Introduction to Recumbent Bicycles

Development History

• Before World War I, the Frenchman Charles Mochet created the first recumbent bicycle. Initially, it was a four-wheeled pedal bicycle customized for his son. Later, he designed an adult double-seater called "Vélocar".
• In 1933, Francis Faure broke a record using a recumbent bicycle in a track cycling race in Paris. However, in 1934, recumbent bicycles were prohibited from participating in official competitions, and the development and research of them came to a halt.
• In the second half of the 20th century, recumbent bicycles became popular again in Europe and the United States, and they were subsequently introduced to China.

Classification Methods

• According to the number of wheels: It can be divided into two-wheeled recumbent bicycles, which are simple in structure, light, flexible, and fast; three-wheeled recumbent bicycles, including front three-wheeled (one wheel in the front) and reverse three-wheeled (two wheels in the front), which have good stability and are suitable for various groups of people; and four-wheeled recumbent bicycles, which have four wheels and offer even better stability and safety.
• According to the position of the handlebars: It can be divided into upper handlebar position recumbent bicycles, including those with an extended chainring in the upper handlebar position and long wheelbase upper handlebar position models; and lower handlebar position recumbent bicycles, where the handlebars are located below the legs, without the disadvantages of the two types of upper handlebar position models mentioned above.
• According to the riding posture: It can be divided into full-recumbent bicycles and semi-recumbent/tilted recumbent bicycles. In the tilted recumbent type, the rider lies supine on the saddle and controls the direction with vertically held handlebars, which is comfortable and has a small air resistance.
• According to the position of the driving wheel: It can be divided into front-wheel drive recumbent bicycles and rear-wheel drive recumbent bicycles. The vast majority of recumbent bicycles are rear-wheel drive, and front-wheel drive recumbent bicycles are more difficult for beginners to master.

Characteristics

• Advantages: High comfort, as riding will not cause pain and fatigue to multiple parts of the body; fast speed, as the lower body of the bicycle reduces air resistance, and it has excellent off-road performance on rough and muddy roads; good stability, due to the unique design of the frame and transmission system, as well as the rider's supine riding posture, the recumbent bicycle has relatively good stability; convenient for carrying items, as it can carry items such as tents, making it suitable for long-distance trips, and the rider's hands can be freed for activities such as photography; high safety, with a low center of gravity, especially for three-wheeled recumbent bicycles, and the relatively wide field of vision when riding a recumbent bicycle.
• Disadvantages: Slower speed than ordinary bicycles when going uphill, and faster speed when going downhill. When turning at high speed, if the force on the two hands when braking is uneven, it is easy to skid; the field of vision is slightly smaller than that of ordinary bicycles, and the low body of the bicycle makes it easy to be overlooked by large trucks; it is bulky, making it inconvenient to enter and exit and store, and it cannot be taken on a bus; there are gaps in relevant management regulations, such as the roads suitable for riding and speed limits are not clearly defined.

Basic Structure

• Two-wheeled Recumbent Bicycles: They are composed of a frame, steering system, braking system, transmission system, wheelset, etc. To avoid the heels interfering with the front wheel, small front wheels are often selected, and different wheel diameters are a major feature of them.
• Three-wheeled Recumbent Bicycles: Reverse three-wheeled recumbent bicycles are more common. The seat arrangement can better consider comfort, and the drive system is simple, but the steering system is complex. The structure of front three-wheeled recumbent bicycles is similar to that of long wheelbase two-wheeled recumbent bicycles. The front wheels and front forks are universal with those of ordinary bicycles, and they often adopt the front-wheel drive method. However, there is a situation where the left and right turning radii are different.