|
Crank Forward Forum
Welcome to our forum. With the number of CF bikes growing, customers have expressed a need for a message board dedicated to CF bikes. We hope this message board gives you the chance to exchange stories or ideas that will continue the growth of Crank Forward Bikes. Feel free to post a message.
|
|
| Return to Website | ||
 First |
 Prev |
 Reply |
 Home |
Next  |
Last  |
| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 10) |
| Author | Comment |
Kalinka
 May 11, 08 - 9:33 AM |
What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
I do not even know where to begin in telling about my day at Riverside Recumbent Bicycles. This shop is brand new, so new that they don’t even have their sign up. I have never had such a good experience in bike shop in my life. These people are so amazingly down to earth that they make even the most intimidating ride in there downright inviting and their enthusiasm is as infectious as it gets. I don’t know any other way to put it other than they are super nice and go so above and beyond its nuts!! The test ride area is a beautiful road along the intercoastal with rolling mild hills, fun to go down and fun to test going up. The downside was that it was hotter than a frying pan today and we rode in high sun and by the time we did 7 miles of riding hard I was starting to get heat exhaustion which can get kind of dangerous. I started on the Aqua street. This bike was kind of dialed in right when I got on it. It did not need any tweaking at all. It was stable and I though that it climbed easier than the Cruz. I also think it is faster with less effort than the Cruz. I tried to pay attention to what was making it that way and the only thing I could come up with may be just a bunch of nonsense but.. It felt that the geometry of the Street/ Dynamik uses the muscles in a more balanced way. The Cruz uses more of the Quads or that top thigh muscle where the Street seemed to use more of the leg muscles so it was easier to push on the pedals. Your legs are more underneath you on this geometry so you can also engage more of your hips than you can on the Cruz. IN short it felt like I had more parts of me working on the street so I had more power to go faster and climb more efficiently. What I did not like was that I was slightly bent over getting to the handle bars which could cause back stress. I wish that it was not so hot out because these people were happy to let us ride all day. They were beyond generous. I then hopped on the Cruz and that familiar position was there and it was oh so nice to be back. I loved it and it was comfortable and relaxed. I then started stressing out because I liked both of them in different ways. I was hoping that was not going to happen but it did. The Cruz is more fun because it feels less like an upright bike so its just different and .. it just looks so ****ed good in that lime green. That color goes so well down here, it looks downright organic. We had to turn back because we were burning up.. big drag. Oh and did I mention that they also baby sat my dog ALL DAY. Ok she is a very cool dog so they loved her but still.. that was extremely nice of them. What happen next was really unexpected. They started pulling out the recumbent for my sig. other to try, he had never ridden one and they pulled EVERY bike they had out and let us try them all. I have never ridden one and in that heat Rich ran behind each of us since we did not know how to ride them. I was scared we were going to kill him. They were just so in love with these bikes that they were so excited to have us try them. OK now I really have a problem because now I can ride them and now I want one. Really badly might I add. I rode Rich’s Stratus XP, that was just amazing but I for some reason I fell in love with the SWB bents. I liked the way they handle. Maybe it was just the newness of it and maybe it was that I never thought I would be able to ride it but Rich is a really good teacher and it did not take long to be loving it. Another nice surprise de jour is I think that my partner is now hooked. He loved the recumbents. Life is just so much better when you can share this. So what is the end result of all this? Well I need to come back with 4k and buy the Cruz for me and two recumbents. LOL that is the only solution that I can come up with. I am looking forward to going back up there. The long ride is well worth it as these people gave us so much energy, time and education. I loved the day and loved the bikes. . I was truly hoping that ONE single bike would speak to me but unfortunately I had a chorus of them singing to me, and they are still singing to me today. Decisions Decisions. So my question is .. once you get your CF do you stop riding your recumbent? Kalinka |
|
tom
May 11th, 2008 - 10:07 AM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
