Your Advice Would be Appreciated

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Dan Nelson

New Member
I am 64 years old and in moderately good shape. I am interested in getting back into cycling. I used to ride quite a bit and have had a number of recumbents over the years. I now live in an area that has a number of challenging hills, and my friends that I ride with ride diamond frame bikes. I have the opportunity to purchase a Tour Easy, and although it is a first class bike, I am worried that it may suffer the disadvantage of most recumbents and not be able to climb as well as a diamond frame bike.

I have visited the Cruz Bike web site a number of times and looked at all of the videos on You Tube. I understand that you can pull back on the handlebars of a Vendetta to get more leverage while going up hills. But does that same principle work with the lower end bikes that have handle bar stems that connect directly to the hub of the front wheel as opposed to the front crankset?

Any general advice about the ability of a Cruz Bike to climb hills? Any first hand experience to support the claim?

Your advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

P.S. I am in central Texas. Does anyone have a Cruz Bike in the area that could be used for a test drive?

Thanks.
 
rfneep

rfneep

Well-Known Member
Yes, the principle applies to the "utility" QX100. It does help climb hills, per my experience with a Quest559 (the QX100 precursor model). The Silvio S30 has the same very stiff front end as the Vendetta so I guess would be a similar climber to the Vendetta, but users more experienced on those models would have more info.

With its front-wheel-drive triangle, I have found the lower-end Quest to also be a good climber, compared to rear-wheel drive stick recumbents. You can employ some upper body strength to help there. I suppose the front end is not quite as stiff as that found on the performance Cruzbikes, but it seems pretty good to me. My evidence is anecdotal, but it is very clear in my commutes that I am going up modest hills in a higher gear and don't lose as much speed than I do on a stick bike. One advantage of the QX100 design is that you typically sit more upright on it. This appears to give you a little more power production for short bursts up hills, although it is less aerodynamic for flats and downhills. Just depends what you want to optimize.

Although, to be fair, my experience is that you can climb pretty well on a more conventional stick bike recumbent once you learn to spin and keep a higher cadence. That allows you to attack hills better on a recumbent. So, I would not be surprised if the hill-climbing ability on a rear-wheel drive recumbent gets closer to that of a Cruzbike as you get more conditioned and more tuned to the bike. I still prefer the added upper body engagement as an added advantage.

If you add a reclined carbon seat and more open cockpit handlebars, you get a lower-end bike that does a pretty good job of speed and climbing. Also helps to put on some fast wheels and/or tires. The QX100 has room for several options.

If you like to tinker, some people on the forum have modified their QX100 or Quests to emulate the Silvio/Vendetta front end geometry.
 
Mark B

Mark B

Zen MBB Master
Actually, the only way to ride a recumbent and really ride a recumbent is to spin.

I started out with a Bachetta stick bike and rode that for a while. When the Cruzbike bug bit me, I ordered the conversion kit (no longer available) and built a Cruzbike conversion. Even though I hadn't really perfected the MBB "dance", the conversion quickly became my go-to ride over the Bachetta, which ended up getting sold to buy my Silvio frame.

Good news, though, Dan Nelson, Cruzbike will soon be releasing the T50, which might be right up your alley in letting you try Cruzbike without breaking the bank.

Mark
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
I would recommend a second hand Silvio V1.0 or V1.5 with a 45 degree rear seat, so it is similar to the crank Forward Tour easy, with a 60? degree seat back.

The 45 degree seat back (Silvio V1.0, V1.50), (Softrider, Quest, Qx100, adjustable from 30 deg(with mods) to 60 deg) is meant to be easier to learn on, compared to a 28 degree Silvio V2.0/ S30, and especially an Vendetta 21 degree seat back!

It has an excellent 32 - 40 mm air bag front suspension compared to a poor steel spring 20-25 mm front suspension on the Quest, Softrider, and early QX100.

The Silvio V1.0 has a stiff front triangle, so ALL your power when hill climbing AND using your upper body, goes into moving you forward.

