Author Topic: Recumbent Commuting  (Read 11583 times)

Recumbent Commuting
« on: 17 October, 2017, 04:58:10 pm »
Does anyone commute on their recumbent?

Arellcat

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #1 on: 17 October, 2017, 05:37:06 pm »
I commute most days in my Quest velomobile, and on rest days use I either my Lightning recumbent or a motorbike.
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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #2 on: 17 October, 2017, 06:39:03 pm »

Yes on a trice qnt, across the fens.

Jayjay

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #3 on: 17 October, 2017, 06:46:49 pm »
Yes, a few trike miles on fairly countrified roads, all year round.

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #4 on: 17 October, 2017, 09:17:27 pm »
How do you find them in traffic?

My commute is a half hour ride on a commuter A-road. Not busy but the route is through a small town one end with parked cars, dodgy/dangerous traffic lights and narrow road. Then the work end is straight into a narrow road with parked cars then traffic leading to a one way bit that requires you to ride across lanes at one point.

This is not an issue for me but I'm curious as to whether a lower recumbent has visibility issues in traffic. I'm happy taking primary and crossing lanes on an upwrong (terminology right I hope). Not so sure about a recumbent though.

BTW if I was ever to get a recumbent it would probably be my only bike. I really can only afford to own one bike plus unlikely to have storage space for more than one too. A recumbent would be to be practical for commuting, leisure riding, riding with family and touring. BTW anyone attach a trailer to their recumbent?

I guess what I'm curious about is how practical are they?

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #5 on: 17 October, 2017, 09:22:12 pm »
Used to commute on a Kingcycle and then a Speedmachine into central Londonton.  Only ever seemed to be unseen at night, when it's just another set of bike lights and thus indistinguishable from an upright.
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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #6 on: 17 October, 2017, 09:57:46 pm »
How about your sightlines? Lower down position, does that mean you can't see as much? Is it noticeable over an upright?

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #7 on: 17 October, 2017, 10:12:47 pm »
A recumbent being so different is given more room on the road.
So you get better overtakes, bent trikes are better than bent bikes which are better than upwrongs for this.

I've only had a bent trike.
The extra width of a trike makes it better at controling traffic because you're almost always in primary, unless you ride in the gutter.
The downside is it harder to filter, I don't.

The only time the lack of height affects me is right turns when someone pulls up on my left blocking my sightlines.
Apart from that, its the view over walls/hedges/long grass that you miss while on tour.

Kim

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #8 on: 17 October, 2017, 10:30:08 pm »
How about your sightlines? Lower down position, does that mean you can't see as much? Is it noticeable over an upright?

I don't commute, but there's plenty of traffic between here and the nice lanes and/or the railway station, so I feel qualified to answer this:

HPVelotechnik Streetmachine:  Same eye position as when driving a car.  Similar 'bonnet' length to a small car, too.  So not quite as good for seeing as an upright bike, but perfectly okay.  Getting a foot down is tedious in start-stop traffic.  Filtering is possible, given sufficient room, but there's rarely sufficient room (it's not so much the width of the bars, as the wobble room you need for the boom if you stop and start).  Definitely gets more respect from drivers than an upright.

Optima Baron:  Seriously low.  You can't see past cars (effectively every car becomes a transit-style van), and the bonnet length problem at junctions is exacerbated.  A rigid lowracer with road bike tyres is extremely unforgiving of road surface hazards, which means a large amount of your observation and planning goes into avoiding them, and you sometimes have to manoeuvre round things that drivers aren't necessarily expecting you to.  Unfamiliar roads become hard mental work.  On the other hand, being fast means you can keep up with moving traffic better.  Getting a foot down is less physical work than the Streetmachine, but starting and stopping requires non-trivial skill, and there's always the possibility that you'll drop it when starting off on a dodgy camber.  Filtering is deeply unwise, and passing right-turning vehicles on the inside should be done with caution.  Looking fast means drivers respect you, but you don't have an awful lot of profile end-on, so they may fail to spot you or misunderestimate your speed.  Drivers are typically very cautious when overtaking, as you disappear behind their nearside wing.

ICE Sprint:  Slightly higher eye position than the Baron, but you still can't see past cars.  Three wheel-tracks means you need to pay a bit more attention to the road surface, but the failure mode if you get it wrong and hit something tends to be no worse than a puncture.  Similarly, you won't fall off if you lose control on ice/diesel.  You never have to put a foot down to balance, so start-stop traffic is boring rather than work.  You can forget about filtering.  Drivers tend to pass you as they would a car, because you *look* really wide, even if your actual width isn't all that more than a set of modern MTB bars.  Flip side of that is more abuse from those unwilling to overtake as you winch yourself uphill.


