• The reason I chose a Recumbent bike and gave up on my conventional bicycle, is due to medical reasons. Back in January 1989 I was involved in a construction accident, which did severe damage to my neck. After my first surgery which fused C5 & C6 I found that I no longer can assume the leaned over position of a conventional biker. After approximately ten years of trying to ride my bike I became frustrated. A doctor I was using for pain therapy, recommended I look into a Recumbent Bike. I did a lot of research into these strange looking bikes, and found that even though there were not that many companies making these bikes, there were different types.

• Now that I new about these strange devices, I had to search high and wide for someone that either sold them or had one for me to test ride. The one dealer in the area, who was very helpful only carried one brand of recumbent bike. He was honest and directed me to a fellow who had both a LWB (Long Wheel Base) recumbent and a SWB (Short Wheel Base) recumbent. He was nice enough to allow me to try them. I had a hard time at first getting started, but after a while I was on my way. I decided I like the SWB, because of it race car type handling.

• Due to an inflammation of my neck problem it was another year before I assumed the quest for my new recumbent. I came across a advertisement for a Trek R200 with only a few miles on it. The owner Andy Douglas agreed to meet me in New Jersey to purchase the bike. When I meet Andy for the first time I knew he was a professional at riding recumbent bikes. He gave me a few hints, and made me ride the bike to make sure it was for me. I feel in love with it almost at once. The money changed hands and I was on my way.

• I stayed in contact with Andy who helped me with many unanswered questions. I also joined MARS (Metro Area Recumbent Society) where there are many members who are usually very eager to help with any questions I might have.

I have recently sold the R200 and moved up to a Recumbent Trike. This trike is made by a company called TW Bents and imported into the USA by ActionBent. These new pages will show you the upgrades I have done to this new trike.

The Medical Benefits of the Recumbent Bike

• I recently came back from a ride with both Recumbent bikers and Conventional bikers. The one thing that I noticed was that the conventional bikers were hunched over while the recumbent bikers were more relaxed and walking as a humane being should be, in an upright position.

• I also noticed that the recumbent riders were not as fatigued as the conventional bikers. Most of us were smiling while the others were holding there backs and rubbing there shoulders. Not being an MD I can't tell you more than my observations so I leave the medical mambo jumbo to a real doctor. The quotes below are from an article written by **Paul K. Nolan, M.D.

• **The semi-reclined position of the recumbent rider provided a much broader distribution of the body weight across the more anatomically correct padded areas of the buttocks and across the back. The hands, arms and shoulders were in a relaxed position not bearing the weight of the torso. With the back in a reclined positioned, the abdomen was flat and straight which allowed full and easy expansion of the lungs. The feet rested on the pedals allowing easy flexion and extension of the legs and afforded a relaxed resting position much like on a recliner foot rest. The head was held in a neutral position, looking forward, the neck relaxed. Eye contact with motor vehicle drivers was second nature to the recumbent riding position.

• **The conventionally mounted cyclist was a dichotomy of the recumbent cyclist. The weight of the rider was concentrated on the narrow unpadded symphysis pubis (pubic bone) and on the hands. The Homo Sapiens was not anatomically designed to bear weight on the arms like a quadruped nor was it designed to sit straddling a fence rail (politicians excluded). The head is forced in a perpetual downward stare, making eye contact with drivers a forced event, the rider having to hyper-extend the neck to get a glance down the road. This can lead to neck muscle spasms and cervical spine strains.

• Now that I have answered some of your questions, I will leave you to continue the learning process. I hope this was of some use to you in your search for the ultimate ride.