Climbing on FWD MBB - a few questions.

[Balor]

I have an upright niner (narrow bars, but with ergon barends) that I used for brevets, and a rear-drive bent that I've bought to replace it (on 400+ brevets my arse began to object to the point of total rejection).

While I'm yet to get my 'fully bent legs', I've fully experienced climbing difficulties of a typical RWD bent. And I am fully aware how I utilize pulling motions on my bar ends when sprinting and climbing, so idea of a FWD MBB sounds very tempting (you can use your upper body AND be aero at the same time).

Also, I find bridging (pressing my back into the seat for better power delivery) to be really uncomfortable - it is my back issue, one that forced me to abandon a really nice road bike I've bought for the purpose of replacing the niner at first.

So, a question: do you have to press your back into your seat for high power delivery on a Cruzbike, or you simply use your hands to counteract the handlebar rotation with pulling motions without it?

 

[Charles.Plager]

No, you don't have to dig your back into the seat. Indeed for short very steep climbs, I pull myself out of the seat, moving my weight forward to help prevent tire slippage. (I will also bridge for short periods of time for very quick power, but I find that I'm doing it less now that my core is in worse shape.)

 

[LarryOz]

I have only been riding Cruzbike FWD MMB since last June, and this was also my first recumbent. I am saying this upfront, as I do not have a long history with them or will be able to compare the FWD MBB with a rear with drive. However I do live in the mountains of NC and have probably logged close to 12K miles between my Vendetta and my Silvio. I find that they are both excellent climbers (I easily pass DF's on just about any grade). I also find the technique of pulling on the handlebars and sitting more upright (my back is lifted slightly off of the seat due to pulling forward on the bars), will also allow me to substantially increase my power delivery to the pedals. I personally think it has more to do with the change of hip angle than using your upper body. Also, not unlike a DF bike, you can increase your power delivery by increasing you cadence as well as pulling back on the opposite pedal as your pushing on the other one. There are many techniques from my observations.

 

[MrSteve]

My experience is just mine, but then again... it's a lot of experience.

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My '06 Sofrider has thousands of miles on it, all on the back country roads of hilly
East Tennessee.

There is no one technique to riding these MBB FWD Wonderbikes!
There are many.
There is only one way to find the techniques that work best for you:
RIDE.

Here's a hint.
When you learn ride your FWD MBB virtually hands-free uphill and
downhill while turning this way and that... well, you've found the techniques to
ride your FWD MBB that work best for you.
How do you get there?

Ride.

---

Like a diamond-frame, upright bike, your FWD MBB can be ridden
hands-free.
Like a diamond-frame, upright bike, your FWD MBB is most efficient
when your upper body works with your legs.

Finally...

ride!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

So, a question: do you have to press your back into your seat for high power delivery on a Cruzbike, or you simply use your hands to counteract the handlebar rotation with pulling motions without it?

No and no. When I'm climbing long grades I try and concentrate my energy to my legs only, I relax the rest of my body, I don't pull, push, or pull/lift myself forward. Counteract the handlebar rotation with pulling motions is not necessary. Now if I'm coming up on a short steep hill, I will start my climb about 30 meters before I get to it, by revving up my speed, and then when I hit, I mash and maybe bridge. But this all happens in a matter seconds. This is what I do, and as you can see everyone will developer there own techniques, none of which are wrong or write. I too have a bad back/neck.

 

[Robert Holler]

Having been on the same hills on nearly every mainstream recumbent at some point over the years - the MBB FWD simply out climbs them all. That is not to say that any given rider will outclime every other rider, but that for one given rider THEY will climb better on an MBB FWD than other recumbent - provided they do the homework (which is riding and putting the miles in.

Anyone who says otherwise likely gave up after a very short time and never even gave it a chance. Like anything - the time in the seat learning the technique pays huge dividends - and that goes for anything.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Having been on the same hills on nearly mainstream every recumbent at some point over the years - the MBB FWD simply out climbs them all. That is not to say that any given rider will outclime every other rider, but that for one given rider THEY will climb better on an MBB FWD than other recumbent - provided they do the homework (which is riding and putting the miles in.

Anyone who says otherwise likely gave up after a very short time and never even gave it a chance. Like anything - the time in the seat learning the technique pays huge dividends - and that goes for anything.

+1...I agree 100% with Robert.

 

[Balor]

Thanks of all the replies, good info here.

I also find the technique of pulling on the handlebars and sitting more upright (my back is lifted slightly off of the seat due to pulling forward on the bars), will also allow me to substantially increase my power delivery to the pedals.

Sounds very encouraging!

Also, not unlike a DF bike, you can increase your power delivery by increasing you cadence as well as pulling back on the opposite pedal as your pushing on the other one.

Oh, I use that a lot, in fact it is MUCH easier on a bent. My calves after a longish (like 200+ kms) ride are sore for a couple of days and already began to grow there (though they are quite huge already, lol). Give it a few thousand kms (only a couple so far), and I guess I'll finally get my proper bent legs.

In fact, it is very noticeable when I switch between my DF niner and recumbent - after a 300 km ride my calves and insides of legs (biceps femoris and likely hamstrings) are quite sore, while quads are fresh and I can ride my DF as though 'nothing special'.
But this is not exactly a good thing, I guess - it means I am limited by my calves, and I doubt that they ever grow as powerful as my quads... without making me look like a freak in the process at least . My legs are already disproportionally huge.
Being able to pull on the handlebars to fully utilise quads without bridging sounds great for me... though, perhaps, if I replaced my praying hamster bars with bars similar to those on Cruzbikes, I could reap same benefits - without upper body involvement, though.

An other problem that I have, though, is numb feet, I've read that this is common with all recumbents that have BB higher than the seat.
All 'proper' Cruzbikes have pretty high BB, anybody have similar problems?

Here is my bent, btw:

 

[LarryOz]

I have only noticed numb feet when riding in sub freezing weather, or when my shoes where too tight.
Everyone is probably different in that regard and you just have to learn what you can tolerate.
Here's my ride with my slow wheelset. But I like them cause they are color coordinated.

 

[BentAero]

I've had tingling feet issues with every bike I've ever had, from uprights, to Easy Racers, to Bacchetta's.
For me, I can aggravate or minimize it by how tight my shoes are. If I get the straps too tight, my foot goes numb. Loosen them up and it quickly goes away.

 

[ratz]

A Pair of numb feet a recumbent; on a DF a pair.... oh never mind.

The feet thing for me has always been about two things

1) The shoes; if they are two tight or not stiff enough sore I get numb feet.
2) The level of the ride effort. If I ride above around 95% of my max heart for a sustained period my feet get numb as the body starts to push blood to the other stressed muscle groups. I guess my boney feet aren't a priority under stress.

I've been testing DMT shoes since spring; So far they are equal or better than my Sidi's at about ⅓ the cost. Not a numb foot yet riding with them. http://www.diamantdmt.com/en/

Figuring out which sizing system a shoe is labeled with is really the key to success. US/UK are different but numbered similarly; and there are now two different EUR numbering systems floating around also very similar. Then there is the conflicting width measures make it doubly fun. So..... I always trace my foot on a piece of paper; and measure it's length and width in millimeters; then I only buy shoes that I can get the width and length in mm from the manufacturing. Takes a lot more research but I've been getting a lot better results putting that extra effort in. The pair I'm riding now represent about 30 hours of on line research; but it was worth it.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Here's my ride with my slow wheelset. But I like them cause they are color coordinated.

Larry, very nice picture, your best yet, if I were Charles I would give you F I V E S T A R S