On Jan 7, 9:05*am, Peter Clinch wrote:
Tºm Shermªn™ °_° wrote:

On 1/6/2011 2:08 PM, aka Tom Paterson wrote:
[...]
What is it about recumbent riding, anyhow?[...]

1. Comfort
2. Lower aerodynamic drag (on a bike designed for performance)
3. Demonstrates the ability of the rider to ignore derision from the
ignorant.

You forgot another 5 entries for "Comfort"...

I have nice saddles that fit me well on my wedgies and I don't find I
get saddle sore too badly, but the real difference for me is for my
hands, arms, shoulders and neck. *Those wouldn't be problems on a bike
with a bolt-upright riding position, but with #2, lower drag in mind, I
wouldn't want to tour all day on one of those!

On the touring front (my 'bent is a tourer and that's what I use it for)
another plus is that done right a 'bent will take luggage better. *On
mine (an HPVel Streetmachine GT) I can get the real weight between the
wheels and under me where the only effect on the handling is gluing me
to the road better. *Banana bags (as made by Radical and now Ortlieb and
others) are bigger and easier to pack than trad panniers, and /much/
better for long items like tent poles.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch * * * * * * * * * *Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 * Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 * * * * * * *Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net * *http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

You ride a recumbent on public roads in the UK, Pete? Is there
something special about the area around Dundee, or are particularly
fearless? -- André Jute