recumbent bike vs upright bike

As usual every year, I have the opportunity to take part in the cycling competition, it is more funny than real sports, this year the route is laid on very bad asphalt, there was a strong front wind and in the way I met "deaf" and real athletes - therefore was not boring, although some places are dangerous.

[@lise1255]

I guess a lot got a shock from the recumbent coming low and fast on their right side while they slumbered 😂

[@WhirledPublishing]

Same here

[@recumbent]

I am a Japanese recumbent rider. I also participate in Japanese bicycle events, but I am often the only one with a recumbent bike.

[@velofasto]

The same for me in France...

[@DemiGod..]

In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king

[@casualguy393]

I live in Itabashi, and often ride on Arakawa. We should ride together :)

[@lise1255]

Wow, that was frightening as well as fun to watch 😂.

[@briancostello2648]

Rode my custom low rider across Canada, fully loaded, self supported in 2015. Watching your video reminded me how much fun I was having, everyday. Great video, wish I was younger and healthier, miss those days! Fun video.

[@daianbotelho]

I build my own recumbent bicycle last year here, in Brazil, where it is still very unknown! It is allways almost "an attraction" wherever I go; I confirm the advantages: much more confortable, less air resitance, low gravity center, improving stability! But there is some disadvantages too: greater steering angle, difficulting some urban ways (like footbridges over highways, with the access ramps alternating at 180º angles); the underseat handlebar is very vulnerable in falls, almost always being damaged, even bending; legs that are always elevated get tired faster and almost never rest, even when stopped on a descent; the bicycle itself is ever more heavy because there is more structure, even in the most compact models in comparison with road bicycles. So I preffer and recomend the recumbent bicycle to ciclo-travellers, possible using e-engine and to urban use in flatter places. My calculation is that the physical effort varies from 20% to 40% more, but I have never had such strong legs before!😂

[@joefalcon870]

i agree' my home made recumbent under seat steering, very comfortable position as have bad back, BUT legs tire faster than upright bike, but then back gets sore on upright bike

[@graham1735]

Reminds me why I like riding on my own!

[@gliderarts3573]

40 km to get there...

[@Jesusisthe1way]

Great vid! Love recumbents! Had a similar ride on my Cruzbike Vendetta - passed all the uprights lol.

[@matthewbrewster5956]

Everyone else is standing still.

[@HardlineFeminists]

*With lost chains you still managed to effortlessly race past everyone ahead of you despite their best efforts to race you.* ⚙️⛓️⚙️🚲🚲🚲🌎

[@Rottingboards]

Headwinds on a flat route...where the recumbent shines.

[@MichaelHenderson59]

Haha I love 24:20, for like 100m you didn't pedal once and all the uprights had to and they Still couldn't keep up with the streamline nature of your recumbent. I really love the tiny super compact slim design of the steering bar though!

[@VEC7ORlt]

Just recumbent things!

[@marcusmobley5411]

Big vlad getting it done

[@brauljo]

Looks like nobody knows that slower traffic should keep to the right

[@mikldude9376]

Wow , good ride mate, well done , not many you did not pass 👍.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Thanks 👍

[@beanbag345]

Fun video, thanks!!

[@SkywalkFPV]

You look like the only biker that really enjoys the ride and able to look around your surroundings, instead of looking down into the asphalt with butthurt like all the others =P Your handlebar looks very compact and handy, is that custom or can you buy it like that? Do you prefer having top vs under steering? I like the vibe the recumbent bikes have, I just got one myself too (Nazca Gaucho with understeer) it is the best bicycle experience I ever had =D I am not looking for competition, I like the touring aspect and eventually combine bike packing and have some camping fun, cheers..

[@vladimir_specbike]

Yes, I prefer the top steering bar, this is a matter of habit. I did this steering bar myself from carbon tubes but better aluminum tubes. I can easily add a big trunk, change the tires and even add a front fork with a suspension to turn my bike in the touring.

[@JMC-zn5pz]

Thanks. Will try get something up and running for the coming summer and do some recordings from the road, very few people seem to know the view and feeling from driving low. :)

[@johannschiel6734]

Frontwind (or is it headwind?) does actually benefit the recumbant, doesn't it? I certainly don't feel tired as quitck with headwinds, when riding the recumbant...

