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Off Road Recumbent?
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RoyMacdonald View Drop Down
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Joined: 09 March 2007
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Points: 981 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RoyMacdonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2024 at 3:18pm
Sorry I was replying to Kim really. Then got confused about what the OP wanted. He said his Brompton would do the job but was not comfortable over a longer ride. Unfortunately you can't see the whole thread until you post. I'm easily confused these days.

All the best.
Roy


LOL





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Edited by RoyMacdonald - 30 May 2024 at 3:20pm
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zoxed View Drop Down
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Points: 58 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zoxed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2024 at 10:19am
Last year I renovated my old Pasley PDQ to use on the local (German) forest tracks (mostly rough gravel but some sections of mud, sometimes clayey). Worked great with fat tyres for extra suspension, bought some knobblys but didn't fit them yet, but there is plenty of clearance. When they come up for sale they are v cheap, or DTek?
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MeamoFan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 June 2024 at 2:59pm

Thanks for all your replies, looking at the suggested models it looks like there are two types of bikes to look for:


Long Wheel base (LWB) including Compact Long Wheelbase (CLWB) such as Bachette Bella or Bike E. I’m assuming these handle well off road as the long wheel base brings stability even though they tend to have small wheels. The other advantage I assume is you can put a foot down easily with the upright riding position and sitting lower to the ground.


The second approach is a Short Wheel Base (SWB) often with suspension and two 26" / 559 wheels, to eat up all the bumps. Such an Azub Max, Nazica Pioneer & Pashely PDQ. I assume the compromise here is your sat a bit higher with your feet a lot higher to be more reclined for better wind resistance. So it’s harder to put a foot down quickly in a tricky bit of mud?


A lot of the above come with either over or under seat steering, does that make a difference in terms of off road manoeuvrability? I’m guessing Over may be better but I’m not sure why.


Please correct any of my above assumptions, I’m keen to learn.


Regards the two types I'm more intrested in comfort and feeling confident on the bike (at least to start with) so the LWB seems the best choice to me. Although I think getting the chance to ride some examples first would be a good idea, will have to see if I can arrange a visit to Dtek.


As an aside I’d not considered a trike as there are two foot/bike bridges on my routes. One 900mm wide and another 700mm wide. The former is up around 1m of steps with only a rail for two wheelers to one side.



Edited by MeamoFan - 02 June 2024 at 6:17pm
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KM2 View Drop Down
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There is a Peer Gynt, LWB, with rear suspension on the cycling uk forum.
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legs_larry View Drop Down
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Points: 1554 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote legs_larry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2024 at 9:46am
I very much suspect that the front end of an LWB would tend to wash out when asked to go round corners when off-road..
====================

a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Don't try this at home!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PDpqLylqeM
(Hope the link works)
I think it's a Flevo Oke-Ja. Available in versions with rear suspension too.
The Bike-E is similar and comes unsuspended and in rear suspended versions. Advice seems to be regarding front end lightness, go for the large size frame as due to the sliding seat design if you are average or tall on a small or medium size frame your weight ends up over the back wheel, unloading the front. On a large frame the rearward weight bias is less extreme.

It's noticeable on my Linear that the previous owner was quite tall and the seat was well back when I bought it. It's a medium frame and to fit me being fairly short the seat is well forward. This seems to help with the weight distribution though the greatest braking effort is still on the back wheel. I just use reasonable treaded road tyres. Fitting a front Big Apple a few mm wider than the back tyre curiously made the front feel very planted. I haven't fallen off it though I'm no superhero when off road, and I don't intentionally do mud where you might need something more knobbly.

The 20" front wheel felt tiny when I first started out but now I've had it a few years it doesn't seem strange. 10 or 20 years ago even 16" wheels weren't uncommon and are seen on older recumbents.

Ideally, larger wheels roll better but ease of getting a foot down counts for a lot too especially when starting out.
Smaller wheels don't necessarily rule out off road ability. The Pashley PDQ has dual 20" wheels for example, and a compressible rubber suspension at the rear. One thing I would say though, is that a smaller wheeled recumbent benefits from some kind of suspension at least at the rear, though again others might disagree.

Over seat steering vs under seat steering? There's no doubt that under seat steering looks cool and mysteriously recumbenty, and feels good too. There are times off the beaten track when those generously sweeping cables below the bars can be a nuisance, snagging on undergrowth, and your arms are in an ideal position to make the acquaintance of prickly, stinging plants. Also they make it more problematical to mount mirrors, bells, computers where you can see them. Sporty riders might claim they are less streamlined than over seat bars. There's also the issue of restricted lock, as the seat tends to restrict the lock to lock movement. Because your levers are the first thing to hit the road if it falls over, you can damage stuff more easily than if they are higher up. Did I mention that it feels good on the road?

Over seat steering gives you more choice of handlebars, is arguably easier to learn to ride with, usually has a simpler direct steering set up and gives you somewhere to mount your gadgets. It also gives you something to get hold of if you have to get off and push or wheel it about.

Trouble is, I can't advise anyone about them, because I like both systems!

Recumbents are just so different from each other, you really have to try different ones. It's definitely a field where one man's meat is another man's (or woman's) poison, and some might not take to them at all.
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Points: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Leisurerider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2024 at 4:00pm
Hyperlink didn't work. Try this one.
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Leisurerider View Drop Down
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Points: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Leisurerider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2024 at 4:06pm
Need to highlight link in last but one post, right click, and click on "Open Link" to make it work.
Don't know what happened there!
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Kim View Drop Down
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Points: 1256 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Kim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 June 2024 at 4:42pm
Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PDpqLylqeM

(First one wasn't link-ified, second one had a spurious http:// in front of the https://)
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Arellcat View Drop Down
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Points: 95 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Arellcat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 June 2024 at 9:03pm
Although it usually wore slicks, I went offroading from time to time when I had my RANS long wheelbased bike:



I did more offroad riding on my RANS Sequoia though:



Since getting my big, bouncy Orange I've not been riding the Sequoia and would be happy to sell it.

Edited by Arellcat - 05 June 2024 at 9:07pm
carbon Quest, Lightning P-38, RANS Sequoia, Kona Sutra, Orange Five, Elephant Bike, Brompton, Stumpjumper
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