It is called a recumbent bike.  The dictionary defines the word recumbent as "lying down; reclining; leaning."  With bicycles, it is used to described the position of the rider while it is being ridden.   There are many varieties of recumbent cycles.  Some are hand powered and some use both hand and foot power. They come in two wheel (recumbent bikes), three-wheel (recumbent trikes), and four-wheel (recumbent quad) versions.   There are also tandem recumbent designs for two riders.   Here at Recumbent Gourmet we are particularly fond of recumbent trikes, and we offer a little more information about them here

Yes - very comfortable.  The seat on a recumbent bike supports the riders back.  The small seat on a traditional, diamond framed (DF), upright bicycle is small and narrow to allow the riders legs to straddle it.    I've never found that to be very comfortable for very long.  But a recumbent seat can be as wide as necessary to ensure my comfort.  On a DF bicycle, the riding position has my upper body leaning forward slightly, with my weight supported by my arms and my view directed down toward my front wheel.  Looking around at where I am going involves lifting my head to look away from the front wheel.  After a while, my neck gets tired and it it very uncomfortable.  On a recumbent bike there is no pressure on my hands, wrists or  arms,  and my neck does not need to be lifted in order to obtain a panoramic view of my environment.  In my opinion, this is much much more comfortable way to ride.

Not really.  There are lots of different styles and types of recumbent bikes, and some are more difficult to ride than others, but none are very hard.

The recumbent trike is the easiest of all.  Because it cannot tip over, there is really nothing to it!  Just sit in the seat, put your feet on the pedals, and off you go!

It may take a little while to learn how to ride a recumbent bike - the way in which the bike must be balanced is a little different than a DF bike.  You need to relax and sit back in the seat, much of the balancing is performed by steering the bike as opposed to adjusting your body weight above the bike.

I've seen lots of people take their first ride on a recumbent bike.  It may take 2 minutes or maybe as long as 30 minutes, but everybody who can ride a regular bike can learn to ride a recumbent.

Absolutely.   Or at least no more dangerous than riding a traditional bike.  Perhaps even a little safer.  If you fall off a traditional bike, you will probably get hurt.  But falling off a recumbent bike is usually less traumatic.  If you crash into something on a recumbent, you'll hit it with your feet, and you won't fly over the handlebars head first.  Cycling in traffic - regardless of what kind of bike you are on - involves a certain amount of risk.  We employ a number of useful strategies to reduce that risk on our recumbent trikes.  My informed opinion, after cycling nearly 35,000 miles on a recumbent trike, is that I feel substantially safer on my trike than I ever did on a traditional bike.

Recumbents can come with two kinds of steering. ' Under Seat Steering' (USS) or 'Above Seat Steering' (ASS).  On bikes with above seat steering,  the handlebars are located above the seat, near the rider's shoulder height.   This is the most common type of steering on a recumbent bike.  Many people think that it is easier to learn to ride a bike with ASS.  With under seat steering the handlebars are located just beneath the seat.     If you are sitting in a chair, just drop your hands and let them hang naturally at your sides.  This is where the handlebars are found on a USS recumbent.  Most recumbent trikes have USS.

It depends.  How fast you can ride any bike depends a lot more on you than on the bike you are riding.  If you are an extremely fit, uber-athlete, then you will probably be fast on a recumbent.  If you are an over-weight, out-of-shape, couch potato, then you will probably not be very fast on a recumbent (or any other bike).

That being said, there are many kinds or recumbent bikes and trikes.  Some are made to go fast and others are not.  If speed is you primary concern, then take a look at the carbon fiber high racer bikes like those made by Carbent and Schlitter.  Other recumbent bikes are for more leisurely riding, or for touring, or for carrying cargo.  Try to pick a bike that is intended for the style or riding you are most interested in.

This advice holds true for trikes as well.  There are many  makes and models intended for different things.  In general, I have found that the same rider will usually be slower on a trike than on a bike, but how much slower depends upon the person and the trike.

New recumbents are typically sold by specialty retailers.  Some are sold directly by the manufacturers.    The Recumbent Gourmet has compiled a nice list of retailers and manufacturers in our links section to help you get started.  It is also possible to purchase a recumbent used.  The Bent Rider On-Line Forums contain a very active for sale section with owners buying, selling and upgrading their bikes regularly.  It is also possible to purchase a recumbent bike or trike on the internet.  While this may present a more cost effective way to buy a new recumbent, some caveats apply.  Please review our FAQ about purchasing over the internet.

Recumbents can be purchased in a wide range of prices.  A used, entry-level, recumbent bike can be purchased for a few hundred dollars.  Recumbent trikes are a bit more expensive.  A new trike can be purchased for about a thousand dollars.   Like most things, it is possible to spend as much money as you would like for higher quality  bikes and fancier accessories.

Yes!  With practice, anyone can learn to climb hills on a recumbent bike or trike.  Because it 's not possible to stand on the pedals and use the riders weight to move the pedals, it is necessary to gear down and spin the pedals to keep the bike moving.

I can actually climb hills better on my trike than I ever could on a traditional bike.  I can't climb hills faster, but I climb  more easily.  Because the trike has three wheels it cannot tip over, no matter how slowly I ride.  The trike is equipped with very low gearing that allows me to climb even the steepest hills.  I go up slowly, but I never need to get off,  walk,  and push.

