Pedaling While Reclining

Walking on the beach with Mr. Greenjeans and Peaches is one of my Sunday morning pleasures. Peaches will endlessly chase a stick into the ocean while Randy and I talk about all the non-world-shattering events in our lives. Sometimes we switch it up and ride bikes at the Wilcox while Peaches trots disinterestedly behind us. We don’t often talk about bikes, so I was surprised when Randy asked me if I’d heard the NPR podcast about the recumbent bike evangelist in Glendale, Wisconsin. I hadn’t, but I checked it out after riding home from Hendry’s.

Andrew Carson makes hand-built recumbent bikes out of recycled parts. He swears that he’ll never ride a traditional bicycle again. He’s not just a convert; he’s a spreading-the-word, mission-driven recumbent evangelical. Carson cuts apart used upright 10-speed bikes and welds the frames into a variety of recumbent styles, depending on customer need. He runs Recycled Recumbent from his backyard garage and has built almost 500 over the last 10 years. He’s not looking to get rich, so he sells them for less than $800.

Recumbents are fun to ride. Most cyclists choose the bike for ergonomic reasons. The rider’s weight is distributed comfortably in a seat instead of resting on a small saddle. Bents (as many riders call them) are also more aerodynamic than a traditional two-wheeler. In fact, a recumbent holds the world speed record for a bike at over 83 mph.