What Is A Recumbent Bicycle?

wrote:
Highway bicycle does mean something to me: like:
http://www.recumbentmania.com/images...ate/dragon.jpg

Fine, but "Highway" doesn't mean much to other people, and doesn't
really apply to all recumbents, so I really don't see what you gain by
using it.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Fine, but "Highway" doesn't mean much to other people, and doesn't
really apply to all recumbents, so I really don't see what you gain by
using it.
Pete.
"Highway" creates a mental picture of "going down the road again",
long distance travel on something that can make the journey and fun in
getting there. If a diamond frame bicycle requires you to travel in
groups so you can draft each other, that suggests you can't do it on
your own. Now I get why the resistance to highway bicycles
(recumbents) is because you can't cheat and let the other guy do the
hard work. I've seen school buses drafting each other down "route 66",
it's not safe. But then a DF rider is mostly looking two feet in front
of the front wheel or riding "no hands" to see.
'Recumbent' as a name has been taken over by the indoor exersize crowd
and that's a fact. I never got any enjoyment out of pedalling in one
spot, and I've done it.
For many people a street bicycle brings to mind a picture of something
with large tires, fenders and a rear carrier. A mountain bicycle
brings to mind something with knobby tires, mud and dangerous riding
between trees. So a highway bicycle brings to mind, speed on a long
road, and a good view as you're riding. That may or may not be a
'bent', but after a few miles of DF pedaling into the wind and a very
sore backside and wrists, a highway style bicycle in the 'bent' design
seems to be right or better than any other style of frame.
The Tour de France should be called the Tour df France, as it limits
bicycle design and promotes drafting which is cheating in my view. You
could settle that race in one two kilometer dash at the local airport
runway.
I guess I would like to find a name that refers to the 'raised crank
style' of bicycle that isn't used for anything else, eliminate
'newbie' confusion and promote a great bicycle design.

wrote in message
...
[...]
The Tour de France should be called the Tour df France, as it limits
bicycle design and promotes drafting which is cheating in my view. You
could settle that race in one two kilometer dash at the local airport
runway.

The Tour de France is the most absurd sporting event ever invented by the
mind of man. The winners are separated from the losers by a a few minutes,
sometime just a few seconds. If it weren't for the mountain stages, it would
be even more absurd than it already is. Only the crazy French find it
enjoyable. The rest of the world thinks it is an abomination. Most folks
would rather go to a good horse race at the local track than bother with a
stupid bicycle race.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

wrote:

"Highway" creates a mental picture of "going down the road again",
long distance travel on something that can make the journey and fun in
getting there. If a diamond frame bicycle requires you to travel in
groups so you can draft each other, that suggests you can't do it on
your own. Now I get why the resistance to highway bicycles
(recumbents) is because you can't cheat and let the other guy do the
hard work. I've seen school buses drafting each other down "route 66",
it's not safe. But then a DF rider is mostly looking two feet in front
of the front wheel or riding "no hands" to see.

But they don't require it, it is simply a benefit if you do. Mark
Beaumont recently did 18,000 miles solo on highways on a round the world
record breaking trip, and clearly didn't need drafting!

'Recumbent' as a name has been taken over by the indoor exersize crowd
and that's a fact. I never got any enjoyment out of pedalling in one
spot, and I've done it.

No more than "bike", at least where I am.

For many people a street bicycle brings to mind a picture of something
with large tires, fenders and a rear carrier. A mountain bicycle
brings to mind something with knobby tires, mud and dangerous riding
between trees. So a highway bicycle brings to mind, speed on a long
road, and a good view as you're riding. That may or may not be a
'bent', but after a few miles of DF pedaling into the wind and a very
sore backside and wrists, a highway style bicycle in the 'bent' design
seems to be right or better than any other style of frame.

Which is why I ride the model I do. But again you've missed the point
that there are recumbent designs that don't do that particularly well:
if you want speed on a long road that's some flavour of racing or
touring, and city 'bents, cargo 'bents, off-road fun trik 'bents don't
qualify. But they're still recumbents.

The Tour de France should be called the Tour df France, as it limits
bicycle design and promotes drafting which is cheating in my view. You
could settle that race in one two kilometer dash at the local airport
runway.

It isn't cheating because it's an established feature of riding in packs
which is an established feature of /that sort/ of cycle racing. If you
don't like drafting then that's what time trials are all about.

The limits of design are to ensure it's man vs. man rather than being
about the bikes. Not necessarily a good thing, but at least an
understandable one. I'd personally prefer an approach like sailing,
where you have "one design" classes and development classes so you've
space for both, but the UCI does seem to have its head stuck up its
bottom on some issues, and that's one of them.

I guess I would like to find a name that refers to the 'raised crank
style' of bicycle that isn't used for anything else, eliminate
'newbie' confusion and promote a great bicycle design.

A nice aim, but I doubt that unilaterally deciding "Highway bike" is
what they're called will be a way to achieve it.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Jul 29, 3:52 am, Peter Clinch wrote:
wrote:
"Highway" creates a mental picture of "going down the road again",
long distance travel on something that can make the journey and fun in
getting there. If a diamond frame bicycle requires you to travel in
groups so you can draft each other, that suggests you can't do it on
your own. Now I get why the resistance to highway bicycles
(recumbents) is because you can't cheat and let the other guy do the
hard work. I've seen school buses drafting each other down "route 66",
it's not safe. But then a DF rider is mostly looking two feet in front
of the front wheel or riding "no hands" to see.

But they don't require it, it is simply a benefit if you do. Mark
Beaumont recently did 18,000 miles solo on highways on a round the world
record breaking trip, and clearly didn't need drafting!

'Recumbent' as a name has been taken over by the indoor exersize crowd
and that's a fact. I never got any enjoyment out of pedalling in one
spot, and I've done it.

No more than "bike", at least where I am.

For many people a street bicycle brings to mind a picture of something
with large tires, fenders and a rear carrier. A mountain bicycle
brings to mind something with knobby tires, mud and dangerous riding
between trees. So a highway bicycle brings to mind, speed on a long
road, and a good view as you're riding. That may or may not be a
'bent', but after a few miles of DF pedaling into the wind and a very
sore backside and wrists, a highway style bicycle in the 'bent' design
seems to be right or better than any other style of frame.

Which is why I ride the model I do. But again you've missed the point
that there are recumbent designs that don't do that particularly well:
if you want speed on a long road that's some flavour of racing or
touring, and city 'bents, cargo 'bents, off-road fun trik 'bents don't
qualify. But they're still recumbents.

The Tour de France should be called the Tour df France, as it limits
bicycle design and promotes drafting which is cheating in my view. You
could settle that race in one two kilometer dash at the local airport
runway.

It isn't cheating because it's an established feature of riding in packs
which is an established feature of /that sort/ of cycle racing. If you
don't like drafting then that's what time trials are all about.

Maybe it's not 'cheating', so why should a recumbent be cheating then?
(because they can't be drafted, but they can draft)

anyway, some more cheating:
I suppose you read this by now:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle4364306.ece

wrote:

Maybe it's not 'cheating', so why should a recumbent be cheating then?

You're not familiar with UCI regulations, I take it...

"Just because" is the basis for a lot of their incredibly baroque list
of things that are banned.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/