Height queries?

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy folks!

I've noticed something since I've been riding recumbents. I see much taller guys and gals on
recumbent bikes versus what I used to see when I rode my upright bikes. Has anyone else taken
notice of this?

I reckon I'm predisposed to looking for other tall riders since I'm 6'7" myself. There's a guy in my
town who also rides and he is an even 7' tall!

Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than the average upright rider?

--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"

 

[Dennis Tresenri]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:50:18 GMT, "Lars S. Mulford"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than the average upright rider?

I'm pretty tall; as I'm 5'-7". Dennis Tresenriter Central Illinois

 

[Torben Scheel]

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy folks!
>
> I've noticed something since I've been riding recumbents. I see much
taller
> guys and gals on recumbent bikes versus what I used to see when I rode my upright bikes. Has
> anyone else taken notice of this?
>
> I reckon I'm predisposed to looking for other tall riders since I'm 6'7" myself. There's a guy in
> my town who also rides and he is an even 7'
tall!
>
> Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than
the
> average upright rider?

Yes, this is due to the correlation between IQ and height ;-)
http://psycprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk/archive/00000143/

Torben - 6'4" Custom Challenge Focus Sport *Acrofobia* hmm..

 

[Steve McDonald]

It's often hard to get long-enough handlebar and seat stems to fit extra-tall people on an upright
bike, but it's just a matter of moving the seat back, to make many recumbents compatible for them.
Also, a very tall person may be so high up on an upright, that their center of gravity may make safe
handling more difficult. I once hand-made very long handlebar and seat stems for a woman who was 6'
7" and had legs up to her armpits. She couldn't find any uprights or stock adaptors for them that
would work for her and was very happy with my special stems. I told her to try recumbents, but she
was a poor college student at the time.

It seems that recumbents are especially popular in Scandinavia and nearby areas. Generally,
Nordic people are the tallest of all. Iceland has the tallest of all people and Nederland comes
in second. The Masai of Africa are the third tallest. But, can anyone furnish a picture of a
Masai or an Islandingur on a recumbent?

Steve McDonald

 

[Mikael Seierup]

6' 3 here.

Mikael

 

[Jack Davis]

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy folks!
>
> I've noticed something since I've been riding recumbents. I see much
taller
> guys and gals on recumbent bikes versus what I used to see when I rode my upright bikes. Has
> anyone else taken notice of this?
>
> I reckon I'm predisposed to looking for other tall riders since I'm 6'7" myself. There's a guy in
> my town who also rides and he is an even 7'
tall!
>
> Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than
the average upright rider?

For sure we are a "smidgen" rounder!

jd


>
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"

 

[Mikael Seierup]

"Jack Davis" skrev...
> > Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than
> the average upright rider?
>
>
> For sure we are a "smidgen" rounder!

Speak for yourself. ;o)

6' 3 and 176 lbs

M.

 

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy Steve and others!

I hadn't thought about that but I bet you're right! My family is of Norwegian heritage and I've
several family members still in Norway who are riders. Our family is tall (my shortest brother is
6'4", the tallest is just under 7') but in Norway I never really noticed us standing out. I wasn't
paying attention to it, mind you, but I can't recall any family members who reside in Norway who are
significantly shorter than their US residing clan...
--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"

"Steve McDonald" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> It seems that recumbents are especially popular in Scandinavia and
> nearby areas. Generally, Nordic people are the tallest of all. Iceland
> has the tallest of all people and Nederland comes in second.

 

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy JD and others!

You know, that may or may not be true. I think that there are many who would love to perpetuate a
stereotype that has your average recumbent rider being overweight or round and whatnot... I can't
speak to that because my experience has not shown that to be the case.

The folks I've ridden with and encounter are either under 40 and fit or in their late 50s or early
60s and extremely fit. I've not encountered a recumbent rider yet that supposedly fits the
stereotype that some would have you believe are the only recumbent riders...

Then again, perhaps things are different here on the Eastern Shore.

I should also add that the recumbent riders I encounter here don't just ride. Riding is for exercise
AND pleasure, but it is not the SOLE means by which they attain exercise. Most folks I've
encountered also engage in other forms of fitness and their recumbent riding is a natural extension
of their established exercise routines or fun activities.
--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"

"Jack Davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:kF8Sb.34927$P%[email protected]...
> For sure we are a "smidgen" rounder!
>
> jd

 

[Zippy The Pinhe]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 15:01:33 +0100, "Mikael Seierup"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>6' 3 here.
>
>Mikael

5-foot nineteen inches here.

