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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.169



  "Halt" works pretty well, and I've used it at times. It's range is about 8
   feet.

   I bought a "DAZER", from Heathkit. Its a small ultrasonic sound generator
   that you point at the dog. My wife and I were tandeming on a back road and
   used it on a mildly aggressive German Shephard. It seemed to cause the
   dog to back off.

   By far, without a doubt, hands down winner, is a squirt bottle full of
   reagent grade ammonia, fresh out of the jug. The kind that fumes when
   you remove the cap. When I lived in Illinois I had a big, mean dog that
   put its cross-hairs on my leg whenever I went by. After talking to the
   owner (redneck), I bought a handebar mount for a water bottle and loaded
   it with a lab squirt bottle of the above mentioned fluid. Just as the
   dog came alongside, I squirted him on his nose, eyes and mouth. The dog
   stopped dead in his tracks and started to roll around in the street.
   Although I continued to see that dog on my way to and from work, he
   never bothered me again.

   Finally, you can usually intimidate the most aggressive dog if there are
   more than one of you. Stopping, getting off your bikes and moving towards
   it will often cause it to back off. ( But not always ). My bottom line
   is to alway ride routes that I'm not familiar with, with someone else.

   As last resort, a nice compact, snubbed nose .25 caliber pistol will fit
   comfortably in your jersey pocket. :-)

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Shaving Your Legs

 How to do it  (Garth Somerville  [e-mail])

  Many riders shave their legs and have no problems other than
  a nick or two once in a while.  Maybe a duller blade would help.
  But some people (like me) need to be more careful to avoid
  rashes, infections (which can be serious), or just itchy legs that
  drive you to madness.  For those people, here is my
  leg shaving procedure:

  Each time you shave your legs...
  1) Wash your legs with soap and water, and a wash cloth. This
     removes dirt, oil, and dead skin cells.
  2) Use a good blade and a good razor. I prefer a blade that has
     a lubricating strip (e.g. Atra blades).  It is my personal
     experience that a used blade is better than a new one.  I
     discard the blade when the lubricating strip is used up.
  3) USE SHAVING CREAM. I prefer the gell type, and the kinds with
     aloe in them seem to be the best.  Shaving cream gives you a
     better shave with fewer cuts, and goes a long way towards
     preventing infection.
  4) Use *COLD* water.  Do not use hot water, do not use warm water,
     use the coldest water you can stand. Run the cold water over your
     legs before you start, and rinse the blade often in cold water.
  5) Be careful, and take your time. Behind the knees, and around the
     achilles  tendon are places to be extra careful.
  6) When finished, use a moisturizing lotion on your legs.


 Why do it  (Jobst Brandt  [e-mail])

  Oh wow, after the initial responses to this subject I thought we could
  skip the posturing.  The reason for shaving legs is the same for women,
  weight lifters, body builders and others who have body parts of which
  they are proud.  It is not true that General Schwarzkopf had all the troops
  shave their legs and arms before going into combat to prevent infectious
  hair from killing injured soldiers and I am sure it will never happen.

  Not only that but the rub-downs with all sorts of oils at the bike track
  are for the same reason bodybuilders oil up.  It reflects well from the
  muscle defo.  Of course there are others who claim you can't get a massage
  without shaving.  There is no medical proof that hair presents any hazard
  when crashing on a dirty road that gets into a wound.  It must all be
  cleaned if it goes beyond superficial road rash.

  From my experience with cyclists from east block countries before Glasnost,
  none of them shaved because it was not in their charter to look beautiful
  but rather to win medals.

  I think shaved legs look good and I don't mind saying so.  I just find it
  silly that those who shave need to put it forth as a preparation for
  crashing.  Is this the best excuse we can find?  If you believe this story
  then there is a whole pile of lore in bicycling that come first.

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Contact Lenses and Cycling  (Robert A. Novy  [e-mail])


I received on the order of 50 replies to my general query about contact lenses
and bicycling.  Thank you!  To summarize, I have been wearing glasses for
nearly all of my 28 years, and taking up bicycling has at last made me weary of
them.

