Average mph difference

[Just_me]

Hi all,
I’ve gone from a Brompton Rohloff to an ICE Adventure HD trike for health issues. I’ve not been cycling much due to these issues. I’ve been getting out quite a bit but I’ve noticed my average mph is about half of what it was. I’m guessing most of this is due to fitness, I’m just wondering what other people notice in average speed differences from uprights? Where I live is very hilly, as an example a 15 mile loop is 1500 feet of climbing. Tia.

[[XAP]Bob]

I’d count miles, rides, or time rather than mph if you’re coming back off health issues.
Additionally it’s typically a several hundred to a thousand miles to get ‘bent legs...

The adventure HD isn’t the fastest trike in the world, but it’s a lot faster an not cycling.

I’m starting up again after about 30 months of very limited cycling (100 or so miles total?), but since my style of cycling is radically different from before (30 miles a day commute) I’ve opted for a fast trike to complement my sprint - so my average speed is nearly what it was - though not over the same distance, and I wouldn’t be able to put a second ride in on the same day...

If I can keep riding through the winter (might have to switch up what I ride depending on the weather)
then I’ll be getting back to decent fitness.

Given the change from two to three wheels - what health issues? (This is a question you are quite at liberty to ignore).

[Just_me]

Herniated L5 disc which is pressing up against branch nerves. Uprights just antagonise the issue and when I get spells of inflammation I can’t walk more than a few steps.

I’ve done about 300 miles on the trike and I really like it, it’s more out of curiosity than anything.

[[XAP]Bob]

Ouch.

300 miles in I wouldn’t be too concerned. Enjoy the excercise.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Forget average mph. It’s a gash metric to work with. There are far too many variables. Work on Normalized power ( NP on Garmins) and effort. Power is Power, if it’s up, you’re improving, if it isn’t you aren’t. It’s independent of conditions and terrain as well, so that makes it far easier to compare efforts.

[Shreds]

Adding a wheel obviously has an impact of a trike over a bike, but I reckon that after about three months of being laid back then you should equate to at least similar speeds all other things being equal. ( obviously slightly lower wind resistance compared to an upright, but your own level of fitness and muscle development must be taken into account).

My view and experience is that a Brompton is noticeably slower, (except perhaps when competing in the World Championships on closed roads, although the ICE would still fare better in such situations).

A lot is said about hill climbing on a laid back, but you do have to also consider how good you were at that before. At least in icy weather on a trike you can keep going when the two wheelers spill on the ice. Brompton’s without Schwalbe Winter studded tyres are better left at home in such conditions. A similar ‘traction’ tyre on the ICE would be advantageous too.

Keep at it with the ICE and enjoy!

[n0ct0]

I wouldn’t read too much into average speed on a trike. I averaged just over 10mph on my Scorpion FX, not the world’s fastest trike, while the same ride on a 2 wheel recumbent (HP Speedmachine) or upright (Trek Emonda) would be 17 or 18 mph. Hills count against you with the added weight, and I found it was easy to sit back and spin up hills, obviously this is slower. I also found my average heart rate was lower on the trike. Enjoy the comfort and getting out and about.

[squeaker]

On an ICE 'T' I have trouble keeping up with my wife on her MTB on road tyres

As others have said, enjoy the ride and better view of the world: 'bent legs will develop, but an Adventure HD is for touring, not attacking hills

[Tigerbiten]

My average on the flat is only around 12 mph.
Add the trailer full of camping gear for touring and I'm a couple of mph slower.
Add any hills and my average speed can be cut in half, the exact amount depends on how steep/long they are.
A trike needs a different mindset.
It's not about getting up hills as fast as possible.
It's all about getting around while using the minimum amount of energy possible.

Luck ......

[UpWrong]

For me, maybe 30% slower on a trike than on an upright. I can use more force on the pedals when on the upright. It might be something to do with being less constrained on a saddle than in a seat.

[hercule]

I spent/wasted the first few years of recumbent striking worrying about how slowly I was going. Then I realised that it wasn't about the speed, it was about the experience. And then I ditched the Garmin. The little LCD display under my nose was just making me miserable. Best cycling thing I ever did!

[Lodge]

I have both an ICE Sprint (with Rohloff) and Brompton (with Rohloff). And yes, the trike is slower for climbing. It's a lot heavier and has increased drag. And yes, I live in a hilly area (Staffordshire Moorlands so almost always head to the Peak District for rides). Both machines are geared appropriately for climbing.

I gave up in the end since I was frustrated and bored spending 95% of the time on the trike at 2-3 mph crawling up hills. A motor was added to the Sprint. Not on the Brompton though. Now the Sprint is faster than the Brompton but not by as much as one would think unless I use boost mode (whereupon the battery runs out in only 17-18 (fun) miles).

As for speed difference - on an identical local circuit over 6.71 miles with 755 feet of ascent I recorded 32:03 min 12.6 mph averaging 76% heart rate max on the Sprint (with motor on eco) and 36:41 11.0 mph at 75% HRM on the Brompton (leg power alone). If I didn't have the power assist from the motor the Sprint would have been rather slower!

And yes, I enjoy collecting and manipulating the data. I'm a statistics/modelling nerd and happy to be so since it keeps me motivated as it gives me numbers to play with.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

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/

[Tigerbiten]

I can still remember when I first got my ICE trike.
It had the "standard" 15"-100" derailleur setup.
I was doing around 100-150 miles per week.
But any uphill slope still had me crawling up it in first gear.
Then I went on my first long tour and upped my mileage to around 250-300 miles per week.
I went through 6 weeks of hell as I cycled my way to a new level of fitness.
But I now could get up some slopes in second gear .........
So your speed will increase if you can get the miles in.
But depending on your level of effort it may take a thousand miles or more to get there.

Luck ...........

[UpWrong]

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/

Yes, trikes are heavier, have more rolling resistance and lose aerodynamic advantage to bikes. I'm one of those people who can't generate as much force when horizontal in a seat compared to when vertical in a saddle. Having said that, in a long ride the gap narrows because its easier to keep up the effort on a trike.