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?