How long to learn to ride?

[DuncanWatson]

I know I have read a number of learning threads. Most recently the one titled elevated seat . My current raptobike is sidelined due to some adjustments and I don't want to pile money into right now. I will be replacing the brakes, rear wheel and lights before I am done.

The Vendetta I bought is coming soonish, likely within 2 weeks, it will take a week for my bike shop to get my brake work, etc done. So I am considering waiting on the Vendetta and holding off on the Raptobike work since I don't feel like spending money on brakes and a wheel. But that puts some pressure on me to learn to ride quickly.

For an experienced recumbent, lowracer rider do you think that I could be comfortable on streets after 3 days of test rides composed of 1-2 hours each?

Here I am on my Raptobike (#303), you can see the recline. This picture has a bonus in that it has a Silvio 1.0 in the shot. We were all on the same "autocross" team in 2007.
Autocross Relay race by Duncan Watson, on Flickr

 

[MrSteve]

Yes.
No.
Probably.

Read all about how to ride your Cruzbike in this forum. Watch the videos on Youtube.
Go test ride.
Reread everything you read before you went riding.
Repeat.

I got my bike delivered, I set it up and then learned to ride it in the street.
Fear of deep ditches, trees, rocks and cars were a bit distracting, take it from me.
Don't be me.

 

[Abbott Smith]

The MBB takes a while for your brain to figure out. I came off two recumbents and still needed time. My second test ride included street riding. Got a bit dicey when I got a death wobble on a downhill. Didn't dump it but scared the stuffing out of me. Really glad I didn't know it was the bike Maria used in the RAAM until after the test ride.

There will be a learning curve. Embrace it. Think kid with your first bike. Allow yourself that joy and you're going to be great. Go in expecting to master it as an experienced adult and you'll be disappointed.

 

[1happyreader]

There will be a learning curve. Embrace it. Think kid with your first bike. Allow yourself that joy and you're going to be great. Go in expecting to master it as an experienced adult and you'll be disappointed.

1+ on the child like attitude .... then make yourself practice some more of the boring slow stuff like almost stops. cuz going fast and straight is easy.

took me 90 min in the parking lot with a sofrider to be mostly trail worthy.
Same day I followed my wife for an hour on the trail till the sidewalk sized turn around a round planter at trail end.
she went wayyy slow,,, and I froze trying to pedal thru a sharp slow narrow turn without rear ending her.
All I needed to do was put my foot down, but the instinct was not there and instead I ended up Atrie Johnsoned in the planter.
Wish I had practiced and refined some more slow maneuvers and stops after I felt comfortable with the basics .

In hindsight I did much the same thing when I was first riding without training wheels ( age 6 ? )

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Duncan - I think it's very possible for you.

Before the Silvio-Vendetta, I had experience with MetaBike, Musachi, Xstream, and Corsa. I hit the streets within 3 days in which I practiced on bike trails and never looked back. You should be able to cram in dead start practices too, but the Flintstones start will be a nice backup plan.

 

[LarryOz]

For an experienced recumbent, lowracer rider do you think that I could be comfortable on streets after 3 days of test rides composed of 1-2 hours each?

I think you will pick it up fast, but don't be a little surprised if you are unable to give it 1-2 hours the first day. Just stop if you become overly frustrated.
Me - I had no experience with bents at all, let alone FWD MBB. I got pretty frustrated on my first day after about 10-15 minutes and just had to hag it up.
I think even after about the 2nd or 3rd I swore I would never be able to ride the thing!
This forum really helped me a lot and to stick with it.
Each day I was able to go longer, and finally was able to ride around the subdivision without worrying about crashing into anything else moving.
It took me 10 days before I felt comfortable enough to go out on the "open" road with real traffic whizzing by me at 50mph. Even then it was white knuckle all the way the first week.
I was probably on the far end of the "slow learner" spectrum not having ridden a recumbent at all.
Good luck and take some video of your first tries. That will be fun to watch if you are willing to share it!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Me - I had no experience with bents at all, let alone FWD MBB

I remember last year when Larry joined the tribe, and dove in head first cold turkey, no recumbent history - that was last year, the very same year he was winning races. This year look at Larry's last win. It's all about practice and patience and sticking with it. Some learn fast and some learn slow. Larry stuck with it and did not give up and is enjoying the fruits of his labor in a very big way.