 

[Jack Davis]

Lars,

I guess maybe in the heart-of-the-Rust-belt OHIO things are slightly more like the stereotype. (look
at almost any photo on WWW)

There are the bent folks that want to go fast and they are usually found to be tall, thin, fit, and
riding a SWB bike while flying all, or at least most, of the appropriate lycra colors.

Then there are the people like me that want to be comfortable. We seem to be in the greater number
around here. (but that could change...) We are usually plopped on a LWB or Trike and often pushing
the design weight limits of the machine. We are usually in blue-jeans and a cotton t-shirt.

Many of us are older and have health problems or medical conditions which limits our riding, but the
one thing we all share is our love of getting out in nature's beauty and feeling the wind in our
face as we go.

Just so we're all having fun...

jd

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy JD and others!
>
> You know, that may or may not be true. I think that there are many who would love to perpetuate a
> stereotype that has your average recumbent
rider
> being overweight or round and whatnot... I can't speak to that because my experience has not shown
> that to be the case.
>
> The folks I've ridden with and encounter are either under 40 and fit or in their late 50s or early
> 60s and extremely fit. I've not encountered a recumbent rider yet that supposedly fits the
> stereotype that some would
have
> you believe are the only recumbent riders...
>
> Then again, perhaps things are different here on the Eastern Shore.
>
> I should also add that the recumbent riders I encounter here don't just ride. Riding is for
> exercise AND pleasure, but it is not the SOLE means
by
> which they attain exercise. Most folks I've encountered also engage in other forms of fitness and
> their recumbent riding is a natural extension
of
> their established exercise routines or fun activities.
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"
>
> "Jack Davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:kF8Sb.34927$P%[email protected]...
> > For sure we are a "smidgen" rounder!
> >
> > jd

 

[Mikael Seierup]

"Jack Davis" skrev...
> There are the bent folks that want to go fast and they are usually found to be tall, thin, fit,
> and riding a SWB bike while flying all, or at least most, of the appropriate lycra colors.
>
> Then there are the people like me that want to be comfortable. We seem to be in the greater number
> around here. (but that could change...) We are usually plopped on a LWB or Trike and often pushing
> the design weight limits of the machine. We are usually in blue-jeans and a cotton t-shirt.

You know, you can be in good shape and comfortable just like I'm sure you can be fat and fast. The
two things are not mutually exclusive. ;-) I'm also comfortable on both my VK2 and the TE-clone
wearing lycra or jeans. (A question of temperature in these parts plus jeans goes better with a TE.)

Regards Mikael

 

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy Jack!

I can relate to both sides. Last year I was 300lbs, in the worst shape of my life and feeling
absolutely miserable. Couple this with no real desire to make myself more healthy until some health
issues cropped up, forcing me to go to the doctor. At the doc's office, I was read the riot act
about letting myself get into such poor shape (it just snuck up on me doc, honest!). I then had to
open my mouth and say to the doc that I had been thinking about losing weight. Well, that saved me
from getting put on numerous drugs for high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc... The doc jumped right
on it and said that I had 6 months to get my act together and that we'd review again at that time.
(The reason for my initial visit was that I was having headaches that would last for weeks.) Well, I
walked out of the doctor's office with wishy-washy determination. When I got home, Michele (my wife)
and Katy (my oldest daughter) could tell by the look on my face that the visit hadn't gone well and
they steered well clear of me. My youngest daughter Rachel could not "read" that look on daddy's
face and came right up to me and asked how things went... I told her bluntly that I had received a
bad report card and that I needed to take care of myself better. She looked right at me (perhaps
even through me) and said "Daddy, you always talk about how much you love mommy and sissy and me.
But, if you really loved us, you'd love yourself more than you do and take better care of yourself."

That decided it for me. Those innocent words made it real for me. REALLY real.

Bottom line? I changed.

I went from an overweight fat guy who could barely PONDER exercise without breaking a sweat,
into a guy who dropped 82 lbs and is in the best shape of his life. I work out every day, ride
every day. Most days, I'm joined on my bike by Rachel, my youngest daughter. She rides her EZ-1
SC and I ride my Tour Easy SS XL. We charge up and down hills with no problems. Perhaps I should
tell Rachel that her bike is way too heavy and recumbents are too difficult to negotiate hills
except with difficulty. No one has bothered to inform her, because she's doing it every day.
(lol) But I digress!