With the Silvio V1.0 at 100% rotational stiffness, then the Softrider V1.0 is 57%, Quest V1.0 is 67%, Quest V3.0 / QX100 is 86%, Silvio V1.5 is 110%, Silvio S30 / Vendetta V20 is 160%, and the Vendetta V1.0 / V2.0 (Big Yellow) is 230%.

If you have long legs, like me at 46" x seam, then the Silvio is great, as you can add a 100 mm chainstay extension to it to raise the bottom bracket, to improve the Aero and especially power.
Others have recommended not doing this for 6 months, as it is harder to learn to ride the bike with!

The Quest, QX100 don't have this option, unless you have very short legs, as there are chainstays for 22" or 26" wheels.

Riders who have had Stick bike recumbent, and crank forward LWB bikes, have ALL said,"WHY did I wait so long to change over to ANY Cruzbike!!!"
 
B

Bill K

Guru
super slim said:
Riders who have had Stick bike recumbent, and crank forward LWB bikes, have ALL said,"WHY did I wait so long to change over to ANY Cruzbike!!!"
Click to expand...
Not ALL of us waited that long to switch from a stick bike:) 1.5 years for me to switch, not really all that long (or maybe it is).
I have to say I don't miss the heel strike, not even a little bit.

When my V20 was new (a year ago) I did a hill climb comparison of the V20, my stick bike, and my DF (Davidson touring/rando bike).
Same hill, same power meter, same engine (me).
I came to the conclusion that the V20 does live up to its touted climbing capabilities.
MBB drivetrain vs others, a poll (with a twist).

I am also 64 years old and in moderately good shape.
I used to despise hills and avoid them when riding the stick bike. I no longer try to avoid them on the V20 (but I still haven't learned to 'like' them).
The proof for me is that the V20 and stick bike are sitting next to each other, both ready to ride. I haven't ridden the stick bike, not even once, since I got the V20. I do still ride the Davidson once in a while.
Oh, and the V20 is not quite as fast climbing as the DF, but it is close. This is subjective, but it just feels better climbing on the V. I think it is because I like to pull on the handlebar and the V20 is stiff where the stick bike handlebar + riser is very flexible.
 
hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
The steepest hills (at a guess, over 12%? 15%?) will still give me problems on the Cruzbikes due to wheel spin. Power needs to be applied very smoothly.

As a reminder for anyone coming from other recumbents, it's best practice to not ride anything else while you are learning MBB-FWD. You will eventually be able to switch back and forth with no problems, but adding upper body engagement requires concentrated brain training.

-Dan
 
hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
super slim said:
If you have long legs, like me at 46" x seam, then the Silvio is great, as you can add a 100 mm chainstay extension to it to raise the bottom bracket, to improve the Aero and especially power.
Others have recommended not doing this for 6 months, as it is harder to learn to ride the bike with!
Click to expand...

Aside: did that chainstay extension ever reach you?

-Dan
 
B

bladderhead

Zen MBB Master
My Grasshopper is bendy. I sat on it with one foot on the ground and one foot on the pedal. I squeezed the brakes hard and pressed the pedal hard. I saw the BB going up and down. So why does it seem so hard to get the Silvio up a really serious hill?

Then I realised that the Grasshopper has a lower bottom gear.
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
bladderhead said:
My Grasshopper is bendy. I sat on it with one foot on the ground and one foot on the pedal. I squeezed the brakes hard and pressed the pedal hard. I saw the BB going up and down. So why does it seem so hard to get the Silvio up a really serious hill?

Then I realised that the Grasshopper has a lower bottom gear.
Click to expand...
GEARING my young man!
AND balance at low speeds!
Smooth power transfer into the cleated pedals, pushing out AND down!
If you start loosing traction , sit up to transfer more weight onto the front
 
B

bladderhead

Zen MBB Master
My Grasshopper's Rohloff has a wider range than the XX1 on my Silvio. If I got a smaller chainwheel I would spin out. I HATE double chainwheels.
 
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