Recumbent versus Upright
This page attempts to cut through the hype and compare the features and capabilities of two styles of bicycle: the standard Safety Bicycle, a.k.a. Upright,versus the Recumbent. In this context, only pavement concerns are reviewed. For price ranges, I tried to go by what I would consider 'enthusiast level' bikes. Bear in mind that many of these statements are generalizations, and as such are not completely accurate for all examples within a style. As with any comparison, personal opinions may unavoidably color the results.These are based on my experience: 10 years riding an upright by myself, plus 12 years riding an upright in a club, followed by 5 years riding a recumbent. Until recently, I continued to use an upright for daily commuting, year around. As always, YMMV. The pictures below represent examples of sub-$1000 and over-$2000 bikes of each type. While the biggest differences between the two uprights will be frame material and component level, you can see the recumbents are wildly divergent by comparis |
