Re: Considering a 'bent

Zebee Johnstone

In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:16:25 +0200
Jon Bendtsen <noone@example.com> wrote:
> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>> Another thing was the elbow angle. When I read in bed for example with
>> elbows at 90 deg or more for any length of time my hands get numb.
>> Obviously apples and oranges, but the more extended arm position of
>> USS looks more comfortable to me.
>
> Okay, i'll think about what my elbow angle is next time i ride
> it. My bikes handlebar mount can be pushed forward, or backwards
> which would change the angle.

My elbow angle with the Bacchetter Giro 20 is fairly straight. Not as
straight as the faster Bacchettas get, but well past 90deg.


> I think the open or closed thing makes a difference. The cruzbike
> website and forum talks about pulling in the handlebars and thus
> closing to gain extra strength. I tried it myself, and it appears
> to be working, especially uphill. Unfortunately my stamina is not
> yet there where i can do this for longer times.

That tends to raise the heartrate, you can't do it for long.

I'm slow up hills, I have found that I don't have the aerobic fitness
to spin up them, so I tend to grind away in a lower gear. So up
Melville St which ranges from 1 in 8 to 1 in 6 for 800m, I start in
the lowest rear and middle ring, push that for as long as I can, drop
to smallest ring and about 3rd gear, push that, down, push that, down,
push that. My lowest cadence is about 55 on that.

If I had more heart I could spin more.

I comfort myself with the idea that the bike is heavyish and is
carrying a lot of gear. If I was one my friend's Challenge Sieran
then I'd be faster up there.


Zebee

Zebee Johnstone

In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on 19 Jun 2008 10:09:03 GMT
Zebee Johnstone <zebeej@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm slow up hills, I have found that I don't have the aerobic fitness
> to spin up them, so I tend to grind away in a lower gear. So up
> Melville St which ranges from 1 in 8 to 1 in 6 for 800m, I start in

ack. What was I thinking? you'd need a ladder for that!

it's 50m of climbing in 800m, so that's what, 1 in 16! not one in 6.

Whatever the numbers, it's a bastard of a hill.

Zebee

Jon Bendtsen

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:16:25 +0200
> Jon Bendtsen <noone@example.com> wrote:
>> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Another thing was the elbow angle. When I read in bed for example with
>>> elbows at 90 deg or more for any length of time my hands get numb.
>>> Obviously apples and oranges, but the more extended arm position of
>>> USS looks more comfortable to me.
>> Okay, i'll think about what my elbow angle is next time i ride
>> it. My bikes handlebar mount can be pushed forward, or backwards
>> which would change the angle.
>
> My elbow angle with the Bacchetter Giro 20 is fairly straight. Not as
> straight as the faster Bacchettas get, but well past 90deg.
>
>
>> I think the open or closed thing makes a difference. The cruzbike
>> website and forum talks about pulling in the handlebars and thus
>> closing to gain extra strength. I tried it myself, and it appears
>> to be working, especially uphill. Unfortunately my stamina is not
>> yet there where i can do this for longer times.
>
> That tends to raise the heartrate, you can't do it for long.

It does, but i expect it is a good way to get a better stamina.


> I'm slow up hills, I have found that I don't have the aerobic fitness
> to spin up them, so I tend to grind away in a lower gear. So up
> Melville St which ranges from 1 in 8 to 1 in 6 for 800m, I start in
> the lowest rear and middle ring, push that for as long as I can, drop
> to smallest ring and about 3rd gear, push that, down, push that, down,
> push that. My lowest cadence is about 55 on that.

Well, in Denmark we dont have the kind of hills you guys have,
so i dont get so tired.




JonB