rbent Forum - Fastest Recumbent

Bud_Bent

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Posts: 3311

Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #30 - Aug 3^rd, 2011, 8:42pm

Quote from rmillay on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 1:54pm:

Again I will remind you, Bud, the weight (or mass) of a falling object does not appear in the equation for acceleration due to gravity. Thanks to that meddling Italian, Galileo, we have to face it, that gravity only works against us, not for us. Smiley

That's just not true at all. Step off that second floor balcony and tell me that gravity doesn't take you down.

This isn't rocket science, folks. Get past the half-baked coast down tests and find the ones where people took it seriously. Weight is a factor in downhill speed. Period. (Just as it's a factor in uphill speed.)

Another x-factor thrown into all the test riding is the fact that weight has so little effect when riding on flats. At speed, aerodynamics and comfort are the biggest factors there. (Never underestimate the comfort factor.)

But it's always been amazing to me how few people seem to know how weight really affects the speed of a bicycle. It doesn't take that much research to find out. And it's always struck me strange that the lightest riders, who will be the ones slowed down the most by a heavier bike, seem to never pay attention to bike weight when they buy, while the heavy riders, who will be affected very little by bike weight, turn into bike weight weenies. Go figure. Smiley

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« Last Edit: Aug 3^rd, 2011, 9:04pm by Bud_Bent »

Bud
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TonyWard

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Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #31 - Aug 3^rd, 2011, 8:43pm

Quote from jayg on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 7:11pm:

Quote from TonyWard on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 5:11pm:

Quote from johnnybent on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 3:36pm:

ya'll just got it all wrong....it ain't got nuthin ta do with weight, aerodamictics or whatever....It's gotta be RED! Ya know like them Italian sports cars.

Best answer all thread!!!! Jay you gotta quit buying those black bikes - that is why i'm kicking your butt on the actionbent! Wink

It's not nice to pick on your elders. I'd like to see you and Johnnybent race your red ActionBents for pink slips. That way one of you could increase your stable of red bikes at no cost.

no way - i'm afraid i'd loose...... i am still licking my wounds from last summer where he popped me off on a hill on W. Lawther. Plus all those 100+ mile rides he keeps posting scare me.

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The road goes on forever and the party never ends - Robert Earl Keen

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jayg

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Posts: 4192

Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #32 - Aug 3^rd, 2011, 9:01pm

Quote from TonyWard on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 8:43pm:

Quote from jayg on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 7:11pm:

Quote from TonyWard on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 5:11pm:

Quote from johnnybent on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 3:36pm:

ya'll just got it all wrong....it ain't got nuthin ta do with weight, aerodamictics or whatever....It's gotta be RED! Ya know like them Italian sports cars.

Best answer all thread!!!! Jay you gotta quit buying those black bikes - that is why i'm kicking your butt on the actionbent! Wink

It's not nice to pick on your elders. I'd like to see you and Johnnybent race your red ActionBents for pink slips. That way one of you could increase your stable of red bikes at no cost.

no way - i'm afraid i'd loose...... i am still licking my wounds from last summer where he popped me off on a hill on W. Lawther. Plus all those 100+ mile rides he keeps posting scare me.

I think the heat is getting to him. He doesn't know when to quit riding.

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Opus the Poet

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Posts: 1353

Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #33 - Aug 3^rd, 2011, 11:37pm

Quote from rmillay on Aug 3^rd, 2011, 1:54pm:

Again I will remind you, Bud, the weight (or mass) of a falling object does not appear in the equation for acceleration due to gravity. Thanks to that meddling Italian, Galileo, we have to face it, that gravity only works against us, not for us. Smiley

But the force to overcome aerodynamic drag does. Your potential energy is a factor of both altitude and mass, and is expressed as the mass times the distance times the force of gravity expressed as an acceleration.

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I ride my bike to ride my bike, and sometimes it takes me where I need to go.

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power_bent

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Posts: 632

Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #34 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 10:48am

Bud wrote:
But it's always been amazing to me how few people seem to know how weight really affects the speed of a bicycle. It doesn't take that much research to find out. And it's always struck me strange that the lightest riders, who will be the ones slowed down the most by a heavier bike, seem to never pay attention to bike weight when they buy, while the heavy riders, who will be affected very little by bike weight, turn into bike weight weenies. Go figure. Smiley

[/quote]

Hey Bud I can relate to what you said. That being said, my lightest bike that i owned was the Thunderbolt bike and it was the fasted that i've riden on the flats and climbimg.My others bikes beside my trike has been close to that. My homebuilt heavy bike on flats is ok but when i come to the hills it get me real bad..

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« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2011, 10:49am by power_bent »

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Bud_Bent

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Posts: 3311

Re: Fastest Recumbent
Reply #35 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 11:30am

Quote from power_bent on Aug 4^th, 2011, 10:48am:

Hey Bud I can relate to what you said. That being said, my lightest bike that i owned was the Thunderbolt bike and it was the fasted that i've riden on the flats and climbimg.My others bikes beside my trike has been close to that. My homebuilt heavy bike on flats is ok but when i come to the hills it get me real bad..

Yeah, in a sport where we refer to everyone over 200 pounds as Cyldesdales, someone your size doesn't have a lot to pick from, when it comes to bikes and even parts for them. My hat's off to you for sticking with it, even after your injury.

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« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2011, 11:31am by Bud_Bent »

Bud
* 2009 RANS F-5 Pro
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* 2004 RANS Screamer
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power_bent Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 632	Re: Fastest Recumbent Reply #36 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 11:46am Hey I'm trying, It going to click someday. lol I'm just glad there suck a thing as recumbent , otherwise i wouldn't be riding..
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FlyingLaZBoy Moderator '16 ICE SprintX fs, '16 Rocket, '12 KHS Mocha Posts: 5803	Re: Fastest Recumbent Reply #37 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 12:06pm It's the Pinewood Derby factor -- heaviest car wins... the mass inertia helps overcome wind resistance.
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power_bent Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 632	Re: Fastest Recumbent Reply #38 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 12:31pm
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jdviz Mushashi Rider & Sloshbuckler Posts: 57	Re: Fastest Recumbent Reply #39 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 4:54pm Elizabeth and I both have the same bike. Uphill, she drops me regularly. Down hill, I'll coast past her, even if she's still pedaling furiously. I weigh 225, she weighs 120. (Shhhh, don't tell I told). Bikes weigh 40+...
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power_bent Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 632	Re: Fastest Recumbent Reply #40 - Aug 4^th, 2011, 7:24pm Thanks JD
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