New Silvio Owner in Oregon

mgilles0

mgilles0

Member
Hi Everyone,

After a lot of research and questions to some of you here and on bentrideronline, as well as several trips to Rose City Recumbents for conversations with Jonathan and Robert (and test rides), I am moving to a Silvio 2.0 from a Vision R-55.

I made the purchase from Hal (telephd) on this forum, who has also been extremely helpful, answered a butt-load of questions and allowed me to equip the 2.0 frame kit as I wished with a number of options from components he had on hand.

Hal sent me the bike in parts several weeks ago, after which I assembled it with some help from my friend Woodie. Cutting, routing and adjusting the cables was the scariest part for me.

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I have spent the past few weeks riding whenever I am home and it is not raining—not very often right now. Haha!

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I live two miles up a steep gravel road in Southern Oregon. I was nervous about going to more of a road bike, but I wanted something lighter and faster. So far I have had no problems on the gravel, but I find that I am going much faster up hills and also tiring faster as a result.

I do have some wheel slippage on the steep portions, but that is helped by leaning forward. I now need to build up my strength.

I am still learning lots on these Cruzbike forums. I'm still tweaking too. Keep up the good work!

Mike Gillespie

Glide, OR
 

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telephd

telephd

Guru
Glad to see you made it over here Mike! Nice job with the pics and keep us updated on the gravel hill conquest.
 
B

bladderhead

Zen MBB Master
Main learnings...

Silvio seems to be getting easier to control - gradually. When doing slow, tight turns in traffic jams or in pedestrian places (I do a lot of this) I had a tendency to fall to the inside of the turn. Eventually, the obvious thought occurred - I was leaning too much. I forced myself to keep the bike almost vertical in these situations. I haven't fallen inwards for a long time. The Grasshopper leans more than the Silvio.

I am slowly learning to steer with my feet. I cannot yet do no-hands, but sometimes in a turn I pull the pedals sideways and move my hips towards the outside of the turn. The easiest way is to stop pedaling, with the outside pedal vertically up. I feel like Kraftwerk's Mensch Maschine. I miss this feeling when on the Grasshopper.

I am still trying to work out how to get the handlebar clamp further away from my chest without the bar-ends getting further away. I cut the boom in order to push it further in, and made custom handlebars, fitted the wrong way round. An improvement, but I am still trying to think how to make it better.

That is all I can think of at the moment. The tweaking and learning slows down, but never quite stops.
 
mgilles0

mgilles0

Member
I appreciate your comments. Thank you.

bladderhead said:
Main learnings...

Silvio seems to be getting easier to control - gradually. When doing slow, tight turns in traffic jams or in pedestrian places (I do a lot of this) I had a tendency to fall to the inside of the turn. Eventually, the obvious thought occurred - I was leaning too much. I forced myself to keep the bike almost vertical in these situations. I haven't fallen inwards for a long time. The Grasshopper leans more than the Silvio.

I am slowly learning to steer with my feet. I cannot yet do no-hands, but sometimes in a turn I pull the pedals sideways and move my hips towards the outside of the turn. The easiest way is to stop pedaling, with the outside pedal vertically up. I feel like Kraftwerk's Mensch Maschine. I miss this feeling when on the Grasshopper.

I am still trying to work out how to get the handlebar clamp further away from my chest without the bar-ends getting further away. I cut the boom in order to push it further in, and made custom handlebars, fitted the wrong way round. An improvement, but I am still trying to think how to make it better.

That is all I can think of at the moment. The tweaking and learning slows down, but never quite stops.
Click to expand...
 
1happyreader

1happyreader

zen/child method
bladderhead said:
When doing slow, tight turns in traffic jams or in pedestrian places (I do a lot of this) I had a tendency to fall to the inside of the turn.
Click to expand...
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 !
keep pedaling Later,,,bye
 
hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
Where does Hal keep coming up with all these Silvios? This makes at least two of us he has brought into the tribe :)

-Dan
 
telephd

telephd

Guru
hey Dan! Ive always got my eye out. Mike's and another in my basement were purchased for brother in law and wife respectively. Neither was ready to graduate. And of course you ended up with my original S1.0 when I graduated to my S30. This is just too much fun!! BTW I just sent a Freerider to a guy in FL so he and his wife can both ride em. I encouraged him to pop in and post a pic.
 
ratz

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
Hal? an evangelist.... more like a pusher. .... psst the first test ride is free; just ask.


Signed

-cast-iron pot.
 
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