20 inch versus 26 inch wheels

[Night Train]

Speed and efficiency are different.

Efficient is getting the most out from what you are able to put in. Speed is being able to put more in to get more speed.

In other words, if it was efficient you would be able to ride further for a given number of cakes.
If it was faster then you might get lots more top speed for short moments but burn out your legs and need more frequent cake stops.

Overkill would be 3x9 at the back with a triple and Schlumph drive at the front giving 162 gears.

The other way would be to have a bigger single chainring at the front but change the bottom gear sprocket on the cassette for one with more teeth. It will just give you a bigger step between 1st and 2nd on the cassette but you will be able to maintain a low gear for climbing.

Depending on your reach you could have a double or triple chainring, without the mech and just throw the chain manually with the guide tube if there is one. I do that on my Ratrike as the deraileur isn't cooperating at the moment.

 

[StuAff]

So speed and efficiency are different things?

Just posted this, then saw Night Train had summed it up better than me....

Before buying a load of expensive parts, you'd be best off working out how fast you're actually going now (buy a decent bike computer), and squeaker's suggestion of fitting some quicker tyres is a good one- certainly a lot cheaper than £180 for a chainring! Training is likely to do you more good than a bigger ring.

 

[jorgemartin]

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies. Hmmm. Having come across these concepts for the first time ever, I think I'm starting to understand speed, efficiency and cadence. When my girlfriend and I ride together and I'm using my 'normal' 26 inch wheel touring bike, we ride at a similar pace. When I ride the recumbent, I lag behind. I assume that my cadence must be the same on both bikes so it's probably safe to reason that I need a bigger chainring... However, I'm going to look up my cadence on the bike computer. and I'm definitely getting faster tires (the Marathon Green Guard tyres seem to be a good compromise between speed and durability as far as touring goes, the racer seems a bit flimsy for touring). I'm going to look into this cadence thing and perhaps I'll get a 52T or a 53T chain ring.

 

[Night Train]

The better, lower rolling resistance, tyres should give you a benefit whatever else you do or don't do. Even the same speed would be easier, or more efficient.

Checking cadance will tell you what you are putting in and you should then be able to see what gearing you can go to to get a bit more speed.

I found with my Ratrike that although with gearing I could get a good head of speed, 25+mph, downhill the thing holding me back was drag in the tyres, bearings and brake discs. I would have to work where others were coasting or even rolling down small down slopes.

 

[arallsopp]

You're Tufnell Park/Camden area, right?
Not far from a "Sunday London Ride", if you want to hook up and talk these things.

 

[jorgemartin]

Yes, I'm in Tufnell Park/Camden. Is Sunday London Ride a recumbent event?

You're Tufnell Park/Camden area, right?
Not far from a "Sunday London Ride", if you want to hook up and talk these things.

 

[recumbentpanda]

Cadence is a very individual thing, and depends a lot on what legs you were given and your pedalling style. Speaking VERY generally however, it tends to be the case that a higher cadence is more effective on a recumbent. It's effective on an upright too, but on a recumbent its often more necessary. This is because you don't have the advantage of being able to use upper body muscle groups by pulling on the bars, and because 'bench-pressing against the back of the seat tends to cause pain in knee ligaments for most people.

Think of it like a car with a small engine. You get best performance by giving it lots of revs. My sister had an old Citroen Dyane. She was amazed one day when I drove her in it over a hilly route, at how fast it could go up the hills. The difference in our driving styles was that I was really stirring the gearbox and using lots of right foot to make sure that little engine was spinning at the high revs in which it is most efficient.

Same with your bent, try this experiment next time out with the GF: if you find yourself dropping back, drop down a gear and spin the pedals faster. Be prepared to change gear more frequently than on an upright to maintain cadence.

Having said that I've given up trying to chase my other half on any kind of bike. I've had to accept she's just a lot stronger than me!

 

[tongskie01]

Cadence is a very individual thing, and depends a lot on what legs you were given and your pedalling style. Speaking VERY generally however, it tends to be the case that a higher cadence is more effective on a recumbent. It's effective on an upright too, but on a recumbent its often more necessary. This is because you don't have the advantage of being able to use upper body muscle groups by pulling on the bars, and because 'bench-pressing against the back of the seat tends to cause pain in knee ligaments for most people.

Think of it like a car with a small engine. You get best performance by giving it lots of revs. My sister had an old Citroen Dyane. She was amazed one day when I drove her in it over a hilly route, at how fast it could go up the hills. The difference in our driving styles was that I was really stirring the gearbox and using lots of right foot to make sure that little engine was spinning at the high revs in which it is most efficient.

Same with your bent, try this experiment next time out with the GF: if you find yourself dropping back, drop down a gear and spin the pedals faster. Be prepared to change gear more frequently than on an upright to maintain cadence.

Having said that I've given up trying to chase my other half on any kind of bike. I've had to accept she's just a lot stronger than me!

no power gained pulling on the bars. shifting the body weight forward while going uphill is what does it.

 

[jorgemartin]

I think I've considered tried all kinds of things but I'm going to give this a mindful try.

Same with your bent, try this experiment next time out with the GF: if you find yourself dropping back, drop down a gear and spin the pedals faster. Be prepared to change gear more frequently than on an upright to maintain cadence.