My point is this: I have been on both sides. I am in much better shape now and I ride in part to
maintain my health. BUT BUT BUT... ...THE MOST important reason that I ride is because I LOVE IT. I
love to ride. My family loves to ride. We ride together. It is relaxing. It is fun. It is great! We
all love to ride and it is good for us to boot! Being good for us is really an extra, because when
we ride together we do it solely because we have so much fun together.

Funny how the world slows down at the pace of a bicycle... Funny how you notice things you didn't
before... Funny how paths you've driven before take on different looks, become new in other ways to
you when you are biking... Funny how recumbents can be so fun and yet be something healthy too...
Funny how bikes can bring families even closer together...

Recumbent riding isn't the magic bullet.

But for us?

It comes pretty daggoned close. We're a better family for having become recumbent riders. We're
better people too. Most importantly? We're better with each other.

How cool is that!

--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"

"Jack Davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Wl9Sb.34931$P%[email protected]...
>
> Many of us are older and have health problems or medical conditions which
> limits our riding, but the one thing we all share is our love of getting
out
> in nature's beauty and feeling the wind in our face as we go.
>
> Just so we're all having fun...
>
> jd

 

[Carol Cohen]

We all started out short but the recumbent biking position gradually elongated us. Lamarkian
giraffes all.

C.C.

 

[Jack Davis]

"Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We all started out short but the recumbent biking position gradually elongated us. Lamarkian
> giraffes all.
>
> C.C.

C.C.,

That theory would seem to indicate that DF riders may soon be walking on all fours, again.....

jd

 

[Geob]

> Is it possible that the average recumbent rider is a smidgen taller than the average
> upright rider?

5' 8.5" Soon to be 165 lbs

But the imapct of my presence makes me seem taller.

My uncle 'B' Bearden of Timpson TX had 13 children. Think about half were girls. The shortest of the
brood was 6' 4", tallest was 7'. Dunno nuthin 'bout nordic ancestors, but Cherokee, now...

 

[Jack Davis]

Lars,

Sounds like you are getting more than your moneys worth...congratulations and keep it up...

I just bought my adult son a RANS V2 to replace his Tailwind as a bribe to get him to stop smoking.
The bribe worked, his wife will now get the TW.

My wife had to give up her beloved upright when she had both knees replaced with titanium and
stainless steel so I got her an EZ1 Lite and she loves it. I gave up my custom made DF after heart
surgery and now ride an upgraded Tailwind.

The thermometer is pushing near Zero around here these days so we do our pedaling in the basement on
the recumbent exercise bike. (It's just NOT the same....)

We're just looking forward to Spring!

jd

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy Jack!
>
> I can relate to both sides. Last year I was 300lbs, in the worst shape of my life and feeling
> absolutely miserable. Couple this with no real desire to make myself more healthy until some
> health issues cropped up, forcing
me
> to go to the doctor. At the doc's office, I was read the riot act about letting myself get into
> such poor shape (it just snuck up on me doc, honest!). I then had to open my mouth and say to the
> doc that I had been thinking about losing weight. Well, that saved me from getting put on numerous
> drugs for high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc... The doc
jumped
> right on it and said that I had 6 months to get my act together and that we'd review again at that
> time. (The reason for my initial visit was that
I
> was having headaches that would last for weeks.) Well, I walked out of
the
> doctor's office with wishy-washy determination. When I got home, Michele (my wife) and Katy (my
> oldest daughter) could tell by the look on my face that the visit hadn't gone well and they
> steered well clear of me. My youngest daughter Rachel could not "read" that look on daddy's
> face and
came
> right up to me and asked how things went... I told her bluntly that I had received a bad report
> card and that I needed to take care of myself
better.
> She looked right at me (perhaps even through me) and said "Daddy, you
always
> talk about how much you love mommy and sissy and me. But, if you really loved us, you'd love
> yourself more than you do and take better care of yourself."
>
> That decided it for me. Those innocent words made it real for me. REALLY real.
>
> Bottom line? I changed.
>
> I went from an overweight fat guy who could barely PONDER exercise without breaking a sweat, into
> a guy who dropped 82 lbs and is in the best shape
of
> his life. I work out every day, ride every day. Most days, I'm joined on my bike by Rachel, my
> youngest daughter. She rides her EZ-1 SC and I ride my Tour Easy SS XL. We charge up and down
> hills with no problems.
Perhaps
> I should tell Rachel that her bike is way too heavy and recumbents are too difficult to negotiate
> hills except with difficulty. No one has bothered
to
> inform her, because she's doing it every day. (lol) But I digress!
>
> My point is this: I have been on both sides. I am in much better shape
now
> and I ride in part to maintain my health. BUT BUT BUT... ...THE MOST important reason that I ride
> is because I LOVE IT. I love to ride. My family loves to ride. We ride together. It is relaxing.
> It is fun. It
is
> great! We all love to ride and it is good for us to boot! Being good for us is really an extra,
> because when we ride together we do it solely
because
> we have so much fun together.
>
> Funny how the world slows down at the pace of a bicycle... Funny how you notice things you didn't
> before... Funny how paths you've driven before take on different looks, become new in other ways
> to you when you are biking... Funny how recumbents can be so fun and yet be something
healthy
> too... Funny how bikes can bring families even closer together...
>
> Recumbent riding isn't the magic bullet.
>
> But for us?
>
> It comes pretty daggoned close. We're a better family for having become recumbent riders. We're
> better people too. Most importantly? We're
better
> with each other.
>
> How cool is that!
>
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"
>
> "Jack Davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:Wl9Sb.34931$P%[email protected]...
> >
> > Many of us are older and have health problems or medical conditions
which
> > limits our riding, but the one thing we all share is our love of getting
> out
> > in nature's beauty and feeling the wind in our face as we go.
> >
> > Just so we're all having fun...
> >
> > jd

