"The recumbent bicycle is, for most people, a more suitable vehicle than the conventional upright bicycle."

So, why doesn't everyone ride one?

    Most people have a number of apparently good reasons why this is so. They give you the usual justifications: they are hard to ride, you can't be seen in traffic, your view ahead is reduced.

    It would also be possible for a recumbent bike riders to come up with just as many reasons why you shouldn't ride a conventional bike, if they could be bothered.

    As to the actual issues of safety involved, these are in practice completely false. Every recumbent rider knows that you are more visible on a recumbent, not less so, and, let's face it, most conventional cyclists are practically invisible in practice. People see what they notice, it is the mundane and familiar which is ignored. If you are not in control of your vehicle then it naturally feels less safe in traffic, and the time needed to adjust to a new riding position is obviously a barrier to a rapid take-up of recumbent riding.

    But recumbents are not inherently more difficult to ride. In fact they vary, just like conventional bikes, and it is this variation which persuades many novices that the bike they have just tried, which might be an extreme racing machine, is representative of recumbents as a whole. This situation is changing as far better commuting and touring designs become available.

    As for your view ahead being reduced, well you are still usually sitting higher than you would be in a car, and your head naturally faces the direction you are going instead of the ground in front of you.

    Against these issues there are the obvious 'dangers' of conventional bicycles. You are very high off the ground when you fall. If you hit something or pull too hard on the brakes you are likely to go flying over the handlebars. When you stop most riders cannot put their feet on the ground. Not to mention the various physical ill effects caused by an unnatural posture and pressure on the hands and perineum.

So, having answered all the arguments, will people then start to ride them?

    The answer is usually no. People have a great number of other issues rather than rationality that motivate their behavior. One dominant motive is fear - of danger, perceived or actual; of other people's opinions; of being different or of standing out in a crowd. Also, most people don't do things for sensible reasons. They do things because they are fun. This is the only reason why I ride a recumbent but it can be hard to persuade a novice wobbling off for the first time that this is really a nicer way to travel. Logical, yes, but fun?

    Mainly, there is the question of image. The conventional bicycle has managed to cultivate an image of glamour by association with great sporting personalities or national events. Even mountain biking, which just a few years ago was still an off-beat and whacky occupation, is now promoted as part of the consumer lifestyle along with sunglasses and soft drinks. By the time an activity has reached this level, the battle for people's minds is obviously won and rationality no longer plays a part. Recumbents are still weird and nerdy, which is really just another way of saying that you don't see influential people riding them.

    So, why should we care? For my part it is because I think they're a great product and they could benefit many people who might otherwise give up on an active lifestyle. It is also a huge challenge to be in on something so small that has the potential to be so major. And the more mainstream recumbent riding becomes, the better the bikes become - better designs, more accessories, less negative reaction, more people to share it with. It's become my business and my passion. The rest of you are probably just happy to ride your bikes!

    There is another issue for the cycling industry as a whole, and that is that there is really no where else for the business to go. The mountain bike boom was great but it is approaching saturation. Cycling off road in England is already subject to many restrictions. It is legally only permitted on bridle paths which have to be shared with walkers and horse riders, and as the number of cyclists increases there are bound to be conflicts. There are also environmental considerations, all use of the countryside has the potential to damage it, and will eventually have to be controlled unless the numbers of users ceases to grow.

    Luckily we are blessed with thousands of miles of beautiful country lanes, and with the concentration of vehicles on the major highways many of them remain blissfully traffic-free. Road cycling is bound to come back into fashion and that means bikes designed for comfort and ease of use. That leaves German-style touring bikes, perceived as safe but dull, or something new! There is no doubt that recumbents are increasing in popularity; where will it stop, at 5%? Or at 10%? Or at 50%?

Nobody knows.