Mark's Build

[Mark B]

Rick Harker wrote: Hi Mark,

I was just wondering how you would describe the differences between the 2 bikes on the road.


Rick.

Night and day. The Silvio handles like it was built that way. The conversion rides like a conversion. I think I can make the conversion ride better, now that I know what it should ride like. It helps, having a benchmark.

Dude.... Get a Silvio.

Mark

 

[JonB]

But it's so expensive, and i already ordered a Freerider. I hope that handles well too, that was why i bought a Freerider and not the kit for a homebuild.

 

[Mark B]

JonB wrote: But it's so expensive, and i already ordered a Freerider. I hope that handles well too, that was why i bought a Freerider and not the kit for a homebuild.

I would assume the Freerider rides well. I would assume my conversion will ride even better very soon. Like I said, benchmarks.

Mark

 

[Mark B]

Got out for my second ride today. First official club ride on the Silvio. My bike was the focus of attention at the ride start. I was amazed how many people, upon first glance, see the chainstays and assume the entire bike is carbon! Most people had to look hard to realize it wasn't my conversion bike. Buncha weirdos. So, we bomb out of the parking lot and head out on our "beginners" ride. We didn't have any beginners today, so we were able to push the pace a little. The first few miles are slightly uphill and the thing I noticed today was this bike accelerates and goes uphill way better than my Bachetta ever thought of. The acceleration is incredible; instantaneous is the real word that comes to mind. I had to keep reeling myself in to keep from leaving SWMBO behind.

The cable rub situation is completely resolved. I had a friend ask me today if there was anything I would complain about. I came up with nothing except the color. Black gets dirty looking too fast. If that's the worst compaint I can come up with (and I had to think hard to come up with THAT), then this is one hell of a bike.

Mark

 

[John Tolhurst]

I always thought it was a great bike, but the people I ride with are always quick to point out to me that I'm a pretty strong rider. I was never really convinced on that point but it was enough to keep me humble about the design. So when I hear a report like this, I'm whooping and hollering here; YEAH! Finally some other people are getting it.

"this bike accelerates and goes uphill way better than my Bachetta ever thought of"

That is one hell of a statement. Its right though. I was accelerating once with a Baron, sort of push, pause, push, pause kind of thing for me, just keeping pace with him. Then I realized he was hammering. :roll: When someone comes past, the ability to accelerate hard often gets you on their tail when you might expect not to. :twisted:

How does it go on the comparative roll down at 20 mph?

 

[Hotdog]

Out of curiousity Mark, which model of Bacchetta do you have? As the owner of an '07 Giro 26 your comparision caught my attention

 

[Mark B]

Hotdog wrote: Out of curiousity Mark, which model of Bacchetta do you have? As the owner of an '07 Giro 26 your comparision caught my attention

I owned an '05 Strada. I was torn between the Giro 26 and the Strada and ended up going Strada. It's in Ohio, now. It gave way so I could buy my Silvio!

Mark

 

[Nanda H.]

Here was my 1st bent:

and here was my 3rd bent with a 700c conversion and front disc running 35mm tires:

And carbon 700c Highracer project:

...on reason I keep thinking of a rear carbon seat stay on the Silvio

More photo's on this page:
http://spincyclz.com/mindbank.html

 

[Mark B]

That's a nice collection, Nanda. I had a Vision R42 I bought in the 90's that I about rode the wheels off of and the Bachetta. I took a break in between and rode wedgie for a few years. I have a homebrew semi lowracer frame I never finished and I have several roadbike frames gathered up to make an Easy Racers clone, but never got around to. Now, I'm a FWD guy.

Mark

 

[Nanda H.]

Thanks Mark. I also went through a 03 Stratus Classic (still got it, techinally it's the wifes bike, and I did my first ever double century on that), and had a Force 5XP

Looking again at the carbon highracer project bike, bet I could saw off the boom, and add a Silvio front end, and run 2 rear wheels??? That got me thinking that any bent could be chopped and converted to a silvio front end, but not sure about the total fork length, rake,trail etc., especially the one's with extendable/removable booms....hmmm

 

[Mark B]

Nanda,

I know you really like RANS and I've tried two or three times to get comfortable on one and could not. I went to Bent up Cycles thinking I was going to buy a Force 5 and ended up deciding between two Bachettas!

