Recumbent bicycles feel better than an easy chair! Before I tell you about recumbent bicycles, I'm going to admit something personal. I'm.. kind of... lazy. Not everyday, mind you, but I've got it in me to do nothing. Don't think because I love bikes and surfing that I'm all motivated and stuff. Somedays if I'm not careful, its me and the T.V. I'll just lie on the couch all day and flip through my 3,763 channels. Well people, I have something right here on this page that you can do sitting down and NOT feel guilty about. In fact, you're supposed to...you'd look pretty wierd and probably hurt yourself if you stood up on it. Have you guessed yet? It's the:  Disclaimer: We tested "comfort bicycles" which are stepping stones to true recumbents. They're easier to balance on and are perfect for people with muscle pain and old age working against them. This is the ultimate easy chair bicycle! (Six pack not included.) But just because they're comfortable don't think they're just for lazy people like me. They're for speed freaks, too. Interesting note: In 1934 a recumbent set the world bike speed record! That's right, it was faster than any other bike on the planet. You probably won't find this on any "official" record as somebody whined that it wasn't fair competition and the record was scratched.  Called bents for short,
recumbent bicycles have been around forever. (Recumbent means "lying
down".) They all have one thing in common: they're long, thin, and
the rider leans back on a backrest while pedaling. Actually, a very
few can be pedaled with the hands. In other words, they're all
really weird looking. The word to describe this bike is comfortable. I almost fell asleep riding it. The legs do get a great workout, though. And I experienced no butt or wrist soreness. Once again, the word of the day---comfortable. It's kind of strange actually, because you're in this completely new position which is tough to balance in at first. Then all of a sudden, you're going really fast. It seemed to me to be impossible to go that fast while sitting in an easy chair. I did run into one problem, and that was when I tryed to get up a fairly steep hill. That took work. My legs were burning by the time I got to the top. Word of advice: I wouldn't tour the Rockies in a recumbent bicycle. Also, motorists can't see you as well. It makes sense, considering how low to the ground you are. If you want to be really safe just tie a tall, bright flag to it. This is an objective look at the world of recumbents, weighing pros & cons of the bike itself rather than brand comparison. This is the only book (that I've found) that's solely about recumbents. It's a must read if your interested in recumbent bicycles.
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