Standard v's Vendetta riding

[Kenneth Jessett]

I have reached the conclusion which many of you probably arrived at aeons ago, that the muscles used by a standard bike rider - pushing down - compared with a recumbent rider - pushing out - means that the transition from a standard to a vendetta is a slow process. The glutes, hamstrings and quads for a standard bike rider are set in stone and to unset them requires some dedication and practice.

Today I decided to give my vendetta its head along the neighborhood streets and full out I was hitting 17 MPH. Now I know those V riders among you are no doubt now rolling on the floor, but for me, this was an achievement. This test run came about following a fellow V rider saying he hit 33 MPH whilst coming up behind me on the trail - the same rider who leaves me like Toad of Toad Hall going 'putt, putt' in the middle of the road as a sleek motor car leaves him in the dust.

Clearly, what is required is for me to abandon for the time being my standard bikes - I have a stable of them - and concentrate on the Vendetta - of which I have only been on for about a hour the last 3 weeks.

Riding the standard bikes leaves my upper arms/shoulders and hands in a state of excrutiating discomfort, so I am hoping for better things from the V if I am going to continue riding my extra distance long distance rides in the years to come.

I have a 1,150 mile bike packing trip coming up in June, and it would be great to do it on the V; so practice, practice, practice.

 

[super slim]

Is that "Bike packing trip", van supported, i.e. the van takes your camping and clothes to the next camping spot, or self supported, where you carry all your camping, clothes and food with you?

 

[bladderhead]

rolling on the floor

Go round a corner too fast on a gravel path - that should do it.

You do not have to completely abandon your DF. Just do more miles on the V. However fast you are on the DF, the V will eventually beat it. Painlessly.

 

[ed72]

If the stable of upright bikes "bikes leaves my upper arms/shoulders and hands in a state of excrutiating discomfort", why ride them? Seriously?

As far as how long does it take to transition from a longtime upright rider to the bent world? I don't know. I have read 2 weeks and have read 2 years. I'm at it for 7 months and 4,500+ miles. I'm almost there. Riding your bent one hour in three weeks won't get you there. If you want to survive a backpacking trip, you need to start packing the miles and hours on the bent and leave the uprights alone for a while.

 

[nobrakes]

Took me a year to get fully comfortable and as speedy on bents. Hills were a catastrophe for months and then one day they just became easier. I think it is pretty much just a case of putting in the hours until the body adapts. Some are quicker than others but you’ll get there, particularly on a bike as fast as the V.

 

[ElyDave]

I've come to much the same conclusion, after riding most of the winter on the upwrong while (slowly) building a wheel for the M5 recumbent, my elbows have been getting sorer to the extent I visited the doctor. And then on an audax 2 weeks ago, after 85km the pain across my shoulders and neck was getting pretty bad. Another 55km last weekend, and my neck and right shoulder have been sore all week.

45km on the M5 today, and they feel better already.

I'll be starting my S40 build next week, using donor parts from the DF - my plan is ride the Silvio until it's second nature. Ride nothing else. I have a 700km tour coming up in the summer as well, and must be OK on the S40 for then. Hoping the transition will be easier with recumbent experience.

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

A 200K rando ride yesterday and I have to agree I really need to spend more time on the Vendetta and less on the shoulder/arm wrecking machine I rode. It was raining, cold, windy and hilly and I was imagining the speed I have seen my friend ride his V and thinking,. "Why isn't that me?". So, I take the suggestions and must concentrate on the Vendetta.

The ride will be bike-packing as in - carry everything including tent and stuff. It's called LeJog and goes from the extreme south west of England (Lands End) to the extreme north east of Scotland (John o' Groats) Hence Le = Lands End, Jog = John o' Groats.

I'll let you know how my training on the Vendetta goes. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Charles.Plager]

Clearly, what is required is for me to abandon for the time being my standard bikes - I have a stable of them - and concentrate on the Vendetta - of which I have only been on for about a hour the last 3 weeks.

I agree. When learning how to ride a Cruzbike, it will go much faster if you just ride the Cruzbike. Once you're habituated, switching back and forth is no problem at all. But when you're learning to ride, I believe switching back and forth undoes some of the learning and really slows down the process.

 

[ElyDave]

A 200K rando ride yesterday and I have to agree I really need to spend more time on the Vendetta and less on the shoulder/arm wrecking machine I rode. It was raining, cold, windy and hilly and I was imagining the speed I have seen my friend ride his V and thinking,. "Why isn't that me?". So, I take the suggestions and must concentrate on the Vendetta.

The ride will be bike-packing as in - carry everything including tent and stuff. It's called LeJog and goes from the extreme south west of England (Lands End) to the extreme north east of Scotland (John o' Groats) Hence Le = Lands End, Jog = John o' Groats.

I'll let you know how my training on the Vendetta goes. Thanks for all the advice.

Kenneth you'll have to give us a report on LeJog, that's in my sights to ride someday.

This year I'm spending a couple of days on Islay for the Ride of the Falling Rain in August and then riding from ardrossan down to Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria over three days

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

Will do, and does ElyDave live in Ely?

 

[ElyDave]

He certainly does.

 

[Kenneth Jessett]

I know it well having been raised in Norwich