What isn't mentioned enough about recumbents is that they are very hard on the knees. Unlike a standard bicycle where the body can lift off the seat and the leg muscles act like shock absorbers, on a recumbent your back is firmly up against the seat and all the pedaling stress is directed to the meniscus in the knee.
A couple more annoying anomalies with them: a) they really suck at climbing grades, and b) the seated position does not allow the same unconscious "body english" motions that upright bicycle [and motorcycle] riders apply when maneuvering a two-wheeler. Being seated in tight corners and over rough roads which try to make the recumbent unstable is unnerving.
People tend to think recumbents are a comfortable, lay-back ride. In reality, pedaling effort prompts the head and upper torso to move forward emulating the posture of an upright ride with low bars. I got involved in recumbent design back in the late 80's when so much development was happening. Over several years in the 90's, I ended up owning three of them before coming to the conclusion that they are a failed attempt to re-invent the wheel.
