[Niels]

Sorry, but you are to uptimistic.
Recumbents did only beat the long distance UCi records, and as long as Boardman helds his 56 k/h only fully faired recumbents hold the hour record and above.

Wish i could make it to:
200m 9.572 Sireau
1K 58.875 Tournant

But i never will.

Niels

[IanHighfield]

Duncan I'm glad to see you have brought up another issue we (DF riders) can tinkle on: Trikes are faster off the line? Not even the staunchest proponent of recumbents has said that before in print. None that I've read.

And an unfaired trike is a little more than a fast shopping cart. Faster off the line? I can almost accept the 2-wheel bent rider's speed claims. At least they make good times on the track. But an unfaired trike? No, no, no, no.......

I've never ridden a 2-wheel bent. But I have ridden an upright trike as used here in England for endurance races. The least of their qualities is speed off the line. You've got 2 wheels to get moving in the rear, not one. Plus they weigh a ton and a half.

This promises to be a long thread. Duncan, you should start a new thread so we can battle over recumbent trikes. This one's getting too long to navigate.

And thanks again for a new vein to mine. Last hole was dug out.

[DuncanWatson]

Originally Posted by Niels

Sorry, but you are to uptimistic.
Recumbents did only beat the long distance UCi records, and as long as Boardman helds his 56 k/h only fully faired recumbents hold the hour record and above.

Wish i could make it to:
200m 9.572 Sireau
1K 58.875 Tournant

But i never will.

Niels

Boardman's records have been moved to Best Human Effort by UCI. They too are not UCI records anymore. And they are closer and closer to being broken anyhow. The effect of the UCI on the athletes that are riding recumbents cannot be dismissed.

[DuncanWatson]

Originally Posted by IanHighfield

Duncan I'm glad to see you have brought up another issue we (DF riders) can tinkle on: Trikes are faster off the line? Not even the staunchest proponent of recumbents has said that before in print. None that I've read.

And an unfaired trike is a little more than a fast shopping cart. Faster off the line? I can almost accept the 2-wheel bent rider's speed claims. At least they make good times on the track. But an unfaired trike? No, no, no, no.......

I've never ridden a 2-wheel bent. But I have ridden an upright trike as used here in England for endurance races. The least of their qualities is speed off the line. You've got 2 wheels to get moving in the rear, not one. Plus they weigh a ton and a half.

This promises to be a long thread. Duncan, you should start a new thread so we can battle over recumbent trikes. This one's getting too long to navigate.

And thanks again for a new vein to mine. Last hole was dug out.

Ride a trike in a big organized ride, you will beat nearly everyone off the line at a light. A recumbent trike doesn't have to unclip, 2 wheels off the back, pfft, not all trikes are like that.

A bog-standard tadpole trike from ICE is quite fast off the line.

[lowracer1]

an upright trike is nothing like a recumbent trike. My catrike speed weighs 25 lbs and I'm sorry but no upright can beat a tadpole trike off the line. there is one drivewheel in back and two upfront that steer. First off, you are already clipped in and if you are drag racing, you are in a low gear and can have immediate speed at the drop of a hat. A trike however does NOT have the top speed that an upright bike has.

[IanHighfield]

Originally Posted by lowracer1

an upright trike is nothing like a recumbent trike. My catrike speed weighs 25 lbs and I'm sorry but no upright can beat a tadpole trike off the line. there is one drivewheel in back and two upfront that steer. First off, you are already clipped in and if you are drag racing, you are in a low gear and can have immediate speed at the drop of a hat. A trike however does NOT have the top speed that an upright bike has.

Fair enough, lowracer. But I still would put my money on a RedBull-juiced fourteen-year-old on a BMX bike. My little brother dusts me off the mark with his and I could destroy any trike ever even thought of. I'd use platform BMX pedals and my hill climb bike of 9 pounds with a softish 28mm rear to keep tyre slip to a minimum. With 20s or 23s inflated to max we spin out from a dead stop.

Any BMX riders out there? I think they are the fastest bikes from the go. Not even close.

[lowracer1]

Every bmx race I've ever seen here in the states has a drop gate. All the racers have both feet on the pedals and are pushing against the gate so yes they get a pretty quick launch. In an unaided launch on a street, they don't do quite as well......slower to the 20 ft mark, but then quickly accelerate. It would be a close race but really would depend on the length of the race course.

[IanHighfield]

Originally Posted by lowracer1

Every bmx race I've ever seen here in the states has a drop gate. All the racers have both feet on the pedals and are pushing against the gate so yes they get a pretty quick launch. In an unaided launch on a street, they don't do quite as well......slower to the 20 ft mark, but then quickly accelerate. It would be a close race but really would depend on the length of the race course.

lowracer, I've actually done this with my younger brother. Me on a road bike and him on his BMX. All the brat does is mash on his right pedal and push off with his left foot on the ground. He's a bike length in front of me before I even know what's happening. I was using Speedplay pedals but still, my first attached foot was not enough to stay with his initial thrust and then it was all over. Even if I could clip in immediately I don't think it would have mattered.

I suspect it's something to do with the 20 inch wheel size and weight? I really can't explain why this is so. But I'd bet a million of your dollars a good kid on a BMX beats any bike (other than another BMX) ridden by any rider at 10 meters.

[lowracer1]

A smaller drive wheel spins up faster than a larger wheel. Lower moment of inertia if I remember right. Thats why trikes with 20" drive wheels are very quick off the line.

[Industry_Hack]

Below something like 20MPH, twenty inch wheels are more efficient. Sheldon said so.