I visited an optometrist last week, and he confirmed what I had lightly feared:
 I am farsighted with some astigmatism, so gas-permeable hard lenses are the
ticket.  He has had about a 25% success rate with soft lenses in cases such as
mine.  I am now acclimating my eyes to the lenses, adding one hour of wear per
day.  In case these don't work out, I'll try two options.  First, bicycle
without prescription lenses (my sight is nearly 20-20 without any).  Second,
get a pair of prescription sport glasses.

I had a particular request for a summary, and this is likely a topic of great
interest, so here goes.  Please recognize the pruning that I must do to draw
generalizations from many opinions.  Some minority views might be overlooked.
There is one nearly unanimous point:  contact lenses are much more convenient
than eyeglasses.  I had to add the word "nearly" because I just saw one voice
of dissent.  Sandy A. ([e-mail]) has found that prescription
glasses are better suited to mountain biking on dusty trails.

You can call me Doctor, but I have no medical degree.  This is only friendly
advice from a relatively ignorant user of the Internet.  See the first point
below!

IN GENERAL

+  Get a reputable optometrist or ophthalmologist.  Your eyes are precious.
[Paul Taira ([e-mail]) even has an iterative check-and-balance
setup between his ophthalmologist and a contact lens professional.]

+  Wear sunglasses, preferably wrap-arounds, to keep debris out of eyes, to
keep them from tearing or drying out, and to shield them from ultraviolet rays,
which might or might NOT be on the rise.

+  Contacts are not more hazardous than glasses in accidents.

+  Contacts improve peripheral and low-light vision.

+  Extended-wear soft lenses are usually the best.  Next come regular soft
lenses and then gas-permeable hard lenses.  Of course, there are dissenting
opinions here.  I'm glad to see that some people report success with gas perms.

+  One's prescription can limit the types of lenses available.  And soft lenses
for correcting astigmatisms seem pesky, for they tend to rotate and thus
defocus the image.  This is true even for the new type that are weighted to
help prevent this.  Seems that near-sighted people have the most choices.

+  If one type or brand of lens gives discomfort, try another.  Don't suffer
with it, and don't give up on contact lenses altogether.

BEWARE

+  Some lenses will tend to blow off the eye.  Soft lenses are apparently the
least susceptible to this problem.

PARTICULAR SUGGESTIONS

+  Consider disposable lenses.  They may well be worth it.

+  Carry a tiny bottle of eye/lens reconditioner and a pair of eyeglasses just
in case.

A POSSIBLE AUTHORITY

From David Elfstrom ([e-mail]):
  Hamano and Ruben, _Contact Lenses_, Prentice-Hall Canada, 1985, ISBN
0-13-169970-9.
I haven't laid hands on it, but it sounds relevant.

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Bicycling in America  (Jobst Brandt  [e-mail])

(or How to survive on a bicycle)

In America, bicycling appears to be an unacceptable activity for
adults.  It is viewed as a pastime reserved for children (people who
are not old enough to drive cars).  Adults who sense that they are
violating this stricture, excuse their bicycling by representing it as
the pursuit of physical fitness.  They refer to their bicycling as
training rides.  Rarely do you hear a cyclist say "we were bicycling"
but rather "we were on a training ride".  Certainly most of these
people never race although one might assume, by implication, that
their other rides are races.  Some also refer to themselves as serious
cyclists, a term used to describe those who, typically, keep track of
pedaling cadence and other bicycling statistics, thereby giving proof
that they are not engaged in child's play.

In contrast, Europeans seem able to accept bicycling as a proper
activity for all ages.  That is to say, motorists do not treat
bicyclists with apartheid and bicyclists do not feel the need to
justify their pursuit as anything other than bicycling, for whatever
reason.  In Europe cadence on speedometers is an un-marketable
function for unexplained reasons, however, one could imagine that for
the average cyclist it is a useless statistic, except for those on
"training rides".

With this perception of bicycling in America, non cyclists and some
occasional cyclists are offended by others who bicycle on public roads
in the presence of automobile traffic.  "Get the f#%k off the road!"
and similar epithets are heard from drivers, some of whose cars are
equipped with bike racks.  It is similar to gay bashing; by expressing
public outrage they demonstrate abhorrence of unacceptable behavior.
The same is true of bicyclists who deride others in public for not
wearing a helmet.  Aggressive self righteousness is probably a fitting
description.

