New member T 50

[Libraman]

I have been riding recumbents for over 20 years. Decided to make the transition to a Cruzbike. I was up and riding it within 20 minutes. I’m still a bit wobbly at times and need to practice riding in a narrow straight line. Did take it briefly on the road and was terrified when cars came by and I had to stay close to the shoulder. Just keep practicing I’m thinking of course. One stretch I decided to put some power strokes on for speed and I didn’t counter with the handlebars. Almost wiped out. There seems to be a balance between foot stroke and handlebar pressure. Does that get better and less of a challenge?

Any tips??Are clipless pedals or toe clips in the future or too dangerous??

Thanks!

 

[Frito Bandito]

Welcome braddah! It'll get easier and ultimately intuitive. I usually white knuckle each ride because I am too lazy to train properly, and too frugal to pay for a trainer to draw me up a specific training program, but today I rode a little longer so I kept the power down a little. During the ride where there were no other people I was focusing on the pedal stroke and I noticed that a light grip and pressure on the bar were enough to keep the bike very straight and stable, and I didn't feel as if I were trying to pedal steer. As for clipping in, it seems plenty of experienced riders notice an immediate improvement.

 

[chicorider]

@Libraman Welcome! Clipless pedals do make these bikes easier to ride. The feet are involved in the steering, whether clipped in or not; when they are clipped in they become a much more predictable and reliable part of the steering. It can seem scary being clipped in at first--like you have less control. But in truth, being clipped in gives you more control. It's a paradox that goes away pretty quickly with time and practice. Double-sided clipless pedals are nice; you don't have to fiddle with finding the correct side.

I've been riding a V20 for seven years now, and early on I was gripping the bars so tight to counteract my legs that I tore a ligament in my right forearm that put me on the bench for seven months. I couldn't even turn a doorknob, and shifting my car was difficult. During my rehab, Robert at Cruzbike suggested that I "grip the handlebars as if they were ripe bananas." That changed everything. When I got going again, I focused on my arms and legs working together instead of fighting each other. My pedal stroke smoothed out, my power improved, steering became more intuitive, and the bike was easier to handle. Everything just...relaxed. Since then, my grip on the bars has been light because that it all that is required. The only time I think about it is when someone asks here on the forum if it gets better. It does.

 

[LarryOz]

Welcome - I can only affirm what has already been said above. When I got my first Cruzbike (Silvio 2.0) 8 years ago I did not have any bent experience. I am not what I would call a natural balancer kind of guy either - could never ride a wheelie. It took me 10 days riding a little loop in my neighborhood before I felt brave enough to ride it to work. That first day was a white knuckle experience of 10 miles in pretty constant traffic. It only got better after that and in 2 months I rode 239 miles in a 12 hour event. The the rest is history. The Cruzbike is simply a pleasure to ride - and anyone who claims it isn't just gave up to soon. Because if I could learn to ride it - anyone can!

 

[castlerobber]

There seems to be a balance between foot stroke and handlebar pressure. Does that get better and less of a challenge?

I'm in the "if I can ride a Cruzbike, anyone can" camp. I didn't get the hang of riding a regular bike until I was 7 or 8 years old.

I bought a Cruzbike Quest (grandfather of the Q45) 8 1/2 years ago. I could ride it almost immediately, but I was slow, wobbly, and nervous for several months. There wasn't any one day when it all "just clicked," it was gradual improvement. Though I do remember a day when I realized that I was keeping nearly as straight a line as I had on my road bike, and not panicking anymore over minor drifting in the lane.

I rode with pinned platform pedals for most of the first year before switching to clipless. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to clip out without making the front wheel turn, and weaving wildly about or falling over.

After a few years, I even learned to ride short distances on both the Q and my S30 no-hands. Never thought that would happen...

All that to say, it gets better.

