I have few thoughts about bikepacking on recumbent bike.
6 months ago by plactagonic to c/bicycle_touring
I have few thoughts about bikepacking on recumbent bike.
Because of the weight distribution I don't see any difference in the ridability and handling. The issue with flexing bike when loaded with bags isn't noticeable when riding only when you need to push it.
But the hills are killing me it isn't ideal without the bags but with them it is brutal.
#bikepacking #biketouring #bikeTooter #regel17 @bicycle_touring
I've found it easier to pedal hard on a recumbent, against the seat back. One of my knees hurts now. It's a bummer that the upper body doesn't get exercise.
On an upright bike, hard pedalling is a whole body exercise, with the swaying side-to-side.
You don't want to sway. That's wasted energy.
I would like to exchange pedaling hard for more cadence because it is quite hard with long cranks on my knees. With short cranks it is easier and I want to change them. Also lot of other stuff because it is quite old and it shows (mostly regular stuff like bearings, pedals, cables...) so I will be taking it apart after the season and doing all of that.
I too like short cranks. I had 135mm on my BikeE. For scale, I don't remember my inseam length, but I'm 1.70m tall.
Think on that just a little bit more...
On the standard bike, your normal maximum force on the pedals is your body weight, being pulled down by gravity. You can increase that slightly by pulling your body down with your arms, but your arms aren't nearly as powerful as your legs.
On the recumbent, you aren't reliant on gravity at all. You're pushing your hips backwards against a backrest. You can put several times more force on the pedals with a recumbent than you can with a standard, upright bike.
One of the best things you can do for long distance trekking is merely lifting your opposing leg.
You have a point. Sure. You can dig in. But you're going to get exhausted really quick.
They are talking specifically about climbs, where they are trying to get more force on the pedal through the use of their arms.
If we're talking about distance trekking, you shouldn't be coming off the seat at all. Your pedal force should be much less than your body weight, even during climbs. Downshift to maintain sustainable cadence and effort, even if that means slowing to a walking pace.
I typically have my seat so high there's not much difference between standing and seated. Maybe a couple inches. Gotta get that near full extension.
Superfluous movement is just wasting energy. Like swaying back and forth.
I'm kind of doubtful how much your arms would aid you beyond stabilization. Minimally, I would imagine lifting your other leg would be much more effective at increasing power transfer. Especially if you're clipped in....
Indeed, pedal the bike, cadence is key. And I just don't really see you arms really helping at cadence speed. Maybe if you're like gruelingly pushing at a very low cadence?
During a climb your blood pressure in your legs is massively reduced like when working with your hands overhead the extremities tire much quicker. That's why your legs are killing you in a climb.
On the recumbent, you aren't reliant on assisted by gravity at all
Fixed it for you.
Your maximum force on a standard bike is the weight of your legs plus the force you are able to exert via muscle power and cadence.
You can put several times more force on the pedals with a recumbent than you can with a standard, upright bike.
That's simply not true, quite the opposite. There's several reasons why professional cyclists don't use recumbent bikes for races, one of which is that it's possible to transfer MANY times more force through the pedals to the wheels on an upright bike where you're assisted by gravity and have much greater range of motion and are engaging more different muscles.
Your cited study concerns itself with power; your comment discusses force. The two are not the same. What your study is talking about is the equivalent of "horsepower". What we have been discussing is the equivalent of "torque".
Your maximum force power on a standard bike is the weight of your legs plus the force you are able to exert via muscle power and cadence.
FTFY. As soon as you consider a time component ("cadence", or strokes-per-minute), you aren't talking about force. You are talking about power.
A recumbent bike puts the rider in much the same position as the user of a leg press machine. An upright bike puts the rider in much the same position as the user of a scale.
