Recumbent bikes will also be participating in the next edition of the Bordeaux-Paris race. While they're very popular across the Alps, they're a mystery here, with virtually no market for them. But what are they? We're talking about completely different bikes from classic bicycles, also known as recumbent bicycles in Italian. They place the cyclist in a different position, with their back supported by a seat inclined between 20 and 50° and their legs extended forward , pedaling in front of the handlebars. The lower limbs remain positioned above or below the handlebars, depending on the model.
The recumbent family
Very few people in Italy have owned and used one, one of them is Luca Bonechi , who started the legendary Paris-Brest-Paris race six times , one of which on a similar bike.
"Recumbent bikes are a diverse family ," he explains, "including trikes, both three- and two-wheeled, and velomobiles, which are a derivative of the faired version, featuring an aerodynamic body that makes the velocipede more like a car. Returning to recumbent bikes, they also differ in wheelbase : short (short wheelbase, with pedals further forward than the front wheel), long (long wheelbase, with pedals in a more traditional position), and compact (compact long wheelbase, with pedals closer to or above the front wheel)."
There are other important technical differences: the drive is rear-wheel, which requires a very long chain , which passes through tubes and gears between the chainring and the sprocket to avoid interference with the front wheel when taking sharp turns. By riding alongside the front wheel, the bike's turning radius is reduced, which therefore requires a different riding technique . However, there are also front-wheel drive recumbent bikes, where the pedals turn with the wheel.
Help for the heart
This leads to a technical problem: the thrust of pedalling induces a steering action that must be controlled and in the long run this tires the arms , so some models have introduced a return pulley next to the steering head which causes the chain to twist in tight bends.
What are the characteristics that lead to purchasing a recumbent bike? "It offers a series of advantages," Bonechi replies. "The position is more comfortable, reducing joint stress: pedaling horizontally with your legs almost at heart level promotes venous return, reducing that sort of feeling of heaviness . For example, with a recumbent bike and a velomobile, with a power output of 100 or 150 watts, you can reach speeds of over 40 kilometers per hour. In fact, this type of bike holds the speed records for human-powered vehicles."
Ideal for long journeys
What advantages does it offer for long-distance trips? "They're specifically designed for this. In fact, you can see several of them at PBP . The low center of gravity allows for greater stability and greater comfort. Recumbent bikes also weigh similarly to regular bikes, so they're good for long trips , though obviously a lot depends on how you load them. But with this type of bike, you have more space to store support equipment, which is no small thing."
Riding these special bikes isn't exactly the same as riding a normal bike: "You have to get used to them. Downhill, for example, they're very aerodynamic, but the different center of gravity requires a completely different setup, otherwise it becomes dangerous . A recumbent's best performance is on road sections that aren't steep, with long straights that allow you to build speed. A velomobile with a fairing weighs starting at 22 kilos, and carrying them uphill is very tiring. In fact, many velomobiles now come equipped with pedal assistance, especially necessary for those who use them for work, and there are quite a few of them in Northern Europe."
Little market due to… morphological causes
Riding these bikes on the road has its advantages and disadvantages: "On the one hand, they're more stable, but they require strong lights to be seen, especially at night. It must be said, however, that they're such unique vehicles that drivers are almost intimidated by them, and they pay particular attention. It's difficult to ride on bike paths because the curbs that delimit them are an obstacle; often you can't get on, so you ride in the middle of cars, and that's never an advantage ."
What's the market for these bikes? "For a recumbent, we're looking at starting at €12-€14, considering the racing models. For everyday use, you can find something starting at €7-€8 . In Italy, however, there's no market, mainly due to the terrain: I'm in Tuscany, the home of two-wheelers, but using them here is highly inadvisable..."