Being able to see less is something that will affect how you ride, but I don't think it has much impact on safety in normal circumstances, because you're in control when pulling out at junctions etc and can compensate accordingly.  You may end up stopping and waiting more than you would on an upright where you can just see that a junction is clear on your approach.

One problem with a low riding position is that it puts your eyes in the dipped beam of car headlights.  This is about as fun as it sounds.  The other problem is that the lower you are (unless it's in a velomobile), the more of you gets splattered with spray by the tyres of passing vehicles, and if you're particularly unlucky you may get your face gritted in winter.

As Mr Larrington says, at night recumbents tend to lose some of their WTF factor, at least when viewed from the front.  Trikes may do a passable impression of a distant car when viewed from behind, depending on lighting arrangements.

If I were commuting, and not compelled to three wheels for disability reasons, I'd want the highest riding position that I could easily get a foot down from.  USS or open-cockpit bars are probably a good idea, as you can sit forward in the seat to peer round corners.  And preferably something that's not ridiculously heavy if there's going to be a lot of start-stop involved.

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #9 on: 17 October, 2017, 10:40:34 pm »
Yes, eitheron a Catrike 700 orn a RANS Stratus XP. Both are easy in traffic. I have commuted on a SWB but stopping and starting is more challenging in dense traffic.

Auntie Helen

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #10 on: 18 October, 2017, 05:30:11 am »
I commute in a Milan Velomobile and previously in a Versatile Velomobile.

They are both great for being seen by cars. However in Germany motorists don’t let you out as a courtesy as much as Brits do.

The only real issue I have is when waiting at a junction, if a car is beside me I can’t see a thing. I just have to wait.

Well, the Milan’s 14 metre turning circle is very occasionally an issue too.

No filtering of course, and sensible riding within braking possibilities at speed, and it’s all good.
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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #11 on: 18 October, 2017, 06:40:48 am »
I am carrying a knee / hip problem at the moment so am not commuting by bike.

I work at the same places PaulM, and use either a Catrike Expedition, Kettwiesel or HP Velotechnik Gekko

The latter is the more frequent as it fits in my bike locker:






Kim

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #12 on: 18 October, 2017, 11:36:43 am »
Well done.  My friend's Dutch (well, German) style e-bike is about 20mm too tall to fit in bike lockers.  Medium size frame.  Useless.

ElyDave

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #13 on: 19 October, 2017, 02:55:01 pm »
Yes, eitheron a Catrike 700 orn a RANS Stratus XP. Both are easy in traffic. I have commuted on a SWB but stopping and starting is more challenging in dense traffic.

What about a bachetta Giro ATT, similarly light as the RANS?
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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #14 on: 19 October, 2017, 06:09:11 pm »
Does anyone commute on their recumbent?

Not currently since I'm "between" recumbents, however in the past I've commuted on a HPV Grasshopper, a Trice QNT and a Bacchetta Giro 26.  All of them where quite possible, however you may need to think about things a little more.  The only thing I found that you can do on a 'upwrong' that you can't on a 'bent is easily switch from undertaking to overtaking whilst filtering through stationary traffic - because on an upright your head in the first thing that goes past the vehicle so you can see if it's clear, but on a 'bent it's feet first and head last.

Kim

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #15 on: 19 October, 2017, 06:42:54 pm »
The only thing I found that you can do on a 'upwrong' that you can't on a 'bent is easily switch from undertaking to overtaking whilst filtering through stationary traffic - because on an upright your head in the first thing that goes past the vehicle so you can see if it's clear, but on a 'bent it's feet first and head last.

Agreed.  Small-wheeled upwrongs are king in this sort of environment.

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #16 on: 19 October, 2017, 09:27:56 pm »
Yes, eitheron a Catrike 700 orn a RANS Stratus XP. Both are easy in traffic. I have commuted on a SWB but stopping and starting is more challenging in dense traffic.

What about a bachetta Giro ATT, similarly light as the RANS?

I had a Giro 20 with steel frame and alu fork. It was a bit lighter than the RANS but didn't roll as well, wasn't as comfortable, and not as efficient.

tonycollinet

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #17 on: 19 October, 2017, 11:03:28 pm »
I'm commuting 1 or 2 days a week on my ICE sprint.

Mostly what Kim said, except filtering which is possible IME. However, you have to be aware that your visibility to the cars you are passing is almost zero.

Best - huge fun, love the reaction (at least most reactions) especially from kids and dogs. Turns winter ice from FEAR to FUN. Wide passes from most cars.

