From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind. Got out and did the Catrike on my
loop course. While no wind I was still pretty cold feet frozen by the
end of 37 mile ride. I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it. I want to blame the cold but this just feels
like I am working hard. My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more
air to breath.

Does the cold wipe you all out as bad as wind? I have noticed at about
25 miles I start feeling a little better but this is not so fun.
--
Deacon Mark

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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

On Sat, 2 May 2026 13:32:03 -0500, Mark J cleary
<mcleary08@comcast.net> wrote:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind. Got out and did the Catrike on my
loop course. While no wind I was still pretty cold feet frozen by the
end of 37 mile ride. I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it. I want to blame the cold but this just feels
like I am working hard. My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more
air to breath.

Does the cold wipe you all out as bad as wind? I have noticed at about
25 miles I start feeling a little better but this is not so fun.

I don't understand why you're having breathing problems. I've been a diaphragmatic breather ever since I took up playing wind instruments
and my stretched out position on the Catrike worked so much better for
that than when I was curled up on a two wheeler.

--
C'est bon
Soloman
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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

On 5/2/2026 1:59 PM, Catrike Ryder wrote:

On Sat, 2 May 2026 13:32:03 -0500, Mark J cleary
<mcleary08@comcast.net> wrote:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind. Got out and did the Catrike on my
loop course. While no wind I was still pretty cold feet frozen by the
end of 37 mile ride. I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it. I want to blame the cold but this just feels
like I am working hard. My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more
air to breath.

Does the cold wipe you all out as bad as wind? I have noticed at about
25 miles I start feeling a little better but this is not so fun.

I don't understand why you're having breathing problems. I've been a diaphragmatic breather ever since I took up playing wind instruments
and my stretched out position on the Catrike worked so much better for
that than when I was curled up on a two wheeler.

--
C'est bon
Soloman

AI suggests that it is different between riders. I feel much better pull
up on the handlebars of a regular bike and can take a much deeper
breath. I feel like at my diaphragm level every thing is pushing on the
top of the stomach. Not hurts as in pain put I want to draw back my back
away from the seat and pull more air in. I can and this helps I just
can't maintain the position long.

On thing is I have a 700 by far the most reclined at 25 degrees. If I
would sit up more I am pretty sure it would be different. I really would
like to maybe try one like the Expedition that has more upright seat. I
was hoping I could adapt quicker. Have to see.
--
Deacon Mark
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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

On Sat, 2 May 2026 14:17:24 -0500, Mark J cleary
<mcleary08@comcast.net> wrote:

On 5/2/2026 1:59 PM, Catrike Ryder wrote:

On Sat, 2 May 2026 13:32:03 -0500, Mark J cleary
<mcleary08@comcast.net> wrote:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind. Got out and did the Catrike on my
loop course. While no wind I was still pretty cold feet frozen by the
end of 37 mile ride. I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it. I want to blame the cold but this just feels
like I am working hard. My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more >>> air to breath.

Does the cold wipe you all out as bad as wind? I have noticed at about
25 miles I start feeling a little better but this is not so fun.

I don't understand why you're having breathing problems. I've been a
diaphragmatic breather ever since I took up playing wind instruments
and my stretched out position on the Catrike worked so much better for
that than when I was curled up on a two wheeler.

--
C'est bon
Soloman

AI suggests that it is different between riders. I feel much better pull
up on the handlebars of a regular bike and can take a much deeper
breath. I feel like at my diaphragm level every thing is pushing on the
top of the stomach. Not hurts as in pain put I want to draw back my back >away from the seat and pull more air in. I can and this helps I just
can't maintain the position long.

On thing is I have a 700 by far the most reclined at 25 degrees. If I
would sit up more I am pretty sure it would be different. I really would >like to maybe try one like the Expedition that has more upright seat. I
was hoping I could adapt quicker. Have to see.

I tried a 700 and didn't like the position at all. One other thing I
didn't like about the Catrikes was the position of the grips down at
my sides. I figured out how to get my hands higher and my arms
straight out in front of me. I think that also helped my breathing.