Another motive behind such behavior may be a sense of dissatisfaction
with ones life.  Anyone who is perceived as having fun, or at least
more fun than the subject, needs to be brought down a notch.
Psychologists who have interviewed youths that go "wilding" have
gotten responses to the effect that "my life is terrible and I can't
stand people who are having fun".  So these youths attack others and
beat them bloody.  In a manner that may not make sense to others, they
bring their victims down a notch to achieve parity.

There is little doubt that bicycling has its hazards.  You can fall by
running into a pothole or an obstacle, by riding into a grating, or
falling on loose gravel or a slick manhole cover.  There are enough
hazards without the threat of being run down by a car.  However, the
whole sport loses its appeal when motorists, who believe that adult
bicycling is offensive, actively engage in making it a deadly
endeavor.

The scenario:

In a typical encounter a driver says to his passenger "You see that
guy on the bicycle?  That's a dangerous place to ride." while slicing
within inches of the cyclist.  The passenger is truly impressed with
the danger of bicycling, especially in the presence of this driver.

I don't understand how drivers justify such behavior but I think I
know what is going on.

Examples:

o  The buzz and swerve routine:

A driver slices dangerously close even though there is no opposing
traffic.  Then he drifts to the edge of the pavement to make clear how
far he went out of his way for the cyclist.  The desired path was even
nearer the road shoulder than at the passing point.  The buzz and
swerve is executed equally well consciously and subconsciously.

o  Center court, extra point:

The car, on a visibly empty stretch of road, travels perfectly
centered between the median and edge stripes, even when this requires
passing within inches of a cyclist.  It appears that the driver is
awarding himself points for not flinching when passing cyclists and
extra points for proximity.  In the event of a collision it is, of
course, the cyclist who swerved unexpectedly.  The precision with
which the driver executes this maneuver, in spite of the danger, makes
the center court game conspicuous.  People generally don't drive
exactly centered in a lane, especially when there is an obstacle.

o  Honk and slice:

The buzz and swerve or center court routine can be enhanced by honking
a single one second blast.  This is usually done at a far greater
distance than a sincere warning toot; about 200 yards works best.
This is a great crutch for the driver who subsequently collides with
the cyclist.  "But I warned him!"

o  The trajectory intercept:

A car is traveling on a road that crosses the cyclists path at right
angles.  The car and bike are equally distant from the intersection
but at different speeds.  With skill, the driver of the car can slow
down at a rate that lets him arrive at the intersection at precisely
the same time as the cyclist.  The bicyclist who has a stop sign may
now come to a complete stop and wait for the driver who is only
looking out for the cyclist's safety.  If the cyclist doesn't stop,
the driver honks and yells something about breaking the law.

Extra points are gained by offering the right of way to the cyclist,
in spite of moving traffic in the adjacent lanes.

o  The contrived hindrance:

A driver refuses to pass a cyclist on a two lane road until the
passenger asks how much longer they must follow this bicyclist, or
until the following cars begin to honk.  Then, regardless of
visibility or oncoming traffic, an inopportune pass is executed after
which each of following drivers makes it clear when passing that it
was the cyclist who was responsible for the near collision.

o The rear-ender:

While riding down a mountain road, the cyclist catches up with a car
that notices his rapid approach.  If an oncoming car approaches the
driver slows down, obviously for safety sake, and then suddenly slams
on the brakes when there is no place for the cyclist to go.  Bicycles
cannot stop as fast as cars since cars can safely skid the front
wheels but bicycles can't.  This game is the more dangerous variation
of speeding up every time the cyclist tries to pass but to drive as
slowly as possible everywhere else.

One explanation for these maneuvers is that the driver recalls that
riding in the mountains was always too hard and riding down hill was
scary.  This cyclist can't do what I couldn't do and I'll show him a
thing or two.  Thus the driver proves to himself that not riding in
the hills was for safety's sake, it had nothing to do with physical
ability.  It fits into the " I'll teach that smartass a lesson.  There
is little risk for the car because in a rear-end collision the vehicle
behind is, with few exceptions, found at fault.

So why does all this go on and on?

It is not as though they are all hostile drivers; some are just
frustrated drivers.  They may still be getting even for some bicycle
accident they had in their youth and don't want others to get off any
easier.  Some are angry at having to spend the time behind the wheel
while other "irresponsible adults" are playing on their bicycles.  I
believe the meanest ones are insecure people who don't feel as though
they are accomplishing what they expect of themselves and don't like
to see others have it any better.  Many drivers believe that the only
part of the road to which a bicyclist is entitled is the road
shoulder, unless it occurs to the driver to use that part too.

