Steamer

Except for a velomobile (fully faired recumbent trike), you will experience a big performance hit with an unfaired recumbent trike (3 wheels) that you may never recover from. With a fast type of (unfaired) recumbent bike (2 wheels; like a high racer or mid racer), you will see a relatively small initial performance hit, and would probably see a speed increase past what you used to do on your DFs as you got more experience with that platform. But there are no guarantees.

kingston 

On the Mac & Cheese 1,200k in 2018 we had two velomobiles. One guy finished first everyday with an average speed of around 20mph including stops and got a full night's sleep all three nights. The other guy was last every day, barely slept and only finished under the limit because the RBA gave him some bonus time. My takeaway was that if you work at it, you can be very fast in a velomobile, but getting in a velomobile doesn't make you very fast.

Steamer

We have no way of knowing how much slower (or faster) those two riders would have been on a different kind of machine.

rydabent

When all the arguing, and finger poking in the sky, it all comes back that riding a recumbent bike or trike causes no pain. Not even the first ride in the spring after being off the bike or trike over the winter.

kingston 

I was overnight captain on the second night so I had a chance to talk to both of them. The fast guy said he was 3-4 mph faster in his velo than a DF on a rolling course like the Mac & Cheese, which makes some sense. I know a lot of people who can average 16-17 on a DF for a 1,200k but very few who could maintain 20. The slow guy had a lot of mechanical problems and suffered from lack of sleep so while he would have been faster on a DF, it's not really a fair comparison. I was the SAG on the third day and it was painful just watching him. Can't imagine how much he was suffering on the last day.

Steamer

I saw that Iron Porcupine banned velomobiles. It has been theorized that the velo rider on Mac 'n' Cheese that was totally unprepared to ride / had bad mechanicals was the impetus for that because of the trouble he caused. Makes me feel bad for Bill Russell who I think was the fast velo rider you mention.

kingston 

I'm on the GLR board so I can clear up any theories. Bill was the fast guy and a delightful person to have on the ride. On the other velo (yellow-velo), the jockey wheels fell apart on the first day which took a long time to fix since our ride mechanic didn't have spares and needed to wait for a bike shop to open to buy a new set. So yeah, that was a problem, but I was surprised by the number of riders on the Mac & Cheese with what I consider avoidable mechanicals like that one. What the yellow-velo rider lacked in mechanical preparedness and speed, he made up for in perseverance, so I've got to hand it to him for that. I don't remember exactly how many DNF's we had, but I'd guesstimate half-a dozen by the time we were done. We only had one vehicle big enough to carry a velo, the rental van & trailer that we used for shuttling riders & bikes across the Mackinac bridge, which we won't have for the IP because we're not going over the bridge. Since we're relying exclusively on volunteer's vehicles this year, we're not sure we'll be able to pick up a velo if one needed SAG support. For example, I drive a mini cooper with a hitch rack, so I can carry two bikes and two riders but would have no way of transporting a velo. Even a tandem or a trike would take some MacGyvering. The IP is also in an even more remote part of the UP, so the route has some crappier roads and bike trails which aren't very velo-friendly. Our primary concern is rider safety, and we don't want to leave anyone stranded on the side of the road with no way to pick them up, so we're restricting participation to bikes we can fit on a hitch or roof rack which most volunteers will have on their personal vehicles. Hope that clears things up.

Steamer

It does. Thanks!

The reasoning is sound, and I think any should be able to appreciate the seriousness you all are taking with the organization and support as it relates to rider safety.

rydabent

Why not make it short and to the point------------------recumbents are NOT a pain in the ass.

msbiker

I had a stroke and can only ride a recumbent at this point in my recovery

Harhir

Lol. Exactly. Same for the back. I started riding recumbents because I have rheumatoid arthritis and upright bikes make my back hurt. I started with a BikeE which I still have and love and I also got a Lightning Phantom with a customized seat which is great too. I tried a 26" Bacchetta Strada but that did not work for me because the Euromesh seat is just plain horrible for tall riders and my back problems. Plus I prefer the adjustable boom on the Phantom over the fixed boom on the Bacchetta. I never cared about speed. Plus I am riding or cruising mostly on trails anyhow. I ride recumbents purely for comfort.

rydabent

After I got my first recumbent, a RANS Tailwind, my road bike and mountain bike really never turned a wheel. I how have a LWB recumbent and a trike. But here in town I almost always ride my trike, because of the ease of stopping and starting. No clipping in and out all the time. Many assume I have some sort of disability since Im on the trike but that simply is not true. I will be 82 this year and have no medical problems at all. I could ride any kind of bike I want to, but the comfort and convenience of recumbent bikes and trikes simply cannot be discounted. Additionally setting up right allows me to see all of my surroundings.

mmatarella

While comfort was a big part for me, I will admit I am a gadget nut. With road bikes designs very only slightly. Bents are all over the place. Some great designs, a few not so much especially in the early days. That for me is what makes it interesting. I enjoy LWB, SWB, Low, high, under seat steering and above seat steering. It's I imagine the same reason Jay Leno has exotic cars, old muscle cars, race cars, steam cars, cars built around turbine engines, etc. It's all fun.

BlazingPedals

LOL, well, for someone willing to spend the money, a fast velomobile (not all are fast) can be even faster than my stupid-fast 'bents. I friend who has a Quest tells me it's not a bike, it's a slow car. He has averaged as much as 28+ mph for a century.

10cup

I am 75 and good shape, I have ridden motorcycles for 50 years but had a bad accident in 2015 when a dog ran under my front wheel. I wanted also to keep in shape and get exercise while enjoying the ride. I had some 10 speed bicycles in the past but the pain on my ass, shoulders, arms and wrists did not make it fun and I ended up just not ridding it much. Fast forward to today, I took delivery of my ICE Trike three weeks ago and found it to be a very enjoyable and fun experience. No pain and plenty fast for me. I average 12-12.8 mph on trips from 12 to 15 miles and don't have to worry much about breaking more bones.
This week I added an aftermarket electric pedal assist and WOW now I can get up hills easily and really just enjoy my rides tremendously. I follow a few younger riders on skinny tired race bikes and had to laugh as they could not just run off and leave me, looking over their shoulders left and right trying to figure our how this old man could still be on their tail. LOL I didn't push them or try to pass just stayed a safe distance behind. It added another fun factor to the ride and I am really enjoying the trike! My average on the 30 mile ride with the electric boost averaged 13.8 mph, a testament to the fact that I am not trying to become a racer but just enjoy riding and not being afraid to join other riders younger than myself should the need arise. Wish I had gotten my recumbent sooner.

BlazingPedals

I hear that quite often. When you're young, you fear the day you might be forced to ride one; then one day you get one and discover it's nothing like you were taught.

Kedish

Before I started ride recumbents, I rode a gravel bike. I commuted 10 miles one way a day. The problem that i experienced were numb crotch and sore hands and bum. I was serching on craigslist and found a vision r32 for $35. I decided to take a chance and it paid off. No more numbing or soreness. I just bought my first tadpole trike. Ill let you know how it goes

10cup

Cool! You will love it.

Surubi

Speed, and possibility of a less serious head injury in a crash.

fietsbob

don't have to sit on an ass hatchet all bent over?

fietsbob

Fastest bikes are recumbent (supine), and have a body shape like a fish.. flying, timed 200m, is at better than 89 mph now..
IHPVA - International Human Powered Vehicle Association






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