[@vladimir_specbike]

Naturally the headwinds wind gives the advantage of the recumbant

[@blazingpedals]

I always say I like headwinds because they make me look like Superman(tm). Of course they slow me down too, just not as much.

[@JMC-zn5pz]

Cool ride. Do you have some technical info on the bike and especially the camera mounting. I do drive recumbents occasionally, but I never recored vids from iit, just made a few videocals when riding.

[@vladimir_specbike]

The bike has 2 wheels 28, disc brakes, 11 speeds, weight 13-14kg and rear suspension. I made a bracket for the camera myself, it is attached to the trunk connection points

[@user-hd9xy6ql3z]

Ну красавец всех обогнал уважаю упертых удивлён количеству участников.Молодцы!

[@vladimir_specbike]

ну с конца обгонять не проблема, спортсмены то уже уехали 🙂

[@MultiTman1000]

Can you post a link to a pic of your bike? Extremelly fast! Well done! Did you buy it or build it?

[@vladimir_specbike]

The bike is made by the company specbiketechnics.com/

[@ralph1269]

I've ridden upright since 1988. I 'raced' a guy on a recumbent for the FIRST time 2 days ago and he was a hard catch! I was wondering if you ride an upright and how how your speed avg compares. I watch the GCN comparison but it is female in recumbent vs. male on an upright and the female wins. But I am REALLY curious as to the time difference when the rider is the SAME! Bottom line question is--if you have to get from point A to point B on a straight line in the fastest manner possible, do you pick the recumbent or upright?

[@vladimir_specbike]

I don't use an upright bike primarily because of its uncomfortable seat position. so I can't compare my average speed. Once I had to use my colleague's racing upright road bike, I was shocked that after I stopped pedaling, the bike lost speed as if someone had pressed the brakes (the brakes were fine), I did not expect such braking by air resistance. For daily riding to the office, I use a recumbent bike; it is really faster due to less air resistance and is many times more comfortable. You can also notice in the video the difference in speed at the downhill where the strength of the rider does not matter, only weight and air resistance affect.

[@ralph1269]

@@vladimir_specbike Appreciate the reply. As I (my back, knees, hips) get older, it gets harder to ride and I so I could see myself on a recumbent in the near future.

[@RaneBane]

I want to buy a frame and build one up, any ideas where to start? Not alot of companies offer this in North America

[@wassup2ify]

Try calling local bike shops they can help point you in the right direction either that or ebay. But be ready to pay a pretty penny for specialty parts such as seats and backrest supports. If you assemble it yourself you will save a lot in the long run for upgrades.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Hi, I can sell you this frame, or make a new one. Please write on e-mail [e-mail] .

[@tomnoyb8301]

What was this race (distance, sponsor, location, etc.)? How did you do (place, out of, time, etc.)?

[@vladimir_specbike]

35.9 km in Latvija, Sigulda. velo.lv/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VienibasB_TAUTAS_2023_17-aug-scaled.jpg . I do not remember my results, you can try to see them on the speedometer that is placed on the steering bar.

[@rakyantube-tube1335]

I've noticed that the handlebars on the bike are not familiar to me and the handlebrake doesn't appear there. are the brakes not on the handlebars? because in my opinion it is very dangerous if a bicycle does not have braking..

[@pmaspmas]

Levers on the underside of the handlebar, operated with his thumbs, I think.

[@vladimir_specbike]

you are right! Brakes for chicken! :-) of course I have 2 disk brakes, only they are on the longitudinal part of the steering rod to press with thumbs.

[@user-vi5wn1th7t]

Улёт!

[@Doesitreallymatter344]

You need a bike bell. To get people out of your way.

[@vladimir_specbike]

I already have a bell and using it, you can see it on the video, but people do not hear

[@blazingpedals]

Weaving in and out of the bike traffic like that reminds me of RAGBRAI. There were just too many other bikes to safely make good time. You're lucky you didn't get tangled up with anybody.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Thank you, I don’t approve such a lucky but aggressive ride and hardly do it again

[@velosapien]

is that the Azub max please?

[@vladimir_specbike]

no, it is Specbike SPORT specbiketechnics.com/

[@Freedom21stCenturi]

Cool video. I want one.

