Recumbent - how fast do these bikes go ?

just wondering what is the cruzing speed for a strong rider??


and what is max speed on flats?

just an estament in mph please

I used to be a 17-18 mph rider on my old Trek road bike. That was for 'pretty flat' centuries with around 1300 feet of climbing, and drafting other, stronger riders like a madman.

Now I have a lowracer and I typically do around 20-21 mph on century rides, no drafting required. That's rolling average; I rarely do centuries for elapsed time - rides are an excuse to eat! The last century I did for elapsed time, I did it in 4:38. As for max speeds on flat ground, I've been clocked at 39 mph. I should add that I still have an upright bike, and my speeds on that have actually gone down over the years; so I can't blame it all on being in better shape.

I started riding a Sun EZ Sport CX with a Mueller fairing in Sept. 1, 2006. I typically rode 11-12 mph on my mountain bike. I started at 11 mph in September on the EZ Sport and now ride 13-15 mph and it is increasing slowly over time. Last Friday, I rode 53 miles at 13.5 mph. I could never have done that on my mountain bike. As your legs build and you lose weight, the speed goes up. I have lost 25 pounds since September. That helps quite a bit.

18-20mph on the flats on my commute to work. Slower if the weather is bad.

15 to 17 on the flat and 67 years old. Couldn't come anywhere close to that on an upwrong. (Couldn't last long enough to get an average!)
BTW, I think Jeff-o forgot to mention that his average is on THREE wheels! :p Right?

...........jim

Now I have a lowracer and I typically do around 20-21 mph on century rides, no drafting required. That's rolling average; I rarely do centuries for elapsed time - rides are an excuse to eat! The last century I did for elapsed time, I did it in 4:38.
Very impressive. I want to break 5 hours for a century.

I am a roadie who just got 'bent. It's reassuring for me to read about improvements when converting because I'm frustrated that I can't go as fast on my 'bent (yet). I got to get my 'bent muscles up to speed and get used to the heavier bike. So tell me more about how I'm going to slice through the wind and sprint up the hills on the recumbent :) .

My last century was 4:45min in over 100 degree heat. I'm pretty close to BlazingPedals in speed. That same century (the only one I've been clocked on) my average for the first 60 miles was 22.7, and it dropped off after that. One that same ride, there was one stretch of brans new pavement, totally flat, where my 10-mile average was 33mph.

I was shooting for time though so that's not my "normal" pace - just what I am capable of. I'll usually cruise in the 18 range - that tends to be fairly easy in Texas.

Some of you guys are pretty fast. My fastest century last summer was 5:10 (100.4 miles) total elapsed time including all stops and about 80% solo. That was on a Baron. FWIW, I'm 55 and 60# overweight, so yeah, I'm faster on a recumbent than an upright.

Not to go off-topic, but aikigreg, did you ever get your M5?

A 5-hour century is a respectable goal. I started riding bents with a goal of 2.5 hours for a 50 miler. That took a couple of years to attain, which I did by way of fairings. I never managed a 5 hour century on the old V-Rex, although I had some good 50-60 mile rides that were easily on-pace. The real breakthrough happened when I got my lowracer. I imagine that a highracer would also do the trick, but a 'standard' bent would require more training and improvement than I could manage. Of course, adding more hills will drop your averages no matter what you ride. I have lots of small hills, but no major climbs or steep grades.

Gee, I wish I was as fast as everyone else.:) According to my log on bikejournal.com I am averaging between 12-16mph. That is mainly commuting with lots of stop-start and some other rides with some small but steep hills. I have done 29mph on the flat, and then I just run out of lungs. I am just an unfit commuter, but I am faster than I was on my old DF beater.

A 5-hour century is a respectable goal. I started riding bents with a goal of 2.5 hours for a 50 miler. That took a couple of years to attain, which I did by way of fairings. I never managed a 5 hour century on the old V-Rex, although I had some good 50-60 mile rides that were easily on-pace. The real breakthrough happened when I got my lowracer. I imagine that a highracer would also do the trick, but a 'standard' bent would require more training and improvement than I could manage. Of course, adding more hills will drop your averages no matter what you ride. I have lots of small hills, but no major climbs or steep grades.
Blazing:

Just out of curiousity, how much does your lowracer weigh? My high racer is 37 lbs and I think that's part of my problem....

Blazing:

Just out of curiousity, how much does your lowracer weigh? My high racer is 37 lbs and I think that's part of my problem....

