Hello all

[Beardie]

Curiously, I don't find I go more slowly uphill on a recumbent than on an upright. Mind you, I was always pretty slow on an upright anyway. Also, I didn't switch to clipless pedals until going recumbent, and these make all the difference as you can pull on the pedals as well as push.

 

[BenM]

Hi Sean

I am a new convert to the 'dark side' - I have an Optima Orca - and find that going up hill on the 'bent requires a completely different technique (both mind and muscles) to going up hill on an upwrong.

I have only had the bike a week but still fall off the thing on very steep hills because I tense up and pull on the tiller - this tends to make me wiggle rather alarmingly and fall off due to the low speed. It is going to have to get better tomorrow cos I am doing my first commute

B.

 

[arallsopp]

Howdo,

I've got a luvverly pair of 'bents, either of which keeps up with most commuters on the local hills. Yes, there is a weight penalty, but you can also push more than your bodyweight to get out of a sticky spot. On an upright, that move sees you lift off the saddle. On a bent, you settle deeper into it.

Personally, I'm a lay back and spin kinda guy. Its comfy, and better for your knees. Enjoy the view.

When I first forayed into the darkside, I had to climb hills one handed to stop myself pulling against the bars. Paradoxically, this actually helps me keep the bike straight (as otherwise I'm push left 100%, push right 100%) and is a fair amount faster due to the smoother pedal stroke.

Of course, the other benefit was it bugged the hell out of the DF'ers. If you think a scalp on a downhill is rewarding, imagine what its like when you drop the pack and sail up waving like the queen

 

[bicyclos]

Hi there and welcome
I enjoy being laid back and a alternative way to cycle. You certainly get the looks off people.
Id google as many different types of recumbent to see what takes your fancy then book a test ride on a few to see if you take to it or not. I decided to build my own though and it works well. Not as light as a good number out there but I am happy with it.

https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[threefingerjoe]

I agree with everything that Beardie said. I don't go uphill any slower than I do on an upright. My problem is that under about 4 mph, I can no longer keep the recumbent BIKE stable. And my big fear is that I will someday have to START uphill on a steep grade. This is a non-issue on a trike. I commute every day on an upright bike, and also use the upright bike for most city jaunts. However, when I go on weekend rides for fun with my buddies on their road bikes, I find that I can easily outrun them, and often mosey along, waiting for them to catch up. They can leave me on the uphills, but, being the old fat bloke that I am, they would leave me on hills on my upright bike, too. But, downhill, and flats are MINE! And the longer the ride, the more I have the advantage, as backaches, neckaches, and numb hands take their toll on them.

Conclusion: Short city jaunts: upright bike. Long fun rides: recumbent, even if I have to get off and walk on the steepest hills.

 

[tongskie01]

I agree with everything that Beardie said. I don't go uphill any slower than I do on an upright. My problem is that under about 4 mph, I can no longer keep the recumbent BIKE stable. And my big fear is that I will someday have to START uphill on a steep grade. This is a non-issue on a trike. I commute every day on an upright bike, and also use the upright bike for most city jaunts. However, when I go on weekend rides for fun with my buddies on their road bikes, I find that I can easily outrun them, and often mosey along, waiting for them to catch up. They can leave me on the uphills, but, being the old fat bloke that I am, they would leave me on hills on my upright bike, too. But, downhill, and flats are MINE! And the longer the ride, the more I have the advantage, as backaches, neckaches, and numb hands take their toll on them.

Conclusion: Short city jaunts: upright bike. Long fun rides: recumbent, even if I have to get off and walk on the steepest hills.

i climb faster with my raptobike than on my upright...i spin a lot......

 

[arallsopp]

You get the hang of hill starts about 5 seconds after your third one. Drop gears early. Use cleats to keep the pedal in position for optimal takeoff. Yeah, ok, so its wobbly the first few times, but honestly, you get it soon enough. I've got 3 real nasty ones on my daily commute. I don't really think about them now.

(Unless I'm caught out by a failed amber gambler and don't manage to downshift quick enough)

 

[PalmerSperry]

Thanks for the replys everyone, i did'nt know about cycle magic so will have to pay them a visit, thanks for the heads up. As for being slower up hill, that will be hard to get used to i guess, is it just a trike thing though or are all recumbents slower going up?

The slower uphill thing is partially a myth IMHO. Until pretty recently recumbents where heavy, and the average rider was an overweight middle-aged man who mainly used them for touring. However in recent times, the weight of high end racing recumbents has dropped drastically (eg: the Challenge Fujin SL2 weighs ~8.5kg) and concurrently there's been something of a change in the mindset and fitness levels of the riders.

