Fast recumbent.

[derrick]

Any recumbent builders on here? Have been playing in the workshop, have built a few fun bikes, but know want to get serious. Want to go KOM hunting for a laugh, thought a low recumbent is the way to go, Have got a few old bikes and plenty of steel tubing, looking for idea's on designs. Not to worried about a fairing, just functional. What recumbents do we have on here, Steering system i would like to use some sort of pinion system so i could use a sort of steering wheel. Anyone built anything suitable?

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Not sure a recumbent is the way to gain KOM's. Good luck and post pics if you do have a go though.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Bio-mechanics are against you for fast hill climbing on a recumbent.
Because of the greater knee-hip-shoulder angle you cannot engage your gluts as much so you're forced to rely more on your quads to generate power.
This means that your max sustainable power is slightly lower vs an upwrong.
Plus you cannot get out of the saddle to change how your muscles work so you also fatigue quicker.
This is why you may well need to do 1,000 miles to build up your "bent" legs and partly explains the myth that bents cannot climb hills.

Luck .........

 

[derrick]

Bio-mechanics are against you for fast hill climbing on a recumbent.
Because of the greater knee-hip-shoulder angle you cannot engage your gluts as much so you're forced to rely more on your quads to generate power.
This means that your max sustainable power is slightly lower vs an upwrong.
Plus you cannot get out of the saddle to change how your muscles work so you also fatigue quicker.
This is why you may well need to do 1,000 miles to build up your "bent" legs and partly explains the myth that bents cannot climb hills.

Luck .........

No hill climbing involved, all flat roads.

 

[Tigerbiten]

I thought KOM is "King Of the Mountain" hence I was not thinking about flat roads .........

If your going for a fast bent then something like a cruzbike is probably the way to go.
I'd look on "Atomic Zombie" for plans. -> https://www.atomiczombie.com/
Just remember you may have to relearn how to ride a bent and the lower and the more reclined the bent is the more tricky they tend to be.

Luck ...........

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If you want fast flat KOMs you want a full fairing so you can average the segments at around 25-30mph. Without the fairing you’ll be somewhat slower. A full fairing will add about 6-10mph to whatever your average speed is right now.

 

[derrick]

If you want fast flat KOMs you want a full fairing so you can average the segments at around 25-30mph. Without the fairing you’ll be somewhat slower. A full fairing will add about 6-10mph to whatever your average speed is right now.

It's only a bit of fun, The fairing can always be added later.

 

[recumbentpanda]

Pinion steering a la Mochet Velocar has issues with gear lash, & tends to be heavy. ’High Racers’ tend to be favoured by road recumbent speed merchants these days: laid back riding position on top of full size wheels. Power transfer is affected by flexing of the longer less triangulated frame. Can be an issue if you are a heavy/strong rider. The bents that get talked about as fast on hills or flats (fairings aside) all seem to me to have good lateral and/or vertical triangulation. Some people claim great things for the ‘moving bottom bracket’ designs by Cruzbike. Others disagree. Bentrider online forum has plenty of design discussion. Have fun!

 

[Caperider]

I had cut an old Astra in half and stretched it to be like an Easy Racer it was a lot of fun to build and ride. 12 spd with both 27" wheels on it. But I don't have any pics all total I've had 5 recumbent over my 60 years.

 

[Jameshow]

I had cut an old Astra in half and stretched it to be like an Easy Racer it was a lot of fun to build and ride. 12 sod with both 27" wheels on ut. But I don't have any pics all total I've had 5 recumbent over my 60 years.

Why would you make a stretched limo from an Astra?!!🤣🤣🤣

 

[Caperider]

Its what I had !