Unfaired Recumbent vs. Upright Speed Comparisons



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[email protected] (harryo) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (cbb) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have to disagree here. On an open road in a rural or similar area it is true but in an urban
> > are the ability to see over cars (or atleast through thier windows) comes in very useful. I can
> > see the car that wants to turn left in front of me and make sure he sees me on my Strada but
> > when I rode the Baron I had to be much more careful. It also helps to see over cars parked on
> > the street an over shrubs planted too close to the intersection corner. True there are still
> > sometimes when vehicles or obstacles are too tall to see over on the Strada but they are much
> > less common than those I can't see over on the Baron.
>
> I was mainly speaking about open roads. Barry said roads in his post and being a country boy, I
> differentiate between roads and streets. I was also speaking from the perspective of motorists
> seeing the cyclist, not the viewpoint of the cyclist, because again, that is what Barry posted.
>
> A higher seating position definitely allows better visibility for the cyclist. However, highracers
> with laid back, hard shell seats still have the problem of the head and neck angle making it more
> difficult to turn the head and look behind and to look directly down, immediately in front of the
> bike. They are no better than a lowracer in this respect. If a cyclist considers maximum viewing
> ease to be important, then a bike with a more upright seat would be a better choice.
>
> I won't argue that a lowracer, with an extreme laid back seating position is an ideal bike for
> commuting on city streets but I don't think a highrscer with the same seat angle is either. If one
> wants a bike mainly for commuting, then something other than a lowracer would be a better choice.
> If one wants a lowracer for fast riding on open roads, with occasional riding on city streets, am
> stating that I and other lowracer owners do so with minimal problems.
>
> Harry

I agree with you here. Just wanted to point some limitations of lowracers. I loved riding my Baron
on mostly rural roads. I just wasn't comfortable riding it in high traffic or many intersection
areas. A high racer works better in the city because you can see better and with a good mirror (or
two) I don't many blind spots but I agree that a low BB bike with more upright seat is better suited
to urban riding. Lowracers can work in urban riding but you must be much more careful and in my
experience you end up being slower because of the extra caution needed. I probably should have
gotten a LWB or atleast a more upright lower BB SWB for my commute but I just couldn't give up that
much comfort and performance from my Baron.

Craig
 
"Mark Leuck" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<W7Xpb.77287$mZ5.495911@attbi_s54>...
> "Ken Kobayashi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > >Regardless of what type of bike I am on I always assume cars don't see me
> >
> > That never made sense to me. If you assume cars can't see you and ride accordingly, wouldn't you
> > have to stay at the edge of the road and share a lane with cars? I'd rather ride in such a way
> > that cars cannot help but see me. That usually means taking the lane.
> >
> > Ken Kobayashi [email protected] http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/
>
> I usually stay near the edge

As do I, most of the time, when I am on open roads. However, I have been on some roads, alone or
with other riders, and many motorists will not move enough to the left, when passing, and needlessly
crowd us. I then take the lane to force them to pass safely. When I ride my Baron on busy city
streets and there is not enough distance to the curb for motorists to safely pass in the same lane,
I will take the lane. If there are cars parked along the street, or other obstructions to limit
visibility, I will also take the lane.

Harry
 
"DH" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well, I just traded in my DF and bought a hybrid, the Giant Revive. I'm still not sitting as low
> as you guys, but I may get there some day. I find this recumbent stuff fascinating and enjoy
> following and learning what I can.

The Revive is getting pretty close to a recumbent, IMO. Once you get used to your Revive, may I
suggest that you have test ride on some of the recumbents with a low-mounted crank/pedals (low BB).
These include the following models:

Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport

The low-mounted crank setup will feel similar to the Revive; but your legs will be out front a
bit more. Let us know if you do end up test riding some recumbents. I'm curious to hear your
reaction to them.

Wishing you many miles of smiles on your Revive.

