do I need special clothing for a recu?

It can be useful. The regular cycling jersey has pockets on the back - which is in our case useless. The cycling rain-jacket is long at the back like an evening dress- on recumbent bike this part forms a basin the water can collect in. Better to cut off or turn up this. Headwind blows in the sleeves of the trousers and under the jacket so the openings should be closed. With some experience you get a proper clothing.
A big advantage of the recumbent bike is that no cycling shorts with padding are needed. Proven are for example light and breathable running gears.

Isn't riding a recu dangerous in traffic?

Recus with a very low and laid back position can be harder to notice for motorists on the road. On such models it is prudent to kit your bike out with a flag and flashing rear lights mounted as high as possible and be very careful when riding in traffic. On other types of recus with a higher rider position there is no such problem. The rider's head is on the same level as motorists', so it is easy to keep eye contact with drivers. The ufo-effect of the recu is a great advantage in traffic. As recus are relatively rare on the roads, most drivers still think it is some kind of wheelchair and use extra care when taking over. Others greet cyclists on recus with a smile, waving or cheerfully blowing the horn, sometimes even taking photos from the car, while a "normal" cyclist might not get the same sort of treatment on the roads.

Isn't it a problem, that you cannot turn your head on a recu to look back?

It is quite dangerous anyway to turn your head in traffic as - even if for just a few seconds - you miss sight of the road ahead of you. The high bars on a recu are especially appropriate for mounting one or - better - two rear-view mirrors. Cyclists on recumbents with low handle bars can use a rear-view mirror mounted on the helmet.
For people switching onto a recu from a traditional bicycle will agree that it is a greatly reassuring feeling to always know what is happening behind them.

Why are there so many different types of recus?

There are recus with high and low position, with big and small wheels, what's more with a smaller wheel at the front and a bigger one at the back, with a rider in a laid back position and sitting upright, recu long and short, with handlebars low and high, and anything in between. There is a much greater variety in recumbents, than in traditional bicycles. While traditional bikes have a well proven geometry that can "slightly" change depending on the inteded use of the bike (compared to the differences among recumbents a downhill mountain bike is still not all that much different from town bike), recumbents offer an optimal solution for every kind of body geometry and different requirements and these solutions can differ greatly.

Under seat or over seat steering?

It is a matter of taste really, both designs have their believers. On recumbents with USS, the arms and hands are completely relaxed, while recus with OSS have the advantage of being narrower, and the option to mount a rear-view mirror, cycling computer, lights, GPS etc. and it is also easier to push a recumbent with OSS.

Why are recumbent bikes rare and more expensive?

They are rare partly because recumbents were banned from international UIC-rated competitions in the 30's, because recumbent riders had such a great advantage over traditional bikes that it was considered cheating. This order proved to be a huge hurdle in making the recus more widely known and accepted. On the other hand recumbents tend to be bigger, and less versatile, they are more specialized and hence not particularly appropriate for mass production.

This is the main reason why recus are more expensive compared to traditional bikes with the same spec. They are still mostly hand-produced in small quantities by small specialized companies in countries such as the USA, the Netherlands or Germany as opposed to huge quantities in factories in Far-East Asia. We have to note though that due to their long distance efficiency and comfort recumbents are more appropriate to substitute cars than traditional bicycles.

How to transport and store a recumbent bike?

Longer models can be stored in a garage, and can be transported on the roof of a car with a tandem rack. Other models will fit in elevators, flats, and normal sized cars, or can be transported on a normal roof rack. Transporting with means of public transportation might take some wit, but it is far from impossible.

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