OK ... Help before I surrender

[jackflanagan]

Howdy - I just purchased a Freerider in high hopes that it would allow me to get back into riding; a c-spine condition has made riding a DF impossible for any significant distance. I have to admit that I am struggling to ride it successfully and in fact just laid it down on a gentle hill and snapped off a brake lever :x (fortunately I walked away with all of my skin intact). I really WANT to love this thing...

The biggest problem that I'm having is that I cannot initiate turns at will and one they do start can't control them (i.e. do a full 180 swoosh instead of the desired 90 degrees) Needless to say I can't image riding this sucker in the heavy traffic of my intended commute. I also have a hard time getting started from a full stop without swerving. The fall I just took occurred when a turn "snapped" into such a tight radius that the bike seemed to trip over itself.

I suspect that at least part of the struggle is due to the seat position, which I have as far back as possible to allow the seatback to be as upright as I can get it. While I can adjust the distance to the peddle so that it seems fine, it puts the head tube in the center of my femur... which is awkward at best. I'm 5'9" so I think that this is farther back than recommended, but don't see an alternative if that upright position is to be achieved.

Any thoughts would be appreciated... thanks in advance!

 

[Mark B]

Ahhh, we all went through the struggles.

Just remember that your hips are king. When you force the bar to turn left, you are in fact forcing your hips right. So, lean into the turns, but be mindful of your hips because they can really make you or break you... Don't give up, let your body figure the thing out and don't put undue pressure on yourself. You WILL love this bike if you give yourself time to adapt. This bike is unlike anything else you have ever ridden, just keep that in mind.

Mark

 

[Gromit]

Jack

If your aim is to keep your head and neck as upright as possible to help your back/neck condition then IMHO your best option is to sell or return the Cruzbike and buy another type of recumbent. To get the balance right on the Freerider you would need to move the seat forward but then the backrest angle would be flatter as you've already noticed.
Your profile doesn't say where in the world you are but if I were you, I would try to find a dealer with lots of different types of recumbent to test ride. If you are in the UK then somewhere like D-Tek would be my suggestion. Pick the recumbent that keeps your back most upright. Maybe a trike?

 

[MailSeanBell]

Didn't someone say that it's best to get your weight forward for steering? Perhaps you need to push the seat all the way up to the front and do what you can with the seat angle.

Also, perhaps when it's forward, if you need to sit up straighter, you could get a bent seat post that would accomodate this. I found on one recumbent I used to have that if you are sitting too upright, your hips have to do a lot of work at a very steep angle so... if you can lean back more I would recommend that.

I myself haven't played with the seat too much yet so I'm mostly guessing from reading other posts.

Good luck and keep trying... it takes a bit but the turning comes. I practaced by finding an empty street and swerving all over the place.

 

[Kamatu]

Heh, my problem. My first time out I did so many donuts you wouldn't believe it. Hint: something I learned the first time I sat on my bike to check the fit before it was even ready to pedal, all you ever have to do is put your feet down. You won't spill that way. The first case of killing the upright bike reflexes for me.

First solution: You are oversteering, possibly fighting the handlebars to try to correct it. My reflexes (going straight from an upright to a Cruzbike) were all screwed up and "normal" steering moves were sending me about the place. The front end of a Cruzbike is heavy, so small motions can make big changes. If you are "mashing" too hard to get started or ride fast, you will make the problem worse. I had to learn to "spin" more, even on starting. I don't even hammer the pedal when I start on an uphill, I give a bit stronger than normal push and count on the gearing and my spinning to pull me on up.

Second solution: Check your adjustable shock for the rear. Soften it (screw the stop on the spring forward) up. It will make the front end less reactive. John T can give you the details of why, I cannot find the post now. Make sure that you don't soften it so much that the shock bottoms out when you ride.

Mark's advise on the hips was true for me, but again, it was back to the oversteering and bad reflexes issues. I would get a tiny wobble, not enough to worry about and would make a small steering adjustment, but at the same time I would unconsciously "throw" my hips like I was on an upright which would introduce an extra steering "adjustment" that would end up getting me into doing S curves.

Time in the saddle is the biggest cure. If you have a downhill, then simply coast for a few times to feel that front end. Then put the feet up on the pedals for the coasting. Relax your shoulders and arms.

Be the bike. :lol:

 

[John Tolhurst]

Kamatu wrote: Second solution: Check your adjustable shock for the rear. Soften it (screw the stop on the spring forward) up. It will make the front end less reactive. John T can give you the details of why, I cannot find the post now. Make sure that you don't soften it so much that the shock bottoms out when you ride.

this changes the effective head angle. Steep, responds more quickly, possibly easier to ride; Slack, responds more slowly, more wheel flop but more trail also, so more self centering. Which is better may be a personal thing.

 

[jackflanagan]

Thanks all! Your responses are helpful and encouraging. Can anyone pick-up on the relationship between headtube and thighbone? As in my thighbone comes into contact with the headtube on anything but gentle turns which either limits the turn or forces my foot to the outside of the peddle. I assume that many of you use clipless peddles... how?

Meantime, I try your suggestions and persist.

 

[Doug Burton]

Hi Jack,

These photos are from the company website and show pretty much what we had in mind for ergonomics for the Freerider:

Note that the headtube falls right about mid-thigh; this generally will not interfere with your pedalling even during a turn. If you are doing a really tight low-speed turn, you may need to accomodate things a little, but this is probably a different riding situation from what you're asking about.

You'll find that the interaction between your legs pushing and your arms pulling will balance nicely if you have the seat somewhat forward and the headtube about mid-thigh. Having the seat rearward will amplify the effect pedalling has on steering, especially as you gain confidence. Once you are accustomed, you can ride a Cruzbike in about any configuration.

Be well,

 

[Gromit]

Jack

Have you watched the video of George Brown, the first-time rider on the Cruzbike website?
http://www.cruzbike.com/videos.html
That should give you an idea of the body position on the Freerider.

 

[tvarner]

To get mine a little more upright I used longer bolts and a bunch of washers for spacers to increase the gap between the bottom seat and the backrest. Afraid my camera is broken or I'd put up a picture. I had a small tail bone problem, and putting a gap there helped alot. I also had to aquire a longer seat post.

Tim