Ok so Iv'e been on these Bike Tribes for about 4 years now and Ive taken a LOT of really hate-filled flack from our "devoted Roadies" in all the forums concerning Recumbent Bicycles like the one Iv'e rode for three years now. let's set a few things straight shall we?
Recumbents CAN CLIMB!
Recumbent Bikes are just like road or recreational bicycles,how well they climb steep grades depends on what level of bicycle you purchased (like with any bike). If your on a Huffy Brand K Mart 99 dollar blue light special in aisle 9 of course that bike wont climb as good as a 1,500 dollar lemond Carbon Fiber Wonda-Bike! becuase it's going to be as heavy as a Sherman TANK,have lousy non-hill climbing geometry and it really is basically a flatland beach cruiser dressed up to "look like a Fast Road Bike".
Even "entry-level" Recumbents like my Sun EZ-1 SX can climb,admittedly becuase it is an 800 dollar "entry level bike" it wont climb as FAST as an 800 dollar aluminum framed Carbon forked Road Bike. And "how we climb" is different on Recumbents.
On a Road Bike at the steepest apex of a hillclimb he/she must stand on the pedals and PUMP HARD to maintain a good speed going up steep grades. On my Recumbent I comfortably lean INTO the back of my body-contoured Seat and push on the pedals with my hips and thighs and I go right up the steepest inclines just like everyone else on their road bikes.
Recumbents are not BIG and Clunky:
Once again,you can buy a pretty "Clunky" road bike from Wal-Mart that will be "clunkier" than ANY currently avalable Recumbent.
Like the road bike industry,IF you have the BIG Bucks to spend(3,500-5,000:00),you can also get a 17 lb Carbon Fiber framed Recumbent made by Rotator,Easy Racers or Lightning that will "smoke" any comparably equipped Carbon Fiber Road wonda-bike out there,Why do you think the Racing industry "outlawed Recumbents"? becuase they are faster than ANY upright road bike currently in production. The current world human powered land speed record is held by a guy on an Easy Racers Recumbent.
Recumbent's aren't "Bikes for OLD People":
Most Lycra'd up Roadies scoff at both Recumbent Bicycles and those fast efficient Recumbent Tadpole Trikes(two wheels up front/and one rear wheel) why? Mostly becuase they have NEVER rode one! So few Bicycle Shops carry Recumbent Bikes and Trikes,"we" are few and far bettween. Most of these Road Rider's think Recumbents are for "Old People" and persons with disabilities who can't ride an upright bicycle and that is just NOT true!
lastly,Recumbents are truly comfortable efficient Bicycles,unlike upright bikes. Osteophysicians will tell you that the pain we all experience while riding our upright bikes is becuase of the stress placed on the human body when perched atop these bikes.
On an upright bicycle the entire weight of your body is placed on the peri-anal region and on your hands and arms,this is why we experience pain such as "Numb Crotch Syndrome" in our peri-anal area,"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" in our hands,and neck,back,arm and shoulder pain while riding these bicycles.
The Recumbent Position or "reclining" position on a Recumbent Bicycle eliminates ALL of these severe body pressure points. Your peri-anal region is fully supported in a "reclining chair-like ergonomically designed seat" with lumbar support for your lower back region,your hands are placed loosly on the bike's handlebars and not used to support your body weight,but just to "steer the bike".You aren't "hunched over the handlebars" like in the drop bar racing position on a road bike so their is NONE of the PAIN we all experience riding our upright bicycles.Recumbent bikes are the most efficient form of human powered transportation,so next time you Roadies laugh hysterically at the "Bent Rider" who just passed you,why not stop and talk and ask for a ride? I let a LOT of people try my Recumbent becuase ALL of them say "hey this really is comfortable and Fast". If more people test rode a Recumbent,the upright bicycle industry would be in trouble becuase Recumbents are nice fast comfortable bikes,and today's Recumbents can be purchased for not much more than a good Road Bike(700-3,000:00).