--
C'est bon
Soloman
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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

Am 02.05.2026 um 20:32 schrieb Mark J cleary:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind.
I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it.
I want to blame the cold but this just feels like I am working hard.

I observed this spring that temperatures below 40F dropped my average
speed by about 1-2 mph (when I'm not fit) compared to temparates around
50F. The internet tells me this is at least partly due to the air being denser when cold, and maybe partly due to breathing the cold air.

I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern.
My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more
air to breath.

I understand the indoor trainer is on an upright bike.
I notice three differences:
1) you are very reclined on the Catrike. Your moving legs pump the
blood directly back to your heart, greatly relieving the old pump at low
to moderate effort.

2) By being very reclined, your (average) hip angle is different from
the most efficient 110 degrees which you tend to natually assume on a
(good) upright bike. Similarly (but opposite) to the "overly crouched"
time trial position on a normal road bike that reduces efficieny but
improves erodynamics, the extremely laid back position also reduces
efficiency to improve aerodynamics (in Europe we call this the "dutch
style": good when you have head-winds, bad when you want to go uphill).

3) by moving from the upright position, you body is not yet used to the different way of working the muscles. With the 700, pictures point
towards your bottom bracket to be at similar height as your heart (or
even above it). Few people take such a low seating position on their
first recumbent; it takes a while getting used to it.

I am unsure about another aspect: how the arm position impacts your
breathing. On the catrike 700 your arms seems to be pretty much
streched out while I'm more used to the arms being more forewards and
angled. If your shoulders are a couple of inches backwards compared to
your usual cycling, this causes your chest to move in completely
different ways; another thing to be getting used to.

If you wish to get a quick feeling to the impact of your new position,
you could try a the following:

Do one trip (say 10 miles) in a low gear; try to keep your cadence above
100 (or even 120). This will challenge your breathing but relax your
muscles.

On a different day, repeat that trip at the same speed to with a lower
cadence of 60 or 70. This will challenge your muscles.

What do these variations do to your heart rate?
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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

Rolf Mantel <news@hartig-mantel.de> wrote:

Am 02.05.2026 um 20:32 schrieb Mark J cleary:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind.
I am really disappointed in the way I am riding
this Trike. Today
my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at 13-14 mph and
now cannot get back at it.
I want to blame the cold but this just feels like I am working hard.

I observed this spring that temperatures below 40F dropped my average
speed by about 1-2 mph (when I'm not fit) compared to temparates around
50F. The internet tells me this is at least partly due to the air being denser when cold, and maybe partly due to breathing the cold air.

Plus the winter clothing being heavier and so on, I notice it more on the commute where I wear less cycle specific winter wear which undoubtedly is harder work, both breathing and generally moving, compared to the stuff I
wear on the MTB/Gravel bike.

Though on those the terrain is much harder work in winter when itrCOs wet and sticky vs summer when itrCOs dry and much faster rolling.

I cannot for the life of me get a breathing pattern.
My heart rate only averaged 93 and max once at
135. Yesterday on the indoor trainer my HR was 118 for 35 miles way more
air to breath.

I understand the indoor trainer is on an upright bike.
I notice three differences:
1) you are very reclined on the Catrike. Your moving legs pump the
blood directly back to your heart, greatly relieving the old pump at low
to moderate effort.

2) By being very reclined, your (average) hip angle is different from
the most efficient 110 degrees which you tend to natually assume on a
(good) upright bike. Similarly (but opposite) to the "overly crouched"
time trial position on a normal road bike that reduces efficieny but improves erodynamics, the extremely laid back position also reduces efficiency to improve aerodynamics (in Europe we call this the "dutch style": good when you have head-winds, bad when you want to go uphill).

3) by moving from the upright position, you body is not yet used to the different way of working the muscles. With the 700, pictures point
towards your bottom bracket to be at similar height as your heart (or
even above it). Few people take such a low seating position on their
first recumbent; it takes a while getting used to it.