A bike rack on a car may lead you to believe that the driver has a pro
bicycle attitude.  Some people use bike racks to transport family
bicycles to a park where they can be ridden safely without venturing
onto dangerous roads; roads that are meant for cars.  Among these
people are some of the strongest opponents of general bicycling.  They
take refuge in the belief that, if they should run you down while
playing center court, it would prove that you should bicycle as they
do, and not get in the way of cars.

What to do?  Don't fuel the flames.  Don't return the rudeness that is
dished out.  Take legal action where appropriate (and possible).
Don't posture in traffic drawing attention to some undefined
superiority to people who sit in cars.  Don't balance on your bike or
ride in circles in front of cars waiting at a red light.  Don't make
moves in traffic that are either discourteous, or at best, awkward but
legal.  If you hear loud knobby tires coming, believe it!  That guy in
the extra tall pickup truck with the all terrain tires, dual roll bars
and multiple searchlights is not a friend of yours coming close to say
hello.  Give him room.

===========================================================================

Recumbents

Recumbent Bike Info  (David Wittenberg  [e-mail])
                     (updated by Gary Walsh  [e-mail])

Here's my standard response to questions about recumbents.  I'd be
happy to answer more specific questions.


Here's some info I posted in the fall of 1990.  I think it's still pretty much
up to date.  Changes from the last posting are in []'s.

--David Wittenberg

A few words about recumbent design, and then I'll provide a much
larger list of recumbent manufacturers.

There are three main choices in designing (or buying) a recumbent.
Frame material -- all the ones I know of are either Alumninum or Steel.
Wheelbase --  The front wheel can either be in front of the bottom bracket
(long wheelbase) or behind it (short wheelbase).  You can't have a medium
wheelbase without a lot of extra work because the wheel and the bottom
bracket would interfere with each other.  Long wheelbase is reputed to
be a bit more stable, while short wheelbase machines are often easier to
fit into cars for transport.  Some long wheelbase recumbents fold in
neat ways to fit into a remarkably small space.
Handlebars -- under seat or in front of the rider.  Under seat is probably
a more comfortable position when you get used to it (your hands just hang
at your sides), and may be somewhat safer if you get thrown forward as
there is nothing in front of you.  High handlebars are somewhat faster
as your arms are in front of you instead of at your side, thus reducing
the frontal area.  Some people find them more natural.
[There are long wheelbase bikes with both high and low handlebars.  I don't
know of any short wheelbase, low handlebar recumbents, but there may
be some I don't know of.]

The following updated by Gary Walsh ([e-mail]) July 1992.

There are a couple of interesting publications for recumbents:

International Human Powered Vehicle Association
P.O. Box 51255
Indianapolis, IN  46251  USA

They publish Human Power Magazine and HPV News on all aspects of human
powered transportation (bikes, aircraft, watercraft.)
Dues are US$25/year in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and US$30 elsewhere.


The Recumbent Bicycle Club of America/Recumbent Cyclist Magazine
17650-B6-140th Ave. SE, Suite 341
Renton, WA 98058  USA

The best source of information on commercially available recumbents.
Read the reviews in this magazine before you buy your first recumbent.
Subscriptions are US$20/year Bulk or US$25/year First Class,
in the U.S.A., and US$30/year elsewhere. Sample issue and info pack $5.
See especially the buyers guide in issue #8 Oct-Dec 1992.



Addresses of recumbent manufacturers:

Ace Tool & Engineering  (Infinity Recumbent)  $1 for a flyer
P.O Box 325
292 W. Harrison St.
Mooresville, IN  46158
[phone]             Long wheelbase, low handlebars, aluminum frames.
                           $499 + $85 for triple crank option.
                           Information $1.

Alternative Bikestyles
P.O. Box 1344
Bonita, CA 91908
Phone [phone]       Maverick $ Renegade LWB recumbents with upright
                          handlebars.  Framesets from $200.  Complete bikes
                          from $395.

Advanced Transportation Products
550 3rd Ave. N.
Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone [phone]       R-20 SWB.  $1350.  Info pack $2.