 

[Abbott Smith]

I remember last year when Larry joined the tribe, and dove in head first cold turkey, no recumbent history - that was last year, the very same year he was winning races. This year look at Larry's last win. It's all about practice and patience and sticking with it. Some learn fast and some learn slow.

Larry Oslund #Slow Learner.

 

[snilard]

Duncan, I think that you will be comfortable on V after few rides.

I ride semi-low recumbent for few years and V20 for month and half. My first testing was on cyclepath in night after spending evening to make bike rideable. My first real ride was in city traffic, cars was ok but pedestrians on cycle path were real adrenalin. I was riding without cliplesss pedals. My starts was slow and wobbly. I walked some sections because I was too scared about tram rails.
My second ride was with clipless pedals and included jumping between tram rails. Starting between tram rails was real adrenalin.
Now after month and half I can ride as close to stopped cars etc. as on my other recumbent. That is very close. Starts are still little bit nervous especially what I try to start while sitting.
What I still have to manage is headrest settings. From some setting I have headache after only few hours on bike, our road are not as nice as I would like to.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Duncan I forgot to mention. What helped me learn fast in the beginning, was to devote all of my riding time to Cruzbike and not ride any other bike. I believe the brain needs a little time to develop a natural reflex to the MBB. As has been stated over and over, don't over think it...adapting to the MBB is easy and fun. I felt fairly confident within the first 100 miles, and adapted to the MBB faster (1/3 the time) than I did with my first 2-wheeled recumbent the Corsa.

Think of it as a courtship to the prettiest girl in high-school.

The first date: read Ratz's "First Steps to Becoming an Expert Cruzbiker".
The courtship: be patient, and spend lots of time getting to know her.
The proposal: commit to her, and only her.
The marriage: become one with her and be happy, your relationship will continue to evolve and develop with many adventures along the way!

 

[LMT]

I know I have read a number of learning threads. Most recently the one titled elevated seat . My current raptobike is sidelined due to some adjustments and I don't want to pile money into right now. I will be replacing the brakes, rear wheel and lights before I am done.

The Vendetta I bought is coming soonish, likely within 2 weeks, it will take a week for my bike shop to get my brake work, etc done. So I am considering waiting on the Vendetta and holding off on the Raptobike work since I don't feel like spending money on brakes and a wheel. But that puts some pressure on me to learn to ride quickly.

For an experienced recumbent, lowracer rider do you think that I could be comfortable on streets after 3 days of test rides composed of 1-2 hours each?

Here I am on my Raptobike (#303), you can see the recline. This picture has a bonus in that it has a Silvio 1.0 in the shot. We were all on the same "autocross" team in 2007.
Autocross Relay race by Duncan Watson, on Flickr

It can be done as I've done it, here's how.

First of all except that riding a MBB FWD is different then a rear wheel drive low racer. I was quite surprised upon owning and ridden a Low Baron and Metabike that when I first rode my V20 I got about 4 yards before almost crashing, accept that this is all part of the learning process, don't get annoyed, don't get wound up, don't think ''What I have done''.

Next:-

Start off on a slight decline just freewheeling, with your lowracer background you should be fairly used to this position.

Once you are happy go and find an empty car park, practise pulling away (firstly in a low gear) and applying just slight pressure on the pedals getting used to the difference in that when you pedal the steering moves and vice versa. Ride around in circles, when you are up to speed try applying a bit more force learning how the bike reacts.

The following day, go to the same empty car park and practise doing figure of eights. this will get you really used to the hanlding of the bike. After this you should be good to go as I was. After this it is just miles and practise. You'll find that after a few hundred miles your pedal stroke will become a lot smoother and the input from your upper body will be far less then what it was when you first started riding. The only you'll really use your upper body is when putting a lot of torque through the cranks as you woul do in a sprint, up a hill or getting up to speed quickly.

Good luck.

 

[snilard]

Once you are happy go and find an empty car park, practise pulling away (firstly in a low gear) and applying just slight pressure on the pedals getting used to the difference in that when you pedal the steering moves and vice versa. Ride around in circles, when you are up to speed try applying a bit more force learning how the bike reacts.

