Why are recumbent bicycles and tricycles so unpopular relative to upright bikes and trikes?

Bents are more comfortable, faster, easier to ride, easier to repair, and if they were mass produced in equal volume to upright bikes they would be cheaper too, so what's the deal?

thank you to the first 3 answerers. logical and simple explanations like that as answers to all questions here would make Y!A a much more informative and educational experience.
Firstly, I agree offroad, freeride, stunt, downhill, and densely urban areas being unsuitable for a bent bike. No contest whatsoever.
However, most of the cyclists I know use a bike for one of 3 reasons most of the time:
commuting between places too far for walking, yet too close or inconvenient for driving;
cruising around like a tourist, just for the joy of travelling;
or for the transportation of small objects, like cycle couriers.

For those commuting, most will beeline for the nearest major highway on an upright road bike, spend 30 minutes on the cycleway, navigate a few backstreets, and they're home. For those cruising, being in a comfortable seating position, where you don't need to hold yuor head in a craned position to see ...
And the carrying capacity for couriers ...
All would be perfect for a bent.

Hey Bawn,

I am sure those recumbents and tricycles are all you say they are, but speaking from a mountain bikers point of view those types of bikes would not be comfortable, faster or easier to ride on the off road trails. I ride mostly freeride and downhill bikes and I just can't see myself clearing a 10 foot gap on a recumbent. Maybe I could clear it on a Tricycle, but not on a recumbent. Hee Hee!

I think those types of bikes are excellent on paved roads. Riding off-road requires a lot of out of the saddle pedaling, turns, switchbacks, hopping etc. Sitting upright is the best for trail riding. That is why you don't see them recumbents on the trails. Just my opinion. = )
Kimber

Visibility, weight, transporting on a auto.

The overall feeling of initial vulnerability is the first thing to overcome. Then you have handling, or lack there of in tight quarters.

If you have a bent, as I think your question suggests, why do you think they are unpopular?

McG and Kimber's answers make very good points.

I will question your claims about 'bents being easier to ride and easier to repair. I find them odd to ride and certainly not even close to being as nimble as a standard bike. I can ride circles around any 'bent as far as handling goes. Mountain biking is the prime example of this. I don't like the laid back position at all.

How would I wheelie on a 'bent? Or do jumps? Or any of the tricks kids love to do? Have you ever tried to do trials with a 'bent? Or BMX?

Next, easier to repair? Please explain that statement. They have similar parts with similar functions. Bikes are easy to repair anyway.

That being said, if you or anyone else likes them I have no problems with that. I'm not anti-'bent at all. They just aren't for me. I can only say, if they are so superior, I would think they would dominate bike sales, but they don't. You really enjoy yours so be happy with that. You seem to think the rest of us don't get it, I'm OK with that too.

More comfortable- probably, although a well fit road bike should be very comfortable to ride. I really question whether a recumbent can be "faster" than a standard road bike. On a flat straight road or slight downhill, I've seen faired recumbents out run a road bike. However, on any kind of hill, a standard bike will leave the recumbent in the dust. Why? One reason is the advantage you have from being upright, you can use your body weight to generate much more power at the cranks than you can on a recumbent frame. I've seen recumbents slowly crawling uphills on group rides and they are always much slower to the finish than the road bikes. The second reason is that the typical recumbent is much heavier than a road bike.

Does anybody remember the Sinclair C5. They used to come with little flags on poles. Even so, there was till the very real danger of being run over by an overtaking milk float and the inevitable.

"Sorry gove, didn't see you."

Unfortunately, recumbent bikes are less agile than their upright counterparts. They take up more road space and are damn hard to spot if your in a rep mobile and are late for work/dropping the kids off, etc.

Luck

I never even considered one, probably because the bike shop didn't recommend it.

Secondly, I would be afraid of getting squashed.

'Bents would be more popular today if they had a lower priced entry level model. Most 'bents are price prohibitive to the beginning rider.

HTH

While only a very narrow slice of the population participates in bicycle racing, the only visible forms of bicycle racing happen on road and/or mountain bikes. Because they get so little exposure or publicity, I think bents are largely unknown among the larger population.

Perhaps if there were a "Tour de Bent" race on TV or in the newspaper, they would get some more exposure.

Also, I've looked at bent's in the local bike shop with the thought of using one as a commuter. However, they are exceedingly expensive for what you get. Furthermore, since my route is pretty hilly, the sales guys at the store doubt I'd be any faster than I can ride on my road bike. Sure, if there were more made, they'd be less expensive, but they just aren't appealing enough for me to shell out that kind of cash.

Just my own $.02.

Hope it helps.

Some of your assumptions are incorrect. Bents are not easier to ride, and they are probably harder to repair simply because there is a huge chain. In fact, while my bent can be easier to control, it can be harder to control in certain situations. Riding a bent off road is somewhat more difficult than riding on pavement. It is far harder to shift your weight around to ride over obstacles. Climbing curbs in an urban environment is rather difficult on a bent, but it is generally pretty easy on a wedgie.

So, really, recumbent bikes are more complex and suited for certain applications. While a wedgie is generally well suited for many riding environments.

Because bents are more specialized, they are unlikely to be as popular as the better, all around performer like the safety/upright/wedgie type of bicycle.