# recumbant takes out cyclist on gadget show



## Licramite (2 Sep 2013)

Did you see the gadget show this morning, girl presenter had a top of the range Carbon fibre bike the guy had a recumbent.
They were having a race, first race was acceleration the second was endurance.
The first thing that struck me was how ungainly setting of in a recumbent is, must be hell from a standing start on a hill, and in traffic were its stop start.

So the conventional bike beat the recumbent on acceleration , on the endurance the recumbent lagged most of the way and when it finally tried to overtake, skidded on the corner and took out the girls bike.

both went down heavy and she was pretty shook up. he lost most of the rear end of his shorts.

it was a pretty extreme recumbent , can see why I've seen allot of recumbent trikes.


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## ufkacbln (2 Sep 2013)

Which episode and which channel ?

Gadget Show is not listed as being on today.....or at any time in the near future



> Sorry, The Gadget Show isn't currently scheduled to be on any of our channels.


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## Licramite (2 Sep 2013)

Cunobelin said:


> Which episode and which channel ?
> 
> Gadget Show is not listed as being on today.....or at any time in the near future


itt was on dave 8.0clock this morning. - it was a double bill apparantly


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## AndyPeace (2 Sep 2013)

http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/clips/show/challenge-gadget-races-part-2

This one? Silly comparison done in a jackass fashion imo lol


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## Licramite (2 Sep 2013)

das the one


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## ianrauk (2 Sep 2013)

The bloke obviously had very little time on a recumbent. And it showed.


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## DRHysted (2 Sep 2013)

Licramite said:


> itt was on dave 8.0clock this morning. - it was a double bill apparantly



And a very old repeat (can't actually remember when I watched that, but I wasn't cycling so pre 2010).


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## starhawk (3 Sep 2013)

Saw that one long ago, but that is the way their tests goes, they put a total newbie on the "new" bike and a "veteran" on the DF and call it a fair test.


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## scotbiker (4 Sep 2013)

It was an expensive M5 Carbon High Racer he binned. What a waste


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## mrBishboshed (5 Sep 2013)

That recumbent looks like a death trap. Not my cup of tea. Suzi's bum did look nice though so worth a watch.


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## ianrauk (5 Sep 2013)

mrBishboshed said:


> That recumbent looks like a death trap. Not my cup of tea. Suzi's bum did look nice though so worth a watch.



Recumbent's are far from death traps.


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## mrBishboshed (5 Sep 2013)

I wouldn't fancy doing a city commute on one, although i will take your word for it.
I don't argue with anyone who knows more than me on a subject ianrauk.


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## ianrauk (5 Sep 2013)

mrBishboshed said:


> *I wouldn't fancy doing a city commute on one,* although i will take your word for it.
> I don't argue with anyone who knows more than me on a subject ianrauk.




It's just..errrrm... like learning to ride a bike


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## TheDoctor (6 Sep 2013)

I've probably got over a hundred people to safely ride a 'bent, and about the same to ride a penny.
It truly is like riding a bike. Just practise, that's all.


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## Browser (10 Sep 2013)

Why was he doing his so-named duck-run to get the 'bent started? Is this normal for a 2-wheel high-racer or would you normally (as I'd always assumed) have one leg clipped in and one down ready to go? Also, why were they racing on a kart track? I wouldn't have liked racing on that, too small and bends too tight. Typical biased reporting from TV, from what I can see anyway.


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## GrasB (10 Sep 2013)

Browser said:


> Why was he doing his so-named duck-run to get the 'bent started?


Because he'd never ridden a 'bent before & watched the cruzbike on teaching your self how to ride a 'bent? Also M racers are very twitchy when pulling away which make them a very bad bike to learn how to ride on. Bacchetta Carbon Aero would have been a better place to start



> Is this normal for a 2-wheel high-racer or would you normally (as I'd always assumed) have one leg clipped in and one down ready to go?


Yeah, this is how it's normally done by anyone who has a modicum of sense.



> Also, why were they racing on a kart track? I wouldn't have liked racing on that, too small and bends too tight. Typical biased reporting from TV, from what I can see anyway.


Cart tracks are perfect for crit-like races but require riders who have a decent bike handling skills. This is further emphasised on a 'bent as the way to go quick is pedal through the corners. Once you've got the handling skills you can fly through the corners back by backing off to about 200-250w through the corners & ramping up the power early... If chasing DF riders try the same trick they'll generally end up on the deck ... pedal strike's a b**tch


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## PloddinPedro (11 Sep 2013)

GrasB said:


> .............................. M racers are very twitchy when pulling away which make them a very bad bike to learn how to ride on. Bacchetta Carbon Aero would have been a better place to start ......................


 That's interesting. Can you offer any insight as to why the M5 would be more tricky than the Bacchetta? Wheelbase or wheel size perhaps, or fork rake/trail? I've been browsing around lately, looking at 'bents and wondering if they may be worth a try and although there's masses of gen, I haven't yet found anything explaining which would be the best geometry for various purposes.


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## GrasB (12 Sep 2013)

PloddinPedro said:


> That's interesting. Can you offer any insight as to why the M5 would be more tricky than the Bacchetta? Wheelbase or wheel size perhaps, or fork rake/trail?


A whole host of things. The Aero can be setup for a more upright body position which is easier for beginner to deal with. The handle bars are completely different. The centre of gravity is different.... 



> I've been browsing around lately, looking at 'bents and wondering if they may be worth a try and although there's masses of gen, I haven't yet found anything explaining which would be the best geometry for various purposes.


The thing is with DFs the basic shape of all bikes are the same & biases of bike gemetry have been well established for many, many years. On 'bents there is so much difference between bikes even in the same 'class' it's really hard to work out what's good for what.


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## PloddinPedro (12 Sep 2013)

GrasB said:


> A whole host of things. The Aero can be setup for a more upright body position which is easier for beginner to deal with. The handle bars are completely different. The centre of gravity is different....


 As yes, I see that now. Although they are fundamentally very similar, relatively small variations can add up to significant differences I guess, just like on a DF. Thanks.


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## Recycle (21 Sep 2013)

The only fair comparison to make between a DF and recumbent would be to take identical twins of the same fitness level and ability. Place them on each or the respective machines and race them (assuming they they had the same level of training and competence on their bikes). Even then there would be differences depending on how each of the twins felt on the race day.

I think I could beat an upright rider of the same age and ability as myself under most conditions, except perhaps steep uphills. Even on the steep uphills, I may give the upright a good run for his money if the respective bikes were the same weight (give me the carbon M5 Pleeez!). On the level the upright would have no chance at all.


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