Recumbent Bicycles
Hello. I'm thinking about buying a recumbent for commuting. I'm looking for a bicycle that can travel reasonably fast in traffic that moves at least 60 km/h. But I also would like the option of riding very slow.
I'm a male who's just over 6 feet tall.
What kind of recumbent would be good? Where can they be found?
Thanks.
The best place to look for recumbents in Toronto (or anywhere in Ontario, really) is the Urbane Cyclist - http://www.ucycle.com
Because there's so much variety in styles of 'bents, you'll really have to see for yourself what type suits you the best. Under-seat vs. over-seat steering. Short vs. long wheelbase. How high up from the ground? How much gear do you plan to carry? Will you use it for anything else besides commuting?
I personally have an HP Velotechnik Streetmachine that I use for commuting, touring, shopping, etc. It's a great bike overall, and in my opinion it's an awesome ride for my urban/suburban commuting needs. The only drawbacks of this bike, in my experience, are that sometimes the turning radius is a bit large, and it's somewhat heavy (due to very tough construction, full suspension, etc.). I can scream down hills very fast with confidence, but I've also mastered riding it very slowly (can almost track-stand sometimes).
The Bachetta Giro 26 or Giro 20 are probably good commuter bikes too, and reasonably priced.
Anyway, check out Urbane Cyclist. Best people to talk to about recumbents there are Carey and Chris.
Also, here's a list of recumbent dealers around Ontario:
http://hpv.gedris.org/index.php/RecumbentDealersOntario
The Urbane Cyclist is the best place to shop for a 'bent. I bought my BikeE AT semi-recumbent there and love my ride though I doubt I have ever got my BikeE close to 60km/h. There are bents than can go that fast and some even faster, such as a velomobile. Be prepared to spend considerably more on a bent than a regular road bike, however. They're not cheap.
...great as it cuts wind resistance, but I'd think a recumbent is harder to see in city traffic than a regular bike. I'd expect frequent near-misses on such a bike.
Not all recumbents are right down on the ground.
When I ride my 'bent, my head is at about the same height as a car driver's.
I've never been hit (on any bike), and from experience, I would say that people give me more room when I'm riding the recumbent because it's a bit weird so people tend to stay away. It stands out more, and isn't just another bike.
I also make sure I'm well lit at night, and have bright reflective stuff all over various parts of the bike.
I guess I've never felt that visibility is an issue.
The lower head position, however, makes it a bit more difficult to see over cars and around corners in tighter urban settings, so I have to be a bit more cautious and observant when turning corners in the city.
Like Vic illustrated, on my 'bent, my head is about the same height as a car driver's. That does not allow for the best visibility, however, because driver's of some SUV's, pickup trucks and large trucks may have difficulty seeing me, so I attached a triangular safety flag, the kind used on boats, but available at the Urbane Cyclist as well as most sporting goods stores, at about the height where a regular upright cyclists head would be. I've rarely had a problem with being seen.
Also, as Vic mentioned, I am extremely well lit at night. I use 2-3 front lights, 1 or 2 in blinkie mode and 1 on solid. 3 rear lights, 3 rear reflectors, wheel reflectors and TireFlies on my wheels make me exceptionally visible from all angles. 'Bents always make people's heads turn and that is good for being noticed on the road. It also prevents theft as most cyclists, thieves included, don't know how to ride a 'bent and thieves don't want to be so conspicuous, attracting that much unwanted attention. They know the police can spot a 'bent far easier than a road or mountain bike.
You will also find that the components tend to be superior to most bikes on the road, but if the 'bent comes with smaller tires, like mine, speed may be compromised and getting through snow, slush or mud is not easy. I don't recommend a 'bent for winter riding.
Yeah you are lower down, nobody directly behind you has trouble seeing you as you stand out on something weird. I think the main concern with visibility is being in predictable places. While I might filter between a lane of moving traffic stopped at a light and parked cars on a DF I wouldn't on my recumbent. Less likely to be noticed by people opening their doors.
With recumbents there is less chance of tumbling head over handlebars if you make a sudden stop. You're also sitting lower so the fall to the ground isn't as far.
Takeoff from a stop is trickier, especially if you're going uphill.
Consider a recumbent trike, Urbane has a couple on display. Then you'll be sitting really low - a flag is a must.