Recumbent - How does diamond fitness carry to bent fitness?

I'm wondering how well road bike fitness carries over to recumbent fitness. I care more about distance than speed. So let's say I can comfortably bike 40 miles on a road bike, how far can I expect to go on a recumbent, taking it easy? I get the impression that the main thing that's hard about going distance on a road bike is being comfortable, while a recumbent doesn't have that problem.

Tim

I'm wondering how well road bike fitness carries over to recumbent fitness. I care more about distance than speed. So let's say I can comfortably bike 40 miles on a road bike, how far can I expect to go on a recumbent, taking it easy? I get the impression that the main thing that's hard about going distance on a road bike is being comfortable, while a recumbent doesn't have that problem.

Tim

Yo Tim

As a bent rider you'll need to develop new "bent" muscle groups. How long that takes varies with each individual and the effort put into it.

Once you've gotten those bent muscles developed, the rule of thumb is that you'll be 10% to 30% "more efficient" on a bent because of the aerodynamics. For example, rolling down hill you'll roll father on a bent than a DF meaning less pedaling. You will be cutting into the wind better so less effort. If there's a headwind you'll use less energy going against it than you would on a DF bike. You'll also use less energy because you won't be expending energy holding yourself up with your upper body like you would on a DF. It's a subtle energy use on a DF but it's real. All in all you're just going to feel a lot better after the same distance ride.

Me gut (hmm....an aerobelly?) :) says you'd go 10% farther minimum on a bent given the same energy output. Will be interesting to see what others say. :rolleyes:

I'm wondering how well road bike fitness carries over to recumbent fitness. I care more about distance than speed. So let's say I can comfortably bike 40 miles on a road bike, how far can I expect to go on a recumbent, taking it easy? I get the impression that the main thing that's hard about going distance on a road bike is being comfortable, while a recumbent doesn't have that problem.

Tim
I think if you can do 40 miles on a road bike (would kill me), you could do a hundred or more on a recumbent. The muscles of the thigh have to work harder on a recumbent whereas you use more rear-end muscles on the road bike. Your breathing capacity obviously carries over. Once the leg muscles are reorganized, about the only body parts that are stressed on a recumbent are the knees. If you don't have knee problems, then there is almost nothing to get in the way of recumbent riding short of eating and sleeping.

Chip

My take is that if you can comfortably do 40 miles on an upright today, you can do more than 40 miles on a recumbent tomorrow. You will probably be a little bit slower until you build up the different muscles, but somehow that won't matter.

Whether a bent will ultimately be faster depends on which bent and what you're comparing it to.

Overall conditioning will result in about the same endurance on both bikes. There is an adjustment period for bents, say 50-200miles for handling, starting off etc. It may take a while to get the bent adjusted to the right setup for you, as most bents have more adjustment range than road bikes do. Contrary to what Chip said, in my experience with an LWB Rotator Pursuit, the glutes and hamstrings work harder on bents than they do on road bikes. If you are not a spinner it will behoove you to learn to love and cherish spinning to facilitate hill climbing. I always feel better after 40-80 miles on the bent compared to the same distance on a DF road bike (disregarding really hill rides). I average about 1-1.5mph slower on similar courses on the bent compared with the DF. Steve

I would venture to say that you might do better on a 'bent once to develop the new muscle groups. You will not have the fatigue and pain that affects the rest of your body as you would on a DF.

From direct recent experience I can tell you that on my old comfort bike I had issues over 20 miles. Everything was numb and hurting on flat terrain. Within two weeks of getting my bent, I did a "hill country" tour, which had some pretty steep buggers on it. After 32 miles of that, I felt as refreshed as if I'd only gone 5. I can't imagine doing more than 40 miles on anything other than a bent.

Funny thing is, the bent has increased my capacity to ride uprights. My success on the bent caused me to kick the comfort bike to the curb and buy a real road bike, and I do 40 miles on that easy now. Just raced my first triathalon with it as a matter of fact. But the bent will always be my primary bike.

Thanks, all! It sounds like there's probably some adjustment period, but it's not very long and people can ride distance on a 'bent pretty soon. Building up speed takes more time.

Tim

I've been riding long distances on a recumbent trike for 6 mos., and I rode my mtn. bike 2 miles to my friend's house, and it was so uncomfortable I can't imagine how I ever rode it as much as I did.

Yo Tim

As a bent rider you'll need to develop new "bent" muscle groups. How long that takes varies with each individual and the effort put into it.

Once you've gotten those bent muscles developed, the rule of thumb is that you'll be 10% to 30% "more efficient" on a bent because of the aerodynamics. For example, rolling down hill you'll roll father on a bent than a DF meaning less pedaling. You will be cutting into the wind better so less effort. If there's a headwind you'll use less energy going against it than you would on a DF bike. You'll also use less energy because you won't be expending energy holding yourself up with your upper body like you would on a DF. It's a subtle energy use on a DF but it's real. All in all you're just going to feel a lot better after the same distance ride.

Me gut (hmm....an aerobelly?) :) says you'd go 10% farther minimum on a bent given the same energy output. Will be interesting to see what others say. :rolleyes:
This is so true. I ride 4 days a week with a frind on a bent. He kills me in the wind and on downhills. I am mashing the biggest gear I have and he is coasting while pulling away from me. On the hills it is just the oposite except for the wind effect. On hills he says he has to focus much more on his technique and cadence. If he looses focus is really suffers on inclines.