BikeE Philosophy

In 1993, BikeE Corporation revolutionized the design of bicycles in general and recumbent bicycles in particular by developing the first quality compact wheelbase recumbent. With that development, BikeE proved that comfort, handling and performance are not mutually exclusive. BikeE has continued to push the envelope. Bicycling is changing and BikeE is clearly the next step in the evolutionary cycle.

BikeE Advantages

No compromises. BikeE weds the best attributes of upright and recumbent bicycles while avoiding their limitations. Simply put, you don't give up anything to gain the comfort and fun you crave.

Handling is a breeze. Magazine reviews universally praise BikeE as the easiest recumbent to ride. BikeE's pioneering compact wheelbase design is long enough to be very stable at high speeds, yet short enough to be easily maneuverable at low speeds and in tight situations. The most important test? BikeE owners say BikeE is easy and far more fun to ride than their old bikes.

This bike is built for your comfort and safety. We believe that comfort, handling and performance are not mutually exclusive. That's why the BikeE was designed around the rider's needs - not the other way around. The five-way adjustable seat makes BikeE unsurpassed at fitting every rider's unique physique and riding style. The upright riding position and cushioned seat eliminate health problems associated with spending too much time bent over handlebars and perched on a hard, narrow seat. From a safety standpoint, the seated position with up-front handlebars almost eliminates the possibility of over-the-handlebar falls and improves the rider's safety and sense of security, since the bar and hands are in a position to protect the rider in an emergency.

This bike performs! Though BikeE was not specifically designed for racing, performance models are establishing themselves in a variety of competitions. For the recreational rider this means you won't have to worry about keeping up with other riders. You may even find yourself leaving them in the dust. What's more, you'll be enjoying the scenery - not facing the pavement.

Latest research on the "fun factor". Research indicates that it's impossible to ride a BikeE without a smile. The heads-up position lets you see everything and everyone around you. Whether you're off on a cross-country tour or just a week-end ride, you can't help but have fun. This is a bike that was made to be ridden.

Balancing Comfort, Handling and Performance

Since its founding in 1993, BikeE Corporation’s goal has been the development of bicycles that embody the perfect balance of comfort, handling and performance. In 1993, BikeE Corporation revolutionized the design of bicycles in general and recumbent bicycles in particular with the development of the first quality compact wheelbase recumbent bicycle. Led by input from its growing community of riders, BikeE has continued to develop and refine its product line, continually pushing the revolutionary principle that comfort, handling and performance are not mutually exclusive.

The engineers at BikeE are asked many questions by riders and potential riders who wish to understand why a BikeE is the way it is. Now that other companies are attempting to copy BikeE’s designs, it is natural that riders comparing one design with another want to assure themselves that they are purchasing the right bicycle for their needs. Others may simply wish to understand the design-process that has produced the most advanced bicycles for a combination of recreational riding, touring and commuting. The remainder of this information seeks to answer some of the most asked questions about the BikeE design. It is a must read for riders considering the purchase of a recumbent and for those who are simply wanting to understand why a BikeE is the way it is.

The BikeE Approach

The Problems with Bicycles
Historically, bicycle designs have taken one of two fundamental approaches. Traditional upright bicycles place the rider on a narrow seat with pedals below, supporting the hunched upper-body weight on the arms. Recumbent bicycles place the rider in a high-backed seat, tilted back with pedals in front of the rider’s hips. On many recumbents, the pedals are above the rider’s hips and the handlebars are placed below the rider’s seat.

Each of these designs has many problems. Upright bicycles stress the body in a variety of ways that detract from both the enjoyment and efficiency of the rider. Riders complain of pains in the seat, back, shoulders, neck, hands and wrists. The upright position forces most of the work to be done by a smaller set of muscles, especially the hamstrings and quadriceps, while the largest and most powerful muscles are not used. In contrast, recumbent bicycles utilize a broader set of muscles, including the powerful muscles of the buttocks, and provide substantially more comfort to the rider.

On the other hand, recumbents suffer from their own set of problems. Frequently, they don’t handle as well as upright bicycles, are difficult to learn to ride, and position the rider so low as to be unsafe in many riding situations.

Building Around the Rider
BikeE has taken an approach that weds the best attributes of upright and recumbent bicycles while avoiding their limitations. The rider is placed in a seated position because it is one of the most comfortable positions for the human physique. The seat slides along a beam that is angled downward so that a rider of any height is positioned at an optimum distance from the pedals and the ground. This also allows for a low step over height so it is easy to access the BikeE for riding

The pedals of a BikeE bicycle are positioned in front of the rider but lower than the seat so that it is easy to move the feet from the pedals to the ground. This differs from some recumbents where the rider is tilted further back so the pedals are as high or higher than the seat, making it quite difficult to drop the feet to the ground when coming to a stop. It also differs from upright bikes on which the rider can’t reach the ground while sitting on the saddle.

