In the late 90s/early 00s, one of the hottest racing recumbents was the Rotator Pursuit. Built by Steve Delaire in Santa Rosa CA, the Pursuit was THE recumbent low-racer before that bike category even existed in the USA. Unlike most low-racers, the Pursuit seats you in a low position relative to the ground, and yet keeps your back upright for a better view of the road. Pursuits are also infamously known for their overly sensitive handling (aka “killer tiller”). A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on this piece of recumbent history thanks to Recycled Recumbents. I’ve ..read more

Today’s review will focus on a different kind of bike: the stand-up bike or SUB. Once again I’m drawn to an unusual looking bicycle, but this one won’t draw quite as much attention as a recumbent. Unlike recumbent bikes that have you reclining on a large seat as you pedal, SUBs are essentially bikes without seats, making you stand upright. You may be surprised that I’m reviewing a bike that is so opposite to a recumbent, but what I’ve recently learned these past few months is that SUBs offer many similar health benefits as recumbents. These bikes fit nicely in the space between running and cyc ..read more

Since I began riding recumbents, I’ve often dreamt of traveling with one in a suitcase and unfolding it in some remote destination to tour the countryside. While the pandemic put the brakes on traveling for some time, it did allow me to search for my ideal folding recumbent. In the end, I decided to get another Azub: the Origami. Initially, I planned to replace my Azub MINI with the Origami, but the MINI has since transformed into my cushy electric pedal assist bike that I just can’t bear to let go of yet. The build The Origami is a short wheelbase (SWB), dual 20″ aluminum frame recumbent wit ..read more

This past weekend the Psyclists got together after a month hiatus to brave the 90+ degree weather for a 14-mile excursion from Princeton to Lawrenceville. We first rode through the comfortably shaded Institute Woods, and then picked up the D&R Canal Towpath southbound until we reached the Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) connector. Here we were met with our first construction detour where we had to ride 0.5 miles along Meadow Road to Princeton Pike instead of following the LHT through the office park to reach Princeton Pike. Not a big deal, but just be aware of that small detour and follow th ..read more

While e-bikes can be a divisive topic among cyclists, it’s hard to ignore their increasing popularity. Admittedly it took me some time to warm up to the idea. Do I still get a workout? Is it “cheating”? After test riding an upright e-bike, I realized my worries were unfounded and it was time to transform the MINI once again. This time into an e-recumbent bike suitable for just about any terrain. E-assist options Azub offers attractive e-assist builds with Shimano Steps or Brose. The electric motors are integrated into custom booms, wires run internally, and the battery is mounted on the rack ..read more

The following excerpt is from “Bike Snob” by the popular bike blogger, Eben Weiss: Well over a hundred years ago the bicycle realized its current form, and it has remained largely unchanged ever since. However, there are some intrepid souls who refuse to accept this, and who embrace alternative designs for human-powered wheeled vehicles. And by far the most popular alternative “bicycle” is the recumbent. The recumbent strikes fear into the hearts of nearly every non-recumbent-riding cyclist. If you’ve ever seen a dog growl at a plastic bag caught in a shrub because the dog thinks it might b ..read more

The Princeton Psychology/Neuroscience cycling group dusted off their bikes and reconvened after a long winter. Today’s route took us along the scenic D&R Canal towpath from Princeton to Rocky Hill. From there we crossed to the other side of the canal and looped back with a stop at PJ’s Pancake House in Kingston for some coffee and snacks. Interesting sightings included a few dozen sunbathing turtle, some hissing geese, and a great blue heron flyby. In total, we rode 13 miles– most of which were flat except for the steep hill along Rt 27 into Kingston. Here’s our Garmin route for anyone int ..read more

With a kindergartner on the verge of riding a bike on his own (I think it’ll happen this summer, but let’s not jinx it), I thought it may be fun to review the various contraptions (there’ve been many!) I’ve used to bring him along on rides ever since he could hold his little head up. Some of these child carriers won’t safely work with a recumbent bike or trike, but I did manage to adapt a couple of them as you’ll see. Child-in-front seating When my son was one year old, it made the most sense to have him in front of me within eyesight and also within reach in case of a fall. At that time I was ..read more

A happy new bent rider picking up his bike at Jersey Bents in Hamilton NJ (the shop has since moved to Berlin NJ). The MINI was my first recumbent, and I’ve ridden it regularly for the past four years. Now I’m riding a similar bike, the Azub Origami, that I’ll review in a future post. Be forewarned, given the significant time I’ve spent in the saddle with the MINI, this will be a detailed review. By 2018 my back problems convinced me it was time to stop riding a regular bike and seriously consider a recumbent. After a few months of internet research (mainly on the popular BentRiderOnline forum ..read more

Under Seat Steering (USS) The handlebars on a recumbent may be mounted below the rider so that their arms hang in a relaxed position. Known as under seat steering (USS), this is arguably the most comfortable and least tiring steering position since you’re not reaching up to grip the handlebars. That said, it can be a bit trickier mounting/dismounting a bike with USS without practice, and you’ll be less aerodynamic when riding since you’ll have a wider profile against the wind. It’s also worth noting that USS is more mechanically complex and expensive, often requiring non-standard bike parts in ..read more