My Q45 is ordered!

[afoxinsocks]

And... hopefully on the way? Ordered Thursday evening, and no tracking number yet, but the site says they send everything out within 1 business day of ordering. So I'm hopeful.

Anyway, been riding recumbent trikes for a few years, tried out a recumbent bike a couple times, but the CruzBikes really spoke to me. Interested in an S40 in the future, if the Q45 is as awesome as I think it will be.

So... any suggestions on a behind-the-seat bag and/or water pack for the Q? I ordered mine with the below-seat mounting bracket and the pannier bags, but I won't always want those attached. Need something to hold my tools/phone while riding...

 

[Pollock]

Congratulations!

 

[defjack]

I use a fanny pack just add a few mounting straps

 

[Bentnail]

Just got mine yesterday. Can't ride because of rain. Didn't want to get it dirty right off the bat

It sure was easy to assemble, I must have watch the video 10 times before it got here.

Have fun the summer is just beginning!

 

[paco1961]

Go ahead and ride it in the rain. It’s all part of the break in process! The post ride clean up is half the therapeutic value of the ride.

 

[woodguy]

I mounted the touring rack on mine. Lots of flexibility to put stuff on that. If you get it, I suggest looking at the thread "Q45 - My first 100 miles" The rack doesn't mount well according to the instructions, but there are work arounds. As you can see, I keep a water bottle on my boom, and there is space for another either below or behind the seat.

 

[benphyr]

And here is another way:


a touring handlebar bag.



with a map holder sleeve - clear plastic map holder removed



slide over seat back, under cushion



hangs nicely behind the back. It can be stuffed as full as it can be and still hooked on here securely and yet comes off without any fasteners or anything at all. I have been using it for a couple years in this configuration. (This set of pictures is with my clean one that hasn't been used much. The used one is not quite as pretty.) I have carried home 4L (1 gallon) of milk in it without problems. I have on occasion turned it around the other way so the reflective strip is facing the bike. That allows the zipper to be open and more stuff tied between the lid and the pouch. Here are some staged shots, I could probably fit all this in and still close the zipper but if I had a rain jacket to add on top of this amount of stuff... it would be too much and then this scenario saves the day:







I use either a shoelace or the tiniest shock cord like that used on backpacks to tie things into bags, onto racks, etc. A shoelace in the bag is possibly as valuable to me as tools since my commute is populated and relatively short, I can pick up treasure (other's trash) and haul it home if I have a way to attach it to myself or the bike.

 

[pherreshoff]

I have kluged together a set of underseat panniers on my Quest that should also work on a Q45. It consists of two trader joe's insulated bags ($6 each).

At the front of the side of each t j bag I sewed some 1" webbing material (stiffened with a wrapping of duct tape) that drapes over the frame in front of where the seat rests on the frame.

To support the rear of the pannier, I attached a cheap aluminum handlebar stem riser to the adjustable tube which supports the seat back (the handlebar part of the riser clamping that tube. The headset part of the riser clamps to a one foot long, 1" outer diameter pvc pipe (which has a sleeve of an old inner tube to match the diameter of the riser). I sewed loops of webbing to the back of each trader joes bag and threaded the loops over the pvc pipe.

 

[bladderhead]

So benphyr picks up rubbish and makes good use of it. You see all sorts riding Cruzbikes. Even Wombles.

 

[benphyr]

Apparently I'm a Womble. Now I know.

 

[dtseng]

Hey Ben, do you have a pointed nose? That aerodynamic would shave a few watt off when you ride your QX100.

 

[benphyr]

Hey Ben, do you have a pointed nose? That aerodynamic would shave a few watt off when you ride your QX100.

If I keep my nose pointed horizontally forward (or towards the perceived wind) it improves my aerodynamics. But the localized aerodynamic penalty when I shoulder check is a really awkward - the wind catches on my nose and it is a major drag. (pun intended)

 

[afoxinsocks]

Got bike yesterday, assembled, and of course it rained (first law of bikes). But I didn't let that stop me... got out and was riding inside of about 10 minutes, doing lots of figure 8 drills... and commuted 18.5 miles this morning to work. Wow, that was a huge bite I took... first 5 miles were very much "I should turn around.. don't know if I can do this yet..." but I made it!

I... would like a headrest. Anything official in the works for the Q45?

 

[bladderhead]

Congrats on getting to work. I hope you got there on time. Now you have to get it home again. Commuting teaches you how to handle the bike.