Questions I'm sure have been asked....

[RobbieTunes]

First, thanks to ratz for the tips on Oct 17, 2023. I've been a road rider for decades, and my initial "try" at a 2-wheel recumbent was not OK.

I have a friend getting neck surgery, another who broke his back in a crit (former pro), and I fell off a roof a couple of years ago, which has created an increasing amount of discomfort with a 2", then 1" drop to the bars.... (which I don't like, but it is reality.) We are all intrigued by this type of recumbent, one of us has raced PPV on his CatTrike, but none has ever seen a Cruzbike. One of us tried a "racing" recumbent and the spill was so fast and so sudden, he's not that much interested.

I've done Hotter'n Hell and saw plenty of recumbents, not sure if any was a Cruzbike, since I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I do have some some questions:

-1. How do I know what is the proper fit? I know, a broad category, but the local fitters just shake their heads, and I don't gamble on $200-$250 fittings when it only took me 20 years and 20 bikes (ha!) to figure out mine. It's the principle?
-2. I used to fall over once a spring while clipped in, got over that, but how common are spills during the orientation phase?
-3. Should clip-ins wait a while?
-4. Visibility to drivers? St. Louis is not known for bike-conscious drivers, or rather, they're conscious, just not in a good way.
-5. Same padded britches?
-6. Any padding needed on the elongated seat?
-7. How does the weight difference with a road bike translate on climbing?
-8. How easy is it to transfer, say, Campagnolo 11 or Dura Ace 9000 over?
-9. Related to #8, disc brakes defaulted to mechanical? hydraulic?

I know, sounds like I know little. True. But it's a bigger step than a tandem, if you get my drift.

Thanks,
Robbie

 

[IyhelM]

Hi Robbie,

1. Fit: there’s a broad x-seam/height range on the website for each model, you need only worry if you’re close to one of the ends, else you have plenty of adjustment possible thanks to the current design of the boom.
2. If you do it right and take time to practice, no spills?
3. Clip in as soon as you feel safe with basic balance and turns, it will help tremendously.
4. Visibility: quite close to a DF bike actually; your vision in tight corners will be reduced though. It’s a two wheeler so you don’t get the trike bonus - where I live people think that if you ride a trike, you’re disabled so running over you will cost them extra.
5. No padding necessary; if you’re really afraid of falling, padded elbows.
6. Padding of seat: most riders here would probably recommend Ventisit padding or at least a thin yoga mat cut to size but some have been seen riding long distances without any padding. Spreading the weight all over your back really is something else!
7. Climbing: expect to lose at least 10-15% compared to climbing on a DF, especially early on as you’ll have to adapt. Depends a lot on your form and current aptitude - I was never much of a climber so can’t say I saw any difference. 200% compensated by speed on flats and downhill and by lack of any pain after a day on the saddle seat.
8. Compatibility: the advantage of the Cruzbike design is to use basically standard components.
9. Idem.
10. It’s much easier than gracefully riding a tandem.

 

[twhbent]

Robbie,

I sent you a PM(personal message).

 

[Rolling Along]

5. Try the bike as it comes. If you need a little extra padding somewhere then cut up a yoga mat and add it there. I added some yoga mat to my V20c where my tailbone contacts the seat. That did the trick for me. Now it's comfy.

 

[CoachellaRider]

-2. I used to fall over once a spring while clipped in, got over that, but how common are spills during the orientation phase?

I'm in the orientation phase right now and I've only spilled once (so far.)

I'm a little paranoid, so before I started I went to a skate shop and bought a set of elbow and hand pads. When I had my spill, I found myself headed toward the pavement thinking "no worries, just let the pads take the blow." Worked like a charm, went down on hard pavement and walked away without even a bruise. Totally recommend skate pads for anyone nervous about a spill. Like the motorcycle guys say, dress for the slide not for the ride.

 

[Henri]

How do I know what is the proper fit?

