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A couple of simple questions
First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base,
and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill? Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear wheel. I still need to work on a front deraileir. Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? I have definately noticed my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my upright road cycle. Ken -- It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. Arthur C. Clarke English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - ) |
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#2
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"Ken Marcet"
Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, [...] Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill? I'm still getting used to high-bottom bracket SWB and starting my Volae remains less sure than on my low bottom bracket LWB after a month or so of riding... In my case, I went from a bottom bracket height of ~12 inches on my Tour Easy to ~32 inches on my Volae, and from fairly upright seating position to more reclined. I think both the bottom bracket height and the seat recline affect starting. For stop and go, I don't imagine a high-bottom bracket, dual "big wheel" bike like Volae/Bacchetta will *ever* be a comfortable starting for *me* as my Tour Easy and BikeE,-- but it is quite manageable. I can't yet imagine riding the Volae in the midst of a mass start event like the Hotter 'n Hell rally where it took 45 minutes for us to even reach the starting line. Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear wheel. I still need to work on a front derailleur. Do you have low enough gearing? I find it's much harder to start in a "too high" gear on my Volae than on my Tour Easy. It is easier to "push off" to get a rolling start on the Tour Easy,-- I can take both feet off and "Flintstone" the bike, if I have to... Not possible on the Volae. Clipless pedals may or may not help... I have mine adjusted quite loose for now. Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? Quite differently. %^) Quadriceps get major workout, in my experience. I have definitely noticed my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my upright road cycle. I even notice a difference among my recumbent models. It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. [-- Clarke] Intelligence often seems to be selected against in the survival of the USENET poster species... Jon Meinecke net.subtle-apteryx |
#3
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Ken Marcet wrote:
First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill? I put my right foot down to stop, and start by pushing on the pedal with with my left. I make sure my starting pedal is about 20-30 degrees from vertical 'toward me' and that I am in a low gear. I forget about niceties like engaging the toe clip or clipless pedal (or whatever) with my right foot when I initially start off - I just pedal. Once I am going then I can coast a bit if necessary to sort out the proper pedal engagement. It takes some planning, but it becomes habit, that you gear down toward the bottom of your range as you come to a stop. With a 3x8=24 gear setup I go to the bottom of the top range for a downhill start, the bottom of the top or middle range (whichever I am in at the time) for a flat start, or the lowest possible for an uphill start. Sometimes an uphill start is just impossible and has to be tackled at least partially across the slope to have any chance of success. Don't stop on hills like that if you can possibly help it -- John Turner |
#4
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Ken Marcet wrote:
First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill?... You want to get up to balancing speed as soon as possible. Make sure the bike is in a low gear, lock the rear brake, push as hard as you can with your "starting" leg, then release the brake. With practice I find it easier to start out on my RANS Rocket and Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer than on an upright bicycle, since there is less overall body motion involved. The RANS "Wavewind" actually takes more effort to balance due to the longer wheelbase and greater tiller (and too low of a gear results in a "power wheelie"). And yes, starting out is ridiculously easy on my Earth Cycles Dragonflyer trike. -- Tom Sherman - Earth |
#5
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Ken:
Go out and find a scary steep hill and practice starting your bike going uphill for an afternoon. That'll about do it. Most of the stuff Tom is telling you to do, you'll pretty much have to do to get the bike moving (lock the brake, get it in an appropriate gear, "cock" your driving or power leg at around 12:00, etc.) Start, stop, restart, stop, restart, stop, etc. for an afternoon. It's a good investment. -- --Scott "Ken Marcet" wrote in message ... First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill? Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear wheel. I still need to work on a front deraileir. Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? I have definately noticed my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my upright road cycle. Ken -- It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. Arthur C. Clarke English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - ) |
#6
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Hey thanks Tom that holding the brake trick really works pretty good. I just
tried it on my first double digit distance ride on my swb. I am still a bit shaky, but not as bad. I guess after a bit I will be better at it. Ken "Tom Sherman" wrote in message ... Ken Marcet wrote: First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill?... You want to get up to balancing speed as soon as possible. Make sure the bike is in a low gear, lock the rear brake, push as hard as you can with your "starting" leg, then release the brake. With practice I find it easier to start out on my RANS Rocket and Earth Cycles Sunset Lowracer than on an upright bicycle, since there is less overall body motion involved. The RANS "Wavewind" actually takes more effort to balance due to the longer wheelbase and greater tiller (and too low of a gear results in a "power wheelie"). And yes, starting out is ridiculously easy on my Earth Cycles Dragonflyer trike. -- Tom Sherman - Earth |
#7
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On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 11:53:09 -0500, Ken Marcet wrote:
First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a learned skill? If there is a trick I haven't found it yet. Lots of practice is the answer. Someone else suggested a day on the steepest hill you can find. I'd suggest half an hour on a moderate hill, after which your legs are going to hurt somewhat. When I let newcomers to recumbents ride my SWB bike, I tell them to give a damn good push with their best leg (normally right) and bring the other foot up promptly. Some can do it right away, some never manage it... .... I've had a very experienced cyclist who couldn't, but his mid-teen son was a complete natural. Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear wheel. That's OK, I use a pretty low gear to start and change up as soon as I've got the second foot clipped in. Clip-less clips are essential for me :-) Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? I have definately noticed my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my upright road cycle. It's different. I can't describe how or why. But once you've built your recumbent muscles you (well I) can take a month or two without being on either a recumbent or an upright without losing the suitable muscles. (What there has been of cycling this February has been entirely upright because it has mudguards (fenders to you maybe) while the recumbent doesn't.) Mike |
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