'Bent into shape

Recumbent bikes sometimes are just what the doctor ordered

By Sam McManis - smcmanis@sacbee.com

Published 12:00 am PST Thursday, February 21, 2008
Story appeared in SCENE section, Page E1

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Gary Souza cruises the American River bike trail on his recumbent. He switched to the laid-back bike while recovering from an injury and now prefers it to a standard bike. Paul Kitagaki Jr. / pkitagaki@sacbee.com

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As with many cyclists who have chosen to "get 'bent" – that is, to ride those funky, laid-back recumbent bikes instead of conventional upright models – Gary Souza made the switch because of injury.

Back? Neck? Shoulder?

"No," the 45-year-old south Sacramento resident says. "It was, like, a more sensitive area. I use the term 'crotchasarus area.' "

Ouch.

Long an avid cyclist who put in impressively high mileage on his standard diamond-frame bike featuring a fancy titanium cutaway saddle, Souza in 1997 sustained a serious rupture near his prostate. His doctor told him to stay off the bike for a year.

That was totally unacceptable.

"Riding is a near-spiritual experience for me," Souza says. "I'm thinking, 'I can't not ride for that long.' "

He had seen a few quirky souls, mostly aging baby boomer men, on the road, pedaling away on what seemed like a modified Barcalounger. These guys always drew snickers from the serious cyclists. But Souza was desperate to ride.

"Riding a recumbent often is social suicide," Souza says, laughing. "I kind of secretly rode the recumbent to stay in shape."

Jump ahead a year: Injury healed, Souza's doctor gave him the go-ahead to resume riding a real bike. Back in the saddle on his first ride, Souza felt uncomfortable in the standard hunched-over position. That tingling in his hands was back. Shoulders pinched. His head over the handlebars felt, well, awkward.

"After 100 yards, I turned and went home," he recalls. "I sold all three conventional bikes that I owned at the time."

And he's been laid-back ever since.

If you think you're seeing more recumbent cyclists such as Souza in the bike lanes, you may not be mistaken.

Though experts estimate recumbents make up only about 20,000 of the 15 million bikes sold yearly in the United States, anecdotal evidence suggests they are increasingly becoming an option for a growing demographic – baby boomers, mostly male, who want the speed of a high-performance bike without the back-wrenching side effects from their Lance Armstrong fantasy life.

Easy riders

Speed and comfort are why most riders choose to get 'bent.

At one end of the recumbent spectrum is Daniel Runyon, a 34-year-old registered nurse from Carmichael.

"It's speed," he says, mentioning the recumbent's low-to-the-ground aerodynamic design. "I like to go fast. My average cruising speed is easily 4 mph faster than on an upright frame. I mean, that's the difference between driving an SUV and a sports car."

At the other end is Ted Sommer, a 49-year-old scientist from Davis.

"Back problems," he says, succinctly. "A physical therapist told me I was going to have to give up long rides. Think of it this way: Try sitting at your desk, on a little wedge of a seat, hunched forward for several hours. Wouldn't you rather sit back with plenty of room?"

And here's yet another benefit for the, uh, fashion conscious: "You don't have to wear spandex to ride them," jokes Jon Baker, a 46-year-old cardio- thoracic surgeon who lives in Fair Oaks and belongs to the Recumbent Riders of Sacramento, a Yahoo meet-up group.

Recumbent users often speak with evangelical fervor. But they also know the bike's design has limitations. Long-wheelbase bikes measure up to 7 feet, making them hard to transport on a rack. They steer differently. Hills are more challenging. And the price tag (a decent "starter" bike runs about $1,000) is steeper.

And, as Eric Warp, a 51-year-old from Fair Oaks, warns, you must learn how to ride all over again.

"It's a different set of muscle groups, mostly the quads," he says. "It takes a good six weeks of riding to get used to the musculature."

You also aren't immune to injury on a recumbent.

"An inadequately reclined seat back – less than about 30 degrees from vertical – and no spring suspension can cause pain and numbness in the coccyx (tailbone) … brought on by bouncing the full weight of the torso on the tailbone," says longtime Sacramento recumbent rider Peter Kosal, a retired engineer in his 60s.

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Call The Bee's Sam McManis, (916) 321-1145.