 

[Opik]

I have been riding recumbents for over 20 years. Decided to make the transition to a Cruzbike. I was up and riding it within 20 minutes. I’m still a bit wobbly at times and need to practice riding in a narrow straight line. Did take it briefly on the road and was terrified when cars came by and I had to stay close to the shoulder. Just keep practicing I’m thinking of course. One stretch I decided to put some power strokes on for speed and I didn’t counter with the handlebars. Almost wiped out. There seems to be a balance between foot stroke and handlebar pressure. Does that get better and less of a challenge?

Any tips??Are clipless pedals or toe clips in the future or too dangerous??

Thanks!

Pull or push handlebars with both hands. I think one pitfall is trying to counterbalance the wobbling by pulling with just one hand, overdo it and then repeat it ad infinitum untill you drop your leg or fall. but by pulling (or pushing) left and right at the same time, you make it straight, and then after that you just need to tune how hard you pull your left and right while pedalling. after some time, you can then relax and even pedal with no hands

 

[Decher Kritzmire]

I won't negate the benefits of clipless if they suit your needs, riding style, bike set up and purpose. Personally, I removed the clipless from my S40 and replaced them with platforms, Look Trail Grip pedals to be specific. My pedals are low enough to alleviate the foot slipping off and these platforms are really grippy. Most important to me, the platforms also allow me to move my foot position more and use a mid-foot position which helps with some issues I'm having with heal tendenitis and wear street shoes.

 

[Tuloose]

Greetings Libraman,

It took me about 2 months before I felt comfortable riding my Silvio 2.0 in group rides with vehicular traffic.
I had purchased it w/o ever seeing or test riding a Cruzbike. I was awed by Maria Parker's win in the Race Across America and determined to find a recumbent that combined comfort AND speed, not just on the flats or downhills but uphill as well.

But once the body/mind connection finally kicked in it was like the heavens opened up and the blessings rained down on this aging biker's head.
Here was a bike that combined comfort and speed with the pure joy that comes from the total body being involved in powering this fantastic machine down the road.
This may sound a bit nutty to you at first but once you get past the beginner's shakes you'll see what I mean.

I eventually sold that laid back Silvio and purchased an even more laid back Vendetta and then an older model called the Freerider along with a Silvio 1.0.
I was branching out into the world of Cruzbikes.
I sold my other bikes, a Lightning P38 and a Trek Soho - the Cruzbikes were just so much more fun to ride.
Later on I donated the Freerider to our local community bike shop and purchased a new T50, my dearly loved town bike.

My advice is to hang in there. With persistence comes great rewards.
I have seen many people give up early thinking they can't possibly master the skills required to ride a Cruzbike, but really it's no different than our initial attempts to ride our first two wheelers and we all learned how to do that without thinking it an impossibility.
Any skill worth learning is going to take more than a day or two to become semi competent at and months before we're really proficient.
Know that you aren't the first to find the initial learning curve a bit steep.
We all went through this process and came out the other side.
Best wishes for your success.

 

[Tuloose]

I looked over Libraman's post again and saw the question about whether to use clipped in pedals or flats.
I swing both directions, using SPD's on my Vendetta and Silvio and large flats with pins on the T50.
I use the T50 as my around town, jump on and go bike and I didn't want the time consuming inconvenience of changing shoes every time I wanted to head to the store or to my shift at the community bike shop.
I've even ridden the T on rough gravel with the flat pedals.
I can't say it was optimum - my feet did bounce off a couple times but I stayed upright and moving.

 

[Steve Heywood]

Welcome - I can only affirm what has already been said above. When I got my first Cruzbike (Silvio 2.0) 8 years ago I did not have any bent experience. I am not what I would call a natural balancer kind of guy either - could never ride a wheelie. It took me 10 days riding a little loop in my neighborhood before I felt brave enough to ride it to work. That first day was a white knuckle experience of 10 miles in pretty constant traffic. It only got better after that and in 2 months I rode 239 miles in a 12 hour event. The the rest is history. The Cruzbike is simply a pleasure to ride - and anyone who claims it isn't just gave up to soon. Because if I could learn to ride it - anyone can!

