Relaxing more and more

[Mark B]

All it takes is time in the saddle. I'm getting so much more comfortable on the bike... I'm down now to just very light grip on the bars, one handed is a snap. I can almost take my hands completely off the bars. I think it's close to being a situation where I just need to "man up" and do it.

Take offs are much easier and I'm finding that I sit up more often than I used to both at stops and starts. Definitely helps to sit up and get a handle on the bars for climbing.

Speaking of climbing and the bars... I put some stubby bar ends on the handlebar that I was going to take off. However, I have found that when climbing, if you're in a static gear and are just grinding, taking hold of those bar ends and sitting up slightly, I can really get some power to the pedals. I think it's that boxer's positioning others have spoken about.

Fun stuff, folks!

Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Hi Mark,

You may now be seeing the climbing capability we've been talking about for some time, the stuff that seems to aggravate folks on other forums as "claims". Note that when you're using bar-ends, you maximize the ratio of the lever arm presented by your arms and the handlebars vs. the lever arm provided by the pedals and your feet. Using that lever arm to force your legs toward the pedals, once you dial this into your riding technique, will amaze you, particularly if you're strong enough to sustain anerobic power for some time.

I did preliminary research on quantifying this input, mainly inspired by wanting to win an argument, but to do it properly requires a very good underlying analysis of the physiology involved, plus a very well-developed measurement system. I elected not to hack something together and produce bad data, and instead wait for better resources and the expertise of Cruzbike and some of its associates.

But it's pretty amazing, compared to our beloved Visions, isn't it?

Be well,

Doug

 

[Rick Harker]

Hi Doug,
I take it you have some experience with the FWD cruz design.
How do you find riding them after the learner stage?

Rick.

 

[Kamatu]

Mark B wrote: I'm down now to just very light grip on the bars, one handed is a snap. I can almost take my hands completely off the bars. I think it's close to being a situation where I just need to "man up" and do it.

IMO without riding, I'd say that the hands off is the key skill to mastering the Cruzbike. So, get on the bike, start riding, get on a straight, then reach down with both hands and make sure you are still a man. I guarantee that following this procedure will start you on your hands free riding experience. Although what the people watching you will think depends on how well you are doing your "man check".

 

[Mark B]

Hardtailcruzer wrote: But it's pretty amazing, compared to our beloved Visions, isn't it?

Yeah, it really is amazing. I climbed more on my 42 fat and out of shape than I ever did on my Vision when I was in real good shape. I can't wait to get in some kind of good shape. I got winded more than ran out of power.
Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Rick Harker wrote: Hi Doug,
I take it you have some experience with the FWD cruz design.
How do you find riding them after the learner stage?

Rick.

Well, Yes, I have some experience...

Firstly, I built my first kit bike in 2005. Pretty much ignored everything John T. told me and made a bike that had an exagerated learning curve. Thankfully, not following instructions caused me to do things that made me understand this bike on a pretty deep level.

After the learner stage, quite frankly I was amazed. After I got the first bike up and running, I built a bike specifically to do the MS150. I was astounded by the fact that I wasn't sick and sore on day 2. I credit the fact that the Cruzbike allows you to use more muscle groups than most recumbents, and the oscillatory nature of the moving bottom bracket kept me from wearing out m knees by running them in the same pattern for 7 hours at a time.

Rick, I must tell you that I claim no objectivity about these bikes. I was fascinated by MBB/FWD when I first encountered Tom Traylor's design, and John T's development work made the technology accessable, simple and adaptable. I have a garage full of recumbents (12 at current count) and the Cruzbikes are the only ones I want to ride.

The bike is really, really capable. I love it.

Be well,

Doug

 

[Mark B]

Hardtailcruzer wrote: I have a garage full of recumbents (12 at current count) and the Cruzbikes are the only ones I want to ride.

12 recumbents? You sicko! :lol:

I am thinning the herd at my house. I'm going to get it down to only bikes we ride..... Sorta.

