If you’ve ridden in cycling events that include recumbent bikers, you’ve probably had the same reaction to the contraptions that I have, namely: “Look at that poor guy trying to climb the hill on that thing.”
As someone who favors a fast, sleek and very orange Trek 1000 road bike, I’ve always thought recumbents look like they require a lot of work to get going and supernatural balance to not tip over. And then there are the configurations that have the rider’s feet pedaling well above his head and the ones that are steered from below the seat.
But it turns out, there may be more advantages to going recumbent than I could have imagined.
“One advantage is the seat,” said recumbent bike and trike fan Ethan Davis. “On a regular bike it doesn’t take long, if you’re not conditioned, to be standing up so you don’t have to sit down.”
It’s a good point — one Davis will likely stress over and again at the New England Human Powered Vehicle Rally he’s directing at Rogers Pond in Kennebunk on Aug. 13. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. and will feature exhibitors, demos and rides for those interested in recumbents, tricycles and velomobiles.
Showing up to see what’s available is free, but Davis is asking $10 to participate in the rides to help cover the cost of insurance. (Go to wildfirehpv.com or email Davis at recumbo@roadrunner.com for info.)
Davis held his first HPV event in 2004 in western Massachusetts. He’s since held them in Burlington, Vt., and Portsmouth, N.H., and had his first in Kennebunk last year. The weather, unfortunately, was poor, which led to a light turnout.
Davis’ goal for this year’s event is twofold: he’d like to get more people to try these non-conventional machines and he’d also like to promote transportational cycling. To that end, visitor’s to the HPV Rally will find practical accessories like fenders, baskets and luggage racks.
Portland Maine Bicycle Commuting, a group headed up by John Brooking, has been doing its part for years to get more people out of their cars and on their bikes. Davis believes it can be taken a step farther with the use of cargo bikes, for which recumbent trikes, with their three-wheeled balance, make good models. During Maine’s harsher months, the loads can be pulled by a velomobile, which is an enclosed recumbent bicycle.
“I almost exclusively ride a three-wheel recumbent just because they’re a lot of fun,” Davis said. And they make carrying a load of groceries a lot easier — especially in winter.
“On a two-wheel,” Davis added, “if you hit loose sand or ice you’re going to go over.”
And though I may feel pity for the people riding with their butt low to the ground and their feet up in the air as they pump up a hill, Davis assures that, in many cases, recumbents can be better, stronger, faster than regular road bikes. He recounts a story about the history of cycling when the French banned recumbents from competitions because their aerodynamics made them too fast.
“If you put a shell on it,” as with a velomobile, Davis said, “you can go a lot faster than just about any road cyclist out there.”
If that’s not enough to get people to try them, Davis also points out the many ways recumbents can help with health issues. Those with carpal tunnel syndrome need not worry about pressure of the hands and wrists; people with neck issues don’t have to hunch their shoulders/neck/head over curved handlebars; men with prostrate issues can sit on a wider, laid-back seat that puts most of the body’s weight on the back and buttocks.
Sounds comfy, even though it looks a little odd.
For most riders, finding a bike (and equipment) that connects with your body is the biggest part of the training battle. When you have that, putting in the miles doesn’t seem all that hard, no matter what kind of human powered vehicle you’re piloting.
Contact Deputy Features Editor Karen Beaudoin at 791-6296 or at kbeaudoin@pressherald.com
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