[@vladimir_specbike]

freely order it on the home page specbiketechnics.com/

[@ADVtheMISSIONARY]

Nice, good to see lots of women out on the bike. it looks fairly flat up there.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Yes, many girls, sometimes it’s hard to overtake them, too good view from the back 🤣

[@PopeDPG]

What model bike

[@vladimir_specbike]

specbiketechnics.com/ (but this is a secret model "road sport")

[@user-sq5sy7bk5m]

ещё раз посмотрел видео...отлично...какая масса у Вашего лигера?

[@vladimir_specbike]

+/- 15 кг

[@user-sq5sy7bk5m]

спасибо@@vladimir_specbike

[@mikeymouse4629]

Looks like Specbikes doesn't make that model anymore 😞

[@vladimir_specbike]

Of course they make, but this is a secret, only for special customers

[@videotosse]

Why did you have to start from the back of the pack?

[@vladimir_specbike]

Such rules of competition in our Latvia for recumbent bike

[@videotosse]

OK, Thank you for letting us join the race 🙂@@vladimir_specbike

[@catex5452]

that's not really fair right? recumbent bikes are way more aero and not really comparable.

[@vladimir_specbike]

yes, it's not entirely correct to compare them, but it's so much fun

[@DemiGod..]

People will get recumbents expecting to blow away cyclists, then wonder why they don't. They will then realise that it is then power of the rider , not the type of bike.

[@vladimir_specbike]

yes, the power gives more than the type of bike if you can train every day. If I go down a hill without the power of my legs and a regular bicycle of any kind is going down the same way, I will go longer than it, if we compare only bikes. I had training sessions with professional bicycle racers and I’m not surprised that a young professional athlete can overtake me as an ordinary old man. For some, it was even difficult for me to hold on to their backs, their legs were so powerful.

[@sieve5]

"Only 24 miles.." Sheesh man. Longest ride I've ever done was 54 miles.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Yes, this is the length of the competition. Plus another 25 km to and back. My long trip is 300 km per day

[@user-sq5sy7bk5m]

привет! зачем ЛЕВАЯ Ручка там же нет шестерёнок? или это на видео невидно...моник у меня реалистиковый..:)

[@vladimir_specbike]

Там есть 3 звезды спереди, их просто не видно и нет переднего переключателя.

[@lukeschmidtaa]

Why can't people stick right and over-take on the left, why are they opting to spread across the whole road? Is this not literal reckless endangerment?

[@vladimir_specbike]

it's just people, they don't imagine that someone crazy like me can rapidly approach from behind 😂

[@mydearriley]

In most jurisdictions, cyclists are permitted to use the full breadth of the road as needed. It's reckless endangerment for cars to impede on this right. Driving too closely behind or not leaving enough room for the cyclist while overtaking is horribly dangerous. Edit: This seems to be video of a special event, where the roads are likely shut down for car traffic, further permitting cyclists to use the full extent of the road.

[@viktorreznov1548]

Sagt deutscher..

[@lukeschmidtaa]

@@viktorreznov1548 Sagt Poes. I'm South African.

[@viktorreznov1548]

@@lukeschmidtaa schmidt ?

[@godaboveall8344]

Average speed? Looks ~25 mph

[@vladimir_specbike]

In this competition, I no longer remember what the average speed was. But I know what is the speed on my 55 km train: the record was an average speed of 41 km/h in good condition, usually 35 km/h and slightly more.

[@spendaringan]

Overlapping everyone?

[@vladimir_specbike]

Not quite so, professional athletes will start the first and it is not realistic to catch them from the end, and I do not overtake them, I do not have 1000W in my feet

[@kjm-ch7jc]

Don't think i could ride that recumbent, if you were involved in a head on collision, that steering column would be pushed into your chest.

[@vladimir_specbike]

Not quite, it depends on whether you manage to remove your legs from the pedals. If you did not have time, your legs are tense and you just fall on side. If you had time to remove your legs from the pedals, it means that you managed to press the brake, it means your hands hold the steering bar tightly and you can hold the body from it. On a recumbent bike, it is impossible to make a somersault head forward as on a vertical one.

[@HardlineFeminists]

*Or so the recumbent cowards say...* 🤔⚙️⛓️🚲

[@RaneBane]

That stem just lifts up with a bit of force. The only thing you worry about on a recumbent is getting hit from behind . Your brain is level with the front fender.

[@hd-be7di]

Please don't speed up the film when you're doing a speed comparison video between different bicycle types.

[@vladimir_specbike]

You can reduce the speed of video playback on KZbin. I do a speed higher to reduce the total time and a file volume.