Mark

 

[Rick Harker]

Hi Doug,

I've ordered the Sofrider V2 and the more I'm reading here the more anxious I'm getting. I'm almost ready to swim out to the ship and hijack it.
I had thought about the kit but with the amount of improvements over the V1 I find it hard not to overlook the total design and build.
If all goes well the Silvio will be next.
The only doubtful part is how varied people's learning experiences are. I'm thinking I can just jump on and ride away (hmmm, nice dream but not necessarily impossible).
Anyway when John ships it over from Perth I'll be posting the experience, good or bad.

Regards,

Rick.

 

[Mark B]

Rick Harker wrote: Hi Doug,

I've ordered the Sofrider V2 and the more I'm reading here the more anxious I'm getting. I'm almost ready to swim out to the ship and hijack it.
I had thought about the kit but with the amount of improvements over the V1 I find it hard not to overlook the total design and build.
If all goes well the Silvio will be next.
The only doubtful part is how varied people's learning experiences are. I'm thinking I can just jump on and ride away (hmmm, nice dream but not necessarily impossible).
Anyway when John ships it over from Perth I'll be posting the experience, good or bad.

Regards,

Rick.

Rick,

You'll ride it. The question wil be, "how well?" You have to keep in mind that riding the Cruzbike is unlike anything you have ever ridden. The key thing to remember is the learning curve comes quckly, in huge chunks, as long as you are riding it. The recumbent muscles are another matter. Unless youre trying to chase your buddies, you'll be fine. It takes from a few weeks to maybe three months, depending how much you ride, to really and truly get your recumbent legs.

That's my take on it. Apologies for impersonating Doug.

Mark
(Not Doug)

 

[Rick Harker]

Thanks Mark,
From what I've seen you look a bit like Doug (kidding, or should I say , sorry Doug).

Anyway, thanks for your advice. As it turns out my bike is in transit somewhere across the Nullabor (a part of the Australian Bight where one stretch of road is 530 kms in a straight line). If you were riding west to east you would generally have a nice tail wind. Road houses are a bit scarce though, somewhere from 200-400 kms apart and one other thing, Nullabor means no trees in Aboriginal language. No water, no hills (advantage), no grass, no nothing really. For the adventurous that have travelled that route by bike... well, they're different.

Just another thing with the riding aspect, have you found little adjustments here and there makes a difference?
Brian mentioned a huge difference with wider bars for instance.

Regards,

Rick.

 

[Mark B]

Rick Harker wrote: Thanks Mark,
Just another thing with the riding aspect, have you found little adjustments here and there makes a difference?
Brian mentioned a huge difference with wider bars for instance.

Regards,

Rick.

Oh, absolutely. On any bike, little adjustments make a huge difference. The thing is; with FWD MBB, the experienced riders (compared to diamond frame bikes) are few and far between. Reference materials are scarce. Truthfully, I think we're making it up as we go along.

So... My little adjustments that made a difference were mostly with seat and boom adjustments. I raised the nose of the seat and shortened the boom.. I'd like to raise te nose a little more, but may get into a little "remanufacturing".

Mark

 

[Kamatu]

So, have you taken your hands off yet for riding? :?:

 

[Mark B]

Kamatu wrote: So, have you taken your hands off yet for riding? :?:

Not yet.... Haven't ridden this week. Too many irons in the fire!

Mark

 

[ozcruza]

Hi all, I'm 12 days into Cruzbikin' mode and starting to get more relaxed, the first few days were scarey, couldn't keep it straight, funnily enough cornering seemed easy compared to straight lines, Having ridden recumbents for a few years didn't really seem to make any difference to learning the Cruzbike, it's different to anything else, I'd compare it to a unicycle with a training wheel more than anything else... But in 12 days I've been in places I wouldn't dare take a standard recumbent for example single tracks, gravel roads, up and over curbs, holes, rocks, etc; & no hands, Hands seem to be the enemy of the feet, constantly fighting each other for balance,,, All my other bikes will probably now get the flick and free up some valuable space in my shed so I can have plenty of room to pamper my Cruzbike... Linz

 

[Rick Harker]

Hi Linz,

Happy that you're gettin' into the groove.
I've had my V2 just over a week and I'm starting to love it.

I'm also curious about your location given your "ozcruza" name. I'm guessing AU but where?

Also how are you finding the setup of seat and bars?

Regards,

Rick.