For BB distance observe if you slide around on the seat or try sliding around to see what feels good. If sliding down, get the pedals closer; if sliding up, bring them further.
For the handle bar distance I go with what allows me most freedim for steering. Can go pretty straight arms for best aero. A bit angled for best power. Try and find what you prefer.
Handlanbar angle should have your hands straight with your forearms.
Headrest as you like. Might change while getting used to it. On my V20c I had some luck un the beginning with pushing it all in and using it to raise shoulders instead of my head. Using the stock one as an actual headrest I didn't have much luck and use something else now. After some training, some don't even use the headrest much.

Should clip-ins wait a while?

I prefere flat pedals anyway. Especially the full foot variant Catalyst by Pedaling Innovations. For system pedals I go with Magped over clicks. So yeah, I think, clicks can wait. You'll not be winning any races in the transitional period anyways.

Same padded britches?

That means pants? Aome recumbent riders like a bit of padding only to stop cold winds, but most ride without, even cut them out of their cycling pants. It's unnecessary extra bulk between your legs. You can well use tight running pants, if you need aero. I have normal pants, just tight enough to not get caught in the chain. Just many warn of large seams between the legs, that would chave.

Any padding needed on the elongated seat?

I've only ridden a different recumbent seat without pad for a while. It was shaped much more, not as flat. It was fine for hours, wouldn't there have been the screws I sat on. XD On a Cruzbike that might be much less of an issue.

How easy is it to transfer, say, Campagnolo 11 or Dura Ace 9000 over?

About as easy as on any other bike, I'd say. Just putting in the front wheel is a bit more fiddly as you have to align two forks. Length of chain and brake lines might be a bit different.
Of course look out for the crank axle fitting the bottom bracket or having a fitting bottom bracket as well.

Related to #8, disc brakes defaulted to mechanical? hydraulic?

My complete set came with wire actuated. My customized build has hydraulic. Whatever you like best. (I even use flat bar levers on a Surly Corner Bar.)

 

[castlerobber]

-2. I used to fall over once a spring while clipped in, got over that, but how common are spills during the orientation phase?
-3. Should clip-ins wait a while?
-4. Visibility to drivers? St. Louis is not known for bike-conscious drivers, or rather, they're conscious, just not in a good way.
-5. Same padded britches?

2. My first Cruzbike was a Quest, a predecessor of the Q45, with a similarly upright seat. Never actually fell while learning to ride, but slammed my feet down an awful lot to keep from falling.

3. I used pinned platform pedals most of the first year, with mountain bike shoes. When I was finally ready to clip in, I switched to pedals with one flat side and one clip side, like the Shimano PD-M324. Still use those, in fact.

4. At least as visible as a road bike. I have a red blinky that I estimate can be seen 1/4 mile away during the day, and a helmet in shades of garish green and obnoxious orange.

5. You can, as long as the pad isn't too bulky. The shorts I use are more for casual around-town upright riding, with fairly close-fitting legs and an optional snap-in padded liner that I opt out of.

 

[chicorider]

First, thanks to ratz for the tips on Oct 17, 2023. I've been a road rider for decades, and my initial "try" at a 2-wheel recumbent was not OK.

I have a friend getting neck surgery, another who broke his back in a crit (former pro), and I fell off a roof a couple of years ago, which has created an increasing amount of discomfort with a 2", then 1" drop to the bars.... (which I don't like, but it is reality.) We are all intrigued by this type of recumbent, one of us has raced PPV on his CatTrike, but none has ever seen a Cruzbike. One of us tried a "racing" recumbent and the spill was so fast and so sudden, he's not that much interested.

