Recumbent Bikes - What It's Like

Most people have never ridden a recumbent bike, and chances are nobody around them owns one either. When I ride around town on mine, people point and say "that's a cool bike," but when I actually talk to them, most don't know a thing about how it feels to ride one. So here's the rundown - focused on the two-wheeled recumbents, since that's what I ride - to give you a real feel for the experience before you go looking for one to try.

Comfort First

The very first thing you notice is comfort. You lay back into the seat and suddenly you're basically in a lawn chair - relaxed, no strong core required, nothing holding you up but the seat itself. Banking left and right through curves in that reclined position is a genuinely fun sensation you just don't get on an upright bike. And the aerodynamics are excellent - with your legs tucked and your body trailing behind them, even a windy day biking across a bridge barely registers compared to how much I'd feel it on my road bike.

A Few Things to Know

It's not all upside - there are a couple of things worth knowing before you commit. Climbing hills takes more effort since you can't stand up on the pedals for leverage the way you can on an upright bike; you mostly downshift and push against the seat back instead. And without suspension (some models do have it, so shop around), bumps in the road just come straight through - there's no standing up to absorb the shock like on a regular bike.

Features Worth Knowing

Recumbents share most of the same components as any bike - sprockets, pedals, brakes, derailleurs - but the chain often runs the full length back to the rear wheel, so you end up with what amounts to a double or triple-length chain. It hasn't given me any trouble, just something to be aware of. The bigger seat also means more room for storage - I've got a bag on the back that fits a flat repair kit, a pump, even lunch. Handlebars often fold away for easier mounting, and since your head sits low and level, a phone mount up front is easy to glance at without losing sight of the road - something that's much harder to manage on a road bike.

Finding Your Balance

Learning to balance is slightly different since your center of gravity shifts when you're reclined rather than upright. It only took me about one to two minutes to get the hang of it. My technique - and what I teach other people - is to get a little bit of speed going with a few running steps, then lean back into the seat and bring your feet up onto the pedals.

I'm so glad I rented a recumbent with a friend all those years ago and never looked back. I get to go farther, in more comfort, with a relaxed feeling I just don't get on an upright bike - and my wife rides one too now. If you've never tried one, find a bike shop near you that carries a recumbent and take it for a spin. You might be surprised.