So I borrowed a friends recumbent... Have questions
#26
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Heel strike is a definite issue with SWB bents, but now that you know about it, you can better avoid it.
I fell down (nothing severe) about 7-8 times in the first 10 miles riding my bent. After that, everything clicked, and I 'got it', and have been loving it ever since.
It took several hundred more miles to really get the hang of relaxing and learning to smooth out the twitchiness of the handling, but I race sportbikes and learning to deal with handling quirks is just part of the game. I can regularly do 50+ mph descents, and have so far maxed out at 64 mph (indicated).
Getting a velomobile next month to allow me to commute even in the winter, and I suspect that will have a bit of a learning curve, but probably less than the 2-wheeler.
I fell down (nothing severe) about 7-8 times in the first 10 miles riding my bent. After that, everything clicked, and I 'got it', and have been loving it ever since.
It took several hundred more miles to really get the hang of relaxing and learning to smooth out the twitchiness of the handling, but I race sportbikes and learning to deal with handling quirks is just part of the game. I can regularly do 50+ mph descents, and have so far maxed out at 64 mph (indicated).
Getting a velomobile next month to allow me to commute even in the winter, and I suspect that will have a bit of a learning curve, but probably less than the 2-wheeler.
#27
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The only time I’ve gone down on my V-Rex since I bought it new in ‘08 was several years ago when I hit a patch of slick road surface - probably something leaked from a truck - and found me and my bike sliding to a stop on our left sides.
Have had occasional heel strike issues but learned early on how to avoid/deal with that.
Have had occasional heel strike issues but learned early on how to avoid/deal with that.
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Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#28
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Riders forget that pedaling full circle is unnecessary when you have to make tight turns at low speed. Simply pedal in short rotation of the cranks can avoid heel strike and make the right turn without issues.
Last edited by cat0020; 04-24-19 at 06:39 PM.
#29
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Keep those feet spinning! The V-Rex climbs respectably well, but not at 60 rpm. Heel strike is no worse of an issue than toe strike with an upright. You quickly learn to prevent it; just don't let your inside pedal come back during the turn and it won't happen. Or unclip.
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Heel strike is a definite issue with SWB bents, but now that you know about it, you can better avoid it.
I fell down (nothing severe) about 7-8 times in the first 10 miles riding my bent. After that, everything clicked, and I 'got it', and have been loving it ever since.
I fell down (nothing severe) about 7-8 times in the first 10 miles riding my bent. After that, everything clicked, and I 'got it', and have been loving it ever since.
I had read about the risk. Now I know it personally!
Thank you all for the encouraging suggestions! My bumps and bruises (scarped elbow, and hyperflexed knee) are healing up and I'll be back out there! After all, when we fell as we learned to walk we did not give up!
(No clips on my bikes - those might really trip me up/down!)
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i'm half wondering now, because the only fully recumbent bike i've ridden (beside a really short down the street a few houses and back on a bike-e) is one i made my self. i put the twitchyness down to my build ability. probaly some alignment i didn't get exactly right. sooner or later i'd like to try a production recumbent and see if the ride is better.
#32
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Sometimes the thing that keeps you upright in a turn is the application of more power to keep you from toppling over. Heel strike is a small price to pay for being able to pedal as you need to to keep the right amount of speed up all the way through the turn. It's the same with uprights. Front wheel/shoe interference is a real thing on the tandem we commute on. I can't worry about where exactly it is going to happen and try and avoid it, if I need power at a critical point through a turn, then that's what I need, and nothing else will do. We haven't gone down yet due to toe interference even though I've been scared a few times. Our recumbent tandem has no possibility for heel strike which is wonderful because I have saved many a turn with just the right amount of extra power through a turn. My highracer has plenty of heelstrike but I have to work at finding it. When I'm actually looking for it it's never there. When I least expect it, there it is, I just pedal through it. What else are you going to do?
#33
Ride more, eat less
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I learned to pedal a adult bicycle when I was about 6 y-o, couldn't pedal full circle with my torso within the main triangle, used to method of pedaling partial circle to keep the bike moving forward, similar to pic below:
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