sofrider to silvio, worth it?

[drshuf]

I've been riding my sofrider 2 for 5 months now. I'm enjoying it more and more as I get used to it. I am riding with a friend who is on a standard road bike and am having difficulty keeping up on the hills (especially the steeper ones). I'm considering getting a silvio to improve performance. I would like to get some feedback from those of you who have had both bikes. Is there a significant improvement in performance? I notice that most are outfitting silvios with dropped handlebars with shifters on the brake levers I assume, it seems like this would be a very awkward position for shifting, requiring forward leaning to get to the shifters. Am I missing something?

Thanks for any input.
Sincerely,
Reid Shufer

 

[Mark B]

drshuf wrote: I've been riding my sofrider 2 for 5 months now. I'm enjoying it more and more as I get used to it. I am riding with a friend who is on a standard road bike and am having difficulty keeping up on the hills (especially the steeper ones). I'm considering getting a silvio to improve performance. I would like to get some feedback from those of you who have had both bikes. Is there a significant improvement in performance? I notice that most are outfitting silvios with dropped handlebars with shifters on the brake levers I assume, it seems like this would be a very awkward position for shifting, requiring forward leaning to get to the shifters. Am I missing something?

Thanks for any input.
Sincerely,
Reid Shufer

Hi Reid,

Pictures of the Silvio are deceptive. The bike is much more compact than it appears. The first time I laid eyes on Jack's, I couldn't believe how small and compact it really was. It was designed for road bars and brifters, so they are an easy reach. The recent trend has been to use cyclocross drop bars and they seem to be the hot ticket.

I have yet to ride a Sofrider, so I really cannot compare the two. I can tell you that the Silvio climbs much better than the Bachetta it replaceed, limited only by the engine. There are a few on here that have both, so I'm sure you will get the answer you are looking for. OTOH, if I recall correctly, you're pretty close to me... Let's get together and we can ogle one another's bikes!

Mark

 

[drshuf]

Hi Mark,
I would like to see your Silvio and talk about how you outfitted it. I'm not a "gearhead" per se, so putting together all the components is a bit daunting. I have a road bike (Giant OCRII) which I may use as a doner, it has shimano 105 brifters and deraillers, but I'm thinking of using an extended 10 ring cassette in back (11-34) as suggested in the silvio board. What is your feeling on that. I live in the foothills of Claremont and find myself having a real tough time on the hills. When riding with my roadbike friend, I'm falling behind 10-20 bike lengths on long climbs. Email me and we can set up a time to ride.
Thanks
Reid

 

[Kamatu]

I would really edit out your cell number and send it in a PM.

drshuf wrote: Hi Mark,
I would like to see your Silvio and talk about how you outfitted it. I'm not a "gearhead" per se, so putting together all the components is a bit daunting. I have a road bike (Giant OCRII) which I may use as a doner, it has shimano 105 brifters and deraillers, but I'm thinking of using an extended 10 ring cassette in back (11-34) as suggested in the silvio board. What is your feeling on that. I live in the foothills of Claremont and find myself having a real tough time on the hills. When riding with my roadbike friend, I'm falling behind 10-20 bike lengths on long climbs.

<SNIP>
Reid

 

[backley]

I too have questions sofrider or silvio. As a resident of Western Oregon with numerous hills, I want to have the ability to climb so I understand what some members are saying about climbing ability.
Here is my question, I currently have a Fuji 27 speed bike with Shimano Ultegra components, Easton rims, etc. Will these parts readily transfer to a Silvio?
Will I like my new Silvio enough that I will not have to re-assemble my Fuji?

I love this forum. Thanks in advance for your help and advice everyone.

 

[Mark B]

backley wrote: I too have questions sofrider or silvio. As a resident of Western Oregon with numerous hills, I want to have the ability to climb so I understand what some members are saying about climbing ability.
Here is my question, I currently have a Fuji 27 speed bike with Shimano Ultegra components, Easton rims, etc. Will these parts readily transfer to a Silvio?
Will I like my new Silvio enough that I will not have to re-assemble my Fuji?

I love this forum. Thanks in advance for your help and advice everyone.

Absolutely your parts will work. The triple kind of depends on your x-seam. Us longer legged guys can get away with our triples. I've ridden in Oregon and I think the Silvio would be just ducky. OOH! Did I say that out loud?!!? :lol: :lol:

In western Oregon, I think your primary concern would be the ability to mount fenders. I think the Sofrider would be better in that regard, though race blades or the equivelant may very well work on the Silvio. Couldn't prove it by me, though.

Mark

 

[backley]

Thanks, Mark, your ducky comment is duly noted. Yes, fenders are a concern but I think I can solve that one with flexible rubber mounted fenders. What do you think? Thanks for your reassureance and advice. I have followed your posts and learned a lot from reading them.

 

[JonB]

what is it you want to achive? You can train just as well on your sofrider. wanna go faster? Put fairings on your sofrider.

 

[Mark B]

backley wrote: Thanks, Mark, your ducky comment is duly noted. Yes, fenders are a concern but I think I can solve that one with flexible rubber mounted fenders. What do you think? Thanks for your reassureance and advice. I have followed your posts and learned a lot from reading them.