I don't know about BP's Lowracer but my Bacchetta weighes in at 26 to 27 lbs. What High Racer do you ride at 37 lbs or is that loaded down with gear?

Low racers can vary from ~18# (VK2 and SL-II) to ~32# (stock Barons, steel M5s).

My Fujin SL-II weighs 21# with pad and pedals. My Baron the same way is ~27#. In my flat part of the world, my SL-II has little advantage over my Baron as far as speed goes. In fact, my fastest century has been on my Baron.

I don't know about BP's Lowracer but my Bacchetta weighes in at 26 to 27 lbs. What High Racer do you ride at 37 lbs or is that loaded down with gear?
I am new to 'bents, and I have a converted full suspension mountain bike using a kit from cruzbike.com. I am now thinking I should put that kit on a 20" folder I have. That would get the weight down to the high 20's and get me some better performance, perhaps at the sacrifice of comfort. I'm not a racer, but I do like to do fast recreational rides as opposed to slow touring pace. Also, I live in the SF Bay Area. It's hard to find a ride without climbs, so weight is a big deal here.

Should I be concerned about doing a double century on 20" wheels with front suspension?

The last time I weighed my Baron was when it still had a fiberglass seat and caliper brakes. It was 27 pounds. Since then I've converted to disc brakes and replaced the fiberglass seat with carbon. The carbon seat is lighter but the brakes are heavier, so overall it's probably still about the same weight as before.

I am new to 'bents, and I have a converted full suspension mountain bike using a kit from cruzbike.com. I am now thinking I should put that kit on a 20" folder I have. That would get the weight down to the high 20's and get me some better performance, perhaps at the sacrifice of comfort. I'm not a racer, but I do like to do fast recreational rides as opposed to slow touring pace. Also, I live in the SF Bay Area. It's hard to find a ride without climbs, so weight is a big deal here.

Should I be concerned about doing a double century on 20" wheels with front suspension?

I'm not a fan of the full suspension mountain bike or road bikes. IMO the FS fall way short in performance, and all it does is add a lot of unnecessary weight to the bike. I'm also not a fan of Cruz Bike. I do understand why you have the weight difference you have now. I do have a question though; I'd like too know why you chose to do the conversion instead of just buying a recumbent.

I'd like too know why you chose to do the conversion instead of just buying a recumbent.
Long answer to your question:
I had the bike and used it doing all the crazy things mountain bikers do. Well, 6 weeks ago, I had a bad accident on it - fractured my neck, injured my shoulder. Got helicoptered out, spent 2 days in an ICU. Also, the MRI's showed degenerative condition in my neck. Had a lot of time in the hospital to think, and decided to give up mtb-ing (at age 51, it's about time). The Cruzbike allowed me to exact some poetic justice on the bike that tried to kill me. I neutered and turned it into a recumbent :) , which was better for my neck.

I like the Cruzbike setup overall. The FWD is very intriguing and offers some bio-mechanical advantages. I think it makes for a nice touring setup - comfortable for long range cruising. However, you're right, the combination of the full suspension bike, plus the 9 lbs that Cruzbike adds add up to a heavy bike. I have too many hills around here for that. My own riding style is more sporty recreational. I do like to go fast. So, what I have decided to do is to take the Cruzbike kit off the mtb and put it onto my Downtube folding bike. This would give me a 27/28 pound 20" mid-racer. Plus, I think I can preserve some of the folding features. Gonna get working on that asap. Oh boy, another bike build project:D :D !

Sorry for the major thread hijack. I'll start another one on the folder conversion.

BTW, I think Jeff-o forgot to mention that his average is on THREE wheels! :p Right?

...........jim

Yup, three wheels... and a front fairing. ;)

Not to go off-topic, but aikigreg, did you ever get your M5?

Not yet - Bram still has the durned thing and is taking his sweet time getting it together. And once it gets shipped to Garrie, it'll take more time yet since Garrie is building me some goodies to go with it. It's supposed to be slightly sub-20 pounds from Bram, and will have his innovative brakes as well. I expect it to be right at that or even less once Garrie gets done - he's adding wheel covers and a carbon front boom.

I'm also considering having a full shell made for the bike so I can compete in the streamliner classes as well.

"Yup, three wheels... and a front fairing."


Seriously? OK, I've just been looking at two-wheeled bents assuming that trikes were God awful slow. Obviously I've misjudged the trikes. I think I'll be staying on thread by asking.......How fast are trikes in relation to two-wheelers?

