Chainring and Suspension suggestion help?

[fatall]

First up, I am very new to my Quest V2, I am still getting used to starting the Quest without swerving, I have only done about 50 or so klm

1st thing I would like help with is the elipitical chainring. I am a spinner and I quickly run out of gears when climbing hills at about 4%, the same hills on my diamond frame bikes are not a problem. Would changing the cassette be better or replace the chainring?

2nd thing I need help with is the suspension? I am on the larger size(110kg/240lbs) When I climb rolled gutters/driveways it bottoms out.
I am guessing I could replace the rear shock with something more suitable, but I am unsure what could be done to the front shock?


Your suggestion would be most useful.

 

[billyk]

switching the chainring

Hi Fatall -

I'm in the same situation (see some of my other posts here in the Quest thread). I'm also a spinner and climb lots of hills, and I needed lower gears to do that. A week ago I changed the elliptical chainring for a round 36-tooth ring, which could be done without shortening the chain. This is a big improvement, although there are still hills that I climbed regularly on previous bikes (upright or recumbent) that I cannot climb on the Quest. When the bike is tipped far back the front wheel is unweighted and loses traction, the wheel slips, and then I am walking.

Switching the chainring is by far the easiest and cheapest way to go. Changing the cassette would certainly be $100+, and there is a limit on how large a sprocket the derailleur can handle, so I don't think you'd get too much out of that. The other option would be to switch to the 451 front wheel, which would also shift the weight forward. But that is $300, and would reduce the "trail" and presumably make the bike twitchier (see more of my posts and John Tolhurst replies). If I had a spare $300 I would love to test this out. But I don't. Anyone want to donate or lend a 451 front wheel? I will carefully test, compare and post the results.

BK

 

[billyk]

The rear suspension is adjustable

Hi Fatall - forgot to mention that the rear suspension is adjustable by turning the outer body shell. I weigh less than you but still wanted a stiffer feel. This is easy. There are no instructions but you can figure it out by experiment. BK

 

[fatall]

billyk, thanks for you

billyk, thanks for you suggestion about the chainring, I will most likely do the same as you and try a 36t too, do you know what size/spec to look at(I am at work at the moment) I can go and measure up the chainring myself but if you have the info handy it would be appreciated.

I didn't know you could adjust the rear suspension body, I will give that a go, thanks for the info.

Is there anything that can be done for the front suspension? is it a spring/coil or is it just a urethane block ?

 

[fatall]

Rear suspension

billyk I adjusted the rear suspension and it works a lot better now, so thanks for the suggestion.

Now a question about the chainrings or maybe not......This is my first recumbent, and I have heard the expression bent muscle and this has started me thinking that maybe what I thought was the chainrings being to large, maybe more to do with using a different muscle set/bent muscle's.

As I have only done about 70-80 klm on the quest, How long does it take to get you bent legs?

 

[John Tolhurst]

Because your arms are

Because your arms are connected solidly to the frame, you won't get bent legs in the same was as on rear wheel drive bents. Those bents drive fully from the hips.

 

[Doug Burton]

I'd give it some more ride time before I modified it...

Hi Fatall,

You'll be working different muscle groups differently, as John suggests.

When I built my first conversion, I must have changed it 20 times looking for this and that, based on things that worked for me with conventional recumbents. When I quit messing with it and put some miles on it, things started falling in to place for me. (Of course, messing with it was fun, too...) Upper body engagement makes Cruzbikes a different proposition when it comes to tuning, in my experience.

The adjustments you've made are good ones, you may find more tweaks in order as miles accumulate. Then it may be time for more significant changes, if you find you want to shift the design envelope some.

On the other hand, my motto seems to be "If I haven't messed with it, it isn't mine..."

Cheers,

Doug

 

[fatall]

I thought I would update this

I thought I would update this post. I finally got around to fitting a 36t chainring and it does make life easier for me to spin up hills....still hate hills, but at least I can maintain a cadence of 80+ instead of the 70 or so before.

I also fitted an after market FDR Tough Shock I brough from eBay, fits in ok and I feel it is better/smooth.

Still wish I could firmup the front suspension, but I have adjusted the back seat to what I think is the lowest setting and that has certainly helped the front suspension not bottoming out as much.

Over the last couple of months I haven't done many kilometres on the Quest, weather(winter-cold and wet), time, illness.
Also I had to get the front wheel rebuilt, I broke a spoke about one month ago, got that fixed, and then last week I found two more spoke broken. I took it to my tandem bikeshop and had him rebuild the wheel and got it back yesterday. To be fair, when I got the Quest the spokes were very loose and I had a local bike shop near home adjust them, and I have no idea if they over tighten them or what, so you live and learn.

With the slight mods I have done to the Quest, I think I have made it better for me.....