Tom Sherman <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> Edward Dolan wrote:
> > ... By the way, although Bill claimed he was not a particularly strong or fast rider, he went
> > like the wind on it and there was no catching him on my Vision R40. I noted that Bill was very
> > laid back on his bike. I think that is the only way to go on a recumbent and I do not understand
> > recumbent cyclists who prefer the more upright position. But like you said above, different
> > strokes for different folks.
>
> A low BB, a reclined seat back, and a closed hip/pedal angle are incompatible. If a ride a SWB
> bike with a relatively low BB (e.g. Haluzak Horizon or Vision 40/50 series) I end up wanted to
> have the seatback all the way up to close the hip/pedal angle.
>
> I would like a bike such as the Wishbone I had [1] (but with a better chainline and chain
> management, more vertical frame compliance, and OSS).
> [1] 13" (33 cm) seat height, 26" (66 cm) BB height
Yes, a bike such as the Infinity and the Tour Easy do mandate a very upright position as opposed to
a Vision. The hip/pedal angle is critical and I had to learn it the hard way by buying many
different recumbents. The main problem I have with the upright position is that after a couple of
hours I can get a bit of discomfort (sore butt) whereas with the more laid back position of the
Vision I can ride all day and never feel a thing.
I am somewhat amused by your categorizing of the Vision as a "relatively low BB" but when I see what
you have ridden (the Sunset and the Wishbone) it begins to make sense I guess. Your former Wishbone
had more than 10" difference between the seat height and the BB height which makes it all but
impossible for me. I regard the Vision configuration (set up LWB - very similar to a Tailwind) as
the optimum setting. I have noted that Mark Stonich also regards this as the optimum too (BB 4"
below the seat) although it may be that his hip surgeries have something to do with that. This use
to be Robert Bryant's (editor of RCN) optimum recumbent configuration too with the BB about 2" below
the seat but I believe he has recently been seduced by SWB high BB bikes. They are all the fashion
now I will admit.
I do not like the Vision with the seat back all the way up as discomfort starts to kick in then.
However, I think it is a more powerful pedaling position and you will climb better and go faster
over all. But I am into recumbents for the comfort thing, not the speed thing. When you give up on
the idea of having to be fast on a recumbent a whole new world opens up. Try it sometime. You
might like
it.
Ed Dolan - Minnesota