"I can't believe you did all that on a recumbent."

[RojoRacing]

It seems it depends on who you talk to out in the California Triple Crown series of double centuries. I seem to remember a group of the elite riders claiming the V20 was outright unfair even on those 15,000' events. It would seem a certain mountain biker's triple crown efforts on a V20 years ago have already faded from the memory of the general DC rider

In all seriousness talking to other people about the V20 I almost never compare it's speed against anything else because where I generally ride it all ends up in a wash because I'm always in the mountains. When I tell them is it's just so comfortable and relaxing that you get to give your 100% through the whole ride from start to finish without ever compromising any of your effort due to creeping discomforts in the later miles. I also tell them it's one of those things that you'll never understand or appreciate until you try it for yourself so there's little point in passing judgement because I guarantee it would surprise you in an unexpected way.

Curious as to why you took such long stops during your ride? Where you just enjoying the aid stations because you paid your entry so why not hang out and talk with some volunteers? I feel like your moving time without the stop time is actually respectable and if you gave it an honest effort straight through more riders out there would take note of the V20 as an option. People rarely see me and think that bike seems like it would be something I could try. What I experience the most is either
1. that bike is not a road bike and is unfair or
2. It's only that fast because of the rider which is why you never see anyone else out here on one.

 

[RojoRacing]

I wish they'd bring back the White Mountain DC route, I never do any of the DC out in that area because I feel the routes are too boring with no fun descents like the White Mountain.

 

[chicorider]

Curious as to why you took such long stops during your ride? Where you just enjoying the aid stations because you paid your entry so why not hang out and talk with some volunteers? I feel like your moving time without the stop time is actually respectable and if you gave it an honest effort straight through more riders out there would take note of the V20 as an option.

Yeah, I get a little chatty at the rest stops. Also, it was a hot day, heading for over 100 degrees, and at around mile 80, the clamp holding my two water bottles behind my head broke, reducing me to one bottle under the seat, where I'd have to stop to drink because I couldn't reach it. And that one bottle always seemed to be empty, making every aid station a rehydrating event. Not an excuse, just the conditions of the day. But yes, the aid station volunteers were fun to talk to.

 

[BikeGary]

When I meet DF riders at lights, I just tell them I had frozen shoulders (true) from riding my DF frame and had to switch. I'm not faster on the flats than they are because I don't have the legs/lungs for it (yet) and it seems like there are a lot of very inshape riders out here. I might be faster on the downhill sections than they are but with traffic I don't like to hit my max speed in the bike lane, and the traffic lanes are often 55mph which is still quite a bit faster than I am willing/able to ride. So unless I happen to have a large cap in traffic I don't try to pass them. And away from a light I'm slower getting going because of lack of skill, (working on this).

Anyway I present it as an option for them when they too become injured.

 

[chicorider]

For me it was lower back issues after 27 years of riding upright. I can relate. The older I get, the stronger my goal to "just keep moving" grows. CB has not only allowed me to keep that goal, but to improve on it; my old 18-19mph upright cruising speed is now 23-24mph. And what used to be 30 mile rides are now 50+ miles because nothing hurts ("if I turn left, I'll head towards home. If I go right, I can add a seven mile loop." [turns right]).

I like your use of the word "(yet)." We are all nothing but potential, even when we have to adapt.

 

[Bill Wightman]

with a bit over 10,000 feet of climbing, on my V20

The speed alone would be amazing for that distance, but then you had to say 10,000 ft of climbing. I will just continue to ride short, flat, and fast with the mere mortals. Amazing effort you made. Congrats.

 

[chicorider]

@Bill Wightman I appreciate that. As a lightweight, climbing has always been my thing. It's the rest of it that is really work for me.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Lighter usually means smaller too, so shouldn't that help in the aero department also? Or are you tall as well?

 

[chicorider]

No, I'm both light and short: 130lbs. soaking wet, and 5'4" on a good day. I suppose that does make me pretty aero. I don't put out a lot of watts, but with riding, I guess many factors are proportional. Actually, I don't ride with any information (other than what Strava tells me afterward), so I don't know what kind of watts I put out. "How many watts do you put out?" he asked. "As many as it takes to feel good," I said.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I am no engineer but light and short is a good combination in aerodynamics and acceleration. I'm 5'9" and about 177lbs. Strava power estimates aren't very far off on calm days I think for general purposes. I compared a few old rides with Strava's guestimation to recent ones in time and distancewith my PM, and the average watts listed by Strava and my 4iiii PM over the whole rides were pretty close. In today's quest for single digit watts I don't think serious riders would rely on Strava's numbers instead of a dedicated PM though.

