A couple of simple questions

[Ken Marcet]

First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base,
and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble
starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent
project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better
commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to
be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is
there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a
learned skill? Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear
wheel. I still need to work on a front deraileir. Second how are the muscles
in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? I have definately noticed
my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my
upright road cycle.

Ken


--
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
Arthur C. Clarke
English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - )

 

[Jon Meinecke]

"Ken Marcet" <[email protected]>
> Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent
> project bike, I did a short wheel base, [...]
> Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just
> sort of a learned skill?

I'm still getting used to high-bottom bracket SWB and starting
my Volae remains less sure than on my low bottom bracket
LWB after a month or so of riding... In my case, I went from
a bottom bracket height of ~12 inches on my Tour Easy to
~32 inches on my Volae, and from fairly upright seating position
to more reclined. I think both the bottom bracket height and
the seat recline affect starting.

For stop and go, I don't imagine a high-bottom bracket,
dual "big wheel" bike like Volae/Bacchetta will *ever*
be a comfortable starting for *me* as my Tour Easy and
BikeE,-- but it is quite manageable. I can't yet imagine
riding the Volae in the midst of a mass start event like the
Hotter 'n Hell rally where it took 45 minutes for us to
even reach the starting line.

> Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear
> wheel. I still need to work on a front derailleur.

Do you have low enough gearing?

I find it's much harder to start in a "too high" gear on my
Volae than on my Tour Easy. It is easier to "push off" to get
a rolling start on the Tour Easy,-- I can take both feet
off and "Flintstone" the bike, if I have to... Not possible
on the Volae.

Clipless pedals may or may not help... I have mine
adjusted quite loose for now.

> Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently
> in a recumbent bike?

Quite differently. %^) Quadriceps get major workout,
in my experience.

> I have definitely noticed my legs feel somewhat different
> after riding my bent versus when I ride my
> upright road cycle.

I even notice a difference among my recumbent models.

> It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
> [-- Clarke]

Intelligence often seems to be selected against in the
survival of the USENET poster species...

Jon Meinecke
net.subtle-apteryx

 

[John]

Ken Marcet wrote:

> First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel
> base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no
> trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled
> recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make
> a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now,
> and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first
> question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it
> just sort of a learned skill?

I put my right foot down to stop, and start by pushing on the pedal with
with my left. I make sure my starting pedal is about 20-30 degrees from
vertical 'toward me' and that I am in a low gear. I forget about niceties
like engaging the toe clip or clipless pedal (or whatever) with my right
foot when I initially start off - I just pedal. Once I am going then I can
coast a bit if necessary to sort out the proper pedal engagement.

It takes some planning, but it becomes habit, that you gear down toward the
bottom of your range as you come to a stop. With a 3x8=24 gear setup I go
to the bottom of the top range for a downhill start, the bottom of the top
or middle range (whichever I am in at the time) for a flat start, or the
lowest possible for an uphill start. Sometimes an uphill start is just
impossible and has to be tackled at least partially across the slope to
have any chance of success. Don't stop on hills like that if you can
possibly help it

--
John Turner

 

[Tom Sherman]

Ken Marcet wrote:

> First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel base,
> and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble
> starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent
> project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better
> commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem to
> be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is
> there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a
> learned skill?...

You want to get up to balancing speed as soon as possible. Make sure the
bike is in a low gear, lock the rear brake, push as hard as you can with
your "starting" leg, then release the brake.

With practice I find it easier to start out on my RANS Rocket and Earth
Cycles Sunset Lowracer than on an upright bicycle, since there is less
overall body motion involved. The RANS "Wavewind" actually takes more
effort to balance due to the longer wheelbase and greater tiller (and
too low of a gear results in a "power wheelie").

And yes, starting out is ridiculously easy on my Earth Cycles
Dragonflyer trike.

--
Tom Sherman - Earth

 

[Freewheeling]

Ken:

Go out and find a scary steep hill and practice starting your bike going
uphill for an afternoon. That'll about do it. Most of the stuff Tom is
telling you to do, you'll pretty much have to do to get the bike moving
(lock the brake, get it in an appropriate gear, "****" your driving or power
leg at around 12:00, etc.) Start, stop, restart, stop, restart, stop, etc.
for an afternoon. It's a good investment.

--
--Scott
"Ken Marcet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel
> base,
> and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble
> starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent
> project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better
> commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and seem
> to
> be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is
> there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a
> learned skill? Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear
> wheel. I still need to work on a front deraileir. Second how are the
> muscles
> in your legs used differently in a recumbent bike? I have definately
> noticed
> my legs feel somewhat different after riding my bent versus when I ride my
> upright road cycle.
>
> Ken
>
>
> --
> It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
> Arthur C. Clarke
> English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - )
>

 

[Ken Marcet]

Hey thanks Tom that holding the brake trick really works pretty good. I just
tried it on my first double digit distance ride on my swb. I am still a bit
shaky, but not as bad. I guess after a bit I will be better at it.

Ken

"Tom Sherman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ken Marcet wrote:
>
> > First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel
base,
> > and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no trouble
> > starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled recumbent
> > project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make a better
> > commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now, and
seem to
> > be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first question is: Is
> > there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it just sort of a
> > learned skill?...
>
> You want to get up to balancing speed as soon as possible. Make sure the
> bike is in a low gear, lock the rear brake, push as hard as you can with
> your "starting" leg, then release the brake.
>
> With practice I find it easier to start out on my RANS Rocket and Earth
> Cycles Sunset Lowracer than on an upright bicycle, since there is less
> overall body motion involved. The RANS "Wavewind" actually takes more
> effort to balance due to the longer wheelbase and greater tiller (and
> too low of a gear results in a "power wheelie").
>
> And yes, starting out is ridiculously easy on my Earth Cycles
> Dragonflyer trike.
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Earth
>

 

[Mike Causer]

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 11:53:09 -0500, Ken Marcet wrote:

> First until last week I had only riden a recumbent once, a long wheel
> base, and the street I started on was slightly downhill so I had no
> trouble starting off. Last week I finished my first custom recycled
> recumbent project bike, I did a short wheel base, I thought it would make
> a better commuting bike. Now I have riden my swb maybe a dozen times now,
> and seem to be getting somewhat better at starting off. So my first
> question is: Is there an easy to learn trick to starting off? Or is it
> just sort of a learned skill?

If there is a trick I haven't found it yet. Lots of practice is the
answer. Someone else suggested a day on the steepest hill you can find.
I'd suggest half an hour on a moderate hill, after which your legs are
going to hurt somewhat. When I let newcomers to recumbents ride my
SWB bike, I tell them to give a damn good push with their best leg
(normally right) and bring the other foot up promptly. Some can do it
right away, some never manage it...

.... I've had a very experienced cyclist who couldn't, but his mid-teen
son was a complete natural.



> Right now my bike is limited to the five gears in the rear wheel.

That's OK, I use a pretty low gear to start and change up as soon as I've
got the second foot clipped in. Clip-less clips are essential for me


> Second how are the muscles in your legs used differently in a recumbent
> bike? I have definately noticed my legs feel somewhat different after
> riding my bent versus when I ride my upright road cycle.

It's different. I can't describe how or why. But once you've built your
recumbent muscles you (well I) can take a month or two without being on
either a recumbent or an upright without losing the suitable muscles.
(What there has been of cycling this February has been entirely upright
because it has mudguards (fenders to you maybe) while the recumbent
doesn't.)


Mike