I am thinking about buying a semi recumbent trike or bike, possibly electrified. I like biking, but find the bikeseats so uncomfortable, and the pressure on my hands causes wrist and hand pain and numbness.
So, any good experiences with recumbent bikes, or semi recumbent bikes, or electric bikes in general? What brands to buy or avoid?
Bike seats can be changed and a really good pair of shorts will help. As will spending more time on the bike. I find that a pair of really good bike shorts will be expensive. I have cheap bike shorts and they aren’t very helpful.
As far as numbness, it could be an ill fitting bike. Depends.
People who have e-bikes love them, I’m not sure how that solves your problems.
As far as buying one, go to your local bike shop. They are very knowledgeable and helpful. In my experience
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I would suggest trying different seats. I have biking gloves which are comfortable but would not prevent numbness.
My electric bike is a cruiser style and therefore my hands are not getting all my weight.
I have tried many seats, and cruiser type bikes that put minimal weight on my hands, and still have issues. I haven’t tried bike shorts yet, so I could do that. Anyone out there with a recumbent or semi recumbent bike they love?
Interesting. I have been thinking about buying a nonelectric scooter just to get around my neighborhood. I hope @anxiousmom doesn’t mind the nonelectric query.
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If you decide on a recumbent bike, buy a used one!!! There are a couple of big FB groups for recumbent bike sales.
My mother bought a recumbent bike for $5000 (one of her last bad decisions due to dementia). She literally rode it for less than 10 times, and less than 10 miles. We just sold it, 2 years later, for 50% of what she paid, to the only person who enquired.
The numbness is due to bad positioning and road shock. What you need is a good bike, proper bike fit, and to ride at the correct tire pressure for the road conditions you ride on. I’ve dealt with the nerve issues/numbness when I rode several miles on gravel with my road bike (unintentionally). It resolved itself but it took months. I’ve otherwise never had trouble. Generally speaking, bad roads are very bad for your hands, so avoid when possible.
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I agree with @itsgettingreal21.
Bike shorts are really helpful. Most of mine are Terry, but there are other brands that are just as good.
A bike seat is also important, but the most padded one isn’t always best.
Bike gloves help too.
Since you are having trouble, a professional bike fit may be worthwhile, but if you’re going to get a new bike, you need to consider timing.
I have a Specialized bike, and it has a kind of “shock” in the front, which absorbs much of the road stuff. I chose Specialized over Trek partially because of that feature. I have a Specialized Diverge gravel bike and a Specialized Roubaix road bike (they are NOT CHEAP), and believe their future-shock system really helps with the numbness in my hand/arm. I also have a bad shoulder, but I continue to ride.
No advice on recumbents, other than riding them on the road seems pretty dangerous.
Electric bikes may not help with your problems. You still have your weight mostly distributed on just a couple of parts of your body.
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Have you considered an elliptical “bike”? I have issues with ANY bike seats, but I had no problems with riding an ElliptiGo.
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That’s an idea. I could try one of those. But I plan to try a semirecumbent bike, too. The seat is not as low to the ground as the recumbent ones, but you still sit on a regular seat, with no weight on your hands, pedaling out in front of you.
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