New Guy - lots of questions

[Lorenzo]

If you are doing hills , I would suggest go for a boom that's not horizontal... so if you are 5'10 like me go with medium chainstay 21.5.

Forgive my newbie ignorance, but could you clarify this? By horizontal boom, do you mean set the boom so it is angled up a bit?
And go with a medium chainstay? I didn't know there was a choice. Or is this also an adjustment thing? I watched the fit videos and saw how the various sliders and clamps are used to set position.

I am 6 feet tall (183cm).

Edit: It it just occurred to me that chainstay length options are for tall or short people. I assume medium is what comes with my order.

 

[Don1]

I'm 6 1... I used the medium chainstay for awhile and now moved to the longer chainstay. Dropped my cda from .230 to .18 approximately. I'm not quite settled in but I see no disadvantage going up or down, might be better climbing than the suggested shorter stay. Yemv. Definitely not for beginners having the feet another 4inches higher. So use what you get and change it if u feel u need to. Have no expectations for the first 1000k, slow fast figure eights until you get some muscle memory. I run 28wide rims 80 deep with 25c tyres following 105.. they are certainly more stable at 40kph than 25kph.

 

[Frito Bandito]

Thanks for that easy explanation Lorenzo. The different kinds of labeling for wheels sizes was already difficult enough.

 

[DavidCH]

do you mean set the boom so it is angled up a bit?

Probably best you go for a medium chainstay for the hills and for manuovering. I have a long chainstay that's not doing much but that's great for going on the flats.

 

[Lorenzo]

I'd be curious what others think about fenders. I live in the northeast and ride all winter. If it's icy I use studded tires on the S40. I haven't used fenders. The seat actually blocks a lot of spray from both wheels and your feet are up and forward so they don't get particularly wet.

That is definitely an advantage of the design. However my attitude is been that I'd rather not slather the bike with road grime - prefer to punish the inside of the fenders.

Which leads to the question: what is the biggest tire that can fit under fenders on an S40? (700c wheel)

 

[bladderhead]

Short stays: B bracket will be low and bars will be high. Long stays: High BB and low bars. Lower BB means more power. Something to do with blood circulation I think. Low bars is more aero than high. High bars means more space between the bars and the sternum. This makes it easier to get on and off the bike. Also, low bars can trap your legs.

If you are in the UK or the Pacific NW you need mudguards. Do you want the bike to be completely caked in gunk? You will need to do some DIY, because your front mudguard needs to protrude under the BB. On a DF, the back of the front mudguard is low enough to protect the BB. But the wheels carry mud almost all the way round, and shoot it forward, and on a Cruzbike the front mudguard does not protect the BB.

Most of the Tribe have short cranks. I am extreme. I have 130mm, but these are hard to find. Short cranks means less stress on the knees. Short cranks means low power? Get low gears and learn to spin. Cruzbike is not for the Clyde.

 

[cpml123]

That is definitely an advantage of the design. However my attitude is been that I'd rather not slather the bike with road grime - prefer to punish the inside of the fenders.

Which leads to the question: what is the biggest tire that can fit under fenders on an S40? (700c wheel)

I have 2017 S40, so I don't know how much change there is with 2022 model. I have fenders and can fit 700c x 38mm Schwalbe G One Allaround tires with a little clearance left.

 

[Lorenzo]

I have 2017 S40, so I don't know how much change there is with 2022 model. I have fenders and can fit 700c x 38mm Schwalbe G One Allaround tires with a little clearance left.

That is an extraordinary amount of clearance. I can't imagine clearance is less on the newer model. Without having ever ridden a recumbent, I am starting to believe that bigger tires will be of even greater benefit than on a DF. Traction, comfort, puncture protection, tire life, etc.

 

[DavidCH]

If you want even bigger tyres just put a smaller wheel on. (650b perhaps ?)

 

[Lorenzo]

I know some people use 650b but I can't see the advantage of anything bigger than 35 - 38mm on road and that works on 700c. Gravel of course is another matter.

 

[cpml123]

That is an extraordinary amount of clearance. I can't imagine clearance is less on the newer model. Without having ever ridden a recumbent, I am starting to believe that bigger tires will be of even greater benefit than on a DF. Traction, comfort, puncture protection, tire life, etc.

The biggest advantage to me is comfort. I can't use my legs as suspension like on a DF bike. It's full weight every time going over a bump. Just think about the expansion joints on a bridge. It's a really jarring experience. 38mm with 40 psi is really nice.

 

[Lorenzo]

The biggest advantage to me is comfort. I can't use my legs as suspension like on a DF bike. It's full weight every time going over a bump.

I hear ya. I am still trying to wrap my head around not being able to bunny hop road debris. The role legs play in suspension on a DF is underestimated by many. Traction in hard cornering is all about maintaining uniform tire contact pressure with the road by absorbing surface irregularities with the legs. The best descenders never have weight on the saddle while taking corners and curves. Recumbents are a different game altogether, and from what I have learned so far, outside of a situation where speed is the absolute priority, there is an argument to be made that when it comes to tires bigger is always better.

For big slicks I guess Rene Herse is the best option. Not the best tubeless setup I have been told. Panaracer does some big slicks and there is Challenge Strada Bianca TLR 36mm. Challenge is a sublime tire but a nightmare to install apparently. And if you go big with low pressure, then I think hookless rims add a layer of protection against rim damage.

 

[tiltmaniac]

@Robert Holler, thanks for the warm welcome. Your engagement with and service to your customers is first class and should be an example to others in this industry. And thank you for the confirmation on the S40. All my research suggest this is my best choice.

What is the community consensus for small scale storage. On my DF I head out with some gels, bars, sandwich, a wind layer, and Dynaplugs tucked neatly in my pockets. Only use a saddle bag on days or when more clothing, rain gear etc. is required. But bent means no pockets so... does strapping a standard small saddle bag to the headrest bar work?

There is this sort of thing: https://www.radicaldesign.com/solo-aero-narrow. Very slick design but it has a 12 litre capacity and weighs over a pound. Great for touring, but silly for a couple of gels. Similar designs are also quite huge.

Also, there are great 'bent specific jerseys that have pockets more biased to the front (and potentially with zippers), just so you know!

 

[pherreshoff]

Also, there are great 'bent specific jerseys that have pockets more biased to the front (and potentially with zippers), just so you know!

I wear a sling pack which I position over my chest (in addition to using panniers).

 

[benphyr]

That is an extraordinary amount of clearance. I can't imagine clearance is less on the newer model. Without having ever ridden a recumbent, I am starting to believe that bigger tires will be of even greater benefit than on a DF. Traction, comfort, puncture protection, tire life, etc.

In my experience 38 are amazingly smooth, possibly more than necessary. They barely fit under fenders and as others noted you really want two rear fenders to keep the gunk from everything including your drivetrain.

With respect to riding, descending, track stands, etc. you should read some of @RojoRacing posts. He isn’t on here much anymore but has significant racing experience on mountain bikes and road bikes and then Cruzbikes. Since you have the balance to track stand clipped in your experience will likely be similar to his - it will feel weird, your good balance will be thrown off by rotating backwards 90 degrees, but you will get used to it and be able to use your balance to your advantage once you get used to it, and you will probably have zero issues going back and forth except for sore butt if you don’t ride the diamond frame at all for a few months. It takes me a few days each winter to get used to the mountain bike (with studded tires for possible black ice and snow).

One correction that I will give is that the s40 fork clearances have changed noticeably throughout the years so check with Cruzbike for particulars on current stock models or vendor if buying used or post here and someone will measure for you. I have a 2019 s40.