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In the real world, the speed difference between recumbent and upright bikes are fairly minimal for the vast majority of riders. The fastest speed on a recumbent clocked in at 90 mph, while the fastest speed on an upright bicycle without using a draft car (subject to aerodynamic resistance) is 45 mph, however, the fastest speed ever recorded on an upright bicycle with a draft car in front to eliminate drag, was set in 2018 by American cyclist Denise Mueller-Korenek at an astonishing 183 miles per hour, which is also the land speed record for any human-powered vehicle to date. An upright bicycle is already 99 percent efficient, meaning the biggest limiting factor when it comes to speed is aerodynamic drag, which goes up exponentially with your speed as per the inverse square law. In the real world, unless your daily commute is always in a headwind for some reason, a recumbent will provide little advantages with typical cycling speeds of 15-25 mph in typical traffic, and the cons (lower seating position, significantly worse handing, worse ride quality.etc) greatly outweigh the benefits in the real world.
