Recumbent Ladies

[makbike]

I've been having a blast on my new Giro 20, I really do enjoy riding it. However, I'm a bit frustrated with my speed for I feel like slug on this bike. On my DF my average speed ranges from 15.0 - 16.0 mph. When I ride the Giro on the same routes that I take my DF my speed drops to a very slow and depressing range of 13.0 - 13.4 mph. I feel very comfortable on my Giro, have the seat reclined back though I'm still trying to dial the seat in (the inside of my left knee is sore and has been talking to me the past two rides on the Giro). I'm splitting my time between my DF and the Giro simply because I enjoy both and don't want the DF to gather dust or feel neglected How long did it take you gals to increase your speed on a consistant basis?

[KnottedYet]

My average speed never increased on my 'bent. (BikeE)

I sold the 'bent a few months ago (after having it for 5 or 6 years) and bought my Kona Dew.

Now I can go much faster, but sometimes I still miss my BikeE. I went the farthest (85 miles in one day) and the fastest (36 mph downhill) on that bike.

[MomOnBike]

"They" say that it takes upwards of 1000 miles to really get your bike and your muscles dialed in. The upward limit on this is 3000.

I'm afraid I'm not much help, though, I was immediately faster and stronger (though a bit wobbly) on my 'bent. I'm still pretty slow, but it's not the bike's fault. (I'm getting faster, really.)

One thing, you might just be wasting energy on the Giro by having your upper body too tense. Work to keep everything above hip level as relaxed as possible. You want all your energy to go to your legs. (At this point you should be picturing me screaming RELAX!, DAMNIT!!)

One other thing, you really have to spin on a 'bent. There is no way around it. That might be where the 1000 miles comes in, the learning to spin properly. There might even be a slightly different technique, but I might just be blowing smoke on this - and I have no idea what the differences might be.

Hope this helps.

Mom(enjoying looking at the bats on her evening rides)OnBent

[Nanci]

I have a friend who got one a couple months ago and is having problems, too. They told her it would take six months to be fully functional and up to speed on it.

[RedRansV2]

Hi makbike,

Bents are a blast, aren't they?
You don't say what kind of DF you're riding. Bet it doesn't weigh 30 lbs, though! Also what kind of tires are on your DF? Dual 700c's are going to be faster tires than the stock setup on your Bacchetta.

There are some recumbents that can be very, very fast. In my opinion, most are not going to be as fast as most mid-priced road bikes. They're heavier and most don't run 700c tires. But you can ride them for hours and hours and nothing hurts.

That said, MomOnBike is right: work on spinning, relax your upper body, develop the different leg muscles you use with a bent, and you will get faster. I would add that you might try less recline on your seatback. You mentioned that you had it reclined. While that does make you more aerodynamic, it can rob you of power, especially going uphill. Fiddle around with it and find out what works best for you.

I don't know whether it really takes 1000 miles to get dialed in on a bent. I know it takes a helluva lot less to ride well enough to have fun on it. I put a 1000 miles on my first bent in the first year I had it. The Rans V2 is my second bent. Maybe malkates will drop in on this thread. She posts here and on bentrideronline and I know she rides a Giro.

BTW, why'd you decide to try a recumbent?

[RedRansV2]

I forgot to ask if you're riding clipless on either or both bikes. If you're not clipless, you may want to consider using them. Otherwise, keeping your feet on the pedals on the Giro may be using more energy than you realize.

My Rans V2 has a higher BB than most long wheelbase (LWB) bents and I just went clipless. I do notice a difference in power.

Diane

[makbike]

Thanks ladies for your insight.

I've found if I don't keep the seat recline back I have a tendency to slide forward on the seat. I think I've finally found the pitch needed to keep my butt in the "valley."

I do feel very relaxed on the bike and with each ride I find my comfort level climbing upwards. I really never feel tense but than again I never feel tense on my DF either.

I do think I'm still low on the "learning curve" associated with my Giro, especially when it comes to the spinning. My computer does not have a cadence function and thus it makes it a little more difficult to closely monitor where I am. I do count pedal strokes for 10 seconds and multiple by 6 but as I've found on my DF being able to glance down at the computer to check cadence is wonderful. Maybe for Christmas I'll ask for a new computer (the one I have currently on the Giro was free so I try not to complain). I continue to try to focus on spinning when I ride and do fairly well on flat terrain it is the hills that are really killing me for I can't seem to maintain my spin. Maybe I simply need to ask my BF, a bent guy, to take me out and talk me through some hills (I hate hills regardless of what bike I'm on and thus the main reason I've avoided making this request). Maybe if he was there and could watch me and tell me what I'm doing wrong maybe I would gain some ground and speed.

I know my legs/butt muslces are slowly acclaimating to the recumbent for I don't hear them complaining as much and I'm slowly increasing my distance when I ride it. I also know if I would park my DF and ride only my Giro I would progress faster on the learning curve but I do love my DF and I simply can't drop it or ignore it for extended periods of time.