Angle Lake Cyclery
20840 Pacific Hwy S.
Seattle WA 98198
Phone [phone]      Counterpoint Presto SWB with upright handlebars.
                             Presto SE Tour $1699.
                             Presto SE High Performance $???.
                             Presto CL $1399.
                         Counterpoint Opus IV Tandem
                             Opus CL $2999
                             Opus SE $3599
                         Tri Com Trikes $600-$700.
                         Catalogue $2

Original Car-Cycle Technology
1311 Victoria Ave.
Victoria, B.C.,
Canada V8S 4P4
Phone [phone]      Fully fared commuter trike.  Under development.

DH Recumbents, Inc.
4007-G Bellaire Blvd.
Houston, TX 77025
Phone [phone]      LWB with upright steering.
                         DH1000 $999, DH5000 $1395.

Earth Traveller
1475 Lillian St.
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone [phone]      LWB trike with 2 wheels in back.
                         Information $1.

EcoCycle
Earth Friendly Transportation
5755 NW Fair Oaks Dr.
Corvallis, OR  97330
[phone]           The Trice is a recumbent tricycle, with
                       two wheels in front.  Touring $1495.
                       Speed model $1595.
                       Also imports Ross recumbent from England.
                       $2 for flyer, $9 for video tape.

Easy Racers, Inc
Box 255H
Freedom, CA  95019
[phone]         High handlebar, long wheelbase bikes.
                       Easy Racer $2300.  Frameset $1650.
                       Gold Rush Replica, commercial version of
                       the Dupont prize winning Gold Rush (world's
                       fastest bike) also available.
                       $2 for a catalog

Lightning Cycle Dynamics
1500 - E Chestnut St.
Lompoc,   CA  93436
[phone]            P-38 Short Wheelbase, high handlebars.
                          Full fairings are available, and very
                          fast.  $1750.
                          F-40 fully fared version.

Lightning Cycle Inc. (Tailwind)        $1 for a brochure
3819 Rte.  295
Swanton, OH  43558
[phone]            Steel long wheelbase, underseat steering.
                          Around $1200.


Linear Manufacturing Inc.  (Linear)
Route 1, Box 173
Guttenberg,  IA  52052
[phone]           Long Wheelbase aluminum bike with either
                         high or low handlebars  (You can convert
                         from one to the other.)  $900 to $1200.
                         They sell through dealers, and if you
                         get in touch with them they'll tell you
                         where the nearest dealer is.  Canadians
                         see S.C. Safety Cycle below.

Rans Recumbents
1104 E. Hwy. 40 Bypass
Hays,  KS  67601
[phone]          Rans Stratus A & B and Nimbus. LWB with
                        upright handlebars.  $995-$1495.

ReBike
P.O Box 725
Boca Raton, FL 33429
Phone [phone]    The ReBike.  A low priced semi-recumbent
                       with upright steering.  New and a big seller.
                       $389.

Rotator
915 Middle Rincon Rd.
Santa Rosa,  CA  95409
[phone]          Rotator Super-7 Streamliner - LWB with 20" wheels.
                        Rotator Companion Tandem.

Rhoades International
100 Rhoades Lane
Hendersonville, TN 37075
Phone [phone]     4-wheel pedal car. $999 and up.
                        Information $4. Video $19.

Ryan Recumbents, Inc.
3910 Stewart Rd., Unit F
Eugene, Or 97402
[phone]           Vanguard. Long wheelbase, underseat steering.
                        From $1295.

S.C. Safety Cycle Inc.
1340B St. Paul St.
Kelowna, B.C.
Canada V1Y 2E1          Canadian distributor of the Linear which is
                        sold as "The Alternative."  CAN$1495.

Thebis International
110-2031 Malaview Ave.
Sidney, B.C.
Canada V8L 3X9
Phone [phone]
1-800-667-6801         Thebis 201 Touring Trike. Two wheels in back.
                       $2990.

Trailmate
2359 Trailmate Dr.
Sarasota FL 34243
Phone [phone]     Fun Cycle and Bannana Peel trikes. $399.

Turner Enterprises
P.O.Box 36158
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone [phone]       SWB with underseat steering.
                       Laid Back "E" frame kit $375.
                       LB-2000  $1500.  Frameset $899.