A recumbent bike may not handle as well as low speed, but by gearing down and spinning, hills are no more of a challenge than on a traditional bike

That's a really good question!  We often wonder why more people don't ride recumbent bikes and trike.  But here are a few reasons we think might make  people resistant to recumbents.

1. They look different.  Some (many?) people are just not  comfortable with doing something that makes them appear unusual.
2. Lot's of people just don't know anything about them.  They are not sold at most bike retailers.  To understand the advantages the salesman has to point out the weaknesses of ordinary bike design — so it’s not too surprising that you don’t hear about it from people who currently make or sell ordinary bikes.
3. They are more expensive than a typical bike.  Spending $500, $1000, or more, for a bike is a pretty big commitment for anybody who is not already enthusiastic about cycling.
4. They can be awkward to transport.  Most recumbent bikes will fit on a standard bike rack, but a recumbent trike requires some specialized transportation options.   Many recumbent trikes are made so they can be folded to allow for easier transport.
5. They are not permitted in most sanction bicycle races.  If your motivation is bicycle racing,  most race organizers will not permit anyone to compete with a recumbent bike.

This question is impossible to answer without more information about you and the type of riding you want to do.  There are many different types of recumbent bikes and trikes, and they are designed to accomplish different things.

If you are new to recumbents, we strongly encourage you to work closely with a retailer that has lots of different bikes and trikes that you can try.  In addition to helping you determine what type of bike is right for you, they can help you pick a bike that you will be comfortable in.  There are not as many recumbent retailers around as we would like, so this may mean that you need to travel someplace a few hours away to try bikes.  You should still do it.  The importance of getting a bike that is comfortable for you cannot be overstated.  If it's not comfortable, you won't ride it.  The only way to really tell what you find comfortable is to try lots of different bikes and feel the differences.

That means taking a real test ride, not just a quick spin around a parking lot.  Most recumbent retailers will be happy to let you take a bike for a longer ride.  You need to try it going up and down hills, and maybe over different types of terrain.  Plan on spending 30-60 minutes or more on each bike you try.

No more difficult than on any other bicycle.  While the frames on recumbent bikes are are unique and proprietary, the components that are used - like wheels, brakes, chains and derailleurs - are exactly the same as those used on an upright bike.  That means, with only a few exceptions, that you, or any competent bike mechanic, can perform work on your recumbent bike/trike.

Of course, it's always nice to take your bike back to the shop where you purchased it for service.  But sometimes that is impossible of inconvenient.  You should be able to take a recumbent to your local bike shop (LBS).  Since recumbents are a little unusual, sometimes a bike shop will balk at taking one in for service, particularly  if they have not seen one before.  It helps to be friendly with the bike shop staff and help them to get over their apprehension toward you and your bike.

It is possible to purchase a recumbent bike or trike on the internet.  There are many sites that will let you purchase a bike or trike directly, and will then deliver it to you doorstep fully assembled and ready to ride!  There are many others that will ship a bike to you, but require you to perform some assembly.  If you are comfortable with doing that assembly, then you can save a few dollars over the cost of the same bike at a local retailer.

There are some caveats however.

• You need to really know what bike/trike you want.  If you want somebody to help guide you in making your selection, then a good local retailer is the best place to start.  Unlike traditional upright bicycles, minor differences in the geometry of a recumbent can make a huge difference in the way a bike/trike handles and performs.    Riding lots of different bikes is the only way to gain an understanding of those differences .  You can't do test rides on the internet.  And while it is possible to spend many hours at you local retailer doing test rides, and then purchase your bike over the internet from somebody else, we think that is kind of rude and don't recommend it.  Besides, you want to make your  local retailer into a good ally for the future if you need maintenance and repairs.
• Be aware of how your internet vendor handles warranty claims.  While it is unusual, sometimes a frame breaks or some other warranty service needs to be performed.  Some internet vendors will ask you to interact directly with the manufacturer, while sothers will handle the claim process themselves.     Both approaches can work out OK,   but you should know how its going to work before you need the service.
• Like any other purchase on the internet, make sure you are dealing with a reputable vendor.  For the most part, people in the recumbent world are a friendly and fun-loving bunch.   But just like in the real word, there are some unscrupulous characters also.  Any of the manufacturers and retailers we have listed in our links section are well known in the recumbent industry and provide excellent products are services. Here is an example of the kind of scam you should look to avoid.     If you have questions about a particular vendor, please let us know and we'll be happy to help!

Just like upright bikes, there are recumbent bikes that are specifically built for riding off-road and on trails.  Typically, these bikes and trikes have larger diameter wheels and fat tires to make riding across rough terrain more comfortable.

Even though my trike is intended for riding on pavement, I have ridden my trike on several off-road trails.  As long as the surface remains relatively hard-packed, it performs very well.  With different tires I'm sure it would do even better.

Single track riding on a trike can be awkward, since a trike has three distinct tire tracks.  Even if the track is wide-enough for the trike, none of the  wheels usually fall into the track.  This can make the ride somewhat less comfortable.