Anyway though. I wouldn't have been able to keep my mouth shut near the DF riders. When I get back down to Texas would love to meet up for a ride.

 

[chicorider]

@Frito Bandito Meeting up for a ride would be great! I'm in Northern California, currently hunkering down under a blanket of wildfire smoke. But after fire season is over, it's a nice place to ride. I'd love to be able to say, "when I get back over to Japan..." but that is unlikely.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Keep safe up there braddah. For you and anyone else on this forum, if you come to Tokyo I'd be happy to ride with you if you bring your bike. I even have a 54cm Litespeed T1 in either a TT setup (on it now) or in its roadbike setup, or my Merida crossbike. I'm 5'9 and already have a couple of different stems from 80-130mm to tweak the fit in a jiffy.

 

[ts40m]

So this past Saturday I rode the Eastern Sierra Double Century, with a bit over 10,000 feet of climbing, on my V20. Great ride; loved it. I rode it solo, but at the end, shared a table with a group that I had played tag with for a while on the route. The group had matching jerseys that read Pain Train.

Man 1: You sure are fast on that thing.
Me: Thanks. Of course, riding recumbent is cheating.
Man 1: Is it an aerodynamic thing?
Me: Yeah, pretty much. It's really efficient.
Man 2: If it doesn't have a battery, it isn't cheating.
Me: All right, I can work with that. I'll take it.
Woman: Well, I just can't believe you did all that on a recumbent.
Me: It invites lots of miles, and in total comfort the whole way. [pause...] I rode upright bikes for almost 30 years, and I wouldn't have ridden today's ride on a regular bike. I mean, hats-off to you guys for doing it. That's impressive.
Woman: Well, we'd never ride today's ride on recumbents.
Me [with a shrug and a nod]: All right, there you go.

There is a fine art to proselytizing. You've found (cycling) Nirvana and you want others to know about it...when asked. But you don't want to come off as an overzealous kook either. You give it an honest go, and when one of them says, "We'd never ride today's ride on recumbents," you could ask, "have you ever ridden one?" But you don't because you know better (five years ago, pre-V20, I might have said the same thing). You end up feeling like you're sitting on a secret that you want to share, but others don't really want to hear it because it would force them to examine a pretty major cycling paradigm. All I know is, I'm glad I wasn't on the Pain Train. The Train's average speed? 16.1 mph (no, I did not ask; it just came up in conversation amongst them). My pain-free average speed? 20.1 mph (no, I did not share that because I didn't want to sound like I was gloating or bragging). Yes, I'm preaching to the choir here, but just sayin'...

I think, if I’m asked a similar question by a DF rider on any ride for any reason , I will say “that’s right you should see me on a real bike, I only ride this slow thing so you can keep up”

 

[3bs]

great ride, great numbers.
at 6'1 and 205, with a body that has been "ridden hard and put away wet" as my normal procedure for many decades, i will never see the numbers you guys put up. and having lost a lot of skin and a few bone chips in wrecks, i just don't have it in me to downhill on a two wheeler above 40's anymore.

its the 6 f's for me. fairly flat, fairly fast, fairly far.

 

[Frito Bandito]

IMO That is the only way to to treat a body for our 1 life on Earth 3bs. Get all you can out of it while you can, and then hang on for as long as possible.

 

[Frito Bandito]

I think, if I’m asked a similar question by a DF rider on any ride for any reason , I will say “that’s right you should see me on a real bike, I only ride this slow thing so you can keep up”

1 day, when 1 of them asks me something similar in a condescending manner I'll probably answer "Well, I used to be able to push really hard on my DF bike for a solid 3 hours, but I wouldn't be able to function at all afterwards. Now, on this I can hold the same speed for at least 8 hours as I held on my DF and still feel like a Spring Chicken afterwards."

 

[3bs]

I am so glad i ride with DF riders who have no such issues. Of course, i fix many of their bikes…..

 

[chicorider]

Funny. I'm the mechanic for most of my riding friends and neighbors too. They ask me when I can open "The Shop."

 

[ChaleJake]

I have become a source of information for my df friends also. They ask when the farm bike shop will be open. Mostly tire changes, cleaning etc.

 

[JerseyJim]

No, I'm both light and short: 130lbs. soaking wet, and 5'4" on a good day.

You're the Dani Pedrosa of recumbents!
Best MotoGP rider to never win a championship. Was always a big fan of that guy.