Recumbent trike speed
Recumbent trike speed
I asked a month ago how fast I would be on an 26" ICE QNT compared to a touring bike.
A month later (today) I decided to record my cycle home. This was with a small head wind (10mph).
Distance - 10.08 Miles
Time - 39.22
Max speed - 48.7mph
Elevation - 967ft
Average speed 15.4mph
So, turns out they're not too slow. A bit faster than a touring bike, I don't think that is too bad considering the hills.
A month later (today) I decided to record my cycle home. This was with a small head wind (10mph).
Distance - 10.08 Miles
Time - 39.22
Max speed - 48.7mph
Elevation - 967ft
Average speed 15.4mph
So, turns out they're not too slow. A bit faster than a touring bike, I don't think that is too bad considering the hills.
- NATURAL ANKLING
- Posts: 13780
- Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
- Location: English Riviera
Re: Recumbent trike speed
Hi,
Now do it on the tourer....................tell us how you get on.
Now do it on the tourer....................tell us how you get on.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Now do it on the tourer....................tell us how you get on.
I find you can't compare two days directly, just averages over time. For instance today was my 8th day straight at work so I'm not on fresh legs. It would also be unfair as I haven't rode an upright bike in a month so I'm guessing some muscles would not be at their best.
A normal day riding home on a touring bike would take me 45mins but today I did know I had my phone recording so I gave it a bit more effort.
- NATURAL ANKLING
- Posts: 13780
- Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
- Location: English Riviera
Re: Recumbent trike speed
Hi,
You look around and you will find comparisons online, I am sure they have been posted in the past.
Ah just noticed it a trike, not a lot different from a two wheeler I would of thought.
XAPbob rides one but has bitten the bullet with a power pack nowadays
You look around and you will find comparisons online, I am sure they have been posted in the past.
Ah just noticed it a trike, not a lot different from a two wheeler I would of thought.
XAPbob rides one but has bitten the bullet with a power pack nowadays
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
You look around and you will find comparisons online, I am sure they have been posted in the past.
Ah just noticed it a trike, not a lot different from a two wheeler I would of thought.
XAPbob rides one but has bitten the bullet with a power pack nowadays
I have just bought a recumbent bike (the challenge mistral sl that was for sale on this forum) as well so I'll see how that goes when it turns up. I've really been bitten by the recumbent bug.
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- Posts: 39
- Joined: 8 Feb 2018, 8:08pm
Re: Recumbent trike speed
I find myself trundling along at about 12mph average on my Trice Q with 20" wheels all round. I suspect that's due to me spending more time looking at stuff as you can on a trike. Moving average is circa 15mph
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- Posts: 15215
- Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am
Re: Recumbent trike speed
Maybe you will have to re-learn how to ride an UpWrong
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Re: Recumbent trike speed
Cyril Haearn wrote:Maybe you will have to re-learn how to ride an UpWrong
I have read anecdotal accounts that when one has learnt how to ride a bicycle, one cannot forget.
I bought the recumbent bike to use places I can't use a trike.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
I have been told before that recumbents are slower, but to be quite honest in most circumstances both trikes and bikes are slightly faster.
- Tigerbiten
- Posts: 2503
- Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am
Re: Recumbent trike speed
A bent trike has a higher rolling resistance but can have lower air resistance than a bike.
So depending on how lumpy it is the two effect tend to almost cancel out.
Low speed hill climbing a bikes definitely better but never try to race a bent downhill.
Ps,15 mph is a good average speed.
So depending on how lumpy it is the two effect tend to almost cancel out.
Low speed hill climbing a bikes definitely better but never try to race a bent downhill.
Ps,15 mph is a good average speed.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
Tigerbiten wrote:A bent trike has a higher rolling resistance but can have lower air resistance than a bike.
So depending on how lumpy it is the two effect tend to almost cancel out.
Low speed hill climbing a bikes definitely better but never try to race a bent downhill.
Ps,15 mph is a good average speed.
Have you rode both a recumbent bike and trike? How much faster are recumbent bikes?
Re: Recumbent trike speed
I have commuted on an MTB, a Trike (ICE Sprint RS) and a fast bike (RaptoBike Low racer).
I've also ridden other bikes (more road framed) for various things...
When fit my commuting average on the trike is about 17-18mph (the motor really doesn't help that much, I'm generally exceeding it's max speed anyway), on the raptobike I can average 22-23 on the same route.
I was faster on my first trike (a Pete Ross precursor to the current ICE lineup) than I was on my MTB (with upgraded gears, locked suspension and tyres with a 'road ridge' down the middle pumped up hard, it was fast enough that I could keep speed with road bikes) on the comparable commute....
Right now I am infinitely faster on a trike, because I can't ride two wheels at all
I've also ridden other bikes (more road framed) for various things...
When fit my commuting average on the trike is about 17-18mph (the motor really doesn't help that much, I'm generally exceeding it's max speed anyway), on the raptobike I can average 22-23 on the same route.
I was faster on my first trike (a Pete Ross precursor to the current ICE lineup) than I was on my MTB (with upgraded gears, locked suspension and tyres with a 'road ridge' down the middle pumped up hard, it was fast enough that I could keep speed with road bikes) on the comparable commute....
Right now I am infinitely faster on a trike, because I can't ride two wheels at all
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:XAPbob rides one but has bitten the bullet with a power pack nowadays
The power pack was insurance... I went from riding nothing for 9 months (stupid job) to commuting 15 miles each way...
I needed the pack once in the first week (bonked on the way home) but it has only been comfort otherwise.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
- Tigerbiten
- Posts: 2503
- Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am
Re: Recumbent trike speed
fossala wrote:Tigerbiten wrote:A bent trike has a higher rolling resistance but can have lower air resistance than a bike.
So depending on how lumpy it is the two effect tend to almost cancel out.
Low speed hill climbing a bikes definitely better but never try to race a bent downhill.
Ps,15 mph is a good average speed.
Have you rode both a recumbent bike and trike? How much faster are recumbent bikes?
I've heard that trikes are around 10-15% slower than bikes.
Also a good front fairing is around 3% faster and a good tailbox is around double that.
Re: Recumbent trike speed
My speeds are on a trike set for all year commuting luxury (Dynamo, battery, mudguards, rack, side pods, spares... against a racing style bike with a minimal set of kit and a small tail box...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.