New owner from Chicago

[quickbeam]

Hmm, there doesn't seem to be a thread or forum for introductions, so I'll just add something here.
I've been lurking awhile and even posted a couple times, but haven't said anything about my ride yet.

Mostly, that's because I haven't

I ordered my bike about Dec 20, got a call out of the blue on Dec. 30 that the delivery guy was in front of my house. Well, that delivery didn't happen, and with New Year's , I finally got the bike a few days ago, yeah . I put it together yesterday (Jan 9), but had to take down the Christmas lights first before some weather rolled in ahead of forecast. By the time the bike was ready, after weeks and weeks of unusually mild weather, now the snow was coming down hard! What with all the cautionary stories about learning how to ride the Cruzbike, it seemed that trying it out in freezing slush and snow might not be the best idea. I did sit on it and push it around a little inside the garage, but that's only good for about one wheel rotation, I can't count that. Now today it was 12'F (-11'C), and below zero with windchill, so the inaugural ride didn't happen today either. Hopefully next weekend I can try it out - it's now 3 weeks.

About the bike - it's a V2K, which seems to be most closely related to the Sofrider (but with a front disc brake), so that's why I'm posting here. I have a Catrike Villager as well, and I really like it, but the trike is just too low and wide in traffic situations, so I got the bug for a 2-wheeled recumbent. (A wedgie leaves my butt hurting after 10 miles. I can handle the staring at the pavement and hurting wrists from a diamond frame, but the seat is what really pushed me over the edge to recumbents). After looking at some options, I found out about the Cruzbike, and it's different enough and people who ride it seem to like it, so I had to try it. The description of the advantages for climbing and of a short chain make sense. I'm not used to tossing out thousands of dollars for bikes though, especially without even a test ride. After debating on the QX100 and 559, then I saw the V2K pop up, and had to pull the trigger on that.

Now, to ride it....

 

[ratz]

I feel you pain; parts are rolling in; and we just got 2 ft of snow; after weeks of mild and dry.

 

[VenRiderGuy]

Welcome to the Cruzbike tribe!

 

[castlerobber]

Now today it was 12'F (-11'C), and below zero with windchill

Welcome! Are you from Chicago proper, or one of the suburbs? My mother is from Warrenville, and I have cousins scattered around Naperville and Aurora. Kinda glad my folks moved South when I was a child--I can handle the 95 degrees/95% humidity a little better than snow and cold.

 

[Charles.Plager]

Welcome!

Welcome! Are you from Chicago proper, or one of the suburbs? My mother is from Warrenville, and I have cousins scattered around Naperville and Aurora. Kinda glad my folks moved South when I was a child--I can handle the 95 degrees/95% humidity a little better than snow and cold.

I was going to ask ask well (I'm from Highland Park where my parents still live and last lived in Villa Park).

Oh yeah, now to business. Some forum rules: Post pictures of new bike, or it never happened!

 

[quickbeam]

Thanks for the welcome.

I'm in the outer NW suburbs, but not way out - Lake Zurich/Barrington area.
I was holding off on pictures until I can get one of me on it!

I grew up in northern MN where it gets properly cold, but lived in Texas (near Dallas) for a while. I never got cabin fever until I lived in Texas - rushing from the air-conditioned apartment to an air-conditioned car to air-conditioned work. Then in the winter it's just brown and brown. No evergreens, no snow. There are about 3 weeks a year of decent weather in Texas. I moved back as far north as my wife would allow

we just got 2 ft of snow

Uff da, that's some snow there! So did you go to the Vikings game instead then?

 

[ratz]

Uff da, that's some snow there! So did you go to the Vikings game instead then?

Nah I'm a proper packer fan; mrs ratz is the purple flag waver. I just used my well practiced husband skillz to assure her it was only 9 months until the Vikings get to start their next losing season.

 

[quickbeam]

Finally got out there yesterday. Temperatures got up to 31'F and streets were clear
Had 5 minutes in the morning, did the flintstone thing at first, but had to try pedaling at least once. As I've read, I did indeed not go where I intended. Then I had church, so had some time to think about it. I realized that my pedal steer is probably strongest at low speeds when I'm pushing hardest. Also, I'm used to steering with my arms & body lean, while what my feet do is irrelevant. Obviously that has now changed. Since my legs are stronger than my arms, they can overpower the steering, so all I need to do is briefly stop pedaling while I correct my steering.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Did about 15-20 minutes more later in the day, and I was able to stay up while pedaling. I'll have to wear a helmet next time as I'm starting to go a little faster, and I'm not convinced I'll be able to reliably catch myself by putting my feet down. So far no problems.
Raining after work today, so I didn't go out.

