Has anybody else tried a recumbent?

In article , Andrew
Price ) wrote:

Jim wrote -

Recumbents are more comfy. Faster on level ground and down hills. Up
hills it is all up to the rider. You are still lifting X amount of
weight up a vertical distance Y.

Will they let you ride Paris-Brest-Paris on a 'bent?

Anything goes in PBP. First recumbent home last time was Theo Homan's
Thys rowing bike in 62:29; first "conventional" recumbent Ben Sherratt's
Challenge Jester in 65:25.

--
Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
Intending to be there with a Trice XXL next year.

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 06:41:50 -0500, "Ken C. M."
wrote:

The opinion about looking like a dork is just that an opinion, many
non-bikees' look at all cyclist as dorks. Climbing isn't that bad, urban
traffic can be learned.

Lou lives in .nl. 'Non-bikees' practically don't exist, aside from recent
immigrants.

Although admittedly anyone riding around in spandex tends to get branded a
dork.


Jasper

On 30 Mar 2006 12:07:27 -0800, "oilfreeandhappy"
wrote:

I will load it in my backpack and cycle over :-) I wear mine when I
cycle to provoke thought. One can shoot bullets at just about every
saying out there. I'll bet at times those who advocate that "I Love
NYC", don't feel that way. "Pesticide Free" isn't always true. For
example, winds blow pesticides from one farm to another, and irrigation
water carries pesticides. Is somebody "car-free" if they don't own a
car? How about if they're constantly mooching rides from friends?

Out of curiosity, what's on your bike's bearings and chain?


Jasper (just teasing, of course..)

Andrew Price wrote:
Jim wrote -

Recumbents are more comfy. Faster on level ground and down hills. Up
hills it is all up to the rider. You are still lifting X amount of
weight up a vertical distance Y.

Will they let you ride Paris-Brest-Paris on a 'bent?

As already mentioned, recumbents and trikes are allowed in PBP. They
start with the tandems at 9:45 PM Monday. The other 90 hour riders
start at 10 PM Monday. In groups actually.


Only guy I know who has completed PBP says he saw a few riders with their
head supported up by straps towards the end of the ride - it seems to me a
'bent may have a real advantage in such an event.

As already mentioned the fastest recumbents were in the mid 60 hour
range. The winners of PBP on diamond frames were in the upper 40 hour
range. 16 hour difference. I ride every week with a man who did PBP
in less than 57 hours on a Trek OCLV. For one reason or another, the
speedy people do not choose the recumbent bike.

Not every long distance rider develops Shermer neck. A recumbent would
help to prevent this problem for those susceptible.


best, Andrew

I would think that recumbents would be better for avoiding seat
numbness. Supposedly, this problem is only evident if one rides
without a proper saddle. But, at times, I've noticed it on my MTB.
Usually I'll shift my weight or stand up, and it goes away. This
numbness shouldn't be taken lightly, because if persistent, it can
cause Erectile Disfunction.

Andrew Price wrote:
Jim wrote -

Recumbents are more comfy. Faster on level ground and down hills. Up
hills it is all up to the rider. You are still lifting X amount of
weight up a vertical distance Y.

Will they let you ride Paris-Brest-Paris on a 'bent?

Only guy I know who has completed PBP says he saw a few riders with their
head supported up by straps towards the end of the ride - it seems to me a
'bent may have a real advantage in such an event.

best, Andrew

Heck, they'll even let recumbent trike riders in P-B-P:
http://www.audax.demon.co.uk/low/pbp99.html

Jeff

oilfreeandhappy wrote:
I would think that recumbents would be better for avoiding seat
numbness. Supposedly, this problem is only evident if one rides
without a proper saddle. But, at times, I've noticed it on my MTB.
Usually I'll shift my weight or stand up, and it goes away. This
numbness shouldn't be taken lightly, because if persistent, it can
cause Erectile Disfunction.

Horse hocky. You should get your bike professionally fitted so that it
doesn't cause numbnuts in the first place. I managed 80 on/off road
miles on my FS mountain bike. No numbness, just sore shoulders.

Jeff

oilfreeandhappy wrote:
Wow! 60 MPH. I work with a recumbent rider, and he mentioned that the
world bicycle speed record was on a recumbent. I thought he mentioned
65 MPH, and he said the bike is in the Smithsonian.

Do you have a ferole (spelling?)? Does that help with the wind
resistance? The BENT Shop Burley model on consignment had one of
these, but since he was going to drop $150 off the price without it, I
was going to opt against it. Should I get the ferole?
Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/

Most of my riding has been on conventional roads, at speeds from knee-buster to 60+ mph. I never had
any particular bike-design-related issues.

Well... 60+ mph *down hill*. I ain't *that* powerful of a rider.

IMO, a basic "fairing" is worth the cost in dollars and weight. You
still have to haul it uphill.

A while back the Science Channel had a segment about the HPV races at
Battle Mountain, Nevada. I managed to capture that on video, but it's
now available online, thanks to their Canadian division. Go to:
http://www.exn.ca/dailyplanet/view.asp?date=3/28/2006
scroll to the bottom of the list, and click on the video for "Pedal
Power". A fast connection is recommended.

Jeff

Lou Holtman wrote:
"oilfreeandhappy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I test rode a recumbent the other day, and I loved it. I'm hoping to
make it my next toy. Is there anybody out there who has test-ridden
one of these, and actually not liked it?
Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/


Yes I have and it sucked. Your position is to static, dangerous in (heavy)
urban traffic, uphill is a PIA...and you look like a dork ;-)

Presenting your posterior to the world like a baboon in heat (i.e. road
bike rider on the drops) is not dorky?

--
Tom Sherman

Qui si parla Campagnolo aka Peter Chisholm wrote:
oilfreeandhappy wrote:
I would think that recumbents would be better for avoiding seat
numbness. Supposedly, this problem is only evident if one rides
without a proper saddle. But, at times, I've noticed it on my MTB.
Usually I'll shift my weight or stand up, and it goes away. This
numbness shouldn't be taken lightly, because if persistent, it can
cause Erectile Disfunction.

Not the proper saddle but the proper fit. Think sitting on the top rail
of a fence, straddling it(wrong) or both legs on one side(proper).
Sleepy winkie is not automatic with an upright, something else 'bent
riders will tell you that is BS...

Now non-recumbent rider Peter Chisholm is speaking for recumbent riders
and what they say? Should we follow his example and project the sayings
of a few onto the whole group?

On invitational rides I have attended, I have received unsolicited
negative comments about my recumbents from a few upright riders
(estimated at less than 1% of the total upright population). Should I
follow Mr. Chisholm's example and say the other 99+% upright riders are
jerks based on the behavior of less than 1%?

--
Tom Sherman