Worst - two years ago a bow wave of slush swept over me as a van passed in melting snow. I was drowned. Being passed by gritting lorries. A few times (average 1/year?) when drivers entering roundabouts seem to look right over the top of me and I have to shout (bellow) to make them stop.


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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #18 on: 21 October, 2017, 09:24:37 am »
Bachetta - regular (70% of travel to work) 12 mile commute often extended just for the joy of cycling in the Cairngorms.

Two challenges:-

1. Bike is rubbish through snow and over ice so wintery days I revert to an upright with studs

2. 'Once a year' a driver stops and tells me they can't see me even though I am at the same height as them and the same height as a young cyclist, and they have stopped to talk with me! Most drivers pass me widely because I stand out. My view is that the odd driver who comments hadn't seen me but they wouldn't have seen any cyclist at that specific moment but because I'm on a recumbent it surprises them and they can attribute their mistake to me.

Three challenges...

3. My kids don't enjoy my positive notoriety with their school friends....I work in the same town as their school. 

Enjoy

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Phil W

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #19 on: 21 October, 2017, 09:39:49 pm »
I have a Nazca Fuego. Its seat height is 39cm off the ground, seat reclune 26 degreess to 35 degrees. I usually leave it at 26 degrees.

I have not commuted on it but have ridden in London on busy roads, and on busy town centre roads over the weekend. I got it 11 months ago and have used it for audax mostly completing a SR series this year.

In traffic generally take primary / control the lane, stay out of dooring zones and position myself where a car driver would be if approaching a junction with a car waiting to pull out.  I have never had a problem with visibility.  I have got used to glancing at my rear view mirror frequency so I know what is around / behind me,  I avoid filtering unless there is a decent bike / bus lane. If swapping lanes I signal early and check my mirror to see if they are letting me in. Generally not been a problem crossing lanes.

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #20 on: 22 October, 2017, 08:51:06 am »
Does anyone commute on their recumbent?

Not currently since I'm "between" recumbents, however in the past I've commuted on a HPV Grasshopper, a Trice QNT and a Bacchetta Giro 26.  All of them where quite possible, however you may need to think about things a little more.  The only thing I found that you can do on a 'upwrong' that you can't on a 'bent is easily switch from undertaking to overtaking whilst filtering through stationary traffic - because on an upright your head in the first thing that goes past the vehicle so you can see if it's clear, but on a 'bent it's feet first and head last.

Personally I found no real difference. even on one of the trikes, maybe I am cautious in traffic, but in most cases the gaps I cannot get through are ones I would not chance on an up wrong either


Kim

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #21 on: 22 October, 2017, 09:05:10 am »
Yes, I'm quite filtering-averse at the best of times.  Comes from not riding in London.  Around here you pretty much only wait for one cycle of the lights, so there's little to be gained.  (There are a couple of notable exceptions, but they have shared-use pavements which are an easier way to make progress past stationary traffic than filtering.)

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #22 on: 22 October, 2017, 12:09:44 pm »

Not currently since I'm "between" recumbents, however in the past I've commuted on a HPV Grasshopper, a Trice QNT and a Bacchetta Giro 26.  All of them where quite possible, however you may need to think about things a little more.  The only thing I found that you can do on a 'upwrong' that you can't on a 'bent is easily switch from undertaking to overtaking whilst filtering through stationary traffic - because on an upright your head in the first thing that goes past the vehicle so you can see if it's clear, but on a 'bent it's feet first and head last.

Personally I found no real difference. even on one of the trikes, maybe I am cautious in traffic, but in most cases the gaps I cannot get through are ones I would not chance on an up wrong either

It's not about the size of the gaps so much as the case when the gap up the inside disappears because (e.g.) the next vehicle is a bus and occupies the entire lane, then you can't easily move over to the middle of the road and overtake the bus in the gaps between the traffic coming the other way.  (The specific road I'm thinking of had a traffic light controlled crossroads with pedestrian crossings, so there would be times with no oncoming traffic whilst your queue was stationary.)

Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #23 on: 22 October, 2017, 04:09:34 pm »
There's a junction like that on my commute. As bad as it is the safest way through is filtering up one side and sometimes switching to the other if necessary.

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Re: Recumbent Commuting
« Reply #24 on: 03 November, 2017, 08:38:00 am »
I commuted 10 yrs in central London on a speedmachine. It was an ideal commuter bike in my view. In the previous 25 years on upright commuting I expected to have an incident involving A&E roughly once every couple of years. No incidents like that on the recumbent. More room given, more visible. Plus blistering fast on constitution hill. Much abuse from drivers though, and obvs everyone thinks one is a mad eccentric.
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