Is their much variety among recumbents?
A. Oh yes! They are mainly classified by wheelbase and handlebar position. Wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels of the bike. Some are long wheelbase (LWB), some are short wheelbase (SWB). LWB bikes (64″ – 72″ wheelbase) are comfortable, fast and stable. They are great on the open road but U turns and navigating narrow, twisting paths can be awkward. Examples: all Easy Racers, Rotator Pursuit, RANS Stratus & Velocity squared. Short wheelbase bikes (SWB) are 34″ – 45″, with fewer and fewer being made under 39″. Their front wheel is behind the pedals. They are nimble and easy to maneuver. They transport and store easily due to their size. Examples: all Lightnings and Haluzaks, RANS Rocket & V-Rex, most Bacchettas. In between are the compact long wheel base (CLWB) bikes. A CLWB is 50″ – 64″. Some riders find these to be the easiest recumbents to adjust to. They are responsive, stable, and with a higher seat – they are more visible in traffic, they are
A. Oh yes! They are mainly classified by wheelbase and handlebar position. Wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels of the bike. Some are long wheelbase (LWB), some are short wheelbase (SWB). Most riders find LWB bikes (64″ – 72″ wheelbase) more comfortable, fast and stable. They are great on the open road but U turns and navigating narrow, twisting paths can be awkward. Short wheelbase bikes (SWB) have wheelbases from 40″ to 45″. They are easy to recognize because their front wheel is behind the pedals. Most riders find them more nimble and easier to maneuver. They transport and store more due to their size.
