At first sight, when we look at other people, it looks pretty easy... After all, it has a saddle, a handle-bar and pedals as usual, isn't it ? My first try shows me that... not actually ! We are not used to seeing landscapes this way and to having such a comfortable seat ! So, let's go !

Straight trajectories don't bother, one only need to hang up to the handle-bar and pedal ! But the curves are an other story ! The reflexes make you quickly turn the handle-bar toward the direction you want to take. But since it's not a usual bicycle, you are doomed to fall ! After two or three falls, I finally understood I needed to behave as on a motorcycle (the comparison is a little bit strong, I agree...), at first that means coast, lean on the inner side of the curve and slightly stir the handle-bar. And then... yoohoo ! It goes easily and it's a delight !

After quite a few spins, I am ready to ride the road ! And then also, what a great pleasure, with as much efforts as on a usual bicycle, on a flat road, we go much faster ! And it's much more comfortable too ! Thus, you ride on and on for kilometres without counting them, without tiredness !

The people who see us riding are really amazed and smile at us kindly ... That's because this funny machine intrigues !

Another great pleasure is riding downhill ! We easily reach speeds such as 50 km/h and the sensations provided are close to what you can get on a motorcycle : wind, speed, landscape scrolling fast... and everything without any engine's noise !

I was not the first to master the machine ! I avow I even had some apprehensions before riding it the first time. I took me an hour riding back and forth on a parking and a good fall to understand how it worked ! That day, I felt the same way as when I first rode my kid big bicycle, as I was three years old, without the little side-wheels that had insured till then my stability... Actually, during that hour on the parking lot, I learnt how to ride again : how to start (especially in steep hills), how to turn (stop pedalling when stirring the handle-bar) without falling off of this huge bicycle.

Once at ease on the bicycle, one notices that the recumbent is definitely much faster : I overtaked vans, tractors and even cars... In steep hills, no problem : one only needs to adopt a cruise speed at low pace.

Last but not least, I didn't suffer from stiffness during nor after the two weeks we spent riding ! A magic bicycle designed to move up whereas taking advantage of the landscapes in which one progresses.

The recumbent bicycle is definitely to be considered among the most exciting things I experienced lately.

One only needs to sit in the saddle so that all apprehensions with respect to the stability of the bicycle fly away and give place to awesome sensations. The very relaxing position is suitable for easy rides as well as for speeding up, which you can do, believe it or not, almost without any efforts. It actually allows to maintain high average speeds on flat roads without struggle.

If the performances of the recumbent in steep hills don't look appealing at first sight, disappointments fade away as quickly as the body gets used to this new position. Also, I never felt pain in my neck as I thought I would. At last, the bicycle also being mostly controlled by the movement of the body in the saddle rather than by the handle-bar, it reminded me from times to times the vertigos of paragliding.

A must-try !

• Easy to learn, within a few minutes, one maitrise the machine, although it doesn't look quite stable at first sight.
• Comfortable, one can ride for a long distance without feeling pain in his back as it usually happens.
• Safe, this bicycle gives a great visibility of the road, we are at the same height as the drivers' eyes (unfortunately, it makes the drivers look at the bicycle instead of the road).
• Adaptable, within less than a minute, we can adapt the bicycle to persons whose height range from 1.70 to 1.90 meter.
• Fast, one can manage good average speeds, higher than on a usual bicycle, certainly thanks to the aero dynamical position.

After having ridden the recumbent bicycle for 2 weeks, 3000 km, with all kinds of weather and relief, I think I can tell you the recumbent is not a bicycle, it's much better than this. There no longer is a saddle but a seat. Actually a true chair that adapts to the passenger's back and provide him with an incomparable comfort. Starting doesn't look easy at first sight but one gets used to it within a few minutes and the trajectory is not so wavering after only a few hundreds of meters.

The recumbent is definitely faster than a usual bicycle. The more efficient position, the aero dynamism of the machine... Everything is to leave the usual bicycle far behind. The position provides a true comfort in easy rides. The back is not as solicited as usually, one can ride the recumbent all day long without feeling pain in his back.

The lying-down position also allows to take better advantage of the landscapes. We feel as if we were sitting in the saddle of a paragliding : we have a great view and liberty to move the head. We pedal without struggle and we almost become spectator of once own ride.

But the recumbent still remains a vigorous bicycle. One feels at the handle-bar the same sensations as on a motorcycle. The recumbent turns quickly and sharply, the brakes are efficient and trustfully, the vast availability of gears allows to cope with all kinds of situations.

With one word as with 1000, try it and you will be charmed !