| Many bike speed records have been broken by | | | | strain on the body. This makes them great for longer |
| recumbent bikes. Recumbent bicycles were banned | | | | trips. When a bike is comfortable for long periods of |
| from international racing in the year 1934 and they | | | | time it makes sense that we're likely to bike farther, |
| hadn't seen widespread use until toward the end 20th | | | | right? |
| century. | | | | A big plus is lower body circulation too. In a recumbent |
| A recumbent bicycle is a kind of bicycle which places | | | | bike our legs are positioned at nearly the same height |
| the rider in a seated or supine position and rarely, in a | | | | as our hearts, thus reducing hydrostatic pressure and |
| prone position. | | | | the heart's job of circulating blood through those areas. |
| Recumbent bikers hold many world speed records for | | | | Stability |
| human powered, non-paced types of races. | | | | Recumbent bikes are much more stable for obvious |
| Interestingly, tricycles actually fall into the recumbent | | | | reasons: with some there are more wheels! Also, |
| bike category and for whatever reason are generally | | | | recumbent bikes are situated closer to the ground. |
| accepted into the main 'upright bike' category. | | | | Variety |
| Recumbent bikes are typically classified further by the | | | | When choosing a recumbent bicycle, riders have many |
| size of their wheelbase. There are long wheelbase | | | | more varieties to choose from than with traditional |
| recumbent bikes (LWB), short wheelbase (SWB) | | | | upright bikes. There are all kinds of variations and |
| recumbent bikes, and (CLWB) compact long | | | | degrees of uprightness from which to choose. |
| wheelbase recumbent bikes. | | | | There are some disadvantages as well. For one, |
| Each of these types of recumbent bikes also have | | | | recumbent bikes don't allow riders to change positions, |
| somewhat different positioning of the pedals and | | | | such as standing on an upright bike while going down a |
| wheels as compared to the seat. With long wheelbase | | | | hill. And you'll have to boost a whole new set of |
| recumbent bikes the pedals are located in between | | | | muscles. Recumbent bicycles use different muscle |
| the seat and the front wheel. | | | | groups to power the bike than do upright bicycles. |
| Compact wheelbase recumbent bikes have their | | | | Unlike upright bikes, there is a subculture of recumbent |
| pedals either above the front wheel or very close to it. | | | | builders who design and build home-built recumbent |
| And short wheelbase recumbent bicycles have their | | | | bicycles. Many times these are assembled of parts |
| pedals in front of the front wheel. | | | | from other bicycles, particularly mountain bikes. The |
| Recumbent bikes have several advantages over | | | | frame designs may be as simple as a long steel tube |
| upright or traditional bikes. Some of these differences | | | | bent into the appropriate shape to hand-built carbon |
| are described below: | | | | fiber frames. For a good many builders, the engineering |
| Health | | | | of the bikes is as much of a challenge and fun as |
| Recumbent bikes encourage a posture that reduces | | | | riding them. |