A recumbent bicycle is a type of bicycle that allows the rider to sit in a relaxed, lying-back position. It is sometimes called a human-powered vehicle (HPV), especially when it has a smooth cover that helps reduce wind resistance. Recumbent bicycles come in many different designs, such as varying wheelbase lengths, different wheel sizes, steering positions (over, under, or no hands), and drive wheels (front or back). A three-wheeled version is called a recumbent tricycle, and a four-wheeled version is called a quadracycle.

Speed recumbents are usually faster than traditional upright bicycles. However, they were not allowed in competitions by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) starting in 1934. Today, races and records involving recumbents are managed by groups such as the World Human Powered Vehicle Association (WHPVA), International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA), and World Recumbent Racing Association (WRRA).

Some people choose recumbent bicycles for comfort. The rider’s weight is spread over a larger area, supported by their back and seat. On a regular upright bicycle, most of the rider’s weight is placed on a small part of the sit bones, feet, and hands. Some models also offer an aerodynamic benefit because the rider’s body position reduces the amount of space the bicycle takes up when moving through the air.

Description

Recumbent bikes can be grouped based on their wheelbase, wheel sizes, steering system, whether they have covers (faired) or not (unfaired), and whether they are front-wheel or rear-wheel driven.

Long-wheelbase (LWB) models have pedals between the front and rear wheels. Short-wheelbase (SWB) and medium-wheelbase (MWB) models have pedals in front of the front wheel. Compact long-wheelbase (CLWB) models have pedals very close to or above the front wheel. Bikes with a wheelbase less than 42 inches are called SWB, and those with a wheelbase above 42 inches are called MWB. Within these categories, there are many variations, including intermediate types and bikes that can change from LWB to CLWB. There is no single standard design for recumbents.

The rear wheel of a recumbent is usually behind the rider and can be any size, from about 16 inches (410 mm) to 700c (or 27 inches (690 mm)) on some older models. The front wheel is often smaller than the rear, though some recumbents use two wheels of the same size, such as 26-inch (ISO 559), 650c (ISO 571), 700c (ISO 622), or even 29-by-4-inch (740 mm × 100 mm) tires. Smaller front wheels can make it harder to steer and control the bike when turning quickly on loose surfaces like dirt, sand, or pebbles.

Larger wheels usually roll more easily but create more air resistance. Some riders believe larger wheels are more stable, but because recumbents come in many designs, this is not always true. Using the same size for both wheels means the bike only needs one type of inner tube.

A common setup uses a 26-inch (ISO 559) rear wheel and a 20-inch (ISO 406 or ISO 451) front wheel. The smaller front wheel helps avoid a problem called "heel strike," where the rider’s heels might catch the wheel during slow, tight turns. Adding pedal extenders with a 20-inch front wheel solves this issue on MWB bikes.

A type of front-wheel drive called pivoting-boom front-wheel drive (PBFWD) also prevents heel strike because the pedals and front wheel move together. PBFWD bikes may use two 26-inch (660 mm) wheels or larger.

Recumbent steering systems are generally divided into three types: over-seat (OSS), under-seat (USS), or center/pivot steering. OSS is direct, like a standard bike handlebar, but the handlebars may extend far behind the front wheel or have long rear extensions. USS uses rods or cables connected to the headset, often seen on trikes. Center or pivot steering, like on Pythons, may not have handlebars at all.

Some trikes, like the Sidewinder, use rear-wheel steering instead of front-wheel steering. This can make them easier to maneuver at low speeds but may make them unstable above 25 mph (40 km/h).

Most recumbents have cranks attached to a boom fixed to the frame, with a long chain driving the rear wheel. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is an option when the crank is close to the front wheel, using a shorter chain. One FWD style requires the chain to twist slightly for steering.

