Giloun
Active Member
I did a 8 days solo ride with Q45 through Korea from Busan to Seoul (registered 638km) last week.
So here is my report.
Planning:
I struggled with which recumbent bicycle, TW-bents Cobra or Cruzbike Q45, to use for this ride. Cobra, a low racer, is a foldable and weight in a little bit less. Q45, a touring bicycle, is bigger wheeled and more suitable for different terrain. I decided on Q45 finally because it is a long tour and Q45 gives me more faith in its ability to withstand the punishment it will take.
Packing for air travel:
I split the Q45 in the middle by loosening the screw at the joint. (the rear swing arm with rear wheel on, and the front half.) The front triangle was disassembled. I believe it would make the package smaller without removing the wheels.
So the bicycle was in a box checked in as sport equipment and the panniers and other stuff in another bag as checked luggage.
Route:
I flew to Seoul from Hong Kong and leave the big carton box at the hotel there for my return at the end of the ride. I then took KTX train (a 2.5 hr ride) with the bicycle to Busan and started riding there back to Seoul. (I found out from the ticket station that bicycle is not allowed on KTX except with one wheel removed. The slow train have bicycle racks but it takes a few more hours.) I basically followed the “Four-Rivers Cycling Trail” but with the deviation suggested by Joel Thomas on the “Ride With GPS” app. His route avoids steep hills if it is possible.
I split the whole route into sections of 45 to 100km and booked hotels, motels and BnB along the route and these were my goals every day. The ride from Busan to Seoul took me 8 days.
Ride:
The Four-Rivers Cycling Trail is a very well built cycling track along 4 major rivers Hangang (한강/漢江), Nakdonggang (낙동강/洛東江), Geumgang (금강/錦江) and Yeongsangang (영산강/榮山江) and runs about 633km through Korea from north to south.
I started riding as soon as I got off Busan train station. The most “dangerous” part of the trip was the ride through a tunnel when leaving Busan for the cycle track. Though there was a raised pedestrian passage through the tunnel, I chose to ride on the road along with the traffic. The lane was narrow but the drivers were friendly and gave me as much space they could give. You can see the ride through the tunnel in the attached video (00:14 to 00:19)
The cycle track runs mostly on the raised levee along the rivers and is segregated from road traffic most of the time. There are also part that is on the road but then there will either be a painted cycling path or at least a sharrow. The Four-Rivers Cycling Trail signage is very clear and there will be clear indication of which way to go at the junctions.
The view of the ride was spectacular. (Please have a look at the album.)
There were resting places, toilets and electric bicycle pumps along the way. First aid and drinking fountains too. If you prefer camping there are camp sites and I think you can easily find places along the route where you can build your tent.
Most of the ride was flat. The highest and longest climb was a 5 km ride up a mountain pass of I Hwa-ryung (548m) with gradient of about 5-10%. My Q45, which was geared with a very low metre-development of 1.38 (gear inch 17.24), handled it without any problem.
Koreans are hospitable and I received many free drinks and food and snacks along the ride.
Side attraction:
There was a bicycle museum, the Sanju Bicycle Museum, along the route. It is worth a visit if you like bicycle. (Who in this forum doesn’t?)
Review of Q45 as a touring bicycle:
I am very satisfied with the Q45 as a touring bicycle. On some of the days I rode more than 100 km and finished like I can go many km more. There were no discomfort on any part and in fact it was very comfy riding long distance on Q45. I think the small cushion I used as my neck support helped a lot too. The air-shock upgrade also had done its job and smoothed out the ride effectively.
I tried to travel light and even removed the cargo rack and just used the bags hanging from the seat. Water reservoir bag was also hanging from the head rest. The Q45 with its sturdy seat carried the weight very well.
The photo album of the ride and video is here:
Photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmzBAdJB
video record:
So here is my report.
Planning:
I struggled with which recumbent bicycle, TW-bents Cobra or Cruzbike Q45, to use for this ride. Cobra, a low racer, is a foldable and weight in a little bit less. Q45, a touring bicycle, is bigger wheeled and more suitable for different terrain. I decided on Q45 finally because it is a long tour and Q45 gives me more faith in its ability to withstand the punishment it will take.
Packing for air travel:
I split the Q45 in the middle by loosening the screw at the joint. (the rear swing arm with rear wheel on, and the front half.) The front triangle was disassembled. I believe it would make the package smaller without removing the wheels.
So the bicycle was in a box checked in as sport equipment and the panniers and other stuff in another bag as checked luggage.
Route:
I flew to Seoul from Hong Kong and leave the big carton box at the hotel there for my return at the end of the ride. I then took KTX train (a 2.5 hr ride) with the bicycle to Busan and started riding there back to Seoul. (I found out from the ticket station that bicycle is not allowed on KTX except with one wheel removed. The slow train have bicycle racks but it takes a few more hours.) I basically followed the “Four-Rivers Cycling Trail” but with the deviation suggested by Joel Thomas on the “Ride With GPS” app. His route avoids steep hills if it is possible.
I split the whole route into sections of 45 to 100km and booked hotels, motels and BnB along the route and these were my goals every day. The ride from Busan to Seoul took me 8 days.
Ride:
The Four-Rivers Cycling Trail is a very well built cycling track along 4 major rivers Hangang (한강/漢江), Nakdonggang (낙동강/洛東江), Geumgang (금강/錦江) and Yeongsangang (영산강/榮山江) and runs about 633km through Korea from north to south.
I started riding as soon as I got off Busan train station. The most “dangerous” part of the trip was the ride through a tunnel when leaving Busan for the cycle track. Though there was a raised pedestrian passage through the tunnel, I chose to ride on the road along with the traffic. The lane was narrow but the drivers were friendly and gave me as much space they could give. You can see the ride through the tunnel in the attached video (00:14 to 00:19)
The cycle track runs mostly on the raised levee along the rivers and is segregated from road traffic most of the time. There are also part that is on the road but then there will either be a painted cycling path or at least a sharrow. The Four-Rivers Cycling Trail signage is very clear and there will be clear indication of which way to go at the junctions.
The view of the ride was spectacular. (Please have a look at the album.)
There were resting places, toilets and electric bicycle pumps along the way. First aid and drinking fountains too. If you prefer camping there are camp sites and I think you can easily find places along the route where you can build your tent.
Most of the ride was flat. The highest and longest climb was a 5 km ride up a mountain pass of I Hwa-ryung (548m) with gradient of about 5-10%. My Q45, which was geared with a very low metre-development of 1.38 (gear inch 17.24), handled it without any problem.
Koreans are hospitable and I received many free drinks and food and snacks along the ride.
Side attraction:
There was a bicycle museum, the Sanju Bicycle Museum, along the route. It is worth a visit if you like bicycle. (Who in this forum doesn’t?)
Review of Q45 as a touring bicycle:
I am very satisfied with the Q45 as a touring bicycle. On some of the days I rode more than 100 km and finished like I can go many km more. There were no discomfort on any part and in fact it was very comfy riding long distance on Q45. I think the small cushion I used as my neck support helped a lot too. The air-shock upgrade also had done its job and smoothed out the ride effectively.
I tried to travel light and even removed the cargo rack and just used the bags hanging from the seat. Water reservoir bag was also hanging from the head rest. The Q45 with its sturdy seat carried the weight very well.
The photo album of the ride and video is here:
Photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmzBAdJB
video record:
Attachments
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