stationary vs. recumbent

If a stationary bike is your only alternative, then it's viable. Certainly you'd want to try to get onto an upright stationary or even better, your own bike on a trainer.

I've had to train several times (actually more often than that - and on one all week for the next 2) on a recumbent, but I'd rather do that than nothing at all. I think it is more difficult to keep up cadence, and my glutes and hip flexors burn much more. I am also more congnizant of an even pedal stoke when on a recumbent.

I'm of the opinion that it won't be counterproductive to train on a recumbent OCCASIONALLY, as it works the same muscles differently.

I'd be interested in hearing someone say why it is counterproductive.

Try a spinning class like pigpen suggests...the ones at our club are great.  Take a few tape measure dimensions of your road set-up and bring your tape to the gym so you can adjust the spinning bike to suit.  You should have:

1.  Distance from nose of saddle behind the crank axle

2.  Distance from crank axle to saddle top, measuring along the seat post line

3.  Distance from saddle nose to handlebar

4.  Height of handlebars below (or above) seat

That should get you in the ballpark.  Most spinning bikes have Shimano SPD pedal systems.

If I had to choose, I would pick the stationary bike.  When you are on the recumbent, you use different muscles - more glute action. 

but, to mix it up now and then, I do use the recumbent

Max...measuring the road bike is a great suggestion, thanks!  Altho I don't think I could get the spin bikes to match my roadie, our spin bikes just have too long a reach in the arms and aren't adjustable. 

I tend to think any workout is better than none at all, but the recumbent just hurts my back.  My old chiro who was also an IM distance triathlete said they were evil too.