Phil Gagnon of Ashland sits on his recumbent bicycle. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven)You've probably seen the odd-looking bicycles rolling along country roads.
The rider sits in a chair-shaped seat, legs extending to pedals that connect to the front of the two-wheeled machine. The front wheel is smaller than the rear wheel. The wheel base is longer than on a regular bike.
What you're observing is a recumbent bike. They've been around since the late 19th century and made a comeback in the 1970s and '80s, but only recently have they found a niche in the Rogue Valley.
Craig Ransom began riding one five years ago and now sells them at his Spin Cycle bike shop in Grants Pass. He estimates that 50 percent of his sales — or roughly eight bikes per month — are recumbents.
"They take all the pressure off the arms, neck, back and shoulders," Ransom, 69, says. "Once you ride one a couple times and get used to them, you ask yourself, why would I ride anything else?"
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- Safety. The recumbent's low center of gravity and short distance to the ground reduce the danger of falling off, and the low position of the rider removes the risk of getting flung over the handlebars during a sudden stop.
- Speed. On a flat surface, recumbent bikes are usually faster than upright models because the aerodynamic profile of the rider reduces wind resistance.
"You're punching a smaller hole in the wind," explains Chris Haynes, the owner of Sims Cycle & Fitness in Medford.
- Health. Studies have shown that riders generate better circulation on a recumbent because their legs are stationed at approximately the same height as their heart. Consequently, riders can more easily endure longer rides.
"What intrigued me the most was the comfort level of the seat," says Phil Gagnon, a 74-year-old Ashland resident who's been riding a recumbent for the past five years. "That, and the whole idea of pumping the pedals with your legs up while you're leaning back."
Gagnon's 7-foot-long bike, a Gold Rush model made by Easy Racer in Santa Cruz, Calif., features a fairing, or windshield, that cuts wind resistance. Gagnon did considerable research before buying his bike, visiting the factory and meeting with the designer in Santa Cruz.
"I took it for a spin and was sold on it right then," he says.
Recumbents travel uphill more slowly than upright bikes because of their pedal position, but they've been clocked as fast as 65 mph on a flat surface and even faster downhill.
"I've had mine up to 49 mph on a descent," Gagnon says. "I could have gone faster but I got a little scared and put on my brakes.
"People pass me on the uphills but I pass them back on the downhills."
A cousin of the recumbent bicycle is the recumbent tricycle, which features three wheels instead of two. Recumbent trikes come in two varieties: the delta, which has two rear wheels, and the tadpole, which has two front wheels. The tadpole is more popular, Ransom says.
"You can really fly along on those things," Ransom says, "and the neat thing is, you won't tip over if you come to a stop and keep your feet on the pedals."
Recumbent bikes aren't cheap. They retail from about $500 to more than $4,000, with a well-built, reliable one selling for about $1,250, Ransom says. His most popular recumbent trike sells for $1,900.
Ransom's shop in Grants Pass is the only one in the Rogue Valley that specializes in recumbents. Sim's in Medford also sells and services them.
Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail dhunt@mailtribune.com
