Ongoing Learnings From Training on Both Recumbent and Standard Upright Bike

Certainly, I've been very vigilant to not overtrain.  Rest is almost as important as planning and executing a smart training plan.

I use sections of the Skull Valley Loop for training tasks.  Long climbs, steep descents, numerous mountain switchbacks, desert heat, mountain cool air.  And, today, thunder, lightning and rain. 

The most productive training is on some of the shorter (4.3 miles of 6 - 9%) climbs and longer (12.5 miles of 2 - 9%) climbs. 

On each chosen segment I ride either the bent or standard bike.  I carefully track time, distance, average and max heart rate, elevation gain and loss.  I then compare each training event on that segment. 

Within the past six weeks I've been using `full circle pedaling' with both bikes.  Apply force pushing with one leg and pulling with the other leg.  Lots of `ankle pedaling' to engage the entire leg. 

To my surprise I'm climbing faster on the recumbent.  Much faster.  Which is interesting to me because the recumbent descends much, much faster than the upright bike.  So, if I can continue to develop strength and stamina on the recumbent using the full circle and ankle pedaling methods I may not further consider the upright bike for shorter (less than 100 miles) competition.

Today I rode the upright bike over the mountain on a 22.7 mile circuit.  It took me 13 minutes longer than on the recumbent bike two days ago. 

Along with careful data collection from my training rides it is becoming clear to me that a) the DF bike is agony to ride, b) my 'bent legs allow better stamina, power aand balance. 

And therein lies an incentive to emphasize full circle pedaling while climbing on the recumbent: riding the upright bike for any distance beyond 25 miles is an intensely painful experience. 

Yesterday (45.5 miles out and back on the upright).  My wife asked me on my return from training: "How was your ride?"  I replied, grimly: "Agony. Pure agony.  Shoulders, neck, wrist and hand numbness, arms, glutes, lower back, hamstrings.  All so painful halfway through the training that I'm sure it sucked energy from my performance." 

Upright Bike v. Recumbent Bike: Further Discoveries

Over the past few months I've made good headway on adding the DF to my cycling habits. It's taken some real discipline to do so because, as most of us know, DFs simply hurt.  The usual suspects: neck, shoulder, wrist, back, saddle sore.  

I've mitigated the discomfort by adjusting a few things:

• adjustable stem to lessen my `leaning' over the handlebars;
• double padding of the handlebar where my wrist presses down;
• tilted the saddle so that the only part of my butt that touches it are the seatbones; (this dramatically reduced the friction that was beginning to cause tissue soreness);
• raised the seat post so that I could get good torque on the pedals both when in the saddle and when pedaling out of the saddle.

Other things improved simply as a function of time on the bike:

• less severe shoulder and neck pain;
• stronger arms;
• better bike handling skills (muscle memory returned after a month).

But a few things remain problematic: 

• glutes and hamstrings are muscle and tendon that are both strengthening but need to be watched so that reasonable stress doesn't become abusive strain and injury;
• even with the `Gutr' the sweat pours down over my face and messes with my glasses (in the reclined recumbent position the sweat just rolls down my neck);
• I'm slower on the descents and flats simply because, no matter how I scrunch myself, I'm a bigger wind sail (less aerodynamic) than on my Bacchettas.

I go anaerobic faster primarily for two reasons:

• the heart has to push blood vertically more so than on the recumbent;
• the discomfort of being in the saddle, the sore glutes and hamstrings make standing on the pedals, out of the saddle, a relief.  This results in me being tempted to `hammer' more.  (I could just reduce cadence and lean / relax when standing but ... I haven't allowed myself to do that -- yet).  

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There is no question in my mind that the DF is fun.  

• I'm faster when climbing;
• it is a more dangerous position (endovers are worse than full body road rash) and that affords me a completely stupid sense of thrill (call it a death wish if you want);
• I find myself `racing' other DF riders --- simply because there are no other recumbent cyclists out here to race on a pick-up basis.

BUT ....

• The DF is ungodly uncomfortable;
• I would never consider riding it more than 60 - 80 miles in one `sitting.'
• There is no comparison of the `enjoyment' factor between the DF and the recumbent.  
  • I look forward to the recumbent as a form of pleasure, giving me the opportunity to see the world around me when I'm riding.  Comfortably.  Can't do that on the DF.  
  • On the DF I'll always be aware of the discomfort factor.  Not so on the recumbent.