Unless money is no object, you have ample garage space or you collect bikes, it’s likely you would be better off choosing between a traditional upright or a recumbent bike based on the type of riding you do. Recumbent bikes are often cited as having superior comfort, but the differences between uprights and recumbents go beyond saddle style and riding position.
Upright Advantages
Upright, or diamond-frame, bikes are considered the standard among bike manufacturers, race organizations and riders in general. As such, they’re far more prevalent than recumbents, which translates to more types of uprights to choose from. Manufacturers make upright bikes for a variety of riding needs, from comfort bikes to touring, road, mountain, full suspension, BMX and tandem bikes. You can also find lighter, high-end or racing versions of most types of upright bikes. For off-road riding, you can only bunny hop or easily clear obstacles on upright bikes. Because you can apply your body weight to the pedals on uprights, climbing a hill is easier. Upright bikes are more visible to motorists in many situations, and you can also see farther in most traffic situations.
Recumbent Advantages
A recumbent bike has a full-size seat with a back instead of a saddle, which is positioned just in front of the rear wheel. Your legs extend horizontally to the pedals, instead of vertically, and your arms also reach forward to the handlebars, instead of down. Recumbent riders assert that their bikes are considerably more comfortable than uprights because of reduced back, wrist and neck stress. Because of its geometry, recumbents are lower to the ground, which significantly reduces drag and consequently contributes to its superior speed. According to the website Bicycling Life, recumbent bikes hold all speed records for human-powered machines.
Upright Disadvantages
When compared with recumbent bikes, upright bikes are at a speed disadvantage. In 1934, the Union Cycliste Internationale viewed recumbents as providing an unfair speed advantage, so it banned them from standard races, including the Tour de France. Upright bikes are arguably less comfortable than recumbents, especially during longer rides. Common complaints include soreness from the saddle, and wrist, neck and lower back pain. In falls, upright bikes have the potential to be more dangerous because you’re up higher; you could go over the bars and land on your head more easily than you could on a recumbent.
Recumbent Disadvantages
Because recumbent bicycles are still a niche market, it’s difficult to test ride different models unless you live near a recumbent bike shop, making them more challenging to buy. Hills are harder to climb with recumbents, partially because you can’t put your weight on top of the pedals, and partially because recumbents weigh more than uprights. Most recumbent riders climb hills by gearing down and spinning their legs. Climbing in too high a gear can put pressure on your knees, leading to soreness. Rear-view visibility can also be a problem with recumbents because of the high seat back; you can solve this issue by using helmet- or bike-mounted mirrors.
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