[gymsoo]

Almost 50 years with back pain resulting in multiple procedures & surgeries has left me looking for solutions to my need for exercise. Can't stand for any length of time & only walk for 1/2 block before needing to bend over or sit for 30 seconds. My treadmill is out & my stationary bikes are only comfortable for a few minutes. My Sun recumbent trike has allowed to bike several miles so considering rollers versus a stationary recumbent. Winters are cold here. Jim & Sue, Wenatchee, WA.

[photosbymark]

Well I think you might be better off with a fluid trainer than rollers, but then again I am biased. I tried rollers and hated them, but that was just me. Yet they make some recumbent stationary bikes as well you might also want to try out. IF you are comfortable on your Sun, a fluid trainer might be a good option, but I would guess that some rollers would be long enough to deal with the length of the Sun.

[BlazingPedals]

Does the Sun drive just one wheel? If so, I'd just use a trainer. I have a mag and a fluid, and they're both a bit noisy. You'll have to get levelers for the other wheels. Unless you're driving both rear wheels of a delta, there's no point in getting rollers - they're mostly for working on balance and smooth pedal stroke; and wouldn't accomplish either with a trike.

[photosbymark]

Oh I missed the trike. I suppose you could get two trainers, one for each wheel, but by that time you would probably be better off with a recumbent spin bike that likely wouldn't take up as much space. Even then some of the Sun trikes are narrow enough that you wouldn't be able to get the two trainers close enough together for the wheels to be in the right place. You might could use two sets of rollers, but you would spend less and get more to get a real recumbent exercise bike.

[BlazingPedals]

Ya know they make recumbent exercise bikes, too. I hear the recumbent versions are very popular at gyms. My wife has a very nice Schwinn. It's rocke-steady, dead quiet in operation, and has a bunch of computerized programs, HR monitor, and even a built-in fan. What I don't like about it: it's got fairly upright seating compared to what I'm used to, and the Q factor is huge.

[gymsoo]

Thanks to all. I do have a trainer for my regular bike. Because of the recumbent being a trike I can't use it on the recumbent. The stationary recumbents I've seen don't really recline very much. Forgot the name of the maker but they make a mini-roller which is claimed to work with a trike & then I would need leveling blocks under the non-driving & front wheels. I would be spending close to $400.00 that way so I'm looking for a stationary recumbent that really can recline. Thanks to all.

[photosbymark]

Depending on how handy you or a friend is, have you seen any of the stationary recumbents where you can modify the seat??? How much were the leveling blocks you were going to need to level off for the trainer? That you might be able to make with nearly anything unless it has to look pretty for some reason. You are doing the right thing to keep looking and thinking about options. Sooner or later the right one for you will come along, and you will know it when it does.

[wekomo]

Your story sounds so much like my own! I have the exact same back pain and methods of relief. I enjoy riding both my two-wheel and my Sidewinder recumbent trike on rail trails. I too have been researching a way to use the trike indoors during the winter when I discovered this site. It sounds like the best solution is to join a local gym!

[BlazingPedals]

Get a tadpole recumbent trike, then it'll be less of a problem finding a trainer for it. Especially if you get one with a 26" or 700C drive wheel.

[gymsoo]

Who makes one with a drive wheel that size?