I'm glad some people do give up way too soon... I got a V20 frame of a guy in the UK who claimed it was "dangerous" .. I knew immediately that he's simply not given the bike the miles it needs to become familiar with it... He did "around 50 miles..." on my S40 I would say it was well over 1000 miles before I felt comfortable on it...

 

[Steve Heywood]

I looked over Libraman's post again and saw the question about whether to use clipped in pedals or flats.
I swing both directions, using SPD's on my Vendetta and Silvio and large flats with pins on the T50.
I use the T50 as my around town, jump on and go bike and I didn't want the time consuming inconvenience of changing shoes every time I wanted to head to the store or to my shift at the community bike shop.
I've even ridden the T on rough gravel with the flat pedals.
I can't say it was optimum - my feet did bounce off a couple times but I stayed upright and moving.

I use two bolt SPDs with a cleat one side and flat pedal on the other on my bikes with CX or MBK shoes... They are a little heavier than the three bolt SPD shoes but the cleats sit inside a recess in the sole so walking is a breeze.. If I miss the cleat when setting off it's not a major issue as I can pedal on the flat side indefinitely

 

[bladderhead]

@Tuloose is right. Most Cruzbikes are ridden by people who thought Cruzbikes were dangerous. Who is the one who knows how to ride it the first time they see it? Why did we all persist? @Libraman is in the process of finding out.

 

[Tuloose]

@Tuloose is right. Most Cruzbikes are ridden by people who thought Cruzbikes were dangerous. Who is the one who knows how to ride it the first time they see it? Why did we all persist? @Libraman is in the process of finding out.

LOL, there used to be a guy on BentRiderOnLine who tried a Cruzbike, I'm not sure what model, and determined that it was dangerous. His exact words were "I had to get rid this bike before it killed me".
Every time someone posted something positive about Cruzbikes he would pop up with how dangerous and unmanageable they were.
He repeatedly was banned from the site.

Another story: I was volunteering on our local club's annual Covered Bridge Bike Tour and a participant noticed my Cruzbike baseball cap. He mentioned that he had purchased a Vendetta but was selling it because, according to him, it was easier to just jump on his Trek and go rather than deal with the learning curve required to ride the V.
I could kinda sympathize with him on that, remembering how long it took me to acclimate to my original Silvio 2.0, and yet I wondered how he would rather give in and sell the bike at a loss instead of sticking it out for a few weeks?

I have had three very experienced bike riding friends who have tried my Cruzbikes and thrown in the towel.
Maybe I'm just not a good Cruzbike instructor but it seemed to me that in each instance there was lack of determination to overcome the wobbles and get to the point where the thrill begins.
I sometimes think that it's better if the person just purchases the Cruzbike new without a test ride first. This way they have the financial commitment they have entered into to give them some motivation to practice. A test ride usually just ends up with them disappointed that they haven't been able to master the bike in 15 minutes.

I did have one man from a nearby town a few years ago who test rode my Vendetta (!) and determined that this was the Cruzbike he wanted to start out with.
He purchased one new, we met up and did a 35 mile ride together and I haven't seen him since.
I haven't seen his bike for sale either so I assume he is still riding.

 

[chicorider]

When I ride with friends on DF bikes, it can be so slow that I sometimes contemplate building up a mid-level DF bike just for such rides, to handicap myself like they are. But then I think of going back to the ass hatchet, the hunched shoulders, staring at the ground, working harder to go both shorter and slower...and I quickly shrug it off. Ugh! Why would I ever want to go back to that?

My brother took to my S40 pretty quickly on our one 35 mile ride together. He appreciated the experience, but not enough to buy one.

In a couple hours, a friend of mine is going to try my S30. He has the same lower back pain that I had, and he's been watching me fly around on the S30 and V20 for a while now. I hope I find the right balance between selling the bike well and not over-hyping it.

I needed about 1000 miles (or two months) until I felt comfortable on the V. At mile 50 I was still wondering if I had made an expensive mistake. All I know is that I am so glad that I stuck it out.

