New race case?
- Thread starter Don1
- Start date
jond
Zen MBB Master
Go to cruzbike u tube channel from home screen . List videos and it’s no 2 on list.
Mathew Fy
GRU
I’ve been riding with the new Race Case for a couple weeks and can say it’s a winner. You can see from Robert’s video that the attachment to the original seat & headrest makes for an excellent fit. Because of the Thor seat I use the Performance Adjustable Headrest to hold the case and my bottle speaker. (As with the original Race Case I added strips of handlebar tape between the case and the bars). I confirm that water bottle insertion & retention is better, but I still launched one on a recent bumpy downhill. For me the value comes in having a sharp way to carry stuff. The rubber water bottle strips are easily removed for more space and can be reinserted. The side door seems to hold well with its magnets, but I wouldn’t trust it for a wallet. I have a Planet Bike light on the back held on by zip ties. I’m not a fan of how it looks, but it works. The flag holder works perfectly.Looks good. I need to carry a full set of goretex and a polypro top for off season riding. I am thinking that getting that stuff through the side hatch would be problematic, at best. It looks like the water bottle holders would take up needed internal space, then there are the holes in the top for the water bottles which will let rain in. So I am thinking this will not work for me.
I would be interested in opinions from somebody who has one.
I would be interested in opinions from somebody who has one.
Karl42
Well-Known Member
This new race case looks like it's for bottles only. No way to get a Camelbak in there, right? And even getting clothes through the side hatch looks dubious. Or is there a way to take off the whole top?
I still have the old Carbon Fiber Race Case, and in it I carry my tools, my rain jacket, and a 1.5l or 2l Camelbak. I even wish it was slightly bigger, because in colder weather I need to bring another layer of clothes, and there is no space to fit it.
The new race case looks less useful to me: No way to close the top bottle holes, too small, not designed for a reservoir.
I still have the old Carbon Fiber Race Case, and in it I carry my tools, my rain jacket, and a 1.5l or 2l Camelbak. I even wish it was slightly bigger, because in colder weather I need to bring another layer of clothes, and there is no space to fit it.
The new race case looks less useful to me: No way to close the top bottle holes, too small, not designed for a reservoir.
BJ686
Well-Known Member
The mouth of the plastic opening is too wide on a Camelbak to fit in through the door or the bottle holes. I ordered a different brand bladder that has a smaller mouth and it fits, although as you note there is not really a way to cover the bottle holes. Also, really seems to be designed to hold keys, phones, gels, etc. as opposed to clothes. Could probably stuff a thin layered jacket in if you did not have bottles in place.
Jeffrey Ritter
Well-Known Member
I've been off the Forum for awhile so let me respond to the various comments as a satisfied user of the new case. 1. It is sturdier than the first model and certainly have greater confidence in its durability. 2. The front storage space seems larger and slightly easier to access. I have not done a physical test of same for clothing etc but certainly easier for tools, spares, phone, food snacks, etc. 3. I had no problem just now fitting a Camelbak bladder into the case through the door. However to use it functionally, filled, I suspect I would simply remove the bottle holders. 4. Having said that, this is a *race* case; as a 6 and 12 hour guy, the case configuration is ideal; I use a Speedfil bottle loaded in the front (with a long straw over my shoulder) and a reserve bottle in the back. While it is possible to grab the reserve and fill the front while riding, we discovered its faster to pull into the pit and have my crew fill the bottle within 20 secs and roll out. I can also grab whatever else I need. I also have a bottle holder mounted under the seat--in a 100 mile event, like the long loop in Sebring, the 3 bottles early in the day are sufficient. 5. The rear light mount and flag mount are terrific. I actually have used lock-tite on the flag pole--several earlier posts by others confirmed there is no drag from the flag that is noticeable so no big issue in a race. 5. Yes, there is no cover on the bottle holes, but the case is not intended to be all things to all people.
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
I am sad to say my Race Case totally blew apart after my first ride on a road with some cobbles -about 100' - I now have it tapped up. As for lids for the holes - you don't need them for better aero - Since it is right behind you head, there is very minimal gain for having them covered from the aero perspective. As for stuff bumping out - well , I guess there is duct tape for that!
Karl42
Well-Known Member
I get it that it's a "race" case for sunny weather.
What I actually need is a weatherproof storage compartment for long self-supported day rides and brevets that last for a whole day or longer. For those, the temperature varies greatly throughout the day, so bringing multiple layers of clothes and a lot of food is needed. For that, the old race case works, and is just a bit too small, and a bit too slow to access with the three screws.
The bottle holes of the new race case already make it unsuitable for me, because I live in an area where rain is always possible throughout the year. So I would really wish that Cruzbike offers some other rear trunk option that is not just for races, but for everyday all-year riding. This should be: weatherproof (hence no bottle holes), easy to use with a Camelbak, maybe 30% to 50% bigger (to make space for some clothes), and have a top cover with a quick-lock mechanism.
What I actually need is a weatherproof storage compartment for long self-supported day rides and brevets that last for a whole day or longer. For those, the temperature varies greatly throughout the day, so bringing multiple layers of clothes and a lot of food is needed. For that, the old race case works, and is just a bit too small, and a bit too slow to access with the three screws.