 

[1happyreader]

quickbeam,
I hope the forecast for Saturday holds up , mid 40's ,,, but just for a day,,mmm.
Parking lots are your friend ( you can concentrate on what your doing, not where your going )
any down grade will help with coasting.( aim for the drains LOL )
Try and feel what your new toy is doing , or wanting you to do. guide not force.
Don't forget to keep your chin up and smile !!!!
Later,,, bye

 

[LarryOz]

I'll have to wear a helmet next time as I'm starting to go a little faster

Helmet - Definitely! -
IMHO: You can whack your head against the pavement just as hard going slow as you can going fast - your still falling the same distance vertically no matter what the speed.
.. and gloves for sure (full ones if have them). You will automatically put your hands down to catch yourself, especially when going slow.
...
keep it up quickbeam - and we are still waiting for those pictures!

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

Helmet - Definitely! -
IMHO: You can whack your head against the pavement just as hard going slow as you can going fast - your still falling the same distance vertically no matter what the speed.
.. and gloves for sure (full ones if have them). You will automatically put your hands down to catch yourself, especially when going slow.
...
keep it up quickbeam - and we are still waiting for those pictures!

And don't forget the body armor - unless you're made of indestructible material such as titanium or Tarzanium or Oslundium.

 

[DavidCH]

Congratulations! Gosh I have many friends who live in Wisconsin not too far from you and tonight its -20c so be careful when you go out on the V. Nice big car park and figure of Eights for sure.

 

[quickbeam]

Helmet - Definitely! -
IMHO: You can whack your head against the pavement just as hard going slow as you can going fast - your still falling the same distance vertically no matter what the speed.
.. and gloves for sure (full ones if have them). You will automatically put your hands down to catch yourself, especially when going slow.
...
keep it up quickbeam - and we are still waiting for those pictures!

Okay, took some pictures finally, so now we know it happened



IMO, helmets are best for protecting against bouncing off of a hood of a car, although a friend of mine did a header off of a DF (while looking at his brakes), and the helmet really helped him out. I think there's less chance of that kind of that last kind of thing happening on a recumbent.
I did wear gloves, but just because it was kind of cold after being on the bike for a while - it got all the way up to 45' F (7' C), which is definitely a heat wave here.

I did some figure-8's in a parking lot, there were water puddles from melting snow, which actually made for an interesting experiment - I could see my tracks, so then it became a challenge to try to stay in my previous tracks. The straight parts were surprisingly good, but I could see a bit of wobble on my slow curve (turning into the slight hill). I also determined that if I felt I was falling into the turn then pedaling harder would quickly correct that. All in all a pretty good day.

 

[quickbeam]

I also finally figured out how to park the bike with the kickstand - let the front wheel fold back on the side opposite of the kickstand!

 

[1happyreader]

Yeah quickbeam,,

the first thing I showed the LBS was "how to park my bike " It makes sense if you think about it,,, the weight has to lean against the kickstand.

Next time you try your slow figure eights try a snowmobile lean ( sit up and lean to the outside of the turn relative to the center of bike)
It lets you do interesting things at low speed !

chin up and smile.
later,,,,,,,,,, bye

 

[BrianA]

What ever you do, do not ride without a helmet. Just over a year ago (while riding my old Quest) the front end broke away going round a left hand bend after I hit mud or gravel. The end result was that one second I was on the bike and the next I was flat on my back. The back of my head hit the ground hard enough to put a dent in the helmet. The only injury was a mild concussion and bad bruising to my back - possible death or serious head injury without the helmet.

 

[quickbeam]

I tried the "snowmobile lean", that did help for much tighter turns
It was drizzling, so I didn't stay out long. It's going to get cold again, not sure when I'll be able to get back out. But the last week of January is the coldest time of year, on average, so we should be on the upswing now.

 

[quickbeam]

Didn't get out to practice today, might have to skip this weekend. Hopefully you'll understand...

 

[Charles.Plager]

Didn't get out to practice today, might have to skip this weekend. Hopefully you'll understand...

I rode to the train station on Friday (on my upright folder). It was 10 degrees. I've done 5 degrees.

Go get out there!

(Or not. )

 

[1happyreader]

Quickbeam,,,
Six degrees !! You need a SUNNY day,, and a ski mask.
mmmm might be just the thing to fight off the gloomy days.
We will call it "training for spring training".
At least it's not snaining. LOL
later,,, bye