 

[Edward Dolan]

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Howdy Jack!
>
> I can relate to both sides. Last year I was 300lbs, in the worst shape of my life and feeling
> absolutely miserable. Couple this with no real desire to make myself more healthy until some
> health issues cropped up, forcing me to go to the doctor. At the doc's office, I was read the riot
> act about letting myself get into such poor shape (it just snuck up on me doc, honest!). I then
> had to open my mouth and say to the doc that I had been thinking about losing weight. Well, that
> saved me from getting put on numerous drugs for high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc... The doc
> jumped right on it and said that I had 6 months to get my act together and that we'd review again
> at that time. (The reason for my initial visit was that I was having headaches that would last for
> weeks.) Well, I walked out of the doctor's office with wishy-washy determination. When I got home,
> Michele (my wife) and Katy (my oldest daughter) could tell by the look on my face that the visit
> hadn't gone well and they steered well clear of me. My youngest daughter Rachel could not "read"
> that look on daddy's face and came right up to me and asked how things went... I told her bluntly
> that I had received a bad report card and that I needed to take care of myself better. She looked
> right at me (perhaps even through me) and said "Daddy, you always talk about how much you love
> mommy and sissy and me. But, if you really loved us, you'd love yourself more than you do and take
> better care of yourself."
>
> That decided it for me. Those innocent words made it real for me. REALLY real.
>
> Bottom line? I changed.
>
> I went from an overweight fat guy who could barely PONDER exercise without breaking a sweat, into
> a guy who dropped 82 lbs and is in the best shape of his life. I work out every day, ride every
> day. Most days, I'm joined on my bike by Rachel, my youngest daughter. She rides her EZ-1 SC and I
> ride my Tour Easy SS XL. We charge up and down hills with no problems. Perhaps I should tell
> Rachel that her bike is way too heavy and recumbents are too difficult to negotiate hills except
> with difficulty. No one has bothered to inform her, because she's doing it every day. (lol) But I
> digress!
>
> My point is this: I have been on both sides. I am in much better shape now and I ride in part to
> maintain my health. BUT BUT BUT... ...THE MOST important reason that I ride is because I LOVE IT.
> I love to ride. My family loves to ride. We ride together. It is relaxing. It is fun. It is great!
> We all love to ride and it is good for us to boot! Being good for us is really an extra, because
> when we ride together we do it solely because we have so much fun together.
>
> Funny how the world slows down at the pace of a bicycle... Funny how you notice things you didn't
> before... Funny how paths you've driven before take on different looks, become new in other ways
> to you when you are biking... Funny how recumbents can be so fun and yet be something healthy
> too... Funny how bikes can bring families even closer together...
>
> Recumbent riding isn't the magic bullet.
>
> But for us?
>
> It comes pretty daggoned close. We're a better family for having become recumbent riders. We're
> better people too. Most importantly? We're better with each other.
>
> How cool is that!

Lars, I don't understand why you and I don't get along better as I agree with EVERYTHING you have
said in your post.

About the headaches, I had those too for years and then I finally got on high blood pressure
medication and that was the end of my headaches. So you might want to look into that if you are
still having headaches. Fitness is wonderful of course, but it is not the cure for everything that
goes wrong with our bodies as we age. There are plenty of slender people who have terrible problems
with high blood pressure
- and high cholesterol too.

