Stop and go riding

[elg]

I'm looking at a Sofrider as a potential commuting bike. Part of my commute is on a street where I must stop for red lights every block or two. To avoid some trolley tracks in the street that will snag tires I must also move between street and sidewalk riding a few times. Will the Cruzbike be practical for that sort of stop-and-go riding, or is it so troublesome to get going that it would be difficult to use for such a ride?

Thanks,

Ed

 

[JonB]

elg wrote: I'm looking at a Sofrider as a potential commuting bike. Part of my commute is on a street where I must stop for red lights every block or two. To avoid some trolley tracks in the street that will snag tires I must also move between street and sidewalk riding a few times. Will the Cruzbike be practical for that sort of stop-and-go riding, or is it so troublesome to get going that it would be difficult to use for such a ride?

I commute in Copenhagen, lots of red lights. But i do have bike paths.

About you moving up from the street to the sidewalk. Will there be a slight increase or a lowered sidewalk, or do you have to lift the bike up over the foot high curb?

Dropping down is no problem with good high pressure wheels.

 

[Gromit]

Jon B has also fitted a Rohloff hub gear to his Cruzbike.
I'm sure that helps a lot in stop/start traffic. :lol:

 

[JonB]

Gromit wrote: Jon B has also fitted a Rohloff hub gear to his Cruzbike.
I'm sure that helps a lot in stop/start traffic. :lol:

You can just remember to shift down before the red light. The problem might be if you are forced to stop to avoid hitting a car. I do like internal gearing, and yeah, Rohloff is fantastic. I bought a used one, 8 years old, for something that looks like 2/7 of the price of a new.

 

[elg]

JonB asks:

"About you moving up from the street to the sidewalk. Will there be a slight increase or a lowered sidewalk, or do you have to lift the bike up over the foot high curb?"

I have curb ramps to enter and leave the sidewalk, so I never need to scale a high curb. I do need to dodge pedestrians a bit and do some tight maneuvering in places. My main concern, though, is about getting rolling.

 

[JonB]

elg wrote: JonB asks:

"About you moving up from the street to the sidewalk. Will there be a slight increase or a lowered sidewalk, or do you have to lift the bike up over the foot high curb?"

I have curb ramps to enter and leave the sidewalk, so I never need to scale a high curb. I do need to dodge pedestrians a bit and do some tight maneuvering in places. My main concern, though, is about getting rolling.

Okay, then you wont have much trouble. You can learn to ride a cruzbike too.

 

[buyagain]

I have a talent for getting straight to point. Unless you can start your bike in 3rd or 4th gear(1-7), forget about it. You are definitely going to stop in one of those gears for sure. Otherwise, I would not even attempt it.
Additionally, Yesterday was my first foray into a busy bike trail so I guess that makes me the only "amateur- expert" here. LOL
I did have one incident where I stopped on the trial in 4th gear to chat for a second. On level ground in 4th gear I could not start again until I had pushed myself to a gentle down slope. My remark to a passerby, as I was trying to start the bike up, was, "I did not know this bike required and airfield to take off from". Then miraculously I took off.
Other details for your discernment are as follows; Your Sofrider will obviously out perform my Avalon conversion version. Also I'm 65 years old and I weight 244 lbs. I've been at it for 2 weeks now. Success has a lot to do with where you set your goals. I count it a great success that no one had to dive into the lake to get out of my way yesterday. However, I was close enough to the lake that had I lost control the obvious escape maneuver would have been to aim for the lake thus minimizing any scrapes or bruising.

Regards
Bob
PS somebody please find me a set of those $2/7 Rohloff gears. I gotta get those babies.

 

[JonB]

buyagain wrote: I have a talent for getting straight to point. Unless you can start your bike in 3rd or 4th gear(1-7), forget about it. You are definitely going to stop in one of those gears for sure. Otherwise, I would not even attempt it.

Just get internal gears and this isnt a problem.

buyagain wrote: Additionally, Yesterday was my first foray into a busy bike trail so I guess that makes me the only "amateur- expert" here. LOL
I did have one incident where I stopped on the trial in 4th gear to chat for a second. On level ground in 4th gear I could not start again until I had pushed myself to a gentle down slope. My remark to a passerby, as I was trying to start the bike up, was, "I did not know this bike required and airfield to take off from". Then miraculously I took off.

hahaha, that reminds me of my first starts. Just remember to gear down.

buyagain wrote: PS somebody please find me a set of those $2/7 Rohloff gears. I gotta get those babies.

Buy a used one. I bought one which was 8 years old for something lik 2/7 of the price of a new. It works fine.

 

[Atul]

Ed
I took delivery of a Softrider end of first week of August of this year and started learn to drive it from scratch for I had not prior experience with recumbent .
I took chance to be on vacation and from the fact that during August traffic is light in town to put up some practice.
I am 50 years, 70 kgs and 1,80 cm tall
Till now I have cycled approx. 500 km. on the Softrider
I commuted 5 + 5 km every day with a diamond and I have decided to use the Softrider to do that as long as it won't rain.

In my fresh experience to start and stop is an issue bit it goes with the exercise.

Right now I can start in 1-3 with no major problem.
After sometime you will realise that you can "balance" on this bike as affectively as an a diamond and to start up you do not need to move fast or at all.
Just a little push on one pedal, then you gently reach the second pedal and you are off.
I saw a guy on you tube that starts up with hand off the bar.
20 days ago I though I was a stunt but now I feel it is feasible

My path to work is similar to yours. ( frequent traffic light and slopes from cycling path / pedestrian to main road )
When I tried it first it was a disaster but now after 14 days I fell obstacles are just fun.
You will possibly suffer few days but believe me the learning curve on this vehicle is pretty fast.
The vehicle is "sane" it is not vicious by itself , it just requires some de conditioning from old balance habits.
I consider it now as manoeuvrable and "agile" as anything with a low centre of gravity is ( snowboards, windsurfs kayaks to tell few I tried )
The only situation I can not master jet is ride downhill at speed where I do not trust pedalling hard for it induces scaring steering movements ... but ...... my right leg is 3/4 of inch shorter of my left and this may have something to do with it since traction and directionality are imparted from front.

I am confident I have just to practice and get adapted to the new reactions, I am just more prudent than usually since to loose steer control at 20 - 30 mph could be nasty.
But again ... it is not the bike , its me.

All the best

Atul

 

[buyagain]

Atul wrote: I am 50 years, 70 kgs and 1,80 cm tall

Now we need that info on ED, right?
BTW, What town are the trolley tracks in?

 

[elg]

The tracks are on Westlake Ave in Seattle. They caused a friend of mine to go over his handlebars with a bus right behind him a few weeks ago. Fortunately the bus stopped and he was not hurt.

At the trolley stops where the tracks are only a foot from the curb I escape onto the sidewalk. I *could* ride my DF bike within that one foot strip of road if necessary. With a Cruzbike I'm not sure I could steer that precisely, and definitely not until I've gained substantial experience riding it.

 

[JonB]

elg wrote: The tracks are on Westlake Ave in Seattle. They caused a friend of mine to go over his handlebars with a bus right behind him a few weeks ago. Fortunately the bus stopped and he was not hurt.

At the trolley stops where the tracks are only a foot from the curb I escape onto the sidewalk. I *could* ride my DF bike within that one foot strip of road if necessary. With a Cruzbike I'm not sure I could steer that precisely, and definitely not until I've gained substantial experience riding it.

once you get the experience you too can ride it so close.