Recumbent Trike Geometries

Unfortunately, there aren't many (any) stores that carry ALL recumbents available out there for test driving.

True or false: those who have experienced psiatica and/or 'recumbent butt' would do better with a recumbent trike that lays the rider down, distributing their weight throughout their body (instead of placing the majority on their rear end, for favor of a more upright 'visible touring' position)?

If the answer to the question above is true, then how is a potential purchaser of a recumbent trike supposed to get an accurate idea of how well 'laid down' a trike is, when most trikes only provide statistical facts of how high off the ground the SEAT is (SOMETIMES the hight of the head), and a picture (which is oftimes ambiguous, at best, for the size range involved is (oftimes unknowingly) inextricably tied into the length of the rider (the trike oftimes designed for a FULL RANGE of rider sizes, and DISPLAYED for only ONE of those lengths!) NEVER have I seen accurate figures for the HEAD HEIGHTH!

Do you see my dilemma? At 5' 10.5" I want to lay my head DOWN, preferably on a replaceable mesh seat (not the more aging, costly, diffifult to find/replace, less weight tolerant fiberglass plastic shells), have my weight distributed throughout both my back and bottom, legs more UP (more than my present Thunderbolt, Pursuit, and Horizon two-wheelers, and next time with three wheels).

Cat trike Speed looks close. More expensive version of Greenspeeds (small wheels) looks close. I can't tell how I proportionally fit on the 'bottom' part of the mesh seat by a picture, and stats often seem incomplete to make up for the inability to fully 'be there'.

Suggestions?

That would be a dream Actually, I've been to shops in Holland that have some huge selections. Only problem is that they're all European models.

I think that is basically true for R-butt. Don't know about psiatica though.

If you can get stats on the BB/seat height ratio, then that will determine how reclined or upright your seat can be adjusted. That is, provided that the seat has a full range of adjustment.

The backs of mesh seats tend to be flat. That means, the more you recline, the more your neck needs to crane forward. Perhaps that is something to consider from a comfort perspective.

In my opinion, the advantage of a hard shell is that it bends forward to support your upper back. That helps prevent a stiff neck. But as you mentioned, there are many disadvantages.

Personally, I find extremely reclined seats somewhat fatiguing on longer rides. I'd say 42- to 45-degrees is just about right for me. It spreads the weight across my back, yet gives me a good position for climbing and touring. It's still not wonderful for heavy traffic, but for most other conditions it's pretty good. BTW, I have about 2-inches BB/seat height differential.

NR

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Bent, but never out of shape!

Look at "my bike", the Kettwiesel from Hase Bikes of Germany! They can be bought at least from Hostel Shopping.com

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Hazahl