Are recumbants?

spasypaddy · June 2007

Just a way to stay in bed a few hours more?

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

BentMikey · June 2007

Hahahahaha! You'll never know, at least not until you try them.

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If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

spasypaddy · June 2007

on a serious note how can you see everything going on around you on the road when you are so much lower down than everything else?

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

jonpcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by spasypaddy

on a serious note how can you see everything going on around you on the road when you are so much lower down than everything else?

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg
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Not a problem - you can see in front to avoid potholes even with a fairing, and you get a better "panorama" of the road in general, eg at night when you can see line the white stripes down the road really clearly. It takes a lot of effort to keep lifting up that heavy head of yours to look around!

My current height is about 50cm and that's unnecessarily high now so I'm getting something much lower soon - and when I tried it I was amazed that the visibility is excellent on this too.

Scenic commute!

My baby elephant's got its first wobbly tusk!

Archcp · June 2007

Being low isn't an issue. The only thing I sometimes find, in suburban streets with lots of parked cars, is that my feet are sticking out of a turning before I can see if anything is coming. But it's rarely a big problem.

And its recumbents [;)]

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

TimothyO · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Arch
And its recumbents [;)]
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He could be talking about sleepy insects. [:D]

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Yes, actually it is Rocket Science.

spasypaddy · June 2007

it is definitely something i would love to give a go at but i dont think id feel comfortable knowing that my face was at the same level as a set of car wheels!

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

TimothyO · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by spasypaddy

it is definitely something i would love to give a go at but i dont think id feel comfortable knowing that my face was at the same level as a set of car wheels!
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Generally you aren't that low down, you are much more likely to be at about the same level, or slightly higher than a car driver, depending on the design. Some recumbents, designed for out and out speed on a track, or otherwise not on public roads, may put your head in a position which is poorly suited to looking around at traffic, but any bike, trike etc aimed at the mass market (such as it is for recumbents) will have to be moderately practical for cycling in traffic, and you tend to have a lot less obstructions to your view than car drivers (unless it's a full faired recumbent, but it's rare to see those on the road, at least in the UK).

Like Arch said, occasionally you have to edge out carefuly at junctions with poor sight lines, but that can happen at junctions even when using an upright. As with any cycling, you have to use appropriate beahviour for the conditions.

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Yes, actually it is Rocket Science.

Cunobelin · June 2007

My Street Machine puts my head above most car drivers - does that make them too low to be safe?

He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.
(Unattributed Trad.)

spasypaddy · June 2007

im sorry cunobelin but ive never seen a recumbant on the road and have definitely never ridden one so im asking questions from assumptions i have made. i apologise for not knowing the height of each individual machine and for not knowing that your specific machine is actually taller than most normal car drivers

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

ankev1 · June 2007

A Street Machine is a good one to try your first recumbent ride. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

spasypaddy · June 2007

didn't realise they were so expensive!

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

Archcp · June 2007

Blimey paddy, you don't know how high they are, you don't know what they cost.. Have you ever actually seen one? Or is it just a word you heard somewhere...[;)]

Sorry, that's a bit harsh perhaps, but those of us who do have experience of them often get asked the same questions over and over, and after a while the desire to be helpful wears off and the sarcasm kicks in... Well, it does for me...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

BentMikey · June 2007

It's a bit like arriving at work in lycra and being asked by the non-cyclist "Oh, did you cycle in today then?". FFS!

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

im sweating like a pig in all the cycle gear and someone asks me if im starting or finishing work.

I mean how how many feking times?

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spasypaddy · June 2007

arch - no i have seen them in a shop but never on the road hence im asking!

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

Cunobelin · June 2007

Had an interesting experience today.......

Stopped off in local hostelry on the way home tonight.

A chap at the bar commented on the Trike, and asked the logical questions.

Asked if he could take it for a trial around the car park.

After 2 minutes he was asking about price, availability and storage!

Concerns about visibility no longer evident.

Try one before you make up your mind!

He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.
(Unattributed Trad.)

Unknown · June 2007

I personally consider my vision supirior on my recumbents than my DFs. One of the reasons I bought a recumbents was so I could see stright ahead at the horison with my head in a comfortable relaxed position. I commute 25.6 miles daily on a recumbent (currently a Quest) mostly on A roads and would not go back to a DF for the commute.

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Are recumbants?

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