[SUX VR40 Rider]

Here is how I roll and what my looked like before I made some slight changes to it. Enjoy;
Bicycling: How We Roll

Here are some assembly views of my bike.;
Bicycling: Assembly Views of my Vision R40

[jeepwithnoname]

Alright.... time for me to be educated. Is a recumbant really easier? I hear all these stories about how great they are but I just don't see it. How about hills? Are they easier to climb? How about balance?

I am really in the dark with these things.

[SUX VR40 Rider]

Originally Posted by jeepwithnoname

Alright.... time for me to be educated. Is a recumbant really easier? I hear all these stories about how great they are but I just don't see it. How about hills? Are they easier to climb? How about balance?

I am really in the dark with these things.

First, IMO, no they are not easier to ride. I think in fact they are harder to control and with practice comes experience and eventually a recumbent ride learns how to control his or her bike.

They are more comfortable though. Unlike my road bike where I had pressure and often pain after a ride, despite the bike being a proper fit to me, I always, and by always I mean 100% of the time, had painful pressure on my hands, arms, back, neck and shoulders. On a recumbent I have absolutley 0 of that.

Comparing my road bike to my recumbent climbing hills is slower. In a tail and head wind I am faster, I am faster on down hills and about the same speed on a flat with little to no wind.

When I bought my 'bent I traded my painful road bike in for it. I will NEVER go back to a road bike. In fact the ONLY wedgie saddle I bike I might ever own again is a mtn bike, and it will only be used for off roading.

I have what is classified as a touring recumbent. There are models that are lighter, lower to the ground and much faster by design.

[jeepwithnoname]

interesting... I think I might try one. I am a MTB rider traditionally and on my morning rides if I get out early enough, there is this guy on a recumbant that rides through the streets. But he is so rare to see because he is out so early that he is almost a fabled creature to me. My MTB friends don't believe me that he even exists and let me just add.... this dude is FAST!! He has a long white beard and I can't even come close to catching him. Almost like Santa!!!!

[SUX VR40 Rider]

Originally Posted by jeepwithnoname

interesting... I think I might try one. I am a MTB rider traditionally and on my morning rides if I get out early enough, there is this guy on a recumbant that rides through the streets. But he is so rare to see because he is out so early that he is almost a fabled creature to me. My MTB friends don't believe me that he even exists and let me just add.... this dude is FAST!! He has a long white beard and I can't even come close to catching him. Almost like Santa!!!!

Let me give you fair warning and some advice. When you ride you will likely fall in love with riding them. Recumbents tend to have that affect on people. Before you purchase one ride differant brands and models if you can. I test rode 4 or 5 before I purchased my Vision.

[jeepwithnoname]

Ya' know.... I am finding it hard to find many retailers near me. You ride a Vision.... are there any other brands you would recommend?