Recumbent Exercise Bicycles

why are recumbent bikes unstable?

OK, why are recumbent bikes LESS stable that their traditional counterparts? The recumbents that I have ridden are very darty at low speeds, such as when climbing a hill. I found them to be comfortable at cruising speeds.

Public Comments

1. I don't know that they are inherently unstable. I've seen too many people ride them to believe that that is the case. Recumbents have been around since the mid 1800's [so the design has been around for a while]. http://www.recumbents.com/home.asp?URL=faq.asp
2. It takes time to get used to a new bike. I have a semi-recumbent, and it is stable. Maybe the bike you are referring to has USS (Under Seat Steering)? I've heard that USS can be tricky if you hit broken pavement while going downhill.
3. I am no expert on this but I think it has to do with the fact that your pedeling legs are directly under you center of gravity on a regular bike and are way out front on a recumbent. Screws up your center of gravity. I do a lot of up-hill riding in the Colorado mountains and a recumbent bike would be a problem, so I opted for a recumbent tadpole trike and that was the best decision I made. It is stable on 3 wheels and loads of fun being so low to the ground.
4. Well, in my experience, the shorter wheelbases seem to be more 'stable'. Also, on a diamond frame bike you can easily compensate for unbalance because you can shift your weight around. It is a learned technique, remember your first try to ride a bike? I am much more stable on a recumbent now than I was 7 months ago when I started.