Looking for a CruzBike in the Jacksonville, FL area

[SurvivorBicyleAddict]

I have been involved with cycling since I was 14. Flash forward to a horrendous accident in November, 2024, I am now considering making a distinct change to the type of bike and group scenario I would like to ride in. I have been a fast rider but my recovery time is taking a minute. I am looking for a CRUZ bike, adventure or a step down from the racing model. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. I work at Mayo Clinic and do not have time to travel unless I use my PTO!

Thanks!

I also have an a Elliptigo stand up bike if anyone is interested.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Sorry to hear about your accident, hope you will manage to get back on a bike again soon. I'm quite a bike addict myself as well and have various bikes for different purposes. As for Cruzbike, I have a Q45 which I enjoy very much for just relaxed rides 'when I'm not in a hurry' Even though I put better wheels on (700c gravel bike wheels), it will never get anywhere near the speeds that I do on my various road bikes. easily 10% - 20% slower. I don't mind because that's what I chose that bike for. However if you have a bit of speed addiction then I strongly suggest looking at the S40. BTW, you're not too far from Larry's Cruzeum in Hilton Head where you can try out all the models in real.

 

[SurvivorBicyleAddict]

Hi.
Thanks for the support. I have been back on a bike since March. It isn't the same. I am looking at the switch as a way to stay on a bike but need to change it up after 40 years! We must be related though because I have different bikes for different purposes too! I even have a track bike- but it has been hanging in my garage since moving to FLA.

I was interested in the Q45 for backroad rides and also the S40 model (if it is the one I can put equipment on). Ideally I would like to be able to put it on the trainer and interact with other riders. I do like a bit of competition! Which means I might invest in a Wahoo.

I should probably be looking to clear out my inventory too! I have a spin bike, titanium custom Seven (a keeper), Specialized Aethos, Specialized mountain (maybe a keeper), Trek Aluminum track bike, and an Angles trike (for the little ones) and an Elliptigo standing bike!

Thanks for the info about SC. I was informed that there was someone in Tampa as well. Not sure which direction to go but hurricane season is approaching...

I thought I would like the Elliptigo but it is not right for me. Hope to find community here for support.

Thanks!

 

[Frito Bandito]

You can surely put more on an S40 for touring than you can on a V20, but my V20 is set up with a nylon material 14-16L expandable seat bag from a sport bike. I use the Performance Adjustable head rest, as well as some TT bars from my old TT bike, and this allows me to clip the bag on or off in a few seconds, and it is not only secure, but quite water resistant. Also, it is aero, but that is another story. Here are a few variations I have had over the last year or so. The bottom two are made of fiberglass, the small one is about 8-10 liters, and the big one is about 20 or more.
If you wanted even more storage space you could put a top tube bag on the boom for another 5-6L, and you could also attach top tube bags to the seat, giving you about another 4L of storage space per side. I think all of those options are going to be the least penalty aerodynamically, but you have to think of the total volume of each of the things you plan to carry.


For hydration, I wear a 6L jogging backpack backwards on my chest, and put a 3L hydration bag inside with a bite down drink tube. It also gives a little bit more space for wallet, iphone... etc. It is a little different than this one, a little lighter too, but I really like it because it also serves to cool me down in Summer by adding ice to it. You can't see the drink tube in this pic, but it is there.

 

[Bo6]

Nice tail boxes, the integration of the colouring on the yellow box is very nice.
Bob

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Your bike screams SPEED!!! Looks great!

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks guys! Almost 5 years on it and I like it even more than when I first got it. The yellow on the bottom of the middle pic is actually almost a perfect match of reflective caution tape I bought at the DIY shop. Car's headlights make that yellow really pop, and now I have 2 bar end flashing lights on the bottom supports that I can press while riding. The company that made it also makes it out of carbon fiber, so at some point I may get one of those.

It's funny though. Getting that much free speed over a diamond framed bike can be counter productive. I topped my road bike FTP by 1 watt only a few months ago after being a tad complacent and not really utilizing any productive training techniques. So, it is important to maintain focus on proper training instead of getting lazy and just letting the V20s aerodynamics keep you fast.

 

[SurvivorBicyleAddict]

You can surely put more on an S40 for touring than you can on a V20, but my V20 is set up with a nylon material 14-16L expandable seat bag from a sport bike. I use the Performance Adjustable head rest, as well as some TT bars from my old TT bike, and this allows me to clip the bag on or off in a few seconds, and it is not only secure, but quite water resistant. Also, it is aero, but that is another story. Here are a few variations I have had over the last year or so. The bottom two are made of fiberglass, the small one is about 8-10 liters, and the big one is about 20 or more.
If you wanted even more storage space you could put a top tube bag on the boom for another 5-6L, and you could also attach top tube bags to the seat, giving you about another 4L of storage space per side. I think all of those options are going to be the least penalty aerodynamically, but you have to think of the total volume of each of the things you plan to carry.
View attachment 18692

For hydration, I wear a 6L jogging backpack backwards on my chest, and put a 3L hydration bag inside with a bite down drink tube. It also gives a little bit more space for wallet, iphone... etc. It is a little different than this one, a little lighter too, but I really like it because it also serves to cool me down in Summer by adding ice to it. You can't see the drink tube in this pic, but it is there.
View attachment 18693

Thanks for sharing. I have to get it into my head that recumbent can be a good thing. I have ridden a bike for over 40 years and my body needs a change... Can you share your meme name reason? Zen master too? THX

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks for sharing. I have to get it into my head that recumbent can be a good thing. I have ridden a bike for over 40 years and my body needs a change... Can you share your meme name reason? Zen master too? THX

You are welcome. Always a pleasure to help. Well, if you read enough of my posts you'll probably conclude that the screws I am missing are rattling around in my skull I think we get that title if we post enough, even if what we write it utter nonsense hahaha.

Do you mean my "Frito Bandito" screen name by "Meme name reason"? If so, I made this account just after my sister and I talked on the phone about me missing Fritos corn chips here in Tokyo and she said she remembered the song "Aye, yai yai, I am a Frito Bandito....". So, not knowing I would soon own a V20, and that I'd probably close this account soon, I just chose it because I am kind of an idiot. If I could change my screen name I'd change it to "Murder Hornet" (Susumebachi in Japanese and which is my V20s name) for the slightly less idiotic reason that the real name for Japanese Giant Hornet was not ear catching enough for the news in the US.

I think you'll like 'em. Definitely more comfortable, faster and/or more efficient in most cases, safer in many ways too. Not only is it extremely difficult to go over the bars head first into something, but since you are lower to the ground it is also less likely that you'll break a shoulder. Here is probably my favorite video on Youtube on my V20. It shows a 25km (15 miles) sprint down the Arakawa River in Tokyo into a head wind for 43 minutes, and then back up the river with a tailwind for the remaining 34 minutes. The power output was probably about 210 watts average for the ride, and the average speed was just over 40kph, showing just how aero a V20 can be for my size, 5'10" and 178lbs. To do that on a road bike would likely cost me well over 300 watts.

 

[SurvivorBicyleAddict]

That's so funny about the frito. Great info on your experiences with the bikes.