Seriously? OK, I've just been looking at two-wheeled bents assuming that trikes were God awful slow. Obviously I've misjudged the trikes. I think I'll be staying on thread by asking.......How fast are trikes in relation to two-wheelers?

On my fairly reclined trike (catrike speed 2004), I can keep up with most non-drafting DFs, and I'm faster or slower than a minority of them on flat ground. With a strong headwind, they struggle to keep up. Downhill, I'm faster than all of them (or at least, if they can go faster, they dont dare to)

But the rolling resistance of a 3rd wheel is very noticeable, especially compared to a 2-wheel bent. Sure, 2-wheel bents are faster, but with a trike, you're bringing a chair whereever you're going.

I also have a HP Velotechnik Grasshopper, and I love it just as much.

They're just two different beasts with different ways of being enjoyed.

Yep, it's true. Between a comparable trike and 2-wheel bent, the 2-wheeler will usually be faster, simply because of the reduced weight, frontal area, and rolling resistance. It all depends on what the trike was designed for...

Not yet - Bram still has the durned thing and is taking his sweet time getting it together. And once it gets shipped to Garrie, it'll take more time yet since Garrie is building me some goodies to go with it. It's supposed to be slightly sub-20 pounds from Bram, and will have his innovative brakes as well. I expect it to be right at that or even less once Garrie gets done - he's adding wheel covers and a carbon front boom.

I'm also considering having a full shell made for the bike so I can compete in the streamliner classes as well.

Thanks for the update. I'd been wondering. Sounds like you'll have a jewel when you finally get it.

"Yup, three wheels... and a front fairing."


Seriously? OK, I've just been looking at two-wheeled bents assuming that trikes were God awful slow. Obviously I've misjudged the trikes. I think I'll be staying on thread by asking.......How fast are trikes in relation to two-wheelers?

As someone stated it kinda depends on the trike and its design. I'm as fast on my Catrike Speed @ 28lbs, as I was on my 5200 Trek @ 18lbs but my avg. was about 3mph slower on my Hotmover trike @41lbs, comes down to weight and design. You as so many others assume that trikes are God awful slow, not true. The thing is most people who ride trikes don't have to worry about speed when they ride, the rides to enjoyable and stress free and IMO that's what riding a trike is all about. They can become an addiction so be careful.

well i average about 25 on my wiz wheelz on the flat.
when i put my corn cob on I average about 38 in the 25 mile test.
during a tour i average about 20 mph ( last tour was from oregon to chicago ) i am not talking about a ultra race but a several day tour. Raam bents average arount 16 to 17 MPH but those are two wheeled.

trikes are slower in some ways faster in others; imo if i can ride for four days with no sleep without falling off my bike; i beat any two wheeler around.

for a century race, fastest has been 4:13:26 on a tailfaired baron.........optima box

next was a 62 mile race in which I solo averaged 24.8 mph with the razz fazz box on the vk-2

in the michigan state time trial I did 58:12 in the 40k with the tailfaired razz fazz on the vk-2

In a 12 mile time trial in Grand Rapids, out and back, I averaged 27.8mph.

looking at a faster bike for this season. .............at least it had better be faster or I'm gonna take a hammer to it and go back to mountain biking.

I have a Sherer TLT tadpole Trike that a strong rider may be able to do 40-45mph flat
maybe about 22mph up a 6% grade



http://www.shererusa.com/

http://shererusa.com/sherer_news5.wmv

What are you looking to get Chris, a nocom?


for a century race, fastest has been 4:13:26 on a tailfaired baron.........optima box

next was a 62 mile race in which I solo averaged 24.8 mph with the razz fazz box on the vk-2

in the michigan state time trial I did 58:12 in the 40k with the tailfaired razz fazz on the vk-2

In a 12 mile time trial in Grand Rapids, out and back, I averaged 27.8mph.

looking at a faster bike for this season. .............at least it had better be faster or I'm gonna take a hammer to it and go back to mountain biking.

I have a Sherer TLT tadpole Trike that a strong rider may be able to do 40-45mph flat
maybe about 22mph up a 6% grade


I saw that trike(brand) at the Bent Rally last summer. I didn't ride it cause it didn't seem well, practical(this coming from a very confirmed tadpole rider). Is that how fast you ride it?

