Confessions of a former wedgie

[madcitypato]

Yes, my friends, I have to confess, I am a former wedgie:

Comments

Steep hills

[madcitypato]

I've done long tours with steep hills on both upright bikes and recumbents, and can tell you that hill climbing is vastly easier on a recumbent, contrary to popular opinion. You use a different set of muscles, and on hills you have the support of the back of the seat behind you to push from. I just switched to recumbents two summers ago, when the two-wheeled beauty you see above got me from my driveway in Madison to Toronto with vastly greater ease than my old upright would have. They're great for touring.

Lance Armstrong was recently in the news talking about the 1934 Union Cycliste Internationale ban against recumbents in racing because they gave an unfair advantage over upright bikes, and how the Tour de France would be a different animal today had that ruling not happened. I'm out to change the course of history for myself. Next, the world..... ;-)

[mrdreamjeans]

I believe the discomfort from the seat was why I bought an expensive bike in 1997, rode it once around the gated community in Orlando where I was staying at the time and then promptly left it in Texas in storage until I gave it to my nephew five weeks ago. I may get laughs, but I've been looking at bikes similar to the one from my childhood ... brakes on the pedals (not the handlebars) and with a wider much more comfortable seat. The recumbent bike may be the best answer of all.

I know you don't drive, so I would think your current mode of transportation also offers more options in terms of what you can carry with you on your daily route, routine.

HUGS!

[madcitypato]

Sigh. I missed my opportunity to convert you by a week. Next time you're here we'll definitely have you give one these puppies a try.

[bruinwi]

Oh my....all that spandex. You WERE hard-core, weren't you?

I admit, the recumbents are intriguing, and may well be worth trying out, but I'm concerned with both purchase price, and storage. I can easily hang my "standard" comfort bike from the garage rafters; I doubt I could do that with either style recumbents you show in your pics.

At any rate, the weather for this coming Saturday is still looking good. Would you and Michael care to join me on a spin through the Arboretum and down the Capital Trail?

[madcitypato]

Can't argue with either of those. They are more expensive (economy of scale; this would change if more people bought them). And they definitely take up more room. Fortunately I feel like I'm worth both the price and space!

[designerotter]

Wow, the only recumbent I've ever been on is the one at the gym (which I cuss out regularly). I bet it's much more fun when all that pedalling results in an actual change of scenery. It does look intriguing, but I'd only get one if I'm allowed to design my own pennant :0)

BTW, if you can work out the timing, I highly recommend bicycling with bruinwi ... he's a first rate spin-meister and you'd have a jolly good time taking a whirl around the lake.

[designerotter]

of, hon,you know my taste so well ! :0)
... and I'd want them in red, silver, & blue !

Thanks for the add . . .

[cimarrondfw]

You figured out what to do faster than I could. I'll be glad to fill you in on my Iowa connections, etc. as we visit back and forth.

Thanks!