Pivoting-boom FWD (PBFWD) connects the crank to the front fork, allowing the crank and front wheel to move together. This design uses a shorter chain and a larger front wheel for better rolling. However, FWD bikes can struggle with "wheelspin" on steep, loose surfaces. PBFWD bikes may take time for riders to adapt to the pedal-steer effect, where force on the pedals can steer the bike. Once adapted, riders can steer with their feet. Cruzbike is the only PBFWD recumbent currently produced.

Another variation is rowing cycles, where riders use both arms and legs to move the bike.

Modern recumbents often include front and rear suspension systems for comfort and better traction on rough surfaces. These systems use springs, rubber, or air, with damping in the forks and shocks. These designs are inspired by mountain bikes.

Some riders add aerodynamic covers called fairings to reduce wind resistance and stay warmer in cold or wet weather. Fairings are also used on upright bikes but are less common. Fully enclosed bikes and trikes are called velomobiles.

Seats on recumbents are either tight mesh over a frame or foam cushions on hard shells, like the Stinger. Hard-shell seats are more common in Europe, while mesh seats are more common in the USA.

Variations

Recumbent bikes can be used on unpaved roads and off-road trails when they have the right equipment and design, just like traditional mountain bikes. However, their longer wheelbase and the way the rider sits make them harder to use on narrow, curving unpaved paths. Since 1999, large wheels, mountain gearing, and off-road features have been used on recumbents. Some designs, like the RANS Dynamik, allow riders to stand while pedaling, making them easier for climbing.

Lowracers are a type of recumbent bike popular in Europe for racing. They usually have two 20-inch wheels or a 26-inch rear wheel and a 20-inch front wheel. The seat is placed between the wheels instead of above them. This position, along with the rider being aligned with the wheels, makes lowracers the most aerodynamic of unfaired recumbents.

Highracers use two large wheels, such as ISO 559, 650c, or 700c. This requires a higher bottom bracket and seat so the rider's legs are above the front wheel. The seating position may be similar to lowracers, allowing for similar aerodynamics. The name "highracer" suggests these bikes are designed for speed.

Highracers are generally easier to maneuver than lowracers because their higher center of mass helps balance at low speeds. Some believe they may be faster due to smaller rolling resistance from larger wheels. However, lowracer supporters argue that their design is faster because the rider's body is aligned with the wheels, reducing air resistance.

Hip and elbow injuries are more common on highracers because riders can fall from a greater height. However, these injuries are rare and usually not serious.

Semi-recumbent or crank-forward designs sit between upright bikes and recumbents. These are often used for casual riding and prioritize comfort over speed.

Like upright bikes, recumbents can have multiple seats, combining the benefits of recumbents with tandem bikes. Tandem recumbents often place the second rider's crankset under the main rider's seat to keep the wheelbase short. A common setup for two riders is the sociable tandem, where they ride side by side. Hybrid designs, like the Hase Pino Allround, use a recumbent front rider and an upright rear rider.

Recumbent tricycles (trikes) have three wheels. Delta trikes have one front wheel and two rear wheels, while tadpole trikes have two front wheels and one rear wheel.

Hand-powered recumbent trikes, or handcycles, are used by people with limited leg mobility. They are common at human-powered vehicle events and on the streets. Handcycles usually use a delta design with front wheels powered by hand cranks. Brake levers are attached to the handles, and the crank and wheel turn together for steering and pedaling.

Although arms are weaker than legs, skilled handcyclists can achieve good speeds. Handcycles are used for touring, though they often lack mudguards or luggage racks. Standard gear ratios may not be ideal for long climbs.

Recumbent cycles can combine hand and foot power, offering a full-body workout. Some tricycles use body weight shifts to steer and rotate the rear wheel for movement. Hybrid designs allow people with spinal injuries to ride using their legs.

Recumbent four-wheel cycles are more stable than trikes but are heavier and more complex. The fourth wheel helps with off-road travel. Four-wheel recumbents are useful for group rides in a sociable setup.