RedRans I went with a recumbent for two reasons. One I have a nasty case of tendinitis in my right wrist and a mild case in my left wrist. Riding my DF puts a lot of pressure on my wrist and causes discomfort. I thought maybe going to a recumbent would help and it has. The second reason was the price. A friend of my BF builds recumbents and gave my BF a recumbent he had built so that he could part it out. I purchased a raw Giro 20 frame, had it painted. BF built the wheels and put the bike together in a matter of a few hours back in June and well the rest is history. In reality I never would have been able to afford a Giro if I had to purchase it from a LBS, heck I can't afford to purchase a new DF from the LBS either (the reason I'm still riding the DF I purchased in 1985) so it appears I'm one very lucky gal. As I said before I love the Giro and I know with more time on the bike and an increase in my patience level my level of joy can only increase.

[MomOnBike]

Yeah, climbing, the old problem.

Don't hate hills. (Easier said than done, I know.) Treat them like, say, putting money in savings. Not really fun in the short run, but in the long run, really good for you. And in the meantime, you get to walk around feeling smug.

I don't know how much your bike weighs, but I'm almost positive it weighs more than your DF. You will be slower up hills. How much slower depends on you.

You speed profile on a 'bent will more closely resemble a tandem. Slower uphill, faster on flats, and much faster downhill. Rollers are a gas.

Gear down and spin like crazy. And point your bike at hills every chance you get. Hills yield to practice. The up side is that you now get to enjoy those lovely FAST downhills.

There was a great article over on BROL about hill climbing about 6(?) months ago, but it's hidden away in some dark corner now and I was unable to find it. If you have time...

I don't blame you for not giving up on the DF. Both your bikes have their strengths (and weaknesses). Choose the right tool for the job.

[mjkates]

Thanks ladies for your insight.

I've found if I don't keep the seat recline back I have a tendency to slide forward on the seat. I think I've finally found the pitch needed to keep my butt in the "valley."

I do feel very relaxed on the bike and with each ride I find my comfort level climbing upwards. I really never feel tense but than again I never feel tense on my DF either.

I do think I'm still low on the "learning curve" associated with my Giro, especially when it comes to the spinning.

I know my legs/butt muslces are slowly acclaimating to the recumbent for I don't hear them complaining as much and I'm slowly increasing my distance when I ride it. I also know if I would park my DF and ride only my Giro I would progress faster on the learning curve but I do love my DF and I simply can't drop it or ignore it for extended periods of time.

Hang in there Makbike! I was clued into this thread by one of the Denver ladies. I went from a Custom Serotta (that I was in pain on after an hour despite the perfect fit and beauty of the bike) to my Giro a little over a year and a half ago and I will never go back.

But some disclaimers...I have a lot of time in this bike. And I did not just get a stock Giro. In fact, one of the guys on BROL (where you ought to be spending some reading time) calls it the Giro "Maximo". I spent a lot for a great deal of customizing - things you can do too if you've got a handy BF and it sounds you do. I got the lighter carbon seat for one thing - I think that's like 2.5 lbs. Also lighter wheels, a hollow pin chain...it's lighter than normal but still heavier than the Serrotta. Whilethese things cost, if you have someone to install them, they're not probably out of the question for you over time.

Next: It does take a long time to get your "recumbent legs" but it's so well worth it. It will take longer for you as you're interspersing your training on the 'bent with rides on the DF so you may have a while to go. I think I am just now, in the middle of my 2nd summer on the Giro, faster than I was on the Serrotta. I am slow as I was on the DF when going up hills but faster on the flats and way faster downhill. And I have about 5700 miles on the bike.

I find that I have much more power when I'm not too reclined. The recline really only works when your bottom bracket is quite a bit higher than your seat - a bigger diff than we have on the Giro 20. The reason is this: when reclined with a steep rake to the BB your hip angle is closed up the way it is on a DF. Imagine the position of being bent over the aero bars on a DF - crouched down for a down hill. Now imagine holding that position but tipping yourself onto your back. That's how you are when reclined with a high BB. But with the lowish BB we have on the Giro, I find we lose power when reclining. I fiddle with the way I"m sitting constantly though and you may end up doing that too. The carbon seat doesn't sit up like the regular seat on the Giro so ymmv. And there's always the sore butt issue to avoid by leaning back a bit. Just don't overdo it.

Please feel free to get in touch with me for off forum discussion if you want.

Best,
Mallory in Boulder

[makbike]

Mallory:

Thanks so much for taking time to reply to my post. My BF, also a bent rider, keeps telling me it will take time on the bike, to be patient. I have lots of patience for many things but I guess it is limited on my Giro. BF made some adjustments to my bike last week (replace the BB - the one we originally used was too short and thus I had a really hard time getting to the small chain ring), adjusted my seat position and adjusted the cables (they had stretched some so the chain was jumping from cog to cog). I took the bike out Sunday and had a great ride. I felt so smooth on the bike and I found myself spinning without a lot of difficulty. My legs, however, started to give out on me but I still had my fastest avg. speed to date. I know my legs are strong on my DF (proved by my avg. speed on Saturday night's ride) and are still growing into recumbent legs on my Giro. I simply told myself Sunday that I had to be patient and to simply enjoy myself on the bike and I did that successfully. I'm simply going to keep pluggin' away at it and I know with time good things will develop. I'm determined to be as fast on my Giro as I am on my DF so like everything else in life I have a lot of hard work ahead of me and I plan to embrace it.

Thanks again for taking time to offer your advice (I appreciate everyone who took time to offer words of encouragment and helpful suggestions). Have a great day!