Or How I Learned to Love Riding a Recumbent
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by Larry Strattner Getting Bent or How I Learned to Love Riding a Recumbent My long, winding journey to becoming the first time bought a road bicycle. I spent an automobile. Here’s how I made my pur- is getting used to a total change in how day-glow flag on a fiberglass pole to make power sliding my Specialized Roubaix road a recumbent cyclist began in the 1960s, several years riding long miles on the beau- chase decision. you ride a bike. I selected my favorites in me feel safe down near the asphalt in cell- bike, I have never been a lover of squirre- when I began endurance racing motor- tiful back roads of Wisconsin with these I first considered designs. Like it or not, this area and then got down to some more phone-talking, SUV-driving America. ly and harsh 700x23 high-pressure tires. cycles in the New England woods. Around folks until a couple of them moved away. as the car-market guys have known forever, tangible concerns. I didn’t like the look of a 26-inch or Something about steering at or below seat the early 1980s, I gave it up because I At the same time, I got a promotion at and this sex/image/expectation stew is a big I didn’t like the idea of being too low to 700cc wheel in the rear and a 20-inch wheel level just plain scared me. I know it’s com- moved to Minnesota. They aren’t kidding spent a year working a lot of hours. During piece of the decision. Some designs just the ground. This position is unquestion- in the front, or two 20-inches. I wanted to pletely irrational. about 10,000 lakes. When I moved again to this year of mostly work and little riding, looked a little weird or “off” to me. As I ably more aerodynamic, but it is also less sit “up,” not lay “down.” Two 26-inch or 700C wheels squashed Wisconsin, it was the same situation only my shoulders began to bother me, a result say, this is personal, and the first big hurdle visible and you can’t give me a big enough Although I am perfectly capable of together with me lying on top pedaling a you substituted 10,000 dairy farms for the of deterioration over 30 years of racing lakes. During these hiatus years, I sold off and rough treatment. I saw an orthopedic my woods motorcycles and played golf. doctor who said he’d be happy to put in Although I do believe golf is a sport, it’s new shoulder joints for me. “Screw that,” not very aerobic or exciting. Thankfully, I thought. I signed up for some physical another unexpected career move took me therapy and started trying to modify my to central Michigan and liberated me from behavior. the plaid set. Thus I came to recumbent bicycles. In central Michigan, I met some people You’ve seen those funny-looking things who rode mountain bikes. You know, with with a comfrotable person sitting in a chair the knobby tires and front and rear sus- pedaling down the street with his feet up in pension? Unbelievable! It was like I’d gone front of him. Once in a bike shop accompa- back in time 20 years. Central Michigan is nied by my bicyclist daughter, I had looked fairly flat, but just north of Saginaw where I at a recumbent. She quietly considered its lived you can enter the Michigan forest and geek quotient and then said she would not come out, except to cross a few roads, not be seen riding with me if I rode one. all the way to the Straits of Mackinac. We Cowed, I forgot about recumbents until rode in this forest several days every week the shoulders acted up, and I again stud- — spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It ied the riding positions. You didn’t have was flat, tight, fast, and long, and it wasn’t to be Chris Carmichael to figure out that unusual for us to ride 50 miles or more in recumbents have a more comfortable riding the woods. Except for having to pedal, and position, almost completely removing the the time it took to get to an acceptable level stress on your back and shoulders created of fitness, it was extraordinary. by upright riding. So I became what sales The people I discovered and rode with guys call a prospect. I was looking hard at were all cross-country racers, so eventu- their functionality but was unsure of the ally I too raced. My mountain-bike racing bike design I preferred. career was quite successful. The reason for Without putting too fine a point on this was simple — I came to the game late, it, I will note that the following is not an DENNIS COELLO/BRAG and most of the other competitors in my advertisement for anyone or anything. It is class were in nursing homes. But, hey, you a recounting of a decision similar to want- win any way you can. ing to go fast in an automobile and then Early in 2003, my career returned me trying to determine if the BMW M series, to Wisconsin, and my mountain-bike life an Mercedes AMG, or a Saleen Mustang is again bumped up against the dairy farms. the optimal ride for you. The upside was that, during this stint All recumbent bicycles fulfill their func- in Wisconsin, I reconnected with some tion relatively well and the choice becomes friends who were longtime roadies and for as personal as it would if you were buying Laid back attack. A recumbent cyclist (not the author) cruises the backroads of Georgia. crank out in front of me put me way too far mechanical disc brakes are the best per- contact with will be nice and helpful. the long wheelbase. It’s possible to wiggle off the ground with a short crumple zone formers in their class. The Lightfoot offer- A week after Lightfoot and I completed the front wheel all over the place and that, to me, clearly see included my feet. ing also included low-pressure tires, which our transaction, the bike showed up in a still track fairly straightly, but my brain After sifting through all these irrational, result in a significant speed penalty but a UPS box and I put it together one evening couldn’t process this initially. A wiggle rational, and strictly personal fears and corresponding jump in comfort both while in my basement. I might note here that goes to a wobble and then to some random concerns, I narrowed my brands of inter- rolling and in their ability to handle any Lightfoot has no dealers. But if you can do swoops — the bike was all over the place, est down to a long-wheel–base RANS, a minor work on your bike you can assemble and it’s difficult not to watch the front Sun, a Cycle Genius, and various Lightfoot one easily. This may exclude them from con- wheel while you are trying to control it. models. I found and researched all of these sideration, though if you’ds like to buy from Thus you exacerbate the problem. After builders on the Internet. All of their model a local dealer. Conversely, any dealer can a few rides, I learned to look out at the lineups included a bike with my basic work on a Lightfoot bike. None of the com- road ahead and not at the front wheel, just requirements: an upright seating position; ponents are exotic, which is true of many of as if I were racing a mountain bike, and I we believe in the a long wheelbase; standard handlebar the other recumbent choices as well. smoothed out a bit. (I would also note that power of the bicycle steering; 26-inch wheels front and back; The day after I completed assembly was it is really a blast learning to ride a bike to get you where you need to auto-driver, eye-level riding height; and a the day I rode a recumbent for the first time. again after all these years.) go. Whether you’re out for a decent component package. I mounted my shiny new bike in my Getting under way on a long-wheelbase casual ride or going for the long Protect your ess entials A secondary but important consider- The author and his beloved Lightfoot. slightly downsloped driveway and pushed machine is a major challenge. You are told haul, our line of bicycleP y g m y p r o d u c t s ... ation was disc brakes to finally free me off for the street. Let’s be perfectly clear to launch yourself using a power stroke of accessories help you expand your horizons by keeping you safe, dry, from wet weather concerns. However, at off-the-road and into-the-weeds situations. about one thing here. If you hear people the pedal. This is easier said than done. You comfortable, and prepared. Protects your drivetrain this point I would be remiss if I didn’t On the emotional and arbitrary front, say they’ve “gotten right on a new recum- have to get situated correctly in the right from the elements when note that I run Dura Ace caliper brakes on I must also admit to being influenced by bent and learned to ride after a very short gear with a pedal at the top of its stroke, transporting your bike my Roubaix and they are nothing short Lightfoot’s unique idea that you should be time,” either they aren’t telling the whole and then when you want to go, fire! By the Keeps grease off of car’s upholstery of amazing.