Considering new Silvio

[VeloLEV]

Greetings!

My name is Lev and I am interested in the Silvio. I currently own a significantly modified 2000 Rans Rocket and desire to move up the ladder. As you undoubtedly know, recumbents are generally shunned by the roadie/wedgie crowd. My goal is to show them up. The disadvantages of my Rocket have become apparent after all these years despite the increase in comfort the design affords. Specifically these items: Small wheels, massive chainrings, LONG chain, lawn-chair seat appearance, no upper-body workout and lower-end ATB type shifters/derailleurs. Before I even got the Rocket I had found Tom Traylor's site and fell in love with the compact recumbent front wheel drive design, but there was no commercially available product. I believe the Silvio will solve these issues. Additionally I figure having high-end road components and sexy wheels that make roadies drool will allow them to look past the stigma associated with recumbents. So I plan to keep the Rocket for vacation touring, grocery getting and inclement weather, but add the Silvio to my stable as my commuter.

I have a few questions and would like to hear your opinions.

1. What do you think about implementing the SRAM Red grouppo?

2. Do you think I can get away with a double chainring, and if so do you think I should go compact or standard? I'm pretty sure I'll order the lower of the two cassettes. Chainrings: 53/39, 50/36, 50/34 Cassettes: 11/23 and 11/26

3. Fulcrum Racing Zero Red/Black wheels wrapped with Specialized Roubaix 700/23-25 red rubber. Sexy, sexy.

4. Steveareno's Aerospoke Silvio has the bars and shifters in the position allowing use of the hoods as primary position, and this seems extremely logical to me. This position occured to me when I watched John's video where he lifts the rear wheel tilting the bike forward and demonstrates the position as it relates to the upright's, you'll notice the bars are not in the same place they would be on an upright. For those of you with their bars and shifters more forward, have you tried the other, more upwardly rotated position? How do you like it Steveareno?

I look forward to your advise and opinions.

Lev

 

[Mark B]

Hi Lev and welcome.

The thing you're going to find out is the hardshell seat translates to a tremendous power increase. Mesh seats are comfy and breathe well, but they feel mushy after you get used to a hardshell. The Silvio seat cradles you nicely; I think it's pretty much all day comfortable. You're right about the 700's rolling faster and riding better, as well.

Roadies, in my experience, seem to appreciate the Cruzbike design. The comment I've heard more than once is, "That's the first recumbent design I've seen that makes sense!"

I haven't tried rolling the handlebar up that much and maybe with Shimano shifters, that's the hot ticket to getting the cables out of the knee's ways. I run Campy shifters and like mine rotated down into more of a normal level. I tend to ride on the outside of the hoods, not the tops, but I use an Origin 8 Gary bar as opposed to a regular road bar.

Groupos and gearing are personal choice. You know how strong you are. The Silvio climbs better than it should, you'll find, so you might get away with a compact double. That's what it was designed for. I'm running a road triple because that's what I had. On my commuter conversion bike, I have a road triple with a megarange cassette on the back. The triple is total overkill; I haven't found anything I can't climb on the 42. So, I was thinking of going to a 53/39 on that bike. Combined with the mega range cassette, that should go straight up a brick wall.

Welcome again to our forum! Get the Silvio, you won't regret it.

Mark

 

[John Tolhurst]

VeloLEV wrote:
1. What do you think about implementing the SRAM Red grouppo?
Lev

I saw the mircoshift unit on the stand at cycle taipei, looked very nice.

VeloLEV wrote:
2. Do you think I can get away with a double chainring, and if so do you think I should go compact or standard? I'm pretty sure I'll order the lower of the two cassettes. Chainrings: 53/39, 50/36, 50/34 Cassettes: 11/23 and 11/26
Lev

What crank length?
Saw this http://www.soulbikes.com/gears/ .. a nice gear calculator that integrates crank lengths. The 155 with a 50/34 would equate to a 175/155*50=56 / 175/155*34=38 i.e. a 56/38 Because the top is so tall ('56') you might go to a 12/27 cluster. Anyway, point is its all related, the crank length is part of the gearing of the bike.

 

[VeloLEV]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. I am so close to biting the bullet I can taste it. Biggest problem right now is getting the funds together, but soon... sooon.

I am curious to feel the hardshell seat, haven't ever ridden one. I think the "breathes well" option of a mesh seat is mostly hype, at least for me, as I sweat on it alot anyway. Perhaps the Silvio seat being smaller will make it better in that department, who knows.

I have read in other recumbent forums and on the internet that most recumbent riders benefit from shorter cranks. The idea being that recumbents require more spinning therefore shorter cranks enable a smoother spin. This sounds logical, so I'm going for it. The Rocket I currently ride has 170mm cranks, and SRAM Red is available as short as 165, long as 177.5.

Wheels! Though pretty, I had a hard time finding raving reviews of the Campy Fulcrum Zeros. I met a guy at the Hotter 'n' Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls, TX this past weekend who had a Kuota fitted with these wheels who was pretty happy with them. Changing a spoke is a bear, as there are no holes in the outer wall (no rim tape needed though) so one has to guide the nipple into place from the valve hole with a magnet. I found rave reviews of the DT Swiss line of products, have a certification for wheelbuilding from them and think they would be great. The ability to build the wheels myself, repair them in a snap and their high quality has me sold. They are really lightweight too. They have red graphics, for the artist in me wants this bike to be red/black sexy. Comments?

This forum in great! I don't know that I would even have considered this kind of money if it weren't for contributors such as Mark B. Your enthusiasm is enormously contagious.

Soon to be joining the crowd,
VeloLEV

 

[Mark B]

What color I have added to my Silvio has been red and I agree, it looks really nice. I'm a blue guy, too, so that says a lot or the look.

For me, wheels have to be very durable. I'm losing weight as I ride more, but I'm still a pretty large and powerful guy. As a person that likes to do his own wrenching, I have to confess that wheels is one area I am pretty helpless in. I can replace a spoke and do minor truing, no troubles. I haven't had much luck beyond that. I think if I would bite the bulllet and just try and build a wheel, I would probably get it. At this point, I still consider wheels a quasi voo-doo science type thing. So, I'm jealous of people that can work on wheels.

Now, don't go blaming me for your frivilous spending habits!!! :lol: I do well enough to shoulder the blame for my own! Seriously, this is one fine bicycle. There may be some that are lighter, there may be some that do this, or that marginally better, but you won't find a bicycle that does so many things so well and is so fun to ride! Like you, I had never ridden a hardshell seat foor any length of tme before. I find that the Silvio seat is extremely comfortable and crades the body very well. For my own needs, I don't know how you could ever improve upon it.

To me, the "proof in the pudding" regarding the Silvio is my buying a second one. Most guys will swear up and down the bike they spent their hard earned cash on is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But, when you get a second chance and you STILL get the same bike, that's a pretty sure sign that this is a great bike. At least for me!

Mark