vik 

I have setup a website using blogger to try and capture some of the successful recumbents being used for randoneering & ultra racing. The goal being to highlight what is working for experienced riders so that folks new to riding recumbents in these types of events can benefit. The wide variety of recumbents available can be overwhelming and this site will hopefully assist in helping people interested in trying recumbents narrow down the field as well as providing some ideas regarding bike setup.

This is a work in progress and I'd be happy to add your entry to the site if you are an experienced recumbent rider and would like to contribute.

https://longdistancebents.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: the purpose of this post is not to cunningly convert you from your diamond frame [DF] bike to the dark side of recumbents. I ride and enjoy both kinds of bikes. They each have their pros and cons when it comes to long rides. If you are happy with your DF for brevets that is great and there is no need to consider a recumbent. However, if you have an interest in recumbents I’m hoping this will be a useful resource for you.

Machka 

I should put you in touch with my friends from Manitoba, Peter and Dean. Both ride recumbents and both are into Randonneuring. Plus Peter builds recumbents. I don't know if you would have heard of his brand, but you might have since you're Canadian and in the Randonneuring crowd here ... He calls it ..... Peterbuilt.


BTW - I have actually ridden recumbents too. Dean let me try a couple of his.

vik 

Thanks Charlene. Dean has made a contribution to the site already and I have a Peterbuilt frame leaning up against my desk at work. So many bents so little time...

Of course I'll need photographic proof of you on a bent......given your enjoying cycling post are we going to see you "laid back and loving it" in the future...hahaha.....

Machka 

Small world!! I've ridden with both Peter and Dean a number of times ... very nice guys.

Have you been in touch with Peter Norris from Florida too? He's another recumbent-riding randonneuring friend of mine.

And, as requested ...

.

vik 

Yes Peter has already made a contribution to the site. If you think the randoneering world is small just imagine how tiny the recumbent segment of it is...

Thanks for the pics I'll have to blog them.

Now we just have to get you out on bent more often...

cat0020

I've been riding DF road bikes since 1992, road racing since 1994, completed the Lake Placid, NY Ironman qualifying race. I started riding recumbent with my GF last year. I have discovered for myself, after 60 some miles of riding, I feel much fresher getting off from a recumbent than a road bike, even though I'm used to spending 5, 6 hours on a road bike with minimal stops.

My GF has done her first metric century ever on two-wheels on her recumbent:



My neighbor's 12 y-o kid was capable of riding 20 miles on my recumbent without complaint, usually his always whinny after five miles on his regular mt. bike.



Both have classic recumbent grin while riding.

vik 

Cool! Glad you are having fun or your bents and it is great that your GF has completed her first metric century. My GF went from zero cycling to comfortably completing her first metric century on a bent in 5 or 6 rides. Now she wants to ride a 200K.

cat0020

My GF and I are planning to ride our recumbents to complete the Allegheny trail from Washington DC to Pittsbugh, PA next year, it would be over a period of a week or 9 days, but we'll be carrying all of our camping gear with us.

Zonker

MY GF and I did that last month, only we went from Pittsburgh to DC, the opposite direction, and on folding bikes, rather than recumbents. I hope you're thinking Spring or Fall, the summer would be downright brutal. Here's a good website for info, if you haven't run across it yet: https://www.yockatomac.org/

good luck!

The Smokester

So those who have tried them, why don't you stick with recumbents for long distance rides?

cat0020

I do ride my recumbent bike for long distance rides.. anything above 35 miles.. recumbent would be my choice over my diamond frame road bike nowdays.
If you have never ridden a recumbent bicycle over 30 miles, it's hard to understand the reason.

The Smokester

How about someone who used to ride a recumbent long distances and then switched back to a diamond frame? Are there any such persons?

LWaB

I know of a couple of such people. 2 x PBP on recumbent and the third PBP on an upright for one of them.

cat0020

So what are the reasons for the person to switch from recumbent back to DF? to be more competitive? or to be able to ride longer distance (perhalps distance longer than PBP race)?

Have you competed in PBP or a randonneur event?

People prefer one kind of bicycle over another because of different priority; comfort, looks, performance, cost, utility, are just some examples... sometimes, people prefer comfort over anything else as priority, properly fitted recumbent bikes are better suited in the comfort department than DF bikes.

LWaB

This fellow is not competitive at all and PBP distance is about the same each time. He preferred to climb and enjoyed more conversation while riding an upright and found a position on his upright that was as comfortable as his recumbent. YMMV

Rowan

You failed with one key point -- generally, comfort on DF bikes is related directly to fit, and often people who get off them and go to recumbents have never ridden a bike that properly fits them (and that includes an appropriate saddle).

I have talked often with various recumbent riders, and there are, certainly, comfort issues that come to the fore in long-distance events such as randonnees over 200km. Among them are butt numbness, sore shoulders, sore hands and sore knees. Significantly, some two-wheel recumbents require greater concentration to steer and balance than a DF bike, and some trikes end up being totally uncomfortable because they are unable to straddle or ride the shoulder when there are certain types of rumble strips in place.

That's not to say that some DF bikes have their issues, too.

The temptation to jump straight on to a recumbent without a "proper fit" can cause as many problems as a DF bike.

vik 

Riding a poorly fitted ______________ [fill in the blank with anything] for 16hrs+ will give you no end of trouble & pain. Some people are comfy on DF bikes and some people find their long standing DF bike ergonomic issues sorted out by the right recumbent.

There really is no right answer that would apply to everyone. These various types of pedal powered contraptions provide different solutions to highly varied ergonomic needs we all have. If you are comfortable on your DF riding brevets - cool! Keep 'er rolling. If not try and sort your problems out. If that doesn't work I would definitely consider looking into recumbents as a potential solution.