About the exercise aspect, yes, we men will do it if it is fun. If it is not fun, we won't do it. I
am eternally grateful that I discovered cycling as I have always regarded it as just a fun thing to
do. The fitness followed the fun.

I have noticed over the years that women will do exercise even if it isn't any fun for them because
they take some pride in their appearance. We men can get quite sloppy about our appearance but I
think most of us do want to stay healthy for as long as we can. Anything that contributes to that is
a positive.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Dave Larrington]

Jack Davis wrote:

> That theory would seem to indicate that DF riders may soon be walking on all fours, again.....

According to Zog The Undeniable, in parts of Swindon they never stopped...

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy Ed!

> Lars, I don't understand why you and I don't get along better as I agree with EVERYTHING you have
> said in your post.

Ed, it's like this really. I don't like or dislike you. I don't KNOW you. I can't really form a
decent and balanced opinion of someone based on some scraps of writ I see online. However, I will
amend that to say that you and I visit here for different reasons. You come to combat others, lots
of the time. I ignore most of that stuff and come here for information and sharing that is directly
related to recumbenting. Only that, nothing else. There's the difference. It has nothing to do with
liking or disliking someone! I'm about as easy a guy to get along with as you'll ever want to meet,
for I've been told that the way I write is a decent reflection of who I am (to contradict what I
wrote above!). It is hard to get my ire up. I'd be willing to bet that the ones who write in rude
and/or sarcastic ways on here with a bent to sniping at others, would NOT be that way in person.
Everyone is a toughie behind their monitor; real life is a vastly different thing.

> About the headaches, I had those too for years and then I finally got on high blood pressure
> medication and that was the end of my headaches. So you might want to look into that if you are
> still having headaches. Fitness is wonderful of course, but it is not the cure for everything that
> goes wrong with our bodies as we age. There are plenty of slender people who have terrible
> problems with high blood pressure
> - and high cholesterol too.

This is true. In my situation, my headaches were directly related to high blood pressure and being
overweight. My cholesterol was also through the roof. Both are now in normal ranges. I've not had a
single headache since reaching my target weight. I've also not been sick at all during this time.
Also cool is the fact that I was able to kick a maintenance med to the curb, one that I had been
taking for years. I was taking a med for GERD (acid reflux) and about halfway through getting into
shape, I quit taking it just to see how long I could go without it. That was a year ago and I've not
had a single incident of acid reflux. Dietary changes were MAJOR in this, I think. (Quitting sodas,
drinking water, no fried foods, etc.)

> About the exercise aspect, yes, we men will do it if it is fun. If it is not fun, we won't do it.
> I am eternally grateful that I discovered cycling as I have always regarded it as just a fun thing
> to do. The fitness followed the fun.

I agree with this NOW. Back when I started getting into shape, I couldn't believe that biking was
the same thing that I had enjoyed when I was a teen. I was SO out of shape that a mile on the bike
left me drenched. It was NOT fun those first couple of months while I slowly built up endurance.
Couple that with the fact that I lost over half my weight on an upright mountain bike (wearing out
two of them in the process - another little reason why Wally World or Target bikes aren't really in
for the long haul - visit your local bike shop and get a quality bike) and I was sore, really sore.
But, when the weight started coming off and I actually started looking like I was getting into
shape, things were getting easier. It was very tempting to step everything up a notch, especially
after I bought my recumbent. But, I stayed the course and lost the weight, got in shape, and did it
with no injuries.

> I have noticed over the years that women will do exercise even if it isn't any fun for them
> because they take some pride in their appearance. We men can get quite sloppy about our appearance
> but I think most of us do want to stay healthy for as long as we can. Anything that contributes to
> that is a positive.

In my situation, I was motivated by the simple comment of a 9 yr old child, who honestly could not
understand why a man who says he loves his family so much, would not reserve some love for himself
so that he could have more measure of control over his daily interactions with the family he loves
so much... Rachel's plea to me rocked me. That was the one catalyst that stayed with me throughout
getting back into shape. My quest had ripple effects within my family and within a couple of months,
we all had changed our diets and were eating better, exercising together, and becoming more healthy
together. Our interactions have been mor healthy, our activities are more healthy, and we all just
FEEL so much better.

Ed, this may sound silly, but it really is true: Once you've felt how it feels to be healthy (or as
healthy as you can get yourself to be), you become greedy for it. You want that feeling all the
time. You find ways to maintain it. Recumbent biking is a big factor in our not just being healthy
individuals, but being a healthy FAMILY.

From my perspective as a husband and father, it just doesn't get any cooler than that!

--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"