First Ride: From South Perth to Bassendean

[crazy_ebot]

'Bought the Quest 559 from <plug> Garland Cycleworks in South Perth </plug> today. Nick managed to make a special modification to get a standard pannier rack working (see pic).

14km ride home in around 40 minutes. I'm happy with that for my first ride. Most importantly - very little back pain (fingers crossed).

Big thanks to Cycleworks, you crazy Cruzbike Crew... And this forum for giving me plenty of research material. : )

Cheers,
Tobes.

 

[crazy_ebot]

2nd Ride: Bassendean to Perth

Followup post:

My first commute into work was a nervous but exhilarating experience.

Ride started on a normal road - cannibalised a side mirror from my old bike that isn't a good fit for the handlebars; I'll need to investigate something better. I'm still in the early, occasionally-swervy stage of riding the 559, so morning car-traffic passing me is intimidating.

Once I made it to Bayswater (and the cycle path) things improved. I only had to get off and push through the cyclepath intersection just after the East Perth train station, and again when I reached the old entertainment centre bridge... My gut feeling is the former I'll overcome with more confidence, the latter I'll overcome with improved skill.

It was a lovely ride... After 50 minutes, I wasn't even breathing hard (light sweat only). It really felt like I was travelling a further for the effort I was putting in.

 

[John Tolhurst]

Well done.
There are couple of other cruzbike that commute that line, you may seem them.

 

[crazy_ebot]

Hey John,

'Haven't seen any other Cruz riders yet, but I suspect its a little like searching for intelligent life on other planets; it's as much to do with looking at the right time as it is the right place. ; )

I'm up to my fifth of sixth ride since buying the bike, and it's feeling good. the speed wobbles at high speed are lessening, as is the random 'swerving'. I feel pretty confident that these will disappear completely in time.

I still have problems starting on an incline... Today I discovered that's partly because I keep starting from too high a gear (i.e. the middle gear range). Provided I plan far enough ahead to be in a low gear when I start I generally do okay. Still crapping out on the steep inclines though.

Can't really complain; I'd have the same problems on a regular bike - the difference is with a reg bike I'd do a better job balancing, mainly by twisting the handlebars left and right.

I stumbled upon a similar sensation this morning with the Quest. Will take a fair amount of practice to master methinks.

Speaking of handlebars, the rubber grips are still slipping a bit - the right grip in particular managed to loosen my side mirror (and it fell off). Not a real loss as it wasn't working well anyway (better suited to a normal bike). 'picked up a Mirrcycle mirror today in my lunch break. Will see how it does.

Will also try the hairspray trick to hold the grip in place.

Sidebar: While in the shop I noticed a Toppeak rear-rack bag that had side pockets that expanded into pannier style L-R bags. Looked awesome, but at $150... I'll have to stick with rolling up my work clothes for the time being. : )

In terms of my back, the Quest has been great. The bike lets me ride gently, concentrate on engaging my glute muscles while supporting my spine. Being able to ride to work again is... Awesome.

Places I'm still having alot of trouble in: fiddly cornering on inclines (in any gear) and quickly changing down in gear to prepare for said fiddly, inclined corners.

The example is the old Entertainment centre bridge. If anyone on a Cruzbike can navigate over that bloody thing... Well, I'm throwing down the gauntlet and issuing a challenge. : )

 

[John Tolhurst]

Well Tobes, you issued the challenge about riding over the entertainment centre bridge to the wrong forum! I can do that on the following
Conversion, Sofrider (with or without child on the back), Freerider, Quest (unproven) Vendetta Prototype I (usually) Vendetta PII (untested), Silvio (repeatedly)

I will acknowledge though, its about as tough as you'll get, those stupid bars are close together and the kink you have to ride is very tight.

 

[Gromit]

Tobes (crazy_ebot)

I'm puzzled by your comments about having to fit a mirror to your Quest. :?
The Quest specifications, say under the Components/Accessories section, "Mirrycle Mirror supplied".
The supplied Mirrycle mirror goes in the bar end but when I used to have a Cruzbike, I modified the mirror to fit on the curve of the bars beside the twistgrip/brake lever/bell. I got the idea from John Tolhurst. It uses parts from the Mirrycle and the reflector bracket. Sorry about the grainy picture. I had to blow it up from a picture of the whole bike. Maybe JT could post a better picture and a description as I no longer have the bike.

 

[currystomper]

crazy_ebot wrote:

Sidebar: While in the shop I noticed a Toppeak rear-rack bag that had side pockets that expanded into pannier style L-R bags. Looked awesome, but at $150... I'll have to stick with rolling up my work clothes for the time being. : )
)

I got one of these types of rear rack bags for my conversion - I think it was ~40 UKP (60 USD). It is great however the side pockets are quite small - I was hoping they would be bigger!!

CS

 

[crazy_ebot]

Impressive balance skills John. : )

I kinda sorta managed to navigate one of barriers today. I'm definitely improving every day... corners that were a challenge are now doable.

With regards to the cycle-mirror puzzle - I don't know what to say, except that the bike I bought didn't come with one. Maybe that's a bonus if you buy online? The mirrcycle version I picked up sticks out of the handlebar (i.e. doesn't wrap around it). It makes navigating between cars in the city a little trickier, but on the other hand, I can ride everywhere without feeling there's a wendigo just outside my peripheral vision. ; )

One last comment: It's funny, now that I can better see the gears when I'm riding, I find myself overly focused on getting the smoothest gear changes possible. Sometimes to the detriment of my balance.

I think I will eventually try and find some kind of internal hub that allows me to jump up and down through the gears without too much pedal pushing or gear-gazing.

