# My first 'bent



## urbanfatboy (25 Oct 2009)

I'm thinking seriously about getting a recumbent, mainly so i can cover a 25 mile each way commute without arriving as a sweaty disheveled mess. I've got about £500 for a second hand one, maybe more £150 for new if i use a ctw scheme. Would i get something reasonable for that? any advice / recommendations?


cheers


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## squeaker (26 Oct 2009)

urbanfatboy said:


> I'm thinking seriously about getting a recumbent, mainly so i can cover a 25 mile each way commute without arriving as a sweaty disheveled mess.


You still have to pedal, you know! Unless you are on a flat route with few hills I doubt that a recumbent would offer a major speed increase / reduction in effort at the same speed. You would, however, be far more comfortable and relaxed 


urbanfatboy said:


> I've got about £500 for a second hand one, maybe more £150 for new if i use a ctw scheme. Would i get something reasonable for that? any advice / recommendations?


S/H Pashley PDQ (seem to come up on e-bay now and again)? Maybe give Kevin a call at D-Tek and see what he's got in store?


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## urbanfatboy (26 Oct 2009)

well actually it is a fairly level route.


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## byegad (26 Oct 2009)

The main difference between riding a DF and a 'bent is the comfort of the 'bent. A sporty low racer or high racer will be faster, for the same effort on, the same route. So if you ride less hard, so as your journey time is the same as your Df time, you will arrive a little less damp. 

Remember that, at first you will be slower on a 'bent. A slightly different set of muscles are used to ride a 'bent. People who are cycle fit already all seem to report aching muscles along the top of the thigh. Typical distances to 'get your bent legs' can be anything from 200 to 1000 miles. Also most people ride with a higher cadence on a 'bent than they did on a Df and this takes time too.

My experience as a regular leisure cyclist changing over in my mid fifties was that it took me a thousand miles or so to be as fast (or slow if you like) as I was on a DF. All my 'bents have been touring models, had I bought a sports model I would have seen an increase in speed. My cruising cadence went from 72 on a DF to 84 on a recumbent and I spin faster than that up hill. I couldn't/didn't spin like that on my DFs.


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## bottlemsher (26 Oct 2009)

For affordable and ideal for new people, have a look at
http://www.powerandleisure.co.uk/


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## urbanfatboy (26 Oct 2009)

Will it bugger up my elite DF riding skills? or my more prevalent struggling through skills ?

That ASS mantis looks quite nice too, just need to get a reasonable price on one.


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## byegad (26 Oct 2009)

It uses different muscle groups. So possibly if your DF mileage drops you'll notice a difference. For quite a while I rode DF and 'bent and once my bent legs were in I rode my DFs at the same speed as ever, but I can't speak for top end fitness, my moving average is now on a QNT recumbent trike and was on a DF 11 -12 mph. On my slower Kettwiesel (Higher more upright seat and a lower top gear and slightly higher bottom gear.) it's 10-11 mph.


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## urbanfatboy (26 Oct 2009)

...and also, what about rain? on a DF it kinda washes off your back (a bit) on a recumbent it looks like it will just pool on your stomach, or at least soak your legs.


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## ianrauk (26 Oct 2009)

aye it will do that... but then again riding a DF your legs get soaked.
So if you have the correct clothing for the weather then you should be ok



urbanfatboy said:


> ...and also, what about rain? on a DF it kinda washes off your back (a bit) on a recumbent it looks like it will *just pool on your stomach*, or at least soak your legs.


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## byegad (26 Oct 2009)

I ride this. In damp weather I am dry and in torrential rain I wear Rainlegs and a good Jacket and keep reasonably dry, certainly drier than I ever was on a DF.


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## squeaker (27 Oct 2009)

urbanfatboy said:


> ...and also, what about rain? on a DF it kinda washes off your back (a bit) on a recumbent it looks like it will just pool on your stomach, or at least soak your legs.


IME can be a problem, but more of a nuisance - wearing a waterproof(!) shell with half zip removes the leakage issue. If riding along heavily trafficked routes in rain, a bigger problem for me is spray/splash from passing vehicles: the lower you are the more you get  Also I find riding in the dark in rain difficult, as I have to wear prescription specs, and the combination of a lower riding position, wet specs and oncoming headlights is not a good one. Much less of a problem in well lit areas, though.


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## urbanfatboy (27 Oct 2009)

IME?


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## MajorMantra (27 Oct 2009)

urbanfatboy said:


> IME?



In My Experience.

Matthew


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## urbanfatboy (27 Oct 2009)

Wow! how does Squeaker know what you have experienced?


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## MajorMantra (27 Oct 2009)

urbanfatboy said:


> Wow! how does Squeaker know what you have experienced?



Don't know, I think he follows me around. 

Matthew (who may have totally misunderstood what's going on)


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## 45cotterless (27 Oct 2009)

That looks like a certain Shropshire garden centre!


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## urbanfatboy (27 Oct 2009)

What??

Anyway, back on topic. I'll start scanning second hand, the HPVC looks ok. They do appear on the dock of ebay, but often expensive! 
It looks like a S/H PDQ can be bought for about £350-400, which is ok, anythin else in that range? The Bacchetta Cafe looked ok too, any other suggestions of what to look out for or even what to stay away from. I reckon i want to be fairly high up for my first.


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## 45cotterless (28 Oct 2009)

45cotterless said:


> That looks like a certain Shropshire garden centre!


Sorry! Was looking at Byegad's steed, blasted computer flipped through hyperspace bugs again.


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## byegad (28 Oct 2009)

'Twas indeed a certain Shropshire Garden Centre.


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