I've done Hotter'n Hell and saw plenty of recumbents, not sure if any was a Cruzbike, since I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I do have some some questions:

-1. How do I know what is the proper fit? I know, a broad category, but the local fitters just shake their heads, and I don't gamble on $200-$250 fittings when it only took me 20 years and 20 bikes (ha!) to figure out mine. It's the principle?
-2. I used to fall over once a spring while clipped in, got over that, but how common are spills during the orientation phase?
-3. Should clip-ins wait a while?
-4. Visibility to drivers? St. Louis is not known for bike-conscious drivers, or rather, they're conscious, just not in a good way.
-5. Same padded britches?
-6. Any padding needed on the elongated seat?
-7. How does the weight difference with a road bike translate on climbing?
-8. How easy is it to transfer, say, Campagnolo 11 or Dura Ace 9000 over?
-9. Related to #8, disc brakes defaulted to mechanical? hydraulic?

I know, sounds like I know little. True. But it's a bigger step than a tandem, if you get my drift.

Thanks,
Robbie

Hi @RobbieTunes

As you've probably noticed, you will get various answers from different riders, based on how they have found their way. Here is my two cents:

1. Fit took a fair amount of trial and error. My approach to setting the bottom bracket placement is to put it out just a bit too far, to where I feel my hips having to "reach" to clear the far end of the pedal stroke. Then I work the bb back in by small amounts until my hips and knees feel neutral through the pedal stroke. If you feel pain in the front of your knees, you may have the bb too close in. I would rely on your own technique over that of a bike shop that will not know how to begin to fit these things.

2. Clipping in helps to make these bikes easier to steer and maneuver. Since the feet are now involved in the steering, along with the hands, having the feet clipped in helps them work more directly and predictably with the hands to control the bike. If the feet are not clipped in, they can unexpectedly come off the pedals, and your arms/hands will have to react to a sudden change in steering input.

4. Visibility to drivers isn't too bad. I use a helmet light front/rear combo on flash mode (from Light and Motion). When drivers see you up ahead, they don't really know what they're looking at, so they have a tendency to slow down a bit and give a wider berth. It's weird, but I'll take it.

5. I use compression running shorts; no padding needed. There are also recumbent specific jerseys that have pockets either on the front or on the sides, rather than the back.

6. I don't use any seatpan padding--just the Ventisit pad.

7. Climbing will have more to do with the rider than the bike. At 130 pounds, I have always been a climber, and am only slightly slower on climbs on my V20c and S30 compared to my DF bike. My Cruzbike climbing PRs and my DF climbing PRs are often only seconds apart. One thing that the Cruzbike has over the DF bike is that the added comfort allows me to climb as long as my legs hold out, rather than having to stop to give my back and neck a break. All of this is only to say that the CB is ready for whatever kind of paved climbing you want to throw at it. (Steeper grades above 15%, chattery or non-paved climbs, or wet surfaces can be weak spots for the CB while climbing, due to front wheel slip as you apply power. There are conversations about wheel slip elsewhere on the forum. For me, I rarely find myself in those situations on my CB. I don't tend to ride in the wet, most climbs around here are under 15%, and if I'm on gravel, I'm riding my gravel bike).

8. When I built up my first V20, and then an S30, I used Dura Ace 9000, mechanical. It set up easily and worked great. Since then I have moved to Dura Ace 9100, still mechanical. Again, easy set up and works great. The only issue you might have with Campy is that if the shifters have the thumb shifter on the inside of the lever hood, that could be harder or more awkward to reach if you ride most of the time with your hands on the bar drops. But since you probably have Campy experience, while I do not, you would be a better judge of those ergonomics. For me, most of my miles are with my hands on the bar drops, and I have a hard hitting that thumb lever.

9. Brake choice can be personal. I run mechanical disc brakes on four of my five bikes, including my two CBs. They aren't as strong as hydraulic brakes, but for a lightweight like me, they are strong enough for the kind of riding those bikes do. For my mountain bike...hydraulic brakes, for sure. I do all of my own maintenance, and while I know how to maintain and bleed hydraulic brakes, it's not a job that I love doing. So I went mechanical where I could because they are so much easier to maintain. If I weighed, say, 180lbs. or above, I would probably rethink that and go with hydraulic.

You ask good questions. I hope my thoughts help a little bit.