The concept of a recumbent cycle was first explained to me by a colleague Steve Shaw. Initially I was somewhat sceptical about the idea of steering from under the seat, but all the other engineering principles of recumbent bikes made sense to me, and I was determined one day to buy one.
The day came when Linda told me that I would have to stop using her bicycle and buy my own because she wanted to go touring with me.
 |
 |
 |
You should be able to see me riding my bike, a Ryan Vanguard, in the picture above.
Linda's bike was so good (a Flying Scot) that I would have been very unhappy buying a cheap bike as a replacement for hers. But if I was going to spend hunners of dosh, I would rather spend it on something I really wanted. That could only be a recumbent.
The Vanguard is a classic recumbent design and probably the best all round recumbent cycle. It is a touring bike and is a bit heavier than a racing cycle. The long wheelbase design makes it stable and easy to control. The underseat steering allows your arms to lie in a comfortable postion for long distance cycling.
Short wheel base cycles are lighter and generally faster. They are "twitchier" to steer and thus less suitable for long rides as you have to be "on the ball" all the time.
A History of Recumbent Bicycles
Why it's a good idea to ride a recumbent
You can e-mail me at:-
| Top of Page | English Home Page |