can't answer your question until my CF arrives, but ... there is a very big difference among the different 'bents -- much bigger than the difference between the fusecruz and the dynzen. if you are going to go 'bent my advice would be to try as many as you can, and make sure you include the Tour Easy. |
|
Andris
May 11th, 2008 - 10:09 AM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
My wife and I have two 2006 dynamiks and two BikeE recumbents with electric assit by ecospeed.net added last month. The range is 15-60miles on a charge. With the added electric assit we use the BikeE to commute to work each day and use the dynamiks for longer rides/tours. With the dynamiks averegae speed was 8mph, with BikeE electric assit 16mph over very hilly terrain and minimal effort in oregon With the electric assit we estimate about $100-160 of gas savings per month |
|
Marc
May 11th, 2008 - 2:59 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
I ride my CF, DFs, and SWB 'bent, and love them all! |
|
bill
May 11th, 2008 - 6:55 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
At times I've actually considered selling my SWB bent to finance another crankforward. That thought vanishes with a ride on the bent. I think I would regret selling the recumbent. |
|
Kalinka
May 11th, 2008 - 8:01 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
Well I can not imagine not having another CF, I would have bought the Cruz that was there but there was an issue with the handle bars, they seemed to have been twisted and they could'nt be straightend. Since I knew I was going to come back i started playing and I think that it might be interesting to have a recumbent as well. My back is pretty stable but not stable enough to do a super long ride. I want to do some touring but its hard to keep completely stable with a missing disc. After riding all the recumbents I did one last hop on the CF and it was so easy and familiar, Not sure that a recumbent would fit my propensity to ride in Birkenstocks and surfing shorts. But that was what i was riding around in at the shop so maybe that would work. I am not the type to put on lycra, even when i was doing serious mountain biking i still wore regular clothes. Biking clothes just never seemed neccessary to me. I think that when i go back to buy my CF I will try a longer test ride. |
|
Brent
May 12th, 2008 - 3:53 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
Kalinka, I feel your pain! It is so hard to decide. I love my recumbent. It is fast and comfortable ( Rans V2) I can ride all day with no back pain or stress. On the other hand I feel able to conquer any obstacle on the CFs. They are so maneuverable and nimble. If I am riding with more casual riders or my wife on her Fusion, I am better off on the CF due to equal speed. If I am wanting to go fast and far or ride with a fast crowd, I need the 'bent. |
|
Kalinka
May 12th, 2008 - 4:32 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
So ultimately its a pain in the butt to ride around on a bent the way one would on a CF.. I think it was the newness and comfie factor that got me jazzed up and, I was always scared of recumbents. Once i pushed through that fear there came a severe rush of GAS or Gear acquisition syndrome. I was on this cool as hell thing with full suspension and a funky under the seat stearing and i was spinning around like a little nut going over bumps and feeling no pain and all I could think of was.. I have to have this. I am not so much a fast freak but I really like fun and .. it was a lot of fun! |
|
Nanda
May 12th, 2008 - 4:33 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
Don't forget Kalinka, there are several handlebar and stem riser optios for the Dynamik to get the upper end ergo's dailed in to your body geometry, whereas the Fu/Cru works best with the stock Deep V's. I'd wager if you went with a Dynamik and set it up with some decent mtb rubber, you would be able to get back into your old mtb habits, but with a whole new realm or comfort. The Dynamik frame will also give you the option to run 700c if you wanted a seasonal road bike setup, to mix it up with a mtb setup...so more versatility. Regards, ~Nanda |
|
Kalinka
May 12th, 2008 - 4:53 PM |
Re: What a day, big thumbs up Riverside Recumbent Bicycles
Nanda I did note the other riser and handle bars on the Citi. It was not the right set up for me. I think that that the dymanik would be the only mtn bike that i would even consider now. I have spent the last week on a normal mtn bike and while i had a good time hopping around on the suspension I did not enjoy the position at all. I can totally envision playing on the Dynamik on some trails. At this point I am all road with an occasional grassy spot and LOTS of puddles. |
| First |
Prev |
Reply |
Home |
Next |
Last |
powered by
bravenet.com