PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
For me, it felt a bit scary, You?
After getting comfortable riding a recumbent ... first impression once getting back on a regular bike?
- Thread starter PGM1
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
404 Not Found Anywhere
Über Member
I do switch between them a fair bit - specifically I have an upright to do the shopping. If I come home after a ride on my ‘bent and immediately go out on the upright to do the shopping, the “conventional” machine feels terribly high and unstable. Low risk version of experiencing what a Tall Bike must be to ride!
OP
OP
PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
a.twiddler
Veteran
Not a problem occasionally riding an upright bike really, once I'd got over the height and the feeling that I might take a header over the bars over every bump or steep downhill. And the aches and pains that I'd forgotten about, after riding recumbents for the last few years. Also the close passes which I'd also forgotten about, taking for granted the amount of room other road users gave me on my recumbents. How about a few more specifics from the OP?
OP
OP
PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
After riding recumbent (and crashing), I recall all those years I rode my full suspension X-country bike through the trails in Ontario's North(ish) countryside in a head-forward aggressive stance. Like most in the sport, i went over the bars several times (apparently) fracturing my clavicle, one of those times. Now I ride in a passive aggressive recumbent stance and have come to the conclusion that I prefer to crash feet first as I was clipping along quite quickly when I hit the edge of the breaking asphalt and then a tree in my recumbent. No humans, bikes, or trees were harmed in this incident. - just ego
Seevio
Guru
- Location
- South Glos
I'm just imagining what passive-aggressive cycling could entail.
a.twiddler
Veteran
I find a lot less to stir my aggression while riding a recumbent compared with the disrespect you tend to get from other road users on a conventional bike, though I didn't get as much of that as some posters seem to get. Perhaps I'm just lucky not to live in a large town or city. That sort of thing is more likely to spoil my day than other road users'.
I don't see crashing as a regular feature to be accepted. I try and avoid it as much as possible. On the other hand, in life, shoot happens and if you don't end up with permanent damage you tend to absorb the experience and do better next time. When I was younger I could bounce. Now that I'm ancient, not so much.
I'm not particularly aggressive but I'm not passive either. I claim my road space but know when to back off too. Being in the right is no consolation if you end up under some motorised bozo's wheels.
Being assertive is more likely to give yourself and others a good day's experience on a bike as in many other spheres of life than being passive, aggressive, or passive-aggressive.
I don't see crashing as a regular feature to be accepted. I try and avoid it as much as possible. On the other hand, in life, shoot happens and if you don't end up with permanent damage you tend to absorb the experience and do better next time. When I was younger I could bounce. Now that I'm ancient, not so much.
I'm not particularly aggressive but I'm not passive either. I claim my road space but know when to back off too. Being in the right is no consolation if you end up under some motorised bozo's wheels.
Being assertive is more likely to give yourself and others a good day's experience on a bike as in many other spheres of life than being passive, aggressive, or passive-aggressive.
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
Since buying my trike and also installing an e/motor I have hardly ridden my bikes and when I did I found it hard going due the the fact was no e/motor to help me along.
I also think I have lost power in my legs due to the conversion to the e/motor, so easy to press the throttle to get up a slight hill now and of course my age has increased
I also think I have lost power in my legs due to the conversion to the e/motor, so easy to press the throttle to get up a slight hill now and of course my age has increased
OP
OP
PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
lol, it entails letting the world pass by while in an overly aggressive reclined cycling position.
OP
OP
PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
Why? Was it the ability to freely move your body about or more of a road view aspect, hill issues or something else?
a.twiddler
Veteran
I was something of a recumbent evangelist when I first went to the Darkside but sadly, I've come to realise that they're not for everyone. People have different expectations from their cycling, and what works for me isn't the answer for everyone in a world accustomed to a normality overwhelmingly filled with diamond framed bikes, not least if you want to be involved in cycle sport. At least @kingrollo has tried riding one and made a choice, whereas some may dismiss them out of hand with no experience.
kingrollo
Guru
Don't get me wrong - going down a hill on a recumbent was serious fun - Im glad I did did it. It also made me a local celebrity in the neighbourhood.
I live in the traffic dense west midlands - and a hilly part of that - as soon as my 3 year hamstring injury was finally resolved - I couldn't wait to get back on the road bike - it just felt like proper cycling to me.
That said I do regret selling my bent - I love to just jump on it and go for 15 minutes locally on it.
Good fun, and Id urge anyone to try it - but road bikes are my passion.
OP
OP
PGM1
Regular
- Location
- Midland, Ontario, Canada
Glad you resolved your injury. Interesting comment about proper cycling, I find this very prevalent among people. It must be something engrained in tradition and culture. When you ask anyone to picture a bicycle in their mind, no-one pictures a recumbent bike unless they are "bent".