Like upright bikes, some people build their own recumbents using parts from other bikes, such as mountain bikes. Frame designs can range from simple steel tubes to complex carbon fiber frames. For many, building these bikes is as challenging as riding them.

Some manufacturers make folding recumbents for easy packing and travel. Couplers can be added during production or later to disassemble the frame into smaller pieces.

Stationary recumbent bikes are used in gyms and homes. They stay in one place and use resistance mechanisms like fans or alternators. They have the same comfort benefits as road bikes but usually have an upright seat and lower pedal cranks. The seat is adjustable along a rail.

Compared to uprights

There are big differences between recumbent bikes and upright bikes. Because recumbent bikes can be very different from each other, the benefits and drawbacks listed below may apply to some types more than others or not at all. (For example, tricycles don't require balancing.)

History

Recumbent bicycle designs were first created in the middle of the 19th century. Many designs were patented around 1900, but these early versions did not work well.

Recumbent bicycles, which include both prone and supine styles, were tried in the earliest days of cycling. Before the bicycle’s shape became standard with Starley’s safety bicycle, many different designs were tested, including recumbent styles. Although some recumbent ideas existed in the 1860s, the first known image of a recumbent bicycle as a separate type appeared in the magazine Fliegende Blätter on September 10, 1893. That same year, the first real recumbent bicycle, called the Fautenil Vélociped, was made. Many patent applications for recumbent designs were filed in the late 1800s, and cycling magazines discussed the advantages and disadvantages of different designs. The Challand designs from 1897 and the American Brown from 1901 are examples of early recumbent bicycles that are similar to modern ones.

In the 1930s, a French inventor named Charles Mochet built a four-wheeled, two-seater, pedal-powered car called the Velocar. These vehicles sold well in France during the Great Depression because many people could not afford motor cars. The Velocars were fast but had trouble turning quickly at high speeds. Mochet later tried a three-wheel design and then a two-wheel design inspired by the Velocar.

Early models of Mochet’s La bicyclette de l’Avenir (The Bicycle of the Future), also called the Vélo-Vélocar or V-V, used a single steel frame, large wheels, and handlebars above the rider. Steering was controlled by gears. Different types of gears were used, with some models having only one gear for track racing. Gears were placed in the middle of the bike using two chains. Some models had adjustable seats for better performance.

To show how fast his recumbent bicycle was, Mochet got the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Union Vélocipédique Française (UVF) to approve the design. He also asked cyclist Francis Faure, a top racer, to ride it in competitions. Faure won many races and set new world records for short distances. Another cyclist, Paul Morand, won the Paris-Limoges race in 1933 on a recumbent bicycle made by Mochet.

On July 7, 1933, at a Paris velodrome, Faure rode a modified Vélo-Velocar 45.055 kilometers (27.996 miles) in one hour. This broke a record that had stood for nearly 20 years, held by Oscar Egg. The achievement drew a lot of attention.

In February 1934, the UCI met and manufacturers of upright bicycles asked to declare Faure’s one-hour record invalid. On April 1, 1934, the UCI created new rules for racing bicycles, including limits on how high the bottom bracket could be, how far it could be from the seat, and how close it could be to the front wheel. These rules banned recumbents from UCI events due to tradition, safety, and economic reasons.

Charles Mochet died shortly after the ban was made, still protesting the UCI’s decision. His company continued making recumbents under his wife and later his son, Georges Mochet, until at least 1941 for a small number of customers. Their final models used a single chain and a four-speed gear system called the Cyclo.

After the UCI ban, Faure kept racing and often beat upright bicycles with the Velocar. In 1938, Faure and Georges Mochet added wind-reducing coverings to the Velocar to improve speed. On March 5, 1938, Faure rode a covered Velocar 50.537 kilometers in one hour, becoming the first cyclist to travel more than 50 kilometers in an hour without a pace vehicle.