The bottle holes of the new race case already make it unsuitable for me, because I live in an area where rain is always possible throughout the year. So I would really wish that Cruzbike offers some other rear trunk option that is not just for races, but for everyday all-year riding. This should be: weatherproof (hence no bottle holes), easy to use with a Camelbak, maybe 30% to 50% bigger (to make space for some clothes), and have a top cover with a quick-lock mechanism.
velocio
Austrian roadside steckerlfisch (fish on a stick)
Yes! Heck yes! The original carbon race case sure looks nice, but failed utterly in meeting my rather undemanding needs with respect to conveniently carrying a day's worth of ride essentials. The new Race Case may be more functional (maybe it is, I have no idea never having even seen one in person), but is still too small and too inconvenient to access. But, hey, at least it's ugly now. I replaced my original carbon Race Case with a $20 case intended for use on electric scooters that is larger, more weather-tight (still not really waterproof), is easier to get into, more easily holds a water bladder, holds the load lower, doesn't interfere with the optional suspension headrest and, surprisingly, doesn't look too awful.
What I'd really like is a typical recumbent "aero" seatbag / "brainbox" (as produced by Bentup Cycles, Radical Designs, Bacchetta, etc...), but the design of the standard Cruzbike carbon seat makes fitting these "universal fit" bags in an acceptable manner difficult without hiring MacGuyver as a consultant on the project. I've attached photos of the Bent Up Cycles and Radical Designs Solo Aero bags, along with some pics from the web of a Bacchetta Brainbox fitted to a stock Cruzbike seat. I have a Bacchetta Brainbox and Radical Designs aero bag in hand and will play with fitting those to my S40 in the near future, but why do I need a sewing machine and a collection of EVA foam & Velcro(TM) just to fit a standard recumbent aero seat bag? Cruzbike HQ, please consider contracting the folks who make the Bent Up Cycles bag (here in the USA!) to produce a version that properly fits the stock Cruzbike seat. Thanks!
Ironically, it's very possible that bags like the Radical Designs Solo Aero or Bent Up Cycles seat bag are more aero than the Race Case. And more functional. And less expensive.
-Jack K.
benphyr
Guru-me-not
The Thor Dolphin case would probably solve the problem. That might be like hiring an engineer to plumb your kitchen sink though... right now it will take a long time and be way, way overkill in comparison to something like the brain-box.
I’m available if MacGuiver is unavailable... shoe laces, duct tape, a box cutter, and a bandana can solve so many challenges.
I’m available if MacGuiver is unavailable... shoe laces, duct tape, a box cutter, and a bandana can solve so many challenges.
velocio
Austrian roadside steckerlfisch (fish on a stick)
The other product from Thor that solves the seatbag issue is a seat, rather than a bag. Various of the commercially available recumbent seat bags mentioned above properly fit Thor's seats, but then you need to book some time with MacGuyver to fit the seat.
That sounds surprisingly like the outfit I wore on my last date. TMI?I’m available if MacGuiver is unavailable... shoe laces, duct tape, a box cutter, and a bandana can solve so many challenges.
Cheers,
-Jack K.
Mathew Fy
GRU
I put the original seat and headrest back on (instead of the Thor) along with my second generation Race Case. Hey, I need every little bit of help for the Time Trial.
The case works as advertised, but it soon became loose and noisy. The cause? The clamp system. The metal plate easily bent under the strain. You can see the bent one below.
I had received a third generation Race Case from Cruzbike because “Race Cases did not meet our standards for durability.” That’s the new plate on the right in the top photo.
The newest Race Cases look the same except now are two pieces with reinforcements and are fastened together with screws.
I’ll put the case back on until after the Time Trials when speed’s less important.
One thing I’ve done is to add a couple more coin sized magnets to the door to increase holding power. I haven’t lost anything yet.
The case works as advertised, but it soon became loose and noisy. The cause? The clamp system. The metal plate easily bent under the strain. You can see the bent one below.
I had received a third generation Race Case from Cruzbike because “Race Cases did not meet our standards for durability.” That’s the new plate on the right in the top photo.
The newest Race Cases look the same except now are two pieces with reinforcements and are fastened together with screws.
I’ll put the case back on until after the Time Trials when speed’s less important.
One thing I’ve done is to add a couple more coin sized magnets to the door to increase holding power. I haven’t lost anything yet.
ccf
Guru
The first version of the new race case had problems like that for me and others. Cruzbike updated it, and sent me the latest version, which I've been using for a couple months. My first test ride was on a route with some of the roughest pavement that is close to the house. The route includes the parking lot of Golden Gate Fields race track, which hasn't been repaired since the dawn of time. It also includes sections of the Bay Trail that are so badly rooted up that you cannot keep both wheels on the pavement at any speed. The case did not crack, and the bottles stayed in the holes. Since then I've put 650 miles on my V20 with the new new race case on the back. I've summitted two of the local mountains, hit speeds of up to 47 mph, done a single ride of 115 miles, and have encountered pretty much every kind of pavement that is out there. I always ride with two 750 ml bottles in the case, and I always put a bag of food/sunscreen/etc inside the hatch. I've never had a problem with the new new race case; never lost a bottle and never had the hatch pop open. I've recently plumbed the two bottles together so that I can drink from a tube over my shoulder that has a bite valve on the end. I haven't tested if it is more aero than my Bacchetta Brain Box, but I suspect that it is no less aero. My plan for pit stops in a race is to swap both bottles and the tubing (the whole system). I think it should be possible to be in and out of the pit area in seconds, pretty much like a DF racer.