Gary Souza hoists his lightweight recumbent bike. The elongated seat takes the rider's weight, making the style more comfortable for some riders. Paul Kitagaki Jr. / pkitagaki@sacbee.com

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In addition to being literally laid-back, the recumbent rider is more aerodynamically efficient than a conventional cyclist. Paul Kitagaki Jr. / pkitagaki@sacbee.com

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Feel like getting 'bent? Here are some basics -- plus a Q&A
We asked Rick Steele, owner of Gold Country Cyclery in Shingle Springs, a leading seller of recumbent and tandem bikes, for a primer on what to look for in a recumbent.
Models
Short wheelbase The frame (average: 69 inches) is about 20 inches shorter than the long wheelbase. But the big difference is that the crankset (where you pedal) is located ahead of the steering fork, above the front wheel. Advantages: It's more aero- dynamic than other models – read, faster. Because it's shorter, it's easier to transport by car. It's good on hills because "the configuration lends itself to low-speed stability," Steele says. "You can drop below 5 miles per hour and still keep the bike upright." Disadvantages: Doesn't benefit from the use of a fairing, a fiberglass cover that blocks the wind. Because the seat is higher, short-legged riders need to make sure their feet can be planted on the pavement, for safety reasons. High-wheel racers This is a short-wheelbase bike that improves on speed by elevating the crankset still higher and moving the seat back to a 25-degree angle. "This is good for high-end road cyclists used to conventional performance bikes," Steele says. Advantages: "The small aerodynamic profile leads to better performance," Steele says. Disadvantages: The often- extreme reclined seating bothers some riders. Long wheelbase The frame averages 89 inches. The crankset is behind the steering fork. Advantages: The longer frame gives a smoother ride. The frame can accommodate riders whose height ranges from 5 feet to 6 feet, 8 inches. Easier on the knees for riders with range-of-motion issues. Disadvantages: The laid-back seating takes some getting used to. But most bikes have various recline settings. The long frame takes up more space on the road and is slightly more cumbersome on turns. Trikes (three-wheeled bikes) • Tadpole: This design has two wheels in front, one in back. Good for stability and pushing into a corner turn. • Delta: This design has one wheel in front, two in back. Great balance. The rider can sit down on the bike and start riding without worrying about falling off.
Steering
• Under-seat: Steering handles are located parallel to the rider's hips. Advantages: A more comfortable position for the arms, especially useful on long rides. Disadvantages: It takes more training to learn how to steer. This style no longer is produced by U.S. manufacturers. "They are still available from Europe," Steele says. • Above-seat: Steering is similar to a conventional bike, shoulder-level. Advantages: People are more familiar with steering. Disadvantages: People tend to pull on the steering, as with a conventional bike, thinking it will help their speed, which is not the case.
Price
At most retail dealers, low-end recumbents (both short- and long-wheelbase) run from $900 to $1,350. High-end bikes, often featuring titanium or carbon-fiber frames, run from $3,500 to $5,000. Tandem recumbents run from $7,000 to $10,000. On the Internet, low-end recumbents are selling for as little as $500.
Recumbent Q&A
Q: Are they difficult to ride? A: There are variations in handling just as there are in uprights – some are fast, twitchy racing models and others are smooth, stable touring models. You use other muscles, mostly the quadriceps. Q: Do they "do" hills? A: Some think that because you cannot stand on pedals that you can't ride up hills. They are slower on hills, but as long as you keep pedaling, the bike keeps moving. Q: Are they faster than upright bikes? A: Most of the human-powered land-speed records are held by recumbent or semi-recumbent designs. Since the biggest factor limiting speed is aerodynamic drag, for maximum speed, use a fairing or a full-body (shell). Q: Are they safe? A: You sit lower than on an upright bike, so some recumbent riders add a flag on an extended rod or even a reflective hazard sign when traveling on heavily-used roads. Source: International Human Powered Vehicle Association
On the Web
• Recumbent & Tandem Rider Magazine: www.rtrmag.com • Recumbent Riders of Sacramento: groups.yahoo.com/group/RECUMBENT_ RIDERS_OF_SACRAMENTO/ ?yguid=64649389 • Alan Barnard's Sacramento Recumbent Blog: www.recumbentblog.com – Sam McManis