Buying Your First Recumbent

Thinking about buying a recumbent but a little confused and bewildered? Some suggestions...

EDUCATE YOURSELF - Obtain as much information as you can. Ways to do this are visiting manufacturer web pages, obtaining brochures, and highly recommended, a subscription or sample issues of Recumbent Cyclist News, who also has a highly informative web page at http://www.recumbentcyclistnews.com/faq.html

Most of the basic questions about recumbents can be answered by visiting www.ihpva.org/FAQ or other links found on this web site.

VISIT A RECUMBENT DEALER - Nothing can take the place of actual test rides of recumbents at a dealer. Take your time and try out different models and makes of recumbents. If a dealer has only one brand, don't hesitate to try going to another dealer to try other types of recumbents. For a list of Michigan area recumbent dealers, visit the “Recumbent Dealers” section of this web page.

BUYING A USED RECUMBENT - Used recumbents are available with a monthly listing (if any are available) on the Wolver-Bents monthly e-mail updates. Used recumbents can also be found at the following links:

http://www.recumbents.com/forsale.asp

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/forumdisplay.php?f=5

http://www.bikeroute.com/ibrd_cgi/Classifieds/class_ad.cgi?database=recumbent.setup

Extra caution, however, should be used when buying a used recumbent, especially for bends or cracks in a frame.

TAKING A TEST RIDE - If you have never ridden a recumbent before, it is highly advisable to try an take a 30-45 minute ride on one model so as to develop some "base" experience before you start trying out other models. Some first test ride advice:

·         Everyone has the "wobbles" when they first ride a recumbent. You may feel that the bike is sort of unstable but this is really you getting used to a new riding position and a new center of gravity. The "wobbles" will go away after a ride or two.

·         Plan to start out in a lower gear with one pedal in a full up position. Unlike a diamond-frame bike, you cannot stand up and put your weight down on a pedal to start the bike. Plan to start moving by having the gears in a low (easy to pedal) range and one pedal almost straight up so you can plan to push off and gain some initial speed.

·         Plan your stops. Remember that when preparing to stop, to shift down into a lower gear. This will make things so much easier to start out again.

·         Take short rides. When switching from an upright bike to a recumbent, you will use different leg muscles. When you first start riding a recumbent plan to take quite a few 10-15 mile rides before you start increasing your mileage. This will give your leg muscles a chance to become used to pedaling a recumbent.

MAKING THE PURCHASE - There a number of different recumbent designs available and it choosing a bike can be perplexing. The simplest advise is to buy a recumbent that "feels right". You may try one model that is very popular and highly recommended by other people but to you the steering/seat/ride/etc. just doesn't feel good. There may be another model, however, where everything feels comfortable. Thats the bike to buy. But before you write the check, take one more step. Take the recumbent out on an extended (1-2 hour) ride. If there are any problems with fit or comfort, they will show up on a longer ride.

ACCESSORIES - Experienced recumbent riders suggest buying three accessories at the same time you buy your recumbent. These are:

·         Rearview Mirror: On a recumbent, you cannot easily turn your head to look what is in back of you. There are many options available, including handlebar and helmet mounted mirrors.

·         Clipless Pedals: On a recumbent, it is possible for your foot to slip off a pedal, drop down and hit the ground, which can be painful. To prevent this, clipless pedals are recommended. If you never have used clipless pedals before, they have a cleat in the bottom of a cycling shoe that attaches to a special pedal. You basically "click" in and out of the pedals. One word of advice, however, is not to buy cheap, generic clipless pedals. Go with quality such as Shimano, Speedplay or Time brands. A good first time choice are the Shimano 324 pedals that look like a regular bike pedal but have on one side a clipless system.

·         Kickstand: Unlike upright bikes, recumbents may be a little more awkward to park. A kickstand takes care of this problem and also alleviates stress on the seat from leaning it against something.