On some recumbent bicycles the steering is under the seat so the arms are down, next to the body. This position detracts from the handling of the bicycle. In contrast, the BikeE positions the handlebars in front of the rider, improving rider comfort and bicycle handling. This also improves the safety and sense of security for the rider, since it keeps the rider’s hands in a position to protect him or her in an emergency. As side benefits, placing the handlebars in front of the rider makes it easier to mount many standard bicycle accessories such as lights and computers and to walk the bike. In contrast to upright bikes, the BikeE rider is unlikely to go over the handlebars in an accident. At each step, BikeE’s bicycle design was aimed at optimizing comfort, utilizing the extensive research on furniture and automobile seating design ergonomics, while maintaining optimum handling, efficiency and safety.

Seat Design, Comfort and Handling

Balancing Comfort, Handling and Performance
The benefits of the recumbent style seat relative to upright seats is obvious. Your body is more fully supported and your weight is spread across a broad, padded seat and the back rather than focused on the few square inches of an upright bike’s saddle.

One of the problems BikeE identified with other recumbent designs is that comfort is frequently achieved at the cost of handling and performance. Many bikes with a more reclined riding angle feel comfortable when first sitting on them. The problem is that this position detracts from the overall handling and control of the bike.

To achieve optimum handling and control of a bicycle from a seated position, the rider must be able to shift their weight side-to-side quickly. When the rider is reclined, the rider is limited to one riding position and is unable to shift weight quickly to respond to changing ride situations. This substantially reduces maneuverability and quick handling characteristics of the bike and can reduce the safety of the bike.

BikeE has taken the approach that comfort should not be achieved at the expense of rider safety and the performance of the bike. By placing the rider in a more upright position, the rider is in the optimum position to control the bike while gaining the comfort and support of a contoured seat and good lumbar support. The position of the rider on a BikeE also makes it possible to lean forward and drive the hips into the seat back, generating more power for hills and other demanding situations, something that is not possible on the more reclined position of other recumbents. Leaning forward can minimize the impact when going over a bump

The Perfect Cushion
One of the most difficult challenges in the BikeE design was the seat cushion. One problem is that a seat that feels comfortable when first sat upon may not be the most comfortable on a longer ride. Two problems are involved. First, a very soft seat may compress during a longer ride and lose its feeling of comfort. Second, a seat without the proper contour will bind and cause soreness on a long ride, even if it feels good in the beginning.

To achieve a seat that would provide both initial seat comfort and comfort on longer rides, BikeE engineers performed a series of tests on rider comfort. One test used a test seat of BikeE design. The test seat included electronic sensors to measure pressure distribution across the seat. By testing riders of every imaginable shape, size and weight, BikeE determined the optimum contour and foam density to provide comfort for the broadest set of riders possible.

Based on this and other research, BikeE designed an injection-molded seat base and cushion, which is now manufactured exclusively for us by one of the largest bicycle seat manufacturers in the world. The seat cushion is firm enough to not compress on long rides, assuring continued comfort and reduced fatigue, without sacrificing the comfort one wants even on short rides. No bicycle seat, even those that feel softer on a short ride, will provide the comfort and support of a BikeE seat in all riding conditions.

Adjustability
The final element of assuring the optimum balance of comfort and bicycle handling is adjustability. Not every rider is built the same and not every rider rides the same. To assure that the BikeE provides the best balance of comfort and handling for all riders, the seat includes five-way adjustability:

(1) The seat slides for height. That may sound trivial, but only if you haven’t tried to adjust many other recumbents which frequently require changes in chain length, frame adjustments, etc. Upright bikes require different frame sizes for different size people so virtually cannot be adjusted at all. BikeE can accommodate riders of differing heights in a matter of seconds.

(2) The seat cushion tilts up and down. Other recumbents provide no such adjustment but riders need this to assure the bike fits their shape and riding posture.

(3) The seat cushion slides forward and backward relative to the seat back. This allows further accommodation of different postures and body sizes. This is unique to the BikeE

(4) The seat back allows changes in tension and lumbar support. Riders of differing sizes and shapes need this flexibility to assure the optimum lumbar support for their riding style.

(5) The seat frame allows three different angles of the seat back. This further allows riders with differing riding styles to make the BikeE work for them.

Together, these adjustment features make the BikeE unique in its ability to fit all riders: men and women, large and small, heavy and light.

