# prone bikes



## enas (7 Mar 2012)

I don't know if this has come up before. But I just discovered this. If you think recumbents look weird(*), then you might need to reconsider your definition of weirdness. Have a look at the H-Zontal:



(*) I always dreamt of riding a recumbent. But I always feared that they do look weird, and I would feel a bit too self-conscious about it. I am now cured: there is a way to look *much *more stupid than on a recumbent


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## Dayvo (7 Mar 2012)

_'Its future depends on you!'_ Surely it ought to be the other way around.

Looks fun for a (very) short time, until you develop chronic neck ache.


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## enas (7 Mar 2012)

Dayvo said:


> Looks fun for a (very) short time, until you develop chronic neck ache.


 
You don't get it: he's using these goggles with mirrors that allow him to bend his head while still being able to see the road ahead (from 1:19). If your French is up to scratch, he's explaining it here:


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## Dayvo (7 Mar 2012)

Ok, thanks for the clarification, although I would guess it would seriously restrict his peripheral vision.


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## enas (7 Mar 2012)

Dayvo said:


> Ok, thanks for the clarification, although I would guess it would seriously restrict his peripheral vision.


 
Come on, how can you be so skeptical. That's pure genius I tell you! (The saddle design is fantastic too...)


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## ACW (7 Mar 2012)

looks a bit sore on the arms not to mention other bits


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## riggsbie (8 Mar 2012)

I thinks there's a hair's width between genius and insanity.......


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## ufkacbln (8 Mar 2012)

Tim Elsdale produced one called the "Cool Breeze" a few years back and aced it quite successfully


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## starhawk (8 Mar 2012)

enas said:


> Come on, how can you be so skeptical. That's pure genius I tell you! (The saddle design is fantastic too...)


That's no genius to me, and the saddle design is hair-rising, doesn't he have any family jewels? The very idea of riding belly down is not at all tempting. Wonder how his arms feel after a while, there is nothing much else which hold him against the pedals. And riding with the aid of mirrors is not very natural


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## enas (8 Mar 2012)

starhawk said:


> That's no genius to me, and the saddle design is hair-rising, doesn't he have any family jewels?


I think there's sarcasm in the air (just a bit really). But in fairness, you can raise the exact same criticism for upright bikes. Imagine what the reaction of anyone seeing an upright bike for the first time would be if they didn't already exist for so long...


starhawk said:


> The very idea of riding belly down is not at all tempting.


How about feeling like a cheetah?


starhawk said:


> Wonder how his arms feel after a while, there is nothing much else which hold him against the pedals. And riding with the aid of mirrors is not very natural


This guy is actually serious about his stuff. There's a FAQ (in broken English) on his website, and also some explanations here about how the body is supported. It's really funny to read his website (riggsbie quote keeps coming in my mind), he seems to put some faith in his concept (he's looking for investors).


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## starhawk (9 Mar 2012)

enas said:
I think there's sarcasm in the air (just a bit really). But in fairness, you can raise the exact same criticism for upright bikes. Imagine what the reaction of anyone seeing an upright bike for the first time would be if they didn't already exist for so long...

Well on an upright you don't have a saddle which stretches from your ass to your belly!

enas said:
How about feeling like a cheetah?

I read on the link, but he misses the point! It is natural for a cheetah to move on all four with his head at the front, but a human has evolved to move on two legs with his head on the top, so what is natural for a cheetah isn't neccesarily natural for a human


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## arallsopp (16 Mar 2012)

Chances of Obree rocking up to WHPSC in this position? Watch him mime the riding position at the one minute twenty mark, and tell me you don't think he's on his front?

.


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## StuAff (16 Mar 2012)

He's building a prone bike. Interview on road.cc, quote:
"So I have stepped back and said to myself ‘what are my maximum possibilities?’ I have ridden about on a ‘prone’ recumbent bike (i.e lying on your stomach) in the 90s. In fact I specifically targeted it, because it really simply feels more powerful because you are pedaling behind you, and you have the width of your shoulders in front of you, and you staring straight on – forget science – it feels stronger."


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## cyberknight (16 Mar 2012)

who else read porn bikes as the title , i must be gasping ... mind you since baby was born beginning of Jan = no chance lol


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## arallsopp (16 Mar 2012)

StuAff said:


> He's building a prone bike. Interview on road.cc, quote:
> "So I have stepped back and said to myself ‘what are my maximum possibilities?’ I have ridden about on a ‘prone’ recumbent bike (i.e lying on your stomach) in the 90s. In fact I specifically targeted it, because it really simply feels more powerful because you are pedaling behind you, and you have the width of your shoulders in front of you, and you staring straight on – forget science – it feels stronger."


 
Good find Stu. Well, this could change all kind of things.


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## StuAff (17 Mar 2012)

arallsopp said:


> Good find Stu. Well, this could change all kind of things.


Not that much of a find- it's one of my regular sites, and the link was right on the home page


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