 

[Gromit]

crazy_ebot wrote: With regards to the cycle-mirror puzzle - I don't know what to say, except that the bike I bought didn't come with one. Maybe that's a bonus if you buy online? The mirrcycle version I picked up sticks out of the handlebar (i.e. doesn't wrap around it). It makes navigating between cars in the city a little trickier, but on the other hand, I can ride everywhere without feeling there's a wendigo just outside my peripheral vision. ; )

I used parts off a Mirrycle bar-end mirror.
The mirror used to give me a great rearward view over my right shoulder.

crazy_ebot wrote: One last comment: It's funny, now that I can better see the gears when I'm riding, I find myself overly focused on getting the smoothest gear changes possible. Sometimes to the detriment of my balance.

I think I will eventually try and find some kind of internal hub that allows me to jump up and down through the gears without too much pedal pushing or gear-gazing.

You'll find several discussions about hub gears on this forum.
I can personally recommend the Shimano Alfine 8. It works great on my FWD recumbent bike.
An 11 speed version of the Alfine is going to be available soon, though sadly its about twice the price of the Alfine 8.
Jon B has a Rohloff on his Cruzbike Freerider (14 speeds).
I guess that John Tolhurst rates the SRAM i-Motion 9 as that is standard fitment on the Cruzbike Sigma.

 

[JonB]

Gromit wrote: [Jon B has a Rohloff on his Cruzbike Freerider (14 speeds).

I bought mine used, it still works fine. Another option for you could be to buy a cheaper internal gear hub with a shorter range, and then combine it with a Schlumpf highspeed or mountain drive.

 

[currystomper]

I think I read in Velovision mag that the Shimano Alfine 8 had the same internal of a one of there other much cheaper * speed HUBs...

Nope just checked: it was the AtoB mag issue 66 "The Alfine appears to be technically identical to the lowly Nexus 8 - speed"

CS

 

[Gromit]

currystomper wrote: I think I read in Velovision mag that the Shimano Alfine 8 had the same internal of a one of there other much cheaper * speed HUBs...

Nope just checked: it was the AtoB mag issue 66 "The Alfine appears to be technically identical to the lowly Nexus 8 - speed"

CS

Yet, why would BikeRadar/Cycling Plus say this then
"The Alfine hub gear is the upgraded counterpart to Shimano’s successful Nexus hub. It’s smoother, has a higher-quality feel and looks to be robust enough to go for years.

There's a certain beauty about internally geared hubs; they might be heavier but the bonus is their easy-to-live-with nature. Shimano’s Nexus hub has always impressed, but Alfine is so much smoother and quieter."

 

[crazy_ebot]

I have a nemesis; its name is the Old Entertainment Street Bridge.

On any single crossing, I can navigate any two of the three chicanes. I have to swing my side mirror in though otherwise it gets clipped. I've yet to get around the first bend on the ascent from the northbridge side... I have however, 'got' the idea of sitting up to generate more power. Great for quick climbs, or when you need a bit of balance.

Three weeks on, riding to work every day is still a joy. I've pretty much lost any swerving, and I managed to attach my old cycle computer last week. My 13k commute is taking around 36 minutes (including lights). I'm averaging around 35km/ph on the flat a the start of my ride. I lose about 10km/ph by the end though. ; )

Pre-surgery it used to take me 45 minutes on an upright bike. I feel confident in stating I'm faster on the Quest. It's pretty great. : )

I've had a few fellow cyclists stop at a set of lights and ask 'why recumbent'. Most seem satisfied with my answer. I generally get a few laughs from pedestrians each day as I tackle my nemesis. It's all in good fun.

I think I'd like to find a handle attachment for my mirror so I can lose the extra width it adds to the bars, but aside from that, it's pretty much a perfect bike. Will take some more snapshots this weekend. I've retired my rear panniers for my girlfriends rear bag. Working grea

 

[John Tolhurst]

Have you considered going via Burswood? Its pretty flat that way, and almost entirely done on the bike path with no city streets to cross (or bridges to negotiate!)?

 

[crazy_ebot]

An easy way out ? You insult me sir. ; )

I hadn't considered another route; so I'd hang a left just past the East Perth train station, go down the river, and follow that down, along Riverside Drive and then up into the city at the Convention centre?

I suspect it would add to my total distance. I might give it a go this week.

It will in no way diminish my resolve to successfully negotiate all three chicanes on my nemesis though. : )

 

[John Tolhurst]

No, I mean, go across to the south bank of the river at the railway line near old east perth power station, then ride that bike path all the way to South Perth. But your interpretation is also sensible. The least stressful or time consuming route is sometimes not the shortest.

 

[crazy_ebot]

lol - thanks for that wisdom O'Buddha. Now I really do feel like Monkey in Journey to the West. : )

 

[crazy_ebot]

Hokay, taking the Riverside drive route added an additional 4 kilometres to my 13 k route. I found that getting down to the bike path along the river problematic; I had to walk my bike along the pedestrian footpath to the Convention centre train station. Also, the path along Riverside Drive is about half the width of my regular path, is more winedy, and has more than double the traffic.

Once I was out of the city, it was a scenic ride, but I had to cross over the East Perth Bridge, then under the Graham Farmer bridge to get back up to my usual route.

So, I don't think I'll be using it for my daily commute, but it was a fun diversion. : )

 

[John Tolhurst]

Ah ha! Now I understand, you don't commute to South Perth as per the thread title, but to the convention centre or thereabouts. No wonder my wires were crossed.

 

[crazy_ebot]

Is it too late to change the thread title? ; )

Yeah, I travel from Bassendean to the Perth CBD weekdays. It's a great ride, no big hills, very little traffic, bike path about 80% of the journey.

Some more photos:

 

[crazy_ebot]

Last night I installed an old set of clip pedals. 'Feels like they're making a bigger difference than on my old upright. Interesting.