Handling
In evaluating the handling of a recumbent bicycle, there are several factors that must be considered. Some include the following: Does the bicycle perform well at both high speeds and low speeds? Is it quick and agile? Can it climb hills? BikeE bicycles are designed to provide the optimum performance in all of these areas. Many recumbents excel in one of these areas, but only BikeE’s unique design does a superior job at all of them.

High and Low Speed Stability
In the past, recumbents came in "long wheelbase" or "short wheelbase" models. The problem with many of these bicycles was that they typically did not handle well at both high and low speeds. Long wheelbase models tend to be stable at high speeds but are much less so at low speeds. Short wheelbase models can frequently lose their stability at high speeds, especially when going downhill, making them dangerous in emergency situations.

BikeE pioneered the "compact wheelbase" design that puts the crank behind a small front wheel. This design has a wheelbase long enough to be very stable at high speeds and yet short enough to be easy to handle at low speeds. Reviewers and riders alike have universally praised BikeE as the easiest recumbent to ride. This is really a statement that the BikeE handles better than other recumbents, with good low and high speed stability.

Maneuverability
The quick handling and maneuverability of the BikeE comes from its unique upright design. Some recumbents, even those that have tried to copy BikeE’s compact design, place the rider in a more reclined position. This can feel comfortable when first sitting on or riding the bike, but this initial comfort is at a great cost. The reclined position makes such bike much less stable, harder to ride and much less maneuverable in emergencies.

In a recumbent, quick maneuverability like when you need to avoid a rock in the road or a car changing lanes comes from the ability to shift weight side-to-side. When the rider is more reclined, the rider has less ability to move and thus less ability to control the bike at high speeds. It also means the bike is harder to ride at low speeds.

Other compact designs that use reclined seats frequently have had to install handlebars with a bend in them to assure that the reclined rider can reach them. These handlebars have limited adjustability and also give the bike "tiller" steering. That is, the handlebar is pushed side to side when turning, which reduces the bike’s stability and handling at low speeds, as well as limits a rider’s ability to pedal through turns, since the knees hit the handlebars.

The BikeE design avoids all of these problems. The upright position gives the rider full mobility and control of the bike. The straight, direct handlebar provides the most positive and user-friendly steering response found in a recumbent. The combination of the two makes the BikeE the best handling and safest recumbent available for all riding conditions.

Hill Climbing
Recumbents have had a reputation for being poor at climbing hills. BikeE bicycles change all that. By using the compact wheelbase and placing the rider in a slightly more upright position, BikeE bicycles improve hill climbing substantially over other recumbents.

Recumbents that place the rider in a more reclined position can make the front end of the bicycle "lighter," that is, they move the balance of the bicycle toward the rear. When riding such a bicycle uphill this weight-shift is exaggerated making the front end even lighter. The result is the rider loses leverage and the front end of the bike can come off the road on each pedal.

Recumbents that place the pedals as high or higher than the seat put the rider in an awkward position on hills. On steeper hills the rider has the impression of trying to pedal "upside down," losing leverage and stability.

The more upright position of the rider on a BikeE bicycle keeps weight on the front wheel and allows the rider to lean forward to push the hips into the seat back, increasing power to the pedals. The result is that BikeE is a superior hill-climber to virtually every other recumbent available.

Performance
The final concern in the design of a BikeE is performance, that is, the efficiency and speed the rider can attain on a bicycle. Performance riders want to know they aren’t giving up speed for the other advantages of a recumbent. Even riders who are not interested in attaining the highest speed possible on a bicycle want to attain the highest speed possible for the energy they are expending. In short, everyone wants to keep up with other riders.

The simplicity of the BikeE design might suggest that the BikeE is not as fast as other recumbents and upright bikes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most riders report that they can keep up with or beat their friends on bikes of all kinds in most situations. Though the BikeE was not designed specifically to be a racer, a BikeE rider won the International Human Powered Vehicle overall championship for bicycles without fairings in August of 1996. Competition included a wide variety of recumbents and upright bikes. Clearly, the BikeE is not just for the comfort-minded.

Conclusion

BikeE continues to push the "E"volution of bicycles into new areas. Over the past three years, BikeE has grown to become the producer of the most popular, quality recumbents. Our easy-to-ride bicycles have introduced a level of comfort and performance to riders that was never before possible and has helped drive the growing interest in recumbent bicycles of all types. As in the past, we continue to maintain our fundamental belief that it’s possible to have performance without sacrificing comfort, and that it’s possible to have comfort without sacrificing handling. BikeE is proud to be a part of the awakening of riders to the new possibilities waiting for them in recumbent riding and continues to push its designs into new frontiers in our efforts to produce performance, comfort and handling in an easy-to-ride bicycle.