Yeah, Oregon and ducks, wow... And beavers, too! You guys got it going ON!! :lol:

Yes, I'm sure there is a fender solution for the Silvio and I would assume I'll eventually get around to that. I'm pretty much a fair weather rider, anymore. Been there, done that on the hardcore scene. In Oregon, though, it's not a matter of it, but when you get caught out in the rain. There are a number of quick on and off fender systems that use a rubber bungie thing to hold them to seat stays and forks. They look like they could possibly work pretty well on the Silvio. I believe Planet Bike makes some and I think there's an expensive brand called Race Blades.

Mark

 

[Hotdog]

JonB wrote: what is it you want to achive? You can train just as well on your sofrider. wanna go faster? Put fairings on your sofrider.

If what you want to do is go as fast as possible up steep hills the extra weight few (5?) kilos of the Sofrider will tell, and a Sofrider with fairings would be even heavier. I know you personally don't have much in the way of hills where you live and you're not that interested in high speeds, but for others there could be genuine reasons for chosing the Silvio over the Sofrider. Personally I like do like my Sofrider, but if I had the money to spare I'd be seriously looking at getting a Silvio too.

 

[Mark B]

Hotdog wrote:

JonB wrote: what is it you want to achive? You can train just as well on your sofrider. wanna go faster? Put fairings on your sofrider.

If what you want to do is go as fast as possible up steep hills the extra weight few (5?) kilos of the Sofrider will tell, and a Sofrider with fairings would be even heavier. I know you personally don't have much in the way of hills where you live and you're not that interested in high speeds, but for others there could be genuine reasons for chosing the Silvio over the Sofrider. Personally I like do like my Sofrider, but if I had the money to spare I'd be seriously looking at getting a Silvio too.

I would throw a huge "amen" out there. The truth is, everybody's needs, both real and perceived, are different. I think Hotdog and I are on the same page, more or less. It seems a lot of people are in utilitarian mode and in that sense, I think the Sofrider is probably the better bet. The Silvio is slick and fast but frankly, as a utility vehicle, it leaves a lot to be desired. What it lacks in utility service, it more than makes up for in all-out speed. The coolness factor is over the top. Of course, I say this without benifit of having thrown my leg over a Sofrider, so this would be my perception.

Mark

 

[drshuf]

Thanks for the input, I finally bit the bullet and bought the Silvio. It arrived yesterday and I'm waiting for some components to arrive to build it out. I'll let you know if it feels worth it in the end.
As far as fairings go, I doubt that they would make any difference on the slow ascents under 10mph that I'm dealing with in our hilly area because at that speed, I don't think aerodynamics are playing much of a role compared to weight and gravity. I suspect that the extra weight would only make things worse.
My goal is to try and stay up with my friend who is on a carbon fiber road bike. He is much lighter than I am and a better cyclist, but I'm almost keeping up on my Sofrider at this point except in the hills where he is creaming me. So time will tell.
Thanks again for all your input.

 

[Rick Harker]

By the way Mark,

What is the weight of a finished Silvio?

Rick.

 

[Mark B]

Rick Harker wrote: By the way Mark,

What is the weight of a finished Silvio?

Rick.

Depends on the component group, the wheels, etc. Mine goes 28# because I have pretty heavy wheels for a pretty heavy guy.

Mark

 

[Hotdog]

Mark B wrote:
Depends on the component group, the wheels, etc. Mine goes 12.7kg because I have pretty heavy wheels for a pretty heavy guy.

Mark

Fixed that for you

 

[drshuf]

Well, I got the Silvio back from the bikeshop yesterday. Built it out with parts from my Giant road bike. We put an 11-34 cassette on and kept the 52,42,30 crankset. Took it out for a 15 mile maiden voyage and first impressions are that it was worth the upgrade. I was a bit shakey for the first few miles, it handles a bit differently than my Sofrider, but eventually got into the groove. It definitely climbs easier than my Sofrider, and I had less irritation in my "bad" knee after the ride.
I did experience a bit of slippage trying to get started in too low a gear. The large cassette makes it so that there is some chain rubbing at extreme chain angles, but as the guy at the store said, you shouldn't be in that gear combination anyway!
I'm still fine tuning adjustments, but I like what I've seen so far. By the time I sold my old recumbent (a Vision 40) and my Sofrider, it wasn't even that expensive an upgrade
Reid

 

[Mark B]

drshuf wrote: Well, I got the Silvio back from the bikeshop yesterday. Built it out with parts from my Giant road bike. We put an 11-34 cassette on and kept the 52,42,30 crankset. Took it out for a 15 mile maiden voyage and first impressions are that it was worth the upgrade. I was a bit shakey for the first few miles, it handles a bit differently than my Sofrider, but eventually got into the groove. It definitely climbs easier than my Sofrider, and I had less irritation in my "bad" knee after the ride.
I did experience a bit of slippage trying to get started in too low a gear. The large cassette makes it so that there is some chain rubbing at extreme chain angles, but as the guy at the store said, you shouldn't be in that gear combination anyway!
I'm still fine tuning adjustments, but I like what I've seen so far. By the time I sold my old recumbent (a Vision 40) and my Sofrider, it wasn't even that expensive an upgrade
Reid

WOO-HOO!! Glad you're happy with your Silvio and welcome to the club!!

Mark