More and more Baby Boomers who want to stay physically active are turning to recumbent recumbents to ease the strain on their shoulders, arms, backs and knees. As a consequence, sales are rising for these laid-back bikes — known as "bents" to those who ride them.

After his first experience with recumbents, Rob Gentry could hardly be considered a fan. He was working for a mental health organization when a friend was injured in a motorcycle accident. Following a doctor's advice, the friend bought a recumbent bike.

"After I got done making fun of it," Gentry said, "I found I really liked it."

It wasn't just the comfortable ride Gentry liked, but also the panoramic view and the bike's speed. Now, barely five years after buying his first "bent," Gentry is not only riding recumbent, he's doing a brisk businesses selling recumbents — and only recumbents — from his central Pennsylvania bike shop.

Not that there's a recumbent revolution under way. Recumbent specialists estimate that these bikes make up just 1 percent of bicycle sales; Mike Gamstetter, editor-in-chief of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, said it's probably slightly less than that.

But even those dedicated to their upright touring bikes say they're seeing more recumbents on the road.

"It's definitely been a growing segment of the market, although it's still pretty small," said Mike Deme, editor of Adventure Cyclist, the magazine of the Montana-based Adventure Cycling Association.

Chris and Jane Webb, of Cleveland, are typical recumbent riders. Chris bought his recumbent when riding upright was no longer comfortable; Jane bought one so they could ride together. The couple and their 13-year-old son, Matt, who rides both recumbent and upright, came to State College in May for a recumbent rally sponsored by Gentry's shop, Recumbent Bike Riders Inc.

Bob Strosnider, 73, of Winchester, Ky., who also came up for the rally, said prostate trouble aggravated by his bicycle seat almost forced him to give up bicycling. But since buying his RANS Rocket two years ago, Strosnider has been able to ride 60 to 100 miles per week without causing any problem.

"It's really been great for me, because there's no way I would be riding today if I hadn't switched bikes," Strosnider said.

Among the benefits of bents:

_Comfort. With a full-sized seat in a reclined position, the bikes put far less strain on the tailbone. And because the rider isn't leaning over the handlebars, there is no strain on shoulders, arms, wrists or back.

Rich Pinto, who works in research and design for Florida-based recumbent maker Bacchetta, said that's why so many middle-age and older riders are attracted to recumbents.

"It's Baby Boomers who want to work out, with all of the benefits, but none of the pain," Pinto said. "Not the butt pain, not the neck pain, not the back pain, not the hand pain. There's none of it."

_The view. The rider is reclined with his head up, not leaning over the front of the bike looking down.

"My first reaction was how well you could see," said Deme, who tried out a recumbent a couple of years ago when his magazine did a special issue on the bikes. "It's really like riding around in chair. It took a little getting used to, but I liked it."

_Speed. Because of their aerodynamic design, the rider has a much smaller wind profile — so much smaller that international racing officials banned bents back in 1934.

"They do hold all the speed records," Deme said. "They just fly downhill."

Sam Blevins, 34, bought his first one four years ago after seeing a friend's wife riding one.

"I saw how fast she was going — a woman who hadn't been on a bicycle in 15 years was keeping up with us, and we were not weak cyclists. I was amazed," said Blevins, who now manages St. Louis Recumbent Bicycles, a recumbent-only store in Maryville, Ill. "I went out and bought myself a Lightning Stealth, and I haven't gone back. I have one mountain bike that hangs in my garage, and I haven't looked at it in years."

Blevins said the biggest obstacle he has to overcome with potential buyers is image. "It just looks weird," he said.

The second hurdle is price. "A lot of people still think a bike is something you get at Wal-Mart for $80. There's nothing like that in the recumbent world, and there won't be until someone starts mass-producing recumbents," he said.

But Blevins said he's also seeing more younger riders like himself buying bents, and if the trend continues then maybe more of the large bicycle manufactures will get into the recumbent market.

"I envision a day not too far away," Blevins said, "when recumbents will be standard, when people look at someone on a diamond frame and say, 'Wow, you still ride one of those?'"

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On the Net:

Recumbent Bike Riders, Inc.: http://www.rbr.info/

St. Louis Recumbent Bicycles: http://www.stlrecumbents.com/

Bacchetta: http://www.bacchettabikes.com/

Adventure Cycling Association: http://www.adventurecycling.org

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