Average mph difference

[xpc316e]

I am minded to remember Presidents Roosevelt's famous quote - 'Comparison is the thief of joy'.

Who cares if your trike is slower than your upright? What matters is that you are out and about, exercising in the fresh air, and improving both your mental and physical health. If you wish to indulge in comparison (as a statistics lover, I can understand that need), then compare this year's trike rides with next year's to see how you might improve upon your fitness levels.

Best wishes, and I hope you continue to get enjoyment from your riding.

[[XAP]Bob]

Hi,
These are recumbent trikes and are heavier?
I was under the impression that recumbent two wheeled were faster, when I last did audax I was chasing down a recumbent two wheel and he was happy at 24 mph on the flat I was happy at 22 mph on the flat, but i stayed with him for a few miles or more until I dropped my water bottle and he got away

So what gives on a trike?
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/recum ... ics.12344/

The third wheel and larger frontal area will slow a trike down over a bike. The added stability might increase confidence and therefore top speed downhill, and certainly allows *slower* climbing of hills with appropriate gearing. I climbed every hill on the WWC for a couple of years on the trike, which is more than can be said for many of the (DF) two wheelers.
There is also additional weight associated with the third wheel, and additional structure required, which is only really relevant when climbing, on the flat it makes little odds (slightly higher rolling resistance), downhill it's of marginal gain, more than negated by the aero effects.
The third wheel also adds it's own rolling resistance of course.

So overall a bike will be faster than a trike, they can be equally comfortable though.
I *loved* my raptobike, it was fast (averaged between 20 and 23 mph over my 15 mile commute), and really comfortable. I carried a lot less stuff with me than on my ICE Sprint 2RS (on which I averaged 15-18mph over the same commute) though, so couldn't really use it exclusively.
I did use the raptobike for the occasional long ride as well, and it was lovely - though doing 40+mph downhill in the driving rain following a lorry that I could only just see so that I could avoid the standing water by going to the side on which he didn't kick up a wall of water was "interesting".

To get those speeds I was commuting 30 miles a day five days a week, so my fitness levels were through the roof.
I did use an upright occasionally, although actually I don't recall using one for the long commute - used to use one for the shorter commute previously every so often. That was always fun, but wasn't a lot faster or slower than the trike (not that I had any real DF fitness, and the bike was a nice slender steel frame with a 5 speed IGH).
I was generally down on the drops though.

[squeaker]

In the interests of 'science' I rode my shopper (flat barred Cotic Road Rat, AKA Roland) - without panniers - around my 10 mile training loop last evening. Over the 8 mile segment that I use as a (lack of) performance indicator, Roland was 14% quicker than using my wife's ICE 'T' and 5% quicker than my ICE Sprint 26. The loop has no serious hills in it, but Roland was seconds faster than anything else I've ridden up a 5% 550m section, and significantly quicker (14% / 7%) than either trike along a 4km section with 40m up / 20m down. (Perceived effort was similar, but these are only snapshots.)

One thing I did notice was a tendency to keep on top of a gear on Roland, rather than gear down and spin, which I try to do when riding 'bent. The other was the aches in my wrists and neck when I got home, plus a minor twinge in my lower back (To be fair, a set of bullhorn bars would probably sort the wrists out, but I do like looking where I'm going, and I missed the ability to gaze up at the stars from time to time.)

HTH

[UpWrong]

I've been commuting on my AZUB trike this summer and have two weeks of times recorded on Strava. I'll switch to my LWB next week and see what difference it makes.

[UpWrong]

The loop has no serious hills in it, but Roland was seconds faster than anything else I've ridden up a 5% 550m section, and significantly quicker (14% / 7%) than either trike along a 4km section with 40m up / 20m down. (Perceived effort was similar, but these are only snapshots.)

I'm surprised there wasn't more of a difference on the 5% uphill slope.

[squeaker]

I'll switch to my LWB next week and see what difference it makes.

It will start raining (but the garden does need it )

[squeaker]

The loop has no serious hills in it, but Roland was seconds faster than anything else I've ridden up a 5% 550m section, and significantly quicker (14% / 7%) than either trike along a 4km section with 40m up / 20m down. (Perceived effort was similar, but these are only snapshots.)

I'm surprised there wasn't more of a difference on the 5% uphill slope.

Well spotted! 3% average with 5% max Trikes about 15% slower than Roland...

[nobrakes]

I am 4-5 mph slower on my Ice Sprint than my M5 CHR in hilly terrain. I think the trike excels at long days of incredibly comfortable, stress free riding but going fast is not one of its primary characteristics.