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part 2
Being an avid convert to recumbent bikes, it’s sometimes hard to admit, they’re not perfect. But I still gloat, because I have a secret. For almost every disadvantage to recumbent bikes, there’s an equal and opposite advantage. Ordinary diamond frame bike riders haven’t a clue. They’re caught in the ordinary, crowd-following, ingrained world of the wedgie. Likely, they’ve been simply misinformed. They have zero experience riding a recumbent, so consequently their imagination carries them off into the belief that bents are weird, awkward, bizarre, dysfunctional, and possibly dangerous. They think bents are mostly for wackos who want to show-off and attract attention. And I’ll admit, I like the attention. I like standing out from the crowd, especially on the road. Mostly, though, I like knowing that the real reasons for riding a bent can be quantified, explained and enumerated. Words, though, don’t mean a thing until you experience the ride for yourself.
In the spirit of fairness, here is the list of cons for recumbents. I surprised myself by finding ten of them—wasn’t expecting that many. And I’ll surprise you with a counter (or more) for all but two of them.
Cons—
Pros—
All that sounds like a sales pitch; it’s too easy to start proselytizing. Yet, I’m certain that if more riders tried a recumbent, there’d be more on the road, lots more. But it takes a big leap to make the conversion. Change is challenging. The unknown is uncomfortable. It’s easier to stay with the common and conventional. So, while most stick to their comfort zone, I’ll be merrily spinning down the road in the comfort zone, with a grin on my face, knowing, I’ve got a secret.
Read about my introduction to recumbents : Get Bent
* Wider tires help. Since going from a 32mm to a 40mm tire, and a wider wheel, 19mm to 24mm inside width, the increased air volume adds cushion, allows for running at a lower pressure without increasing total rolling resistance(combined tire and vibration losses), or risking pinch flats. A smoother, more comfortable ride is not just more pleasant, it’s less fatiguing. However, there are many factors involved that make for a complex balancing act between rim width, tire width, tire selection and inflation pressure. If you’re interested in going down a rabbit hole, read this : Wide Tires Make You Faster.