The What and Why of a Recumbent

If you are not familiar with a recumbent you may be asking yourself, “What in the world is it?” A recumbent in the simplest terms is a cycle configured for ergonomics. Ergonomics is the science of designing the job, equipment, and workplace to fit the worker or in this case the rider. (Source: Wikapedia)

Recumbents tend to place you in a more upright slightly laid back position. Some of the advantages of riding a recumbent (or as recumbent riders refer to them ‘bents’) are:
1) The rider’s weight is distributed over a much larger area of the back and rump. Traditional uprights normally have that same weight distributed over just a few square inches or so.
2) Less likely to have numb buns, hands and sore neck.
3) You won’t go over the handle bars.
4) Your position offers less wind resistance.

Interesting facts about bents:

The current world bike speed record is held by a recumbent at 80.5 MPH.
Recumbents were not allowed to compete in bicycle races after breaking world speed records. It appears the powers in charge at the time couldn’t take the defeat. This was in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. For more information on this subject visit http://www.hpv.on.ca/recumb.htm

There are two wheel recumbent bicycles, tandems, three wheel trikes and four wheel quads plus all manner of design in-between. One of my favorite designs is the quadra-ped or a hand and foot cranked model. It is great upper and lower body exercise!

Bents may not be for everyone, but they are certainly worth checking out!