Zzip Designs
P.O. Box 14
Davenport, CA 95017
Phone [phone]    Manufacturer of fairings for many of the
                       bikes listed above.

Cyclopedia
P.O. Box 884
Adrian, MI 49221
1-800-678-1021         Good source for parts for builders.
----------------
European Recumbents

Leitra APS
PO Box 64 DK-2750
Ballerup, Denmark      Leitra M2 fully fared commuter trike.
                       3400 DM for the trike.
                       5845 DM for complete vehicle with accessories.

Bas Ten Brinke
Postbus 10075
1301 Almere,
Netherlands            Flevo SWB front wheel drive.

Fateba, Bachman & Co.
Rosenstr. 9,
8400 Winterthur
Switzerland            Fateba Winglet L1  LWB.

Kincycle
Miles Kingsbury
Lane End Road, Sands,
High Wycombe, Bucks
HP12 4JQ England       The Kingcycle SWB.

M5
Bram Moens
Waalstraat 41,
NL-4335 KL
Middleburg, Netherlands.   M5 SWB.

Neatwork
The Lees Stables
Coldstream, Berwickshire,
Scotland TD12-4NN          Dealer for Kingcycle SWB and Radius
                           Peer Gynt LWB.

Radius-Spezialrader,
Frie-Vendt-Str 16, D-4400
Munster, Germany RFA       Peer Gynt LWB with underseat steering.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Recumbent Bike Info  (Gary Walsh  [e-mail])

[This has been copied from a flyer written by Robert Bryant of the
Recumbent Cyclist Magazine.  He has given me permission to submit
it for the FAQ. - Gary]

          Have You Ever Considered a RECUMBENT BICYCLE?

WHY RECUMBENT BICYCLES?
     There are many reasons to consider a recumbent.  First and foremost
is comfort.  When you ride a recumbent bicycle you will no longer have
an aching back, stiff neck, numb wrists or a sore a sore bottom.  You
will sit in a relaxed easy-chair position.  You will be able to ride
longer with less fatigue and arrive at your destination feeling
refreshed.  The recumbent position offerd you a great view of the
countryside. While seated you will look straight ahead. This allows your
lungs and chest more open and free breathing.  Recumbents are very
versatile machines.  They can be used for a wide range of applications:
recreational/sport riding, for the daily commute, a fast double century
and they are great for long distance touring.

RECUMBENT PERFORMANCE
     Recumbents hold all of the human-powered speed records.  This is
because they are aerodynamically superior to conventional bicycles;
less frontal area means less wind resistance.  The Lightning F-40
currently holds the Race Across America speed record of five days and
one hour.  Gardner Martin's Easy Racer Gold Rush, ridden by Fast Freddie
Markham, was the winner of the Dupont Prize for breaking 65mph.  You
can currently buy production versions of these bicycles.  Fairings for
street use are common and optional equipment on most commercially built
models.  They protect you from rain, cold and wind, with up to a 30%
reduction in drag.  Commercially available recumbents are not always
faster than conventional bicycles.  It depends mainly on the individual
rider.  Your best bet is to do you homework and if your goal is
performance and speed, be sure that you look for a recumbent designed
for this purpose.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RECUMBENT BICYCLES
1) Do recumbents climb hills well?  Yes they do, although climbing on a
recumbent requires a different technique, you must gear down and spin.
Maintaining an efficient spin takes some practice & conditioning, once
mastered, it takes less physical effort to climb hills.  Depending on
your riding style, your speeds can range from slowwer to even faster
than on a conventional bicycle.
2) Can recumbents be seen in traffic?  Recumbents with a higher seating
position may be better suited for riding in traffic than some of the
low-slung designs.  The use of use of proper safety devices such as
safety flags and reflective devices is recommended.  Recumbent bicycles
are different, futuristic and they get noticed.  Many riders feel they
get more respect from motorists while on their recumbents.
3) Are they safe?  Recumbent's are safer than a conventional bicycle.
Due to the low centre of gravity, they stop faster.  Brakes can be
evenly applied to both wheels simultaneously providing more traction
without throwing the rider over the handlebars.  In crash situations,
the rider goes down to the side absorbing the impact with the hip and
leg rather than flying over the handlebars and absorbing the impact on
your head and shoulder.  Straight ahead vision is also better on a
recumbent, however, rear view mirrors are necessary for proper
rearward
vision.