The following day, go to the same empty car park and practise doing figure of eights. this will get you really used to the hanlding of the bike. After this you should be good to go as I was. After this it is just miles and practise. You'll find that after a few hundred miles your pedal stroke will become a lot smoother and the input from your upper body will be far less then what it was when you first started riding. The only you'll really use your upper body is when putting a lot of torque through the cranks as you woul do in a sprint, up a hill or getting up to speed quickly.

I think that for experienced recumbent rider It is not necessary to practice figures eight on parking lot.

 

[DuncanWatson]

I suspect the figure 8s will help me with how to turn while using feet and hands to effect said turn. Since my current bikes are FWD but not MBB that will be a new experience.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Since my current bikes are FWD but not MBB that will be a new experience.

It is Duncan, very strange feeling in a good way, pedaling through sharp turns and not having to worry about heel or pedal strike. You have to dissolve that from the brain if you've been riding SWB or LWB recumbents for a few years.

 

[LMT]

I think that for experienced recumbent rider It is not necessary to practice figures eight on parking lot.

imo it is if you are new to the MBB-FWD format, I know that it helped me.

 

[hurri47]

The single hardest thing about MBB-FWD is learning to walk one. All that weight in the front will feel weird for a while, but you will be fine.

And parking MUAHAHAHAHAH

-Dan

 

[ratz]

So here is the thing..... If you follow the script whether or not you need it is immaterial. If you don't follow the script and you did in fact need it you might wind up with a lot of frustration. Anyone can handle a bike at speed, it's what you can do a 3mph in a crisis that matters and that's what the parking lot practice is for.

We all want to assume we are good at what we do. I approached MBB as though I knew nothing, made no assumptions, and the rest is history. I whole heartly recommend that you accept 3 postulates. (1) It's not hard, never was. (2) Bring little to no usable experience to the endeavor it's ok to be the beginner. (3) Time in the car park when you have time to think will give you the reflexes you need when you don't have time to think.

So having now finished with student 35 and made everyone one of them do the script. I have 1 failure due to an injury and that was student #4.... Therefore if you ask me, the script works and I get a lot of happy people that complete a less than easy 7 mile trail ride that include a 11% hill that most (but not all) have to walk up at least part of the way.

This weeks student is Ducan sized and with a thicker back pad he road my Silvio after he master the Quest (ratz doesn't let just anyone ride his Silvio)

Videos
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/evei4sralb1vw5s/AABkmeuriChM1aX-iwjZCxUwa?dl=0



Student 36 will be here this weekend; the results will be same, because it works.

Someone help me down off this soapbox I think I'm wearing out.....

All due luv and support to the newbies is intended and implied. Hey!!!! get ON my Lawn, it's fun.

 

[snilard]

The single hardest thing about MBB-FWD is learning to walk one. All that weight in the front will feel weird for a while, but you will be fine.

For me V20 is recumbent what is one of the easiest to walk. Other recumbents have handlebar too low to be comfortable to wall it or you have to use to much force. V20 is long but bents in half. With other recumbent you have so called bus effect, your boom is turning much larger radius than your front wheel so you can turn V20 in much tighter space than traditional recumbent.

Parking... Real pain.

 

[DuncanWatson]

The single hardest thing about MBB-FWD is learning to walk one. All that weight in the front will feel weird for a while, but you will be fine.

And parking MUAHAHAHAHAH

-Dan

My Raptobike is FWD and a lowracer. Parking and Walking are skills I don't think I will have issues with. The real difficult thing to learn is how to walk a velomobile.

 

[Abbott Smith]

Another advantage of parking lot training is the space. It's just nice to have room to not have to worry so much about obstacles when you are trying to give your body time to figure out this new balance and pivot point meme. I did my first test rides on a very confined stretch of sidewalk at a Bike Expo. Took forever to get where I could do the circuit because I was having to do complex moves too quickly. Next ride in an empty Boeing parking lot and I was tooling around in no time.

The parking lot practice is so that when you ride the Sammamish trail and get down near Marymoor and have to cross the bridge and immediately turn downhill into that tight hairpin turn back under the bridge, you don't take out a 10 year old who isn't paying attention.