Considering a 'bent

In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:16:25 +0200
Jon Bendtsen wrote:
wrote:
Another thing was the elbow angle. When I read in bed for example with
elbows at 90 deg or more for any length of time my hands get numb.
Obviously apples and oranges, but the more extended arm position of
USS looks more comfortable to me.

Okay, i'll think about what my elbow angle is next time i ride
it. My bikes handlebar mount can be pushed forward, or backwards
which would change the angle.

My elbow angle with the Bacchetter Giro 20 is fairly straight. Not as
straight as the faster Bacchettas get, but well past 90deg.


I think the open or closed thing makes a difference. The cruzbike
website and forum talks about pulling in the handlebars and thus
closing to gain extra strength. I tried it myself, and it appears
to be working, especially uphill. Unfortunately my stamina is not
yet there where i can do this for longer times.

That tends to raise the heartrate, you can't do it for long.

I'm slow up hills, I have found that I don't have the aerobic fitness
to spin up them, so I tend to grind away in a lower gear. So up
Melville St which ranges from 1 in 8 to 1 in 6 for 800m, I start in
the lowest rear and middle ring, push that for as long as I can, drop
to smallest ring and about 3rd gear, push that, down, push that, down,
push that. My lowest cadence is about 55 on that.

If I had more heart I could spin more.

I comfort myself with the idea that the bike is heavyish and is
carrying a lot of gear. If I was one my friend's Challenge Sieran
then I'd be faster up there.


Zebee