Nik Heathman
New Member
I've has this a few months, grabbed it while I can as they are like hens teeth this side of the pond.
I've dabbled with 'bents over the years, started with a Kingcycle, had an Optima Baron, Catrike Speed (fun but slow) and lastly a Quest velomobile (crazy fast, but just doesn't climb at well over 30kg).
I gave it a few runs round the block - practiced hill starts etc. Still a bit wobbly, but I figure the only way to get better is get some miles under my belt. I did a couple of 7 mile loops yesterday then tackled my commute this morning:
Well pleased with the result. I have no recumbent legs whatsoever, but have just come off the back of 3 x 300 mile weeks on my normal road bikes so cycling fitness is pretty good.
To put it into perspective, I'm 44 and weigh 74kg or so. I normally average around 18mph this time of year on that route on a top end Trek with deep carbon rims
The roads round here are bumpy (certainly the quiet ones) and I'm not that confident yet over 25mph on the bumps, but I think I've finally found a recumbent I can gel with. There's no avoiding hills here and the this thing loves them, barely any slower up the gentler (up to 7-8% maybe) climbs on the commute. It's never going to like the steep stuff - I had a bit of wheel slippage this morning in the dry so no good for the wet either I guess.
I didn't find comfort that bad with the standard seat - may well get the Thor and seat pad, but no hurry. Just need to log some more miles first, and maybe fit some Rotor rings which I have used for the last 40,000 miles on the rest of my bikes.
I've dabbled with 'bents over the years, started with a Kingcycle, had an Optima Baron, Catrike Speed (fun but slow) and lastly a Quest velomobile (crazy fast, but just doesn't climb at well over 30kg).
I gave it a few runs round the block - practiced hill starts etc. Still a bit wobbly, but I figure the only way to get better is get some miles under my belt. I did a couple of 7 mile loops yesterday then tackled my commute this morning:
Well pleased with the result. I have no recumbent legs whatsoever, but have just come off the back of 3 x 300 mile weeks on my normal road bikes so cycling fitness is pretty good.
To put it into perspective, I'm 44 and weigh 74kg or so. I normally average around 18mph this time of year on that route on a top end Trek with deep carbon rims
The roads round here are bumpy (certainly the quiet ones) and I'm not that confident yet over 25mph on the bumps, but I think I've finally found a recumbent I can gel with. There's no avoiding hills here and the this thing loves them, barely any slower up the gentler (up to 7-8% maybe) climbs on the commute. It's never going to like the steep stuff - I had a bit of wheel slippage this morning in the dry so no good for the wet either I guess.
I didn't find comfort that bad with the standard seat - may well get the Thor and seat pad, but no hurry. Just need to log some more miles first, and maybe fit some Rotor rings which I have used for the last 40,000 miles on the rest of my bikes.