-Barry

>
> "John Foltz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "DH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > Sorry to be a bit dense here, but what exactly is meant by the word 'faired'? I first went to
> > > an online dictionary and came up with
> nothing.
> > >
> > What!!!? Are you a DFer or something???? (just kidding...)
> >
> > To be 'faired' is to employ a fairing.
 
> The Revive is getting pretty close to a recumbent, IMO. Once you get
used
> to your Revive, may I suggest that you have test ride on some of the recumbents with a low-mounted
> crank/pedals (low BB). These include the following models:

Actually, it took me no time at all to become comfortable with the Revive. I like the idea of
sitting in a relaxed position. I also like the idea of recumbents, but do not feel that safe being
so low. When I bike with my wife and she's riding her DF, I'm only about half a foot lower. If I
were much lower she wouldn't like to bike with me.

I think a 'sitting' bike is the perfect alternative for those who do not feel safe being so low to
the ground. I have seen several bents that I would love to own and may make the plunge (no pun
intended) some day. Dave
 
"B. Sanders" wrote:
>
> The Revive is getting pretty close to a recumbent, IMO. Once you get used to your Revive, may I
> suggest that you have test ride on some of the recumbents with a low-mounted crank/pedals (low
> BB). These include the following models:
>
> Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport...

Are any of these readily available in Benelux?

It is RANS Stratus, by the way. ;)

Tom Sherman - Recumbent Pedant Curmudgeon

"Don't Have a Cow, Man!" - Bart Simpson
 
"Tom Sherman" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "B. Sanders" wrote:
> >
> > The Revive is getting pretty close to a recumbent, IMO. Once you get
used
> > to your Revive, may I suggest that you have test ride on some of the recumbents with a
> > low-mounted crank/pedals (low BB). These include the following models:
> >
> > Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport...
>
> Are any of these readily available in Benelux?

Not sure.

> It is RANS Stratus, by the way. ;)

Doh! Got me again.

-Barry
 
"Tom Sherman" skrev

> > Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport...
>
> Are any of these readily available in Benelux?

Nope. Nor Europe I think.

M.
 
Mikael Seierup wrote:

> "Tom Sherman" skrev
>
>>> Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport...
>>
>> Are any of these readily available in Benelux?
>
> Nope. Nor Europe I think.
>
> M.

Future Cycles here in the Land of UK say they deal in Tour Easys.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================
 
"Dave Larrington" skrev...
> > Nope. Nor Europe I think.
> >
>
> Future Cycles here in the Land of UK say they deal in Tour Easys.

Well... Continental Europe then. ;-)

M
 
Mikael Seierup wrote:
>
> "Tom Sherman" skrev
>
> > > Rans Stratus Easy Racers Tour Easy EZ-1 EZ-3 (trike) EZ-Sport...
> >
> > Are any of these readily available in Benelux?
>
> Nope. Nor Europe I think.

Has Benelux been expelled from Europe? ;)

Tom Sherman - Recumbent Pedant Curmudgeon

"Don't Have a Cow, Man!" - Bart Simpson
 
Tom, a specialized recumbent store not too far from me carries the following makes ... this is an
incomplete list, but will give an idea of what is offered.

http://www.spidernet.nl/~de_liggende_hollander/lijst.html

BTW, I did not initially know what Benelux meant until I asked. If it were spelled BeNeLux, more
people wouldn't have to ask. (Over here a lot of folks work in the 'horeca', HOtelREstaurantCAfé.)
 
DH wrote:
> ... BTW, I did not initially know what Benelux meant until I asked. If it were spelled BeNeLux,
> more people wouldn't have to ask. (Over here a lot of folks work in the 'horeca',
> HOtelREstaurantCAfé.)

The term "Benelux" has been in standard use for a long time. It also lets one avoid saying the name
of the country that is not Holland or Luxembourg. ;)

Tom Sherman

"Don't Have a Cow, Man!" - Bart Simpson
 
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