 

[Frito Bandito]

My experience is similar to what you guys wrote Tuloose and Chico. I had been getting faster and faster, first on my Specialized Tarmac, then my Litespeed T1, when I then put aerobars on and knew that I was getting to a point that the T1 wasn't going to satisfy my desire for more speed. Then, so much time on T1 with the aerobars was starting to cause neck, back, butt and wrist pain. So, I started looking for something faster and more comfortable. Velomobiles and recumbents popped up in my search after watching the WHPSC at Battle Mountain videos so it appeared that the speed issue was solved. I then started trying to find out about the comfort issue. I registered for BROL and started getting input about many of the bikes available from users who rode them, a source of information that I often trust more than manufacturer's claims.

I pay attention to what the riders of each bike say what they like about the bike and what they would like changed to see if I should wait for a new model. Sometimes what they write is a good source of information about design flaws or common issues. I even read what rider's wrote about bikes that didn't work out for them to see if there was a chance I would experience the same thing. 1 thing I noticed though is that there were several rider's harping on bikes a little more than what anyone would consider appropriate. So, I clicked on the user's profiles and scrolled through their then recent posts and sure enough, it was easy to see that they had tried the bike and for whatever reason it didn't work out for them, and they hadn't been shy about voicing their disappointment anytime that bike was mentioned. I think it is fair to now say that most didn't bother to truly try to master it, but an MBB not playing nice with their individual physical limitations was also in play. Either way though, I discounted their opinion because I have no physical limitations that I felt an MBB would would expose, and more importantly, I don't give up.

During my search for a faster bike lowracers soon caught my eye, but high racers were on the radar. Velomobiles were out since where I ride there are some gates that a velomobile won't fit through. I saw some V20 and S40 videos and while the S40 would likely still be faster than my T1 with aerobars, and it would be great for touring, I knew I wouldn't be touring as much as I would be KOM chasing so the V20 made the short list. I eventually bought one and even after putting over 20,000km (12,000 miles) on it I still can't think of how it could be better. Yeah, the V20c is even better with carbon fiber parts up front and disc brakes (and more), but considering going back to a diamond framed bike for exercise is not going to happen. I'd rather be fast and comfortable for all-day rides than slogging it out on something slower and more painful.

 

[Libraman]

Thank you everyone for the tips!!

 

[Libraman]

Ok, I tried to secure the bike in an upright position but it was a nightmare. Bounced off one side after a bump in the street. I then tried it upside down. That seems more secure. Anyone else find a predictable way to carry these bikes?

Thanks!!

Rob

 

[Always-Learnin]

Ok, I tried to secure the bike in an upright position but it was a nightmare. Bounced off one side after a bump in the street. I then tried it upside down. That seems more secure. Anyone else find a predictable way to carry these bikes?

Thanks!!

Rob

Hollywood Sport Rider, Hitch Mount Rack, 1-1/4'' and 2'', Bikes: 2

 

[chicorider]

Yeah, that kind of rack might not be best suited to these bikes, since they lack the top tube that rack is designed to cradle. I use a Kuat rack that cradles the front wheel, which all bikes have. I don't have a ready-made pic on my CB on the rack, so you get one of my hardtail. But my V20 and S30 rack up just as easily and just as well.

 

[Tuloose]

There seems to be a balance between foot stroke and handlebar pressure. Does that get better and less of a challenge.

Huh, I started a reply to this and got distracted. I didn't know it posted.
Might as well finish my answer.

Yes, it does get better Libraman.
What you need to do is use your arms to counteract the pressure on the boom/front wheel.
You do this not by pulling hard but by stiffening your forearms. Push with your right leg, stiffen your right forearm, etc.
Robert H accurately described this action as doing isometrics with your arms.
However, when I'm making a huge effort to pass a paceline of young riders I need to apply more arm pressure to counter the stronger leg presses.
I call that maneuver yanking and cranking.