Top 3 Recumbent Bikes
By David Barber
, last updated February 1, 2012
Riding recumbent bicycles, which were first created in London in 1905, is like sailing down the road in your favorite easy chair with your feet up. They look awkward as they pass you on the bike path, but recumbents are built for speed and their owners have been fiercely loyal to the technology for decades. But that technology used for the top recumbents isn’t cheap so it helps to know what the current popular recumbent bicycle models are before you dish out four figures.
Source:eHow
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Bacchetta Giro 20
Bacchetta is the company that dominates the high-performance recumbent bike business, and their bikes have won a number of national races. The 21-pound Giro 20 has a short wheelbase with a steel monoframe, a SRAM X.0 drivetrain, FSA components, and Avid brakes. The adjustable Re-Curve seat makes it extremely comfortable. The Giro 20 retails for around $1,499.
CatBike Musashi
The CatBike Musashi is the “low rider” of recumbents, giving it low, wind-resistant aerodynamics that enable it to speed along effortlessly. The 29-degree angle of the narrow carbon fiber seat may seem rather extreme, but it’s all part of the bike’s high-speed design. The seat also has a one or two-inch pad that has a number of pockets to hold personal items and even a small tire pump. This 27-pound bike utilizes an aluminum frame and features Tektro brakes and all SRAM components. The Musashi retails around $2,350.
Utah Trikes KMX Tandem
For recumbent riders who like to have company, Utah Trikes’ new 2012 KMX Tandem weighs about 70 pounds, and uses a combination of a steel cruciform and an aluminum center truss to ensure the bicycle can handle the stress of two riders. An interesting feature not found on many tandems is the “Independent Pedaling System,” which allows either rider to rest and coast independently on this three-wheeler. The KMX retails around $3999.
