Recumbent - newbie Recumbent questions

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Mike45
03-15-06, 11:45 AM
Hey all you recumbent riders. I have never been on one but I think they look cool. Does that make me Recumbent curious?

My real questions are:

Are Recumbents faster than road/TT bikes?
How do they handle at faster speeds?
Are Recumbents allowed in Triathlons?

THanks,
Mike

jeff-o
03-15-06, 11:53 AM
Are Recumbents faster than road/TT bikes?
How do they handle at faster speeds?
Are Recumbents allowed in Triathlons?



1. Usually they can be just as fast (depending on the type of recumbent), but not really faster unless you add a fairing.

2. Usually very well. Just as well as a road bike. If you get a trike, quite a bit better.

3. None that I've seen, better check the rules of the triathlon in question. If it's just for fun, then maybe...
ken cummings
03-15-06, 02:20 PM
I have known a couple of triathelites with recumbents but then they also had no legs. Special exemption for hand-cranked twikes. In Colorado the USCF allowed recumbents in the state time trials when I was an official. Would not count for the title but you could run. Join the USCF, pay your fee, and get sent out after the Cat 4s. Did not see any in the three time-trials I worked. If only I was 30 years younger.

Floyd
03-15-06, 02:37 PM
Welcome to the recumbent world, even though you do not have one yet. The fact that you are interested is a fine beginning. I am not a racer or anything close but I find that I can go just as fast on my bent as on the diamond frame so my logic is that would translate into racing too if you like that kind of thing. The comfort level on the bent is worth a lot too in my books. Recumbents are becoming popular enough that I imagine that they will be allowed into racing in places where they are not at the present time. That is my hypothesis...
peace Padre Flojo
BlazingPedals
03-15-06, 07:36 PM
Are Recumbents faster than road/TT bikes?

Some are, most are not. But they are all pretty comfy to sit in!



How do they handle at faster speeds?

Most handle pretty well. In fact, the steering usually smooths out at higher speeds.



Are Recumbents allowed in Triathlons?

Only rarely are they allowed in Triathlons, and then usually because the triathlon is unsanctioned and the organizer is getting insurance from some entity OTHER than the USCF. From stories I've heard, it's not a good idea to use a bent even if you're allowed - they use a lot of the same muscles as running, so you end up with dead legs for one race or the other. (No personal experience with that!)