The UCI ban on recumbents and aerodynamic improvements stopped their development for about 40 years. Although recumbent designs were made by individuals over the years, they were rare until the 1970s. Georges Mochet died in 2008.

During the time the UCI banned recumbents, some progress was made by people like Paul Rinkowski. In 1969, a recumbent called the Ground Hugger by Robert Riley was featured in Popular Mechanics, sparking interest. Americans Chester Kyle and David Gordon Wilson of MIT also worked on recumbents and aerodynamic coverings, opposing the UCI rules. In 1974, they started the International Human Power Speed Championship in Long Beach, California, which led to the formation of the IHPVA. Kyle and his students also tested wind-reducing coverings on upright bicycles, which were also banned by the UCI. In 1975, John and Randy Schlitter began making recumbents at their company, Rans, becoming the first U.S. company to do so.

In 1978, the Vélérique became the first fully covered commercial recumbent bicycle, made by Belgian inventor Erik Abergen.

In 1979, the HPV White Lightning broke the U.S. 55 mph speed limit, winning the Abbot Prize. Its top speed reached 62 mph.

The Avatar 2000, a long-wheelbase recumbent similar to modern Easy Racers models, was introduced in 1979. It appeared in the 1983 film Brainstorm, ridden by Christopher Walken, and in Richard’s Bicycle Book by Richard Ballantine. From 1983 to 1991, Steven Roberts traveled the U.S. in a modified Avatar, pulling a trailer with solar panels and a laptop. He wrote Computing Across America about his journey. A covered Avatar 2000 was the first two-wheeler to beat the European Vector three-wheeler in streamliner races. For about ten years, speed records were set by Easy Racers with Freddy Markham and the Lightning Team. In the U.S., the focus became the 200-meter sprint in the streamliner category. The oil

Performance

Recumbent bicycles perform better than upright bicycles over long distances, as shown by their success in events like the 24-hour race at Sebring. The International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA) sets official speed records for recumbents. One recognized record is the "flying 200 m," which measures the fastest speed over 200 meters on flat ground, starting from a rolling start with a maximum tailwind of 1.66 m/s. The current record for this event is 144.17 km/h (89.58 mph), set by Todd Reichert of Canada on a fully faired front-wheel-drive recumbent lowracer bicycle. The fastest speed recorded for an upright bicycle under IHPVA rules (but at sea level) is 82.53 km/h (51.28 mph), achieved by Jim Glover in 1986 using a Moulton bicycle with a hardshell fairing.

The IHPVA hour record is 90.60 km (56.30 mi), set by Sam Whittingham on July 19, 2009. A more recent hour record of 92.432 km (57.434 mi) was set by Francesco Russo of Switzerland on June 26, 2016, using a Metastretto bicycle on the DEKRA Test Oval track in Germany. The upright bicycle hour record is 55.089 km (34.231 mi), set by Victor Campenaerts in 2019. The UCI no longer recognizes the bicycle Chris Boardman used for his 1996 record as an upright bicycle because it did not meet the organization’s definition. Boardman’s Monocoque bicycle was designed by Mike Burrows, who also created the Windcheetah recumbent trike. This trike holds the record for the Land’s End to John o’ Groats route (861 miles or 1,386 km), completed in 41 hours, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds by Andy Wilkinson.

In 2003, Rob English defeated the UK 4-man pursuit champions, VC St Raphael, in a 4000 m race at Reading. He finished 4 minutes and 55.5 seconds ahead of the team, which completed the race in 5 minutes and 6.87 seconds. During the race, one of the St Raphael riders was dropped.

Pete Penseyres, riding Faired Lightning recumbents, set records for the Los Angeles to New York route (5 days, 1 hour), the San Francisco to Los Angeles route (18 hours), and the Seattle to Portland route (7 hours, 31 minutes).

In 2009, Team RANS won the Race Across America (RAAM) four-person division using unfaired recumbent bicycles, completing the race in 6 days and 3 hours.