Wanted: List of Speedy Recumbents

[jakemoffatt]

Hi. I'm a roadie interested in getting a recumbent. Are there any recumbents that are easy to maintain about 30mph on? Not for 100 miles... but say for 5 miles @ 30mph or 10 miles @ 28mph? I've only ridden since April, but I can average 20mph for my 4 mile commute to work. Could a recumbent add 10mph to my average? What about faired bents? Can you buy a bent with fairings or do you have to build them yourself?

I'd like a list of some of the faster recumbents out on the market right now. I found an old post about Carbents (http://www.Carbent.com/) and they look fairly plain (but lightweight I suppose). Anyone have experience with these?

Is it worth the cost in weight to add a fairing? Now, I'm interested in using a recumbent to commute in, so fairings that hinder vision or maneuverabilty are probably out of the question. Are there any fairings that don't defeat my needs?

Do these "faster" recumbents still handle well? What about trikes? I imagine they handle smoother than two-wheeled bents but can they keep up the pace?

Also, in most of the pictures of bents that I have seen, the wheels look to be fairly wide, and some look to be MTB wheels, but I have yet to see any that have narrow road tires on them. Is there something inherent to bents that make road-tires impractical? Or has it just not been done yet/often?

P.S. I know that it can be silly to ask about the "fastest" bike, because usually that depends mostly on the engine, but for me I am looking to improve my speed over my DF (Diamond Frame?) bike by about 10mph. I want to hit 30mph without killing myself (Killing myself, as in, exerting myself extraordinarily, as opposed to hitting 30mph and crashing). What I mean to say is that it seems like the bents just go faster when they are built for speed, compared to DF bikes, especially when they are fared. Right?

Is 30mph avg over 5 or 10 miles realistic on a bent or very rare/impossible?


Thanks in advance!

[tom o]

Try posting this to Bentrideronline.com under the ihpva racing specialty message board. You will be asking folks who are concerned with speed.

[BlazingPedals]

No unfaired recumbent is going to turn a plain vanilla 20 mph DF rider into a 30 mph rider. For that you'll need a streamliner. Virtually all streamliners are one- or two-ofs, so buying your way into that kind of speed isn't going to happen. Several No-Com riders are trying to crack the 30 mph barrier on their 'stock class' bikes, but to do it they are relying on the extreme design of the bike, drafting, and track - not road - conditions. And they are exceptional riders.

[jeff-o]

I think that many recumbents don't have narrow road tires because they simply aren't made in sizes smaller than 26".

*checks nashbar*

yep, they have a single 20" tire, and a single 24" tire, each is a knobby BMX style tread.

But, if you want road tires, check out the Windcheetah (www.windcheetah.co.uk). It at least uses a single huge road tire in the back.

Also, fairings don't really do much until you're going 18mph or more. Below that, they are extra weight that you have to push around. It sounds like you have a city commute, with lots of stop-and-go. A faired recumbent will not be of any benefit, since half the time (at least it feels like to me) I'm accelerating from a stop.

Look around your area for recumbent dealers, and try one out for yourself. Better yet, try to rent a bent for a week or two. That way, you might be able to build up the muscles ("bent legs") you need to properly push a recumbent, and get a true feeling for any performance gain.

[Paul L.]

So far I have found my highracer to be nice in urban commuting. 650c tires are readily available, you sit higher so cars see you, and you are in a more aero position than a standard road bike. I ride a Strada as it seems to be the best compromise for the weight I carry and the type of riding I do. I want to try it with a fairing and bodysock to see what kind of average speed I could get up too. I regularly cruise between 20 and 25 on it and average just over 20 mph on fast rides. I am hoping to notch that up a few mph through training. For commuting my opinion is that if you want a "fast" commute the high racer is a good compromise.

[scarry]

Aero, baby. Go fast, real fast. No fairing required.
I have had one for 2 years. Can't wipe the silly grin from my face.

http://www.bacchettabikes.com/b-aero.htm

[BlazingPedals]

I think that many recumbents don't have narrow road tires because they simply aren't made in sizes smaller than 26".

So true. My lowracer is a full-blown racing bike, and there isn't a front tire available for it that's narrower than a 28mm. And even at that size, the choices are severely limited.