You can only put force equal to your body weight on a scale. I'm betting that you can put force equal to several times your body weight on a leg press. Gravity does not assist the upright rider here: gravity limits the amount of force the upright rider can apply: any additional force doesn't go into the pedal; it goes into lifting the rider off the seat. There is no question that the rider of the recumbent bike has the advantage on "force".
one of which is that it’s possible to transfer MANY times more force power through the pedals
Again, FTFY. Recumbents allow much greater force on the pedals, so your comment was patently false. De-conflating "force" from "power", your comment starts to reflect the conclusions in your cited study. (Although the "MANY times" claim is still wildly misleading)
Upright bikes may be slightly more efficient at converting power, but the parent comment isn't discussing power. They are discussing force.
An upright bike puts the rider in much the same position as the user of a scale.
You can only put force equal to your body weight on a scale
You HAVE to be fucking trolling 😄
By your definition, the most/only effective method of riding a normal bicycle would be to simply jump up and down until you eventually reach your destination 😄
gravity limits the amount of force the upright rider can apply: any additional force doesn't go into the pedal; it goes into lifting the rider off the seat
..do you have any idea how a bicycle chain or equivalent works? Have you ever SEEN someone operate a bicycle?
I don't know if you're joking, under the influence of powerful hallucinogenic substances, or a secret fourth thing, but you're DEFINITELY not making sense regardless 😄
@plactagonic I remember a downhill in France at my recumbent when I overtook road cyclists, because of the stability and the low gravity point. @bicycle_touring
@herbert_tiemens The downhill advantage is because of aerodynamics.
As for uphill... this is where the idea of solar charged recumbent touring ebike came from 🙂
@plactagonic I've never ridden a recumbent, so I want to ask what's the problem? Not enough gears for pushing uphill at a comfortable power/cadence, or keeping balance?
@mariusor @plactagonic @bicycle_touring
On a regular bike you can stand and put your entire weight on a pedal. Not much harder than walking up a stairway.
On a recumbent, you're pushing sideways, and your back is going into your seat even as your feet push forwards. The weight of your body doesn't help, and you're not using your muscles as effectively.
On an upright bike, hard pedalling is a whole body exercise, with the swaying side-to-side. Body weight is a force limiter. I’ve found it easier to pedal hard on a recumbent, against the seat back. One of my knees hurts now. It's a bummer that the upper body doesn't get exercise.
I don't know what you mean by "pushing sideways" in this case - that only applies to foot-steered Flevo bikes/trikes.
@mariusor @plactagonic My bet is on too much weight on rear wheel
Doubt - that bike is front heavy without baggage. Overloading a tyre doesn't add that much resistance anyway, and it's easily compensated by adding pressure.
@Tehdastehdas Front heavy when going uphill? I seriously am not sure about it, but never driven one.
Even the steepest uphills aren't that many degrees, having surprisingly little effect on weight distribution.
@mariusor @plactagonic @bicycle_touring I have the same issue on my MTB with plenty of low gears, so I doubt it has much to do with recumbentness(?). Just pushing more weight uphill is hard, and the heavier the system is, the worse it is.
@Anibyl @mariusor @bicycle_touring @number6 @schmaker
Just to clarify for all of you. Recumbent bike balance only in some speed, for me it is ~6 kph. So on normal bike I can spin my legs go slowly, still balance and gradually push through the hill. But on this I have to keep some tempo even uphill and can't help myself by standing up.
@plactagonic @mariusor @bicycle_touring @number6 @schmaker Oh, I didn't know that! Yeah that must be brutal then.
@lemmy.world
For all the pedal pushers out there that love long distance cycling. There are no gear requirements and no 'minimum distances' here.
Have you ridden for a cheeky overnighter or a 3 year global trek? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got panniers, bikepacking bags or just a backpack with the essentials? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got the latest in carbon engineering or your dads old 10 speed from the 70's? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
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@lemmy.world
For all the pedal pushers out there that love long distance cycling. There are no gear requirements and no 'minimum distances' here.
Have you ridden for a cheeky overnighter or a 3 year global trek? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got panniers, bikepacking bags or just a backpack with the essentials? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got the latest in carbon engineering or your dads old 10 speed from the 70's? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Related Communities
go to feed...
On a recumbent you cannot use your arms during climbs. On a regular bike, when you pull your handlebars, that force adds up to that of your legs. On a recumbent it doesn't.
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