I am unsure about another aspect: how the arm position impacts your breathing. On the catrike 700 your arms seems to be pretty much
streched out while I'm more used to the arms being more forewards and angled. If your shoulders are a couple of inches backwards compared to
your usual cycling, this causes your chest to move in completely
different ways; another thing to be getting used to.

If you wish to get a quick feeling to the impact of your new position,
you could try a the following:

Do one trip (say 10 miles) in a low gear; try to keep your cadence above
100 (or even 120). This will challenge your breathing but relax your muscles.

On a different day, repeat that trip at the same speed to with a lower cadence of 60 or 70. This will challenge your muscles.

What do these variations do to your heart rate?

That sounds right, ie combination of getting the fit right, and getting accustomed to the different position.

Roger Merriman

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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

On 4 May 2026 14:36:15 GMT,
Roger Merriman <roger@sarlet.com> wrote:

Rolf Mantel <news@hartig-mantel.de> wrote:

Am 02.05.2026 um 20:32 schrieb Mark J cleary:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind.

I am really disappointed in the way I am riding this Trike.
Today my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at
13-14 mph and now cannot get back at it.

I want to blame the cold but this just feels like I am
working hard.

I observed this spring that temperatures below 40F dropped my
average speed by about 1-2 mph (when I'm not fit) compared to
temparates around 50F. The internet tells me this is at least
partly due to the air being denser when cold, and maybe partly
due to breathing the cold air.

Plus the winter clothing being heavier and so on, I notice it
more on the commute where I wear less cycle specific winter
wear which undoubtedly is harder work, both breathing and
generally moving, compared to the stuff I wear on the
MTB/Gravel bike.

Though on those the terrain is much harder work in winter when
itrCOs wet and sticky vs summer when itrCOs dry and much faster
rolling.

Road conditions may have a small effect, though I doubt it. I'm
even more doubtful about air density having a meaningful effect.

On the other hand, I do feel as if the increased amount of
clothing I wear in colder temps is a factor. It feels like there
is a small impairment of my leg movement, but a greater factor may
be the increased drag from the bulkier profile when bundled up.
--
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> Gretna, NE, USA
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From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:

On 4 May 2026 14:36:15 GMT,
Roger Merriman <roger@sarlet.com> wrote:

Rolf Mantel <news@hartig-mantel.de> wrote:

Am 02.05.2026 um 20:32 schrieb Mark J cleary:

Today is was 36 degrees but no wind.

I am really disappointed in the way I am riding this Trike.
Today my average speed was 11.9mph. I have been doing them at
13-14 mph and now cannot get back at it.

I want to blame the cold but this just feels like I am
working hard.

I observed this spring that temperatures below 40F dropped my
average speed by about 1-2 mph (when I'm not fit) compared to
temparates around 50F. The internet tells me this is at least
partly due to the air being denser when cold, and maybe partly
due to breathing the cold air.

Plus the winter clothing being heavier and so on, I notice it
more on the commute where I wear less cycle specific winter
wear which undoubtedly is harder work, both breathing and
generally moving, compared to the stuff I wear on the
MTB/Gravel bike.

Though on those the terrain is much harder work in winter when
itrCOs wet and sticky vs summer when itrCOs dry and much faster
rolling.

Road conditions may have a small effect, though I doubt it. I'm
even more doubtful about air density having a meaningful effect.

My roads on the MTB/Gravel bike will have much larger impact than the temperatures cold crisp days where the mud and slop is frozen are fast days
vs warmer wet days where the surfaces is treacle like!

On the other hand, I do feel as if the increased amount of
clothing I wear in colder temps is a factor. It feels like there
is a small impairment of my leg movement, but a greater factor may
be the increased drag from the bulkier profile when bundled up.

IrCOm fairly sure the commuting kit which is bulkier etc is slower but then I donrCOt want to take yet more clothes number of my commuting kit is chosen as itrCOs presentable enough to be used at work, as well and generally save
having to take more than I need.

Roger Merriman

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