Everyone knows the first and second best reasons to ride a bent or trike is comfort and the view. IMO the third best reason is you dont have to spend a fortune to buy the "kit" to protect you from your bike. With a bent or trike you can wear almost anything. I for instance wear rugby shorts that I can buy for $15. In the summer time my attire consists of a T-shirt and the rugby shorts. That means when I want to go for a ride, I put on my cycling shoes and ride off.
Third best reason to ride a bent or trike
- Thread starter rydabent
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Totally different to a Bent though.
a.twiddler
Veteran
Cycling shoes? Not even those on 2 wheels. Don't you mean sandals?
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
OP mentions 'bents and trikes'. I'm merely pointing out the difference between a (proper) trike and a three-wheeled recumbent (which is just a 'bent').
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I am thinking he is talking about recumbent bikes and trikes and not the three wheeler racing machine that you mention.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
Obviously. I'm pointing out that trike doesn't mean recumbent.
I not referring to that type of trike. I am talking about a tadpole trike.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
classic33
Leg End Member
Isn't that a hammerhead?
"Everyone knows the first and second best reasons to ride a bent or trike is comfort and the view"
Not so. I gave up my Cruzbike bent because the view was about 10 - 15 feet in front of me, whereas on my standard bike I can look down through the axle. Quite useful for avoiding holes in the road.
a.twiddler
Veteran
Blimey. The default position on a drop bar upright bike is one that leaves you staring at the road in front of the front wheel, unless you bend your neck back. The normal mode of riding a bike is to look where you want to go, and the rest follows. Being able to see the front axle is useful for a tiny amount of the time unless you are mountain biking. If you can see a hole in the road through your front axle doesn't that mean you've just ridden into it? Somehow I manage to do do mild off roading on a LWB bike so it can't be that critical. We all tend to rationalise things, and I keep forgetting that recumbents aren't for everyone. If you were wedded to the idea of front wheel drive, Cruzbikes, like recumbents in general, come in many flavours, but it's probably fair to say that the more speed oriented, therefore lower and more reclined a recumbent is, the more forward focused the vision so unless you are able to make that internal adjustment, there's no getting round that.
I remember how, after a decade of riding motorcycles, I learned to drive a car and was horrified by the restricted vision and endless blind spots. Those were the days of skinny windscreen pillars, nearside mirrors an optional extra, etc. In the age of monster SUVs I am sure many car drivers would like to be able to see the road 10-15 feet in front of them, but for millions of them, it doesn't put them off.
Last edited:
DaddyPaddey
Über Member
- Location
- Fareham
I have problems finding shorts that are not lycra but closeish fitting so they dont fill like a windsock and act as a funnel for any passing wasp
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
A recumbent trike. Like ICE Trikes are recumbents.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
Indeed. I've ridden a couple.
