[OHPV-list] My Upright vs. Bent Experiment

[Carolyn Devine]

hi Folks!
here's the scoop -
I'm going to answer for myself which I'm faster on, my 'bent or my  
upright on a loop that has a variety of conditions (hills, flats, city).
The route is 25+ miles, a conglomerate of 3 different commutes I've  
had since moving to PDX - so it's  tried and true and I don't have to  
think about where I'm going.

There are some big hills ( the cemetery and the zoo)
and some great cruising flats (Mult. Blvd, oaks bottom trail)

I'm going to do each route a few times in each direction on each bike  
(still figuring out how many replicates are required for good  
data...it may depend on how much I vary in time after a few trials)  
and intend on taking note of times at 3 or 4 points along the way  
(top of Sylvan Hill, top of Cemetery, etc.).
Or maybe it'd be better if I wasn't aware of how I am doing and just  
pushed myself the whole time...I'd like the data (am I really  
climbing that much slower on the 'bent? am I really going that much  
faster on the flats?), but don't want my psyching myself out one way  
or the other to skew things. any thoughts? maybe call myself on the  
cell phone w/out looking at the time so that i have a time stamp?

What's your guess on which bike will be faster? or will I average out  
to be about the same speed for the entire route?
My question to myself is:
If "recumbents can't climb" can I make up for it on the flats?

I understand that the conclusion will only be for me/my body on this  
particular route with these not necessarily comparable bikes (the TE  
weighs a lot more, for one thing!); the Bridgestone was marketed as a  
"sport touring" bike).
So while I'm not going to over extrapolate the data,
i'm just curious....are you? or do you think one will be faster as a  
foregone conclusion?

Carolyn

Not a perfect experiment:
I rode the TE 5,560 miles since May 1 2005; and the Bridgestone <50  
since April 1, 2006 --
but f it's "not about the bike" then I should be approximately the  
same speed on both, right?
wanna take some bets? cookies to the one who guesses closest? -- do I  
need to establish a line? ;*)