My first recumbent bike - I need help choosing a design

Michał

Michał

Hello Everyone and greetings from eurpean country from Poland (near the border with Ukraine) :)
I have been considering a recumbent bicycle for some time. Unfortunately, it is not a popular type of bicycle in Poland and its prices are quite high. That's why I wonder if it would be cheaper to build such a bike myself. Unfortunately I don't know welding so I will probably have to outsource all the work.
What am I looking for? A bike with which I can easily ride in the city and on narrow streets, as well as ride it with my luggage for 2-3 days camping in the woods (transport cart option). In the future I would like to put in it an electric drive with a capacious battery for longer trips (perhaps an additional power supply in the transport cart)
Unfortunately, the bike plans for AtomicZombie have no cushioning. This matters to me because I have a back problem and weigh about 120kg at 185cm tall. The stiff suspension is not the most comfortable when riding on forest roads.
And this I have a question for experienced people on the subject of building level bikes. Which of the designs would be the easiest to build according to my assumptions to which you can easily add at least a shock absorber to the rear wheel or under the bike seat. Has anyone done something like this before?
 
Sounds like you want a higher seat, and possible long wheelbase. Meridian, maybe?

If you have never ridden a bent then let me say that even without the padding, you are already a step up from that torture machine known as an upright bicycle seat!

I usually use 1.5 to 2 inch foam on the designs and it is certainly comfortable. You can mod your seat easily as well.

Cheers!
Brad
 
Radical Brad said:
Sounds like you want a higher seat, and possible long wheelbase. Meridian, maybe?

If you have never ridden a bent then let me say that even without the padding, you are already a step up from that torture machine known as an upright bicycle seat!

I usually use 1.5 to 2 inch foam on the designs and it is certainly comfortable. You can mod your seat easily as well.

Cheers!
Brad
Click to expand...
I only rode a three-wheeled recumbent bike :) Actually, even without shock absorption it is better, but my 120 kg together with additional luggage do their job and on forest roads it is sometimes not very pleasant. I have a back problem that's why I need a little more comfort while cycling :)
 
If you want to do your riding on forest roads, then you'll probably want larger tires.
Large tires alone will give a softer ride, so make sure whatever design you choose will work with them.
 
undertoad said:
If you want to do your riding on forest roads, then you'll probably want larger tires.
Large tires alone will give a softer ride, so make sure whatever design you choose will work with them.
Click to expand...
That's why I'm looking at designs with minimum 26 inch wheels :)
 
The Streetfox has a rear shock.

And, a small pointer, "Bigger tyres", doesn't mean greater wheel diameter, but realy means "bigger tyres". Fat bikes are the extreme expression of that.
And those bigger tyres can compensate the lack of suspension a bit.
 
maddox said:
The Streetfox has a rear shock.

And, a small pointer, "Bigger tyres", doesn't mean greater wheel diameter, but realy means "bigger tyres". Fat bikes are the extreme expression of that.
And those bigger tyres can compensate the lack of suspension a bit.
Click to expand...
Except that StreetFox is a trike and I'm looking for a two-wheeled bike project :)
 
Good point, as a dedicated triker I overlooked that.

But, it seems any of the LWB's can be adapted to rear suspension, and front forks, even in 20" variants, can be sourced with suspension.
 
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