How Many Recumbents Have You Actually Seen on the Road?

[Regular.Cyclist]

I saw one locally last week. The only others I have ever seen was a group of three when I was down in Dumfries and Galloway for the national road championships in 2022.

 

[Alex321]

Not quite on the road, but noticed they are doing rentals in Dulwich Park

View attachment 736997

Interesting sign.

[Pedant hat on]
They call themselves "London Recumbents", and advertise bike hire, but of the 8 cycles in the picture, only 3 are recumbents, and only two are bikes (non of the recumbents are). 6 of the 8 (including all the recumbents) are trikes.

 

[grldtnr]

If you got to the shop, they do have a selection of models for sale, recumbents are expensive band a bit niche, so not really for hire, they do have 'demo' recumbents, you need to enquire,but London Recumbents are only selling ,not hiring recumbents , except for fun kiddy carts in the park.
I did ask for a 'demo' ride and got one in Dulwich park.

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

I bought my red Kettwiesel from them… very helpful and knowledgable, gave good after sales support when there was a seat frame recall and then later were able to source me a replacement rear hub when I had a flange failure (lesson learned - aluminium does corrode in the presence of road salt). Back then (2006) they were agents for Challenge as well as Hase and, I think, some other recumbent brands

 

[rydabent]

I am a member of the County Cruisers, they are a bent club in Omaha Ne. On a nice day we must have more than a dozen riders. Anymore most of the riders are on trikes.

 

[grldtnr]

I am currently deliberating a contemplative 'ride around the block' from Sunny Southend on the Essex Riviera (??), down to Dover , to Calais ,through Belgium, ,the Netherlands ,to Hoek van Holland , Harwich then home.
What's putting g me off is the Kentish section, it's not very appetising.
I might research it via my motor scoot first.

 

[rydabent]

It would seem that the "old country" is way behind the times on bents and trikes. That seems kind of odd because two the the better trikes are ICE and Azub, and are made in Europe.

Maybe the "old country" has a lot of traditionalist and are cling to DF bikes. But then IMO they are clinging to pain, since bents and trikes ride almost pain free.

 

[crazybirds]

How many recumbents have you actually seen on the road?
I read posts from recumbent riders from time to time but unless you are involved in BHPV racing or similar it’s possible that unless you have one in your garage you might never have seen another one on the road while out riding.

Before I ever thought about riding a recumbent myself I used to see a two wheeler being ridden quite quickly from time to time on the A556 Northwich bypass while taking my lad to school around 2005-2008. I remember thinking at the time, I wouldn’t mind having a go on one of those.

When I acquired the Linear in 2020 my son remembered that, so it shows that random sightings can kindle interest a long time later. Curiously, I met that rider in another context after I’d been riding the Linear for a while.

A few years earlier I was riding a motorbike on Dalefords Lane between Sandiway and Whitegate when a bright yellow enclosed contraption, with just the rider’s head visible, whizzed by in the opposite direction. I immediately thought at the time, from its small size, “Pedal power! How cool is that!” I know now that it was a velomobile.

April 2020 while out on my touring bike heading towards Sandiway on Norley Road I spotted an unidentified tadpole trike and trailer as it turned off as I approached from the opposite direction. I was going downhill at the time, didn’t turn off and follow.

September 2020. While going uphill on the Linear, spotted an unidentified SWB recumbent bike going down in the opposite direction. The rider just had time to shout, “Hey! Another one!” before disappearing.

Summer of 2022 while taking the car for a wash I spotted a tadpole triker sitting at a town centre traffic lights with an inane grin on his face. I recognised that grin, being a recumbentist.

April 2023. On the Monsal Trail on a Brompton. Many walkers and cyclists about. Amongst them, coming the other way, someone on an unknown SWB recumbent bike, who flashed past in the opposite direction.

3 bikes, 3 trikes, one of which was a velomobile.

I live in MS on the Gulf. We have 6ft sidewalks for approximately 20mi on the beach. Tons of trikes here and in Slidell, LA

 

[Psamathe]

Couple regularly (couple each has their own and live not far from me). One regularly outside my local supermarket (chatted to the rider on a few occasions). A tandem one seen a couple of times so I assume it's local. Occasionally velomobile though rare enough uncertain if I'm seeing the same one or how far from home the rider is.

LBS says they work an several and were considering becoming dealers for one builder (though I don't think that happened in part because they have a small shop and having a demo one would take a lot of spece for occasional sales).

Ian

 

[FrankCrank]

I live in MS on the Gulf. We have 6ft sidewalks for approximately 20mi on the beach. Tons of trikes here and in Slidell, LA

Very jealous - my favourite riding is along coastal roads/paths, but yet to do it on a 'bent. Maybe one day

 

[Psamathe]

It's a strange aspect to recumbents but I suspect many recumbent riders think "recumbent" refers more to the type of thing they ride rather than just the position/seat. Thinking of 2-wheel vs 3-wheel. I've not ridden a 2-wheel one but I suspect they are very different experiences from a recumbent trike. Maybe even more so if laden touring.

Also I've not ridden a recumbent delta trike which may handle differently from a tadpole one (maybe). Though if noticable different probably nothing like the 2-wheel vs 3 wheel recumbent.

Ian