Alas, recumbents do still weigh more than equivalent uprights and I seem to recall reading something about how your maximum power output in a recumbent position is lower. Thus you are still slower, but not necessarily to the degree which people may have expected.

 

[tongskie01]

The slower uphill thing is partially a myth IMHO. Until pretty recently recumbents where heavy, and the average rider was an overweight middle-aged man who mainly used them for touring. However in recent times, the weight of high end racing recumbents has dropped drastically (eg: the Challenge Fujin SL2 weighs ~8.5kg) and concurrently there's been something of a change in the mindset and fitness levels of the riders.

Alas, recumbents do still weigh more than equivalent uprights and I seem to recall reading something about how your maximum power output in a recumbent position is lower. Thus you are still slower, but not necessarily to the degree which people may have expected.

Imo the more upright a recumbent is the better the climbing. probably the position of the heart and the diaphragm. thus when your legs are elevetad while your climbing, heart has to pump harder for blood to reach the legs. also internal organs are putting pressure to your lungs through gravity..such as the stomach. i do get a bit of heart burn at times when riding my rapto.

training is essential. if you can spin on a high gear and maintain it while
climbing uphill, the faster you go. cardio and endurance training basically.

 

[PalmerSperry]

Alas, recumbents do still weigh more than equivalent uprights and I seem to recall reading something about how your maximum power output in a recumbent position is lower. Thus you are still slower, but not necessarily to the degree which people may have expected.

A few extra thoughts have occured to me!

[1] I read somewhere that 'bents are faster than uprights until the gradient exceeds about 7% due to superior aerodynamics, and uprights are faster once the gradient exceeds about 10% due less weight / being better climbers. Not sure whether those numbers are actually accurate, but the principle makes some sense to me.
[2] I've also read that hills on an upright can be fun (if you're so inclined), but on a recumbent they're just something you have to get over.
[3] I had my first successful go on my own little "Alpe d'Huez" with my recumbent bike today. My best time with my, 8.25kg, roadbike is about 14 minutes 30 seconds. With my 14kg recumbent I managed it in a whisker under 17 minutes. Now one data point is not a Phd thesis, but I thought I'd share it anyway!

 

[Telemark]

I had my first successful go on my own little "Alpe d'Huez" with my recumbent bike today. My best time with my, 8.25kg, roadbike is about 14 minutes 30 seconds. With my 14kg recumbent I managed it in a whisker under 17 minutes. Now one data point is not a Phd thesis, but I thought I'd share it anyway!

we went tobogganing on that road a couple of months ago ... scarily icy then, but an amazing place! Might try and cycle there if we visit the area again during the snow-free season :-) We were eyeing up all the wee roads for cycling purposes as we cross-country skied/skied/walked

Are you based in St Martin?

T

 

[PalmerSperry]

we went tobogganing on that road a couple of months ago ... scarily icy then, but an amazing place! Might try and cycle there if we visit the area again during the snow-free season :-) We were eyeing up all the wee roads for cycling purposes as we cross-country skied/skied/walked

Hmm, I was doing the same tobogganing a couple of times a few months back too! There's some good cycling to be had too, though I'm not planning on attempting the road up to the Loferer Alm with my Bacchetta any time soon - it knocks on the door of 30% at one point!

Are you based in St Martin?

Yeah!

 

[Telemark]

Hmm, I was doing the same tobogganing a couple of times a few months back too! There's some good cycling to be had too, though I'm not planning on attempting the road up to the Loferer Alm with my Bacchetta any time soon - it knocks on the door of 30% at one point!

Yeah!

It's a small world!

[Sorry to hijack your thread seanthesheep, I'll shut up now]

T

 

[tongskie01]

A few extra thoughts have occured to me!

[1] I read somewhere that 'bents are faster than uprights until the gradient exceeds about 7% due to superior aerodynamics, and uprights are faster once the gradient exceeds about 10% due less weight / being better climbers. Not sure whether those numbers are actually accurate, but the principle makes some sense to me.
[2] I've also read that hills on an upright can be fun (if you're so inclined), but on a recumbent they're just something you have to get over.
[3] I had my first successful go on my own little "Alpe d'Huez" with my recumbent bike today. My best time with my, 8.25kg, roadbike is about 14 minutes 30 seconds. With my 14kg recumbent I managed it in a whisker under 17 minutes. Now one data point is not a Phd thesis, but I thought I'd share it anyway!

probably your right.....to climb with a recumbent isnt much fun than going downhill. all psychological. dont want to stop midway and walk to the top of the hill. seems embarassing.

 

[Auntie Helen]

[3] I had my first successful go on my own little "Alpe d'Huez" with my recumbent bike today.

I've spent a lot of time in Saalfelden (my friend has a holiday flat there) and I have to say, I wouldn't dream of triking over those hills. Far too hilly!