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Introduction: Bicycle Design
Why Upright Bikes?
Why Recumbents Cost More
Types of Recumbents
Seat Height
Handlebars
How Much To Spend?
The Importance of Wheels
Types of Wheels
The Importance of Weight
Frame Materials
Frame Alignment
Parts, Derailleurs etc
Brakes
Suspension
Are Recumbents Invisible?
Acclimatizing to a Recumbent
Hills on a Recumbent
Clip-On Pedals
Racks & Mudguards
Bicycle Trailers
Trikes
How to Ride a Tandem
Credit Card Touring
Information Sources
Vancouver, British Columbia
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How Long Will it Take to Acclimatize to a Recumbent Bicycle?

Recumbent bicycle riders use many different muscle groups in different ways than an upright bicycle rider. You cannot just jump on a recumbent and expect a complete cross-training transition from your upright bike. Like any new exercise you must break yourself in slowly. In many ways, learning to ride a recumbent is like learning to ride a bike all over again, although a lot more fun.

Do not expect yourself to begin passing cars in the first month of recumbent cycling. Take it easy, smell the flowers and work yourself up to speed in a reasonable amount of time. Recumbents encourage easy-going cycling so that should not be too difficult.

Although some people adapt to recumbents almost instantly, most people are better served by a learning curve. Most people should take six months to two years of recumbent cycling to fully acclimatize themselves to the recumbent cycling position. It should be noted that the acclimatization period for short-wheelbase recumbents is usually longer because of the higher bottom-bracket.

No special exercises or literature are required for teaching your body to ride a recumbent. All you have to do is get out and ride it. Most recumbent acclimatization will be straightforward physical training except for two things. One thing is “recumbent butt” and the other is sleeping feet. Both conditions involve only minor discomfort but you should be aware of them because anybody who rides a recumbent will develop much higher standards for comfort than riders of upright bikes. Recumbents are like five-star luxury hotels. They both encourage nitpicking.

Just like on a regular bike, you must give yourself time on the bike to break-in (condition) your hiney. Recumbent butt happens when you are not used to riding a recumbent and you ride too fast for too long. Recumbent butt is just moderate muscle pain that feels like lactic acid buildup from overexertion (which it probably is).

Recumbent butt will go away if you slow down or stop for a few seconds. Training will prevent recumbent butt and so will leaning the seat back. Most recumbents have a seat that leans back. When you put the seat back more of your weight will be carried on your upper torso instead of your poor neglected butt. Your butt will then not have the opportunity to get recumbent butt in the first place.

Recumbent butt is more difficult to achieve on short-wheelbase recumbents because the seat tends to be leaned back more than on long-wheelbase recumbents. Even if you never experience recumbent butt, the seat on any recumbent should be leaned back as far as possible so the rider may enjoy all the recumbent benefits of even weight distribution over the body.

The other situation that new recumbent cyclists should be aware of is sleeping feet. New recumbent cyclists on short-wheelbase recumbents may experience the feeling that one or both of their feet feels like it is falling asleep. That foot will get a tingly feeling. Sleeping feet are caused by bikes that have the bottom bracket at or above the level of the seat base.

The higher the bottom bracket, the greater the likelihood of sleeping feet. The condition of sleeping feet will sometimes disappear with training. Sleepy feet can be woken up by putting your feet down for a few seconds. A sure cure for sleeping feet is to switch to a bike with a higher seat or lower bottom bracket. Long-wheelbase recumbent cyclists almost never get sleeping feet because the bottom bracket is lower than the seat.

Some recumbent cyclists find some handlebars to be too high or too far forward. The complaints do not arise from inordinate discomfort. The handlebar on an upright bike is an instrument of torture compared to the handlebar on any recumbent. The complaints arise from cyclists who switch to a recumbent and immediately develop astronomical comfort standards. That complaint can easily be remedied by simply riding the bike and getting used to it or by adjusting the bar.

On some recumbent bicycles, the handlebars really are unnecessarily too high or too far forward with no allowable adjustment. Caveat emptor.

For those seeking comfort that induces an immediate state of nirvana, there are underseat handlebars.