Article in The West Australian
Here is a corrected transcript of the article published on page 40 of The West Australian on Saturday February 17 2007.
Reclined for comfort
Tony Stephens
If you have seen someone pedalling along a road or path on something that looks a bit like a mobile rowing machine, they were almost certainly riding a recumbent bicycle.
There are several types of recumbent bikes and these tend to be classified according to their wheelbase. The longer models generally have the pedals between the front and rear wheels while the short wheelbase ones often have the pedals above and forward of the front wheel.
A recumbent has some advantages over the conventional bike design.
Because the rider is seated in a comfortable reclining position, presure on the groin area is greatly reduced. This also makes the bike much more aerodynamic and almost any rider regardless of fitness, can easily maitain a speed of about 40 kph on the flat. [should be 30 kph]
One of the perceived disadvantages of the recumbent is its effectiveness when climbing hills. The horozontal leg position means that the rider is not able to deliver as much power to the pedals as with a conventional bike [because the upper body is isolated].
However, experienced riders learn to compensate by pushing against the seat and can negotiate all but the steepest ascents with about the same effort as that on a convensional bike.
Most recumbents have a smaller wheel at the front, which is necessary to prevent heel strike when making a sharp turn.
Leg suck is a hazard for novice recumbent riders. This occurs when a foot comes off the pedal and touches the ground while on the move, which can cause ligament damage.
Northbridge designer John Tolhurst believes he has overcome most of the old problems with his revolutionary Cruzbike. Unlike other recumbents, it uses full-size 26" rums and a unique control system that enables the rider to sit higher without the risk of heel strike. The greatly reduces the incidence of leg suck and means the bike can be used off-road.
The short-wheelbase Cruzbike can be bought complete or as a conversion kit that can be adapted to fit almost any hybrid or mountain bike [with a low cross bar].
Converting a standard bicycle into a recumbent costs less that $600.
For more information, go to www.dpi.wa.gov.au/cycling
The article as submitted to The West Australian is here and is more complete.
[photo caption] A recumbent rider's reclining position reduces pressure on the groin area.
Reclined for comfort
Tony Stephens
If you have seen someone pedalling along a road or path on something that looks a bit like a mobile rowing machine, they were almost certainly riding a recumbent bicycle.
There are several types of recumbent bikes and these tend to be classified according to their wheelbase. The longer models generally have the pedals between the front and rear wheels while the short wheelbase ones often have the pedals above and forward of the front wheel.
A recumbent has some advantages over the conventional bike design.
Because the rider is seated in a comfortable reclining position, presure on the groin area is greatly reduced. This also makes the bike much more aerodynamic and almost any rider regardless of fitness, can easily maitain a speed of about 40 kph on the flat. [should be 30 kph]
One of the perceived disadvantages of the recumbent is its effectiveness when climbing hills. The horozontal leg position means that the rider is not able to deliver as much power to the pedals as with a conventional bike [because the upper body is isolated].
However, experienced riders learn to compensate by pushing against the seat and can negotiate all but the steepest ascents with about the same effort as that on a convensional bike.
Most recumbents have a smaller wheel at the front, which is necessary to prevent heel strike when making a sharp turn.
Leg suck is a hazard for novice recumbent riders. This occurs when a foot comes off the pedal and touches the ground while on the move, which can cause ligament damage.
Northbridge designer John Tolhurst believes he has overcome most of the old problems with his revolutionary Cruzbike. Unlike other recumbents, it uses full-size 26" rums and a unique control system that enables the rider to sit higher without the risk of heel strike. The greatly reduces the incidence of leg suck and means the bike can be used off-road.
The short-wheelbase Cruzbike can be bought complete or as a conversion kit that can be adapted to fit almost any hybrid or mountain bike [with a low cross bar].
Converting a standard bicycle into a recumbent costs less that $600.
For more information, go to www.dpi.wa.gov.au/cycling
The article as submitted to The West Australian is here and is more complete.
[photo caption] A recumbent rider's reclining position reduces pressure on the groin area.
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