Recumbent bicycles on the move

Dietch passes a 30-mile marker near the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area along the San Gabriel River path. The longtime bicycle enthusiast bought his first recumbent in 2004 and has been hooked ever since. “I was so surprised at its versatility, speed and fun that it became my primary mode of cycling,” he says.  (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Dietch passes under the Queensway Bay Bridge in Long Beach. Recumbent sales, always a small percentage of the bike industry, have been growing steadily over the last several years, according to retailers.  (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Dietch passes other bicyclists in the Long Beach portion of the Los Angeles River path. “When I’m on my recumbent, people wave and say hi,” he says. “Even the transients wave at me.”  (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Dietch says that he feels safe when he’s on a recumbent and that drivers give him a wide berth. “Not like a road bike. When I’m on a road bike I’m invisible. It’s like I don’t exist,” he says.  (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The short wheelbase on the Carbent HPV Sea Dragon makes for a speedier, more agile ride. It’s lighter than other styles, but is less stable at higher speeds and harder to ride.  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

If you’re looking for extra stability, try a sporty three-wheeler like the Trice T.  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

The long wheelbase on the Bacchetta Bellandare makes the bike ideal for touring trips because of its stability and comfort, but it tends to weigh a bit more than other styles and has a larger turning radius.  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

Dana Lieberman, owner of Bent Up Cycles, demonstrates the pedal positions on the Trice T, a three-wheeler. Most of the customers for recumbents are baby boomers, he says. “They’re getting older, they’ve kept themselves in good shape, economically they’ve done well, and their regular standard bicycle isn’t cutting it for them anymore.”  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)