I have a Sherer TLT tadpole Trike that a strong rider may be able to do 40-45mph flat
maybe about 22mph up a 6% grade



http://www.shererusa.com/

http://shererusa.com/sherer_news5.wmv

40-45mph maybe on a downhill maybe

I don't believe the speed claims, either. Going 40 mph requires a certain power level, regardless of the drive system being used; and it's more than anyone short of an elite cyclist can put out. Fiddling with levers affects the effective development, but not the power requirements. Besides, with that much knee bend, it looks very unergonomic. I'd be happy to put one to the test, but until that time I'll remain unconvinced.

I entered into a 64km/39.7mile time trial 3 weeks ago in a fully faired recumbent tadpole trike.

I traveled the distance in 70minutes, with a top speed of 96kmh/59.6mph and an average of 54.85kmh/34.1mph. Generally, my speed on the flats was 70kmh/43.5mph whilst I was pulling 35kmh/21.7mph up some steep hills. I wouldn't climb up them as fast on a DF anyway!

My team mate did it even faster, taking 5 minutes from my time. His average was 59.1kmh/36.7mph over the 64km course :eek:

Here's a pic;
If you're not convinced of the speed in this pic, just check out the side windows (http://www.byrinc.com/images/2007/BYR-07-2.jpg)

And a pretty cruddy, and potentially inaccessible mobile phone vid comprising of myself and my teammate;
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1833954176

Interested to know what youse all think, considering how much more youse yanks love lowracers over trikes :p

I have no difficulty believing that a fully faired bike - or trike - can do those speeds. For myself, I have chosen to ride HPRA (http://www.recumbents.com/hpra/) stock class, for simplicity and lightness, and because it's the way my friends on uprights ride. I've got enough advantage over them as it is, and with a fairing I might as well have a motorcycle for all the riding with them I'd be doing.

I entered into a 64km/39.7mile time trial 3 weeks ago in a fully faired recumbent tadpole trike.

The key words here are "fully faired recumbent tadpole trike." Most of us are well aware what a fully faired trike can do, just as we are aware what a fully faired lowracer can do. :)

I get 17 to 19 MPH on my two wheeled bents, and 13 to 15 MPH on my Tadpole, and I weigh 265 pounds.

The key words here are "fully faired recumbent tadpole trike." Most of us are well aware what a fully faired trike can do, just as we are aware what a fully faired lowracer can do. :)So it doesn't count? What's your point? Should I grow a beard?

So it doesn't count? What's your point? Should I grow a beard?

No, it counts! I thought you were trying to justify the 'other' non-faired trike's speed by giving yours, which is definitely believable. Your machine has the credentials for the speed you cited, it's the 40-45 mph on the flat of the 'other' one that was being questioned. I apologize for any misunderstanding.

As far as the beard, I wouldn't know. My wife won't let me grow one and I do everything she says. :D

No, it counts! I thought you were trying to justify the 'other' non-faired trike's speed by giving yours, which is definitely believable. Your machine has the credentials for the speed you cited, it's the 40-45 mph on the flat of the 'other' one that was being questioned. I apologize for any misunderstanding.

As far as the beard, I wouldn't know. My wife won't let me grow one and I do everything she says. :DOh, I get it now! :lol: I've ridden trikes long enough to understand the huge gap in speed between faired and non-faired. And I've been here long enough to know that youse all arn't stupid enough to not believe it :D .
TBH, I don't see the non-faired trike above doing such speeds either. The seating position is far too steep to be aero for starters, not to mention it looks like a Greenspeed X3 :lol: . I'll believe it when I see it :)

http://shererusa.com/sherer_news5.wmv

http://shererusa.com/sherer_news5.rm

At 62 years old it is hard to get that kind speed but is fun to ride!

My close friend has a recumbent (Challenge Fujin) and I ride a racing bike. He rules the flats. I raced USCF for 8 years, and my drafting skills are the only thing lets me stay with him; once I lose his wheel, he's gone. Climbing and twisty descents are another matter. Also he seems more exposed to the sun and is closer to the burning hot asphalt in the summer.

My close friend has a recumbent (Challenge Fujin) and I ride a racing bike. He rules the flats. I raced USCF for 8 years, and my drafting skills are the only thing lets me stay with him; once I lose his wheel, he's gone. Climbing and twisty descents are another matter. Also he seems more exposed to the sun and is closer to the burning hot asphalt in the summer.


Yup...it's one of the only negatives with my lowracer - I feel the texas heat pretty clearly, but I've built a good tolerance for it. Bents will always be slower climbers. If I'm in a paceline going 24mph at the bottom of a grade, I will likely drop to 15-17 depending on the grade, maybe even less. But I will almost lways catch them at the bottom and then the next flat section I'm gone!