What doubles have you done? The picture kind of looks like the Solvang area.

Mark

 

[Nanda H.]

Mark B wrote: Nanda,

I know you really like RANS and I've tried two or three times to get comfortable on one and could not. I went to Bent up Cycles thinking I was going to buy a Force 5 and ended up deciding between two Bachettas!

What doubles have you done? The picture kind of looks like the Solvang area.

Mark

The Schlitters know how to build great bikes, so I had to try them both That is actually Randy S. riding the classic Stratus where I used to live in Brentwood...the one in NorCal.

I've done maybe a dozen full centuries and several metrics. The only double was The Bay in a Day, a full loop around SF Bay, 210mi, 8800' of up, 19hrs, 17k calories, 11mph ave., one scuffed right knee and it was the hottest day in SF that year at 98° back in 2006. The Silvio would have made an excellent choice for that ride with it's plush ride and climability :twisted: Some day I'll be back in condition to make a similar run again. That year I did 6 centuries prior to the double all on the Force 5XP, but choose to ride the Stratus with the lower bottom bracket, Angletech AeroTrunk and Zzipper fairing at a womping 38lbs.

 

[Mark B]

Nanda H. wrote: I've done maybe a dozen full centuries and several metrics. The only double was The Bay in a Day, a full loop around SF Bay, 210mi, 8800' of up, 19hrs, 17k calories, 11mph ave., one scuffed right knee and it was the hottest day in SF that year at 98° back in 2006. The Silvio would have made an excellent choice for that ride with it's plush ride and climability :twisted: Some day I'll be back in condition to make a similar run again. That year I did 6 centuries prior to the double all on the Force 5XP, but choose to ride the Stratus with the lower bottom bracket, Angletech AeroTrunk and Zzipper fairing at a womping 38lbs.

I've lost track of the centuries I've done, both bent and upright. In 2003, I completed the California triple crown; three double centuries in a season. The toughest one was the Eastern Sierra Double, which had something like 12,000 feet of climbing. I did these on a CF Trek 5200 with a well broken in Brooks saddle. That was by far and away my best year for cycling milage. I was commuting to work four and five days a week and riding a century on the weekend, usually. Sometimes more.

Like you, I long to get back into that kind of shape. I've gotten fat and lazy... But I'm trying. I'm aiming to do a century or two by the end of summer, then continuing to train all winter; the goal being to go for another triple crown next spring. I can do it!

Mark

 

[Hotdog]

Looks like this has turned into a 'post photos of the products of Cruzbike's competitors' thread

Here's mine:

More here.

The main excuse for posting a photo is that it nicely illustrates an example of rack-free, aerodynamic carrying of water and luggage on a recumbent as has been discussed in a few other threads That's a Radical Designs Solo Aero seat back bag and under the seat are FastBack Systems Double Century hydration packs. Between the lot I can carry up to two 2 litre water bladders, tools, spares and a change of clothes for commuting. I could probably just about do (very) light credit card touring too. All without a rack, and with the load tucked away out of the slipstream for no extra drag, in fact the seat back bag probably provides a slight aerodynamic benefit.

 

[Mark B]

Mark B wrote: Got out for my second ride today. First official club ride on the Silvio. My bike was the focus of attention at the ride start. I was amazed how many people, upon first glance, see the chainstays and assume the entire bike is carbon! Most people had to look hard to realize it wasn't my conversion bike. Buncha weirdos. So, we bomb out of the parking lot and head out on our "beginners" ride. We didn't have any beginners today, so we were able to push the pace a little. The first few miles are slightly uphill and the thing I noticed today was this bike accelerates and goes uphill way better than my Bachetta ever thought of. The acceleration is incredible; instantaneous is the real word that comes to mind. I had to keep reeling myself in to keep from leaving SWMBO behind.

The cable rub situation is completely resolved. I had a friend ask me today if there was anything I would complain about. I came up with nothing except the color. Black gets dirty looking too fast. If that's the worst compaint I can come up with (and I had to think hard to come up with THAT), then this is one hell of a bike.

Mark

I guess I passed my one year anniversary of being Silvioised and didn't realize it! Time flies when you are, too!

Mark