[Bent] Commenting on "The pleasures of recumbent vs.diamondframe bike r...

Mon Jul 16 14:44:10 EDT 2007

Jules, we are new at riding with regular bicycles.  Do they classically go
faster?
alan 

-------Original Message-------

From: Jules D. Zalon
Date: 7/16/2007 12:50:39 PM
To: NY/NJ/CT/PA Metro Area Recumbent Society \(MARS\)
Subject: Re: [Bent] Commenting on "The pleasures of recumbent vs
diamondframe bike r...

Responding to Steve's comment about keeping up with wedgie riding buddies,
we apparently run in different crowds. The guys I ride with -- when I'm able
to stay with them (which isn't very often) -- do a 35 mile killer loop on
Saturday mornings, and unless you're a Fast Eddie or Tim Brummer, nobody is
going to stay with the group on some of the hills they ride on, one of which
is 1.75 miles long. Moreover, since most of the guys race their bikes, much
of the ride is paceline riding, something a recumbent can't participate in.
I'll continue to do the Wednesday evening pizza ride, but for the rest of my
group rides -- and to keep my muscles in balance -- it's the wedgie.

Jules

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sfriedlander2 at aol.com 
To: bent at list.marsride.org 
Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2007 12:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Bent] Commenting on "The pleasures of recumbent vs.
diamondframe bike r...

I agree with most of what you said, Jules. One of the drawbacks of being a
bent rider is that it can be torture to ride a wedgie. When I'm travelling
without a 'bent, I occasionally like to rent a bike and have to resort to
riding a wedgie. 10 miles is about all I can tolerate - anything more is
punishment. Of course, most rental bikes leave a lot to be desired anyway,
but I doubt I could appreciate a high end road bike. Nevertheless, I'm not
desperate enough to go back to riding a wedgie in order to be able to enjoy
those relatively rare occasions when I might wish to rent a wedgie.

I'm not sure I understand your point about how riding a wedgie helps you
stay in touch with your old riding buddies. Afterall, most wedgie people
still talk to bent riders, don't they? I find that riding a bent with a
group of wedies is usually quite enjoyable (as on the Wednesday evening
rides), as I get to relax a lot on the flat-to-downhill segments and get a
good workout on the uphills. My average speed always turns out to be faster
than if I had ridden alone, while the overall ride feels more relaxing.
Riding a fast bent (like my P38 with the F40 nose cone) makes it possible to
keep up with faster wedgie riders who are in better shape than me - and
hopefully dispels any notions people might have about bents being slower and
unable to climb hills.

Steve 

By the way, any plans to do a Wednesday pizza ride? I probably won't make it
this week, but should be there next week.

In a message dated 7/15/2007 7:50:56 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
jzalon at comcast.net writes:
Marty Smith's description of his semi-torturous 50-mile wedgie ride ["My old
pains of Achilles tendon and right knee feeling like a bolt and nut that
needs oiling came back about mile 40. I've never felt those pains when on my
'bent!"] makes a slightly unfair comparison to the comforts of riding his
R40 recumbent. Most of his discomfort can be attributed to the fact that he
hadn't ridden an upright bike for 5 years. Clearly, the two bikes utilize
different muscle groups. I'd venture to say that it someone who rode only a
wedgie up and rode a recumbent bike 50 miles the first time out, they'd feel
a lot sorer than our erstwhile commentator. That's just common sense. The
first time I rode my Greenspeed GTO just 5 miles, I wondered where all my
muscles went. And every introductory article on riding recumbents warns
about the time it takes to acclimate your muscles to this new form of riding

Cycling is a very forgiving exercise. Usually, the only pain we experience
from overuse is some sore muscles. In contrast, if you overdo running, you
can do some serious damage that will keep you off the roads for months.
[Trust, me, it's painfully true!] I love my GTO, but I alternate between it
and my Cannondale CAAD6 racer. Because when I rode the GTO exclusively, the
occasional ride on the upright reminded me that I was using dormant muscle
groups. After years of riding and racing wedgies, I felt like a beginner.
The only accommodation I make for the wedgie is a shock absorbing seat post,
which I highly recommend; I also make sure that I sit on my sit bones, far
back on the Body Geometry seat, which protects the "other parts" of my
anatomy.

So while I will keep riding my recumbent, I haven't abandoned the fun -- and
the speed -- that comes from riding my racer. In addition to keeping more of
my muscles in shape, it also enables me to stay in touch with a lot of old
riding buddies, who consider my recumbent riding "amusing." Reading
recumbent blogs, one often senses a hostility to the upright biking world.
My response is to say relax and enjoy what you're doing. They are both great
ways of keeping in shape, saving the planet, and having fun.

Jules

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