First real ride

[currystomper]

I went out on my first real ride today as I was getting feed up of riding around the trading estate where I have been practising!!

This must be my 5th ride since building the conversion and the 2nd after a long winter break (caused by snow!). I went down our nice local trail - it was a lovely day, cold (2 deg) but sunny and bright. I did around ~5Km's, bike control got better as I rode along - there were plenty of pedestrians and dogs to manoeuvre around.!! Normally I ride 30Km's with my son at the weekend on a standard bike -so it wasn't that far but its a start.

It now a few hours later and I'm sore down both sides of body - obviously need to train up to do the miles on a Cruz!!

but it was great to be cruz'ing along looking around and up and not looking down inspecting the tarmac.

Currystom'

 

[currystomper]

A second dose of snow slowed the learning process again, but now its gone.I've had a couple of lunch times on the local quiet streets in the early spring sun shine, its been really nice, riding the bike is keeping me warm and I'm facing up toward the sun - just like on a deck chair!! I'm starting to be able to enjoy riding the bike rather than just learning - it just so much more comfortable than a normal bike and you can look around up at the trees etc etc - I feel I could ride the bike for hours and just get home with very sore legs and arms!! - isn't this how bike riding should be??

One very happy Currystomper.

 

[Trevski]

Hi Currystomper,
I have the opposite problem to you - today's been the first day for a week that it's been coolish - 30C!! Even at 5:30 in the morning when I ride it's been humid, warm or both, and I literally get home dripping :!:
You get a much better workout on a Cruz compared to a DF bike, don't you. Apart from the comfort you mentioned, it's the reason I love this bike so much. You have the option of sitting back and letting the legs do the work for hours, or digging in and getting the whole body involved to produce as much power as your body will let you. I get home after 22 k's with the definite sensation of having involved arms, shoulders and back as well as legs - probably the reason for all the extra perspiration.

Happy Cruzing

Trev

 

[currystomper]

Thanks Trev - I'll post you one of our drinking bottle that has been chilled to a nice 3C after one of our bike rides - maybe that would help after 22Km @ 30 C :lol:

...BTW Humid air is horrible give me dry heat any day!!

Coming home from work today with formations of geese flying over head - it was nice to be watching them rather than inspecting the tarmac for defects!!

Cheers

Currystom'

 

[buyagain]

Around here We're coming into a couple of 50 to 60 degrees days so, no doubt as to where I'll be. For the record, my trip odometer indicates I average only 11 mph (18 KPH) on most trips. How are you guys fairing on this?

 

[defjack]

I usually ride around 15-17 mph sometimes faster on both the Trek conversion and Silvio. Jack

 

[Trevski]

On my Sofrider, riding 9km shared path and 13km roads, I've averaged 27-29 kmh / 16-18 mph. This morning, riding all road for 21km, I averaged 30.4kmh - nearly 19mph. It was very windy, which I find lowers the average, but probably only by 1 or 2 kmh. Having said that, those speeds are only achieved when I know I'm not going much over 20km distance. When I rode to Mandurah (62.4km round trip) I averaged 27.4kmh / 17mph only with the help of a sea-breeze on the way home. I don't reckon I'm going to get any more speed out of this bike - too much work, not enough fun :lol:

Cheers,
Trev

 

[Mark B]

I ride at 20-22 mph, but that equates to a 17 avg when it's all said and done.

Mark

 

[Lief]

On my Silvio I have been cruising on the flats right about 21MPH (33KPH). On my hour commute my average comes in at about 16.5mph.
I have surprised myself on a few rollers (long low rises in the road) to be holding 19-20MPH all the way up and over.
Silvio power really lets the rider maintain momentum.

I am heading down to the Human Power Challenge (HPC) in Portland in May and I set a somewhat lofty (?) goal for myself of averaging 23MPH (37KPH) for the 9.75 mile (15.7 km) time trial (about 20 min ride on a flat racetrack).

Another thing to note, average speeds are a good overall measure of a bikes performance but who doesn't like to grab a fistful of that burly front triangle and just mash the pedals? It is so excellent to accelerate so quickly with the bike just springing forward with every stroke. I have attained maximums of 30mph (48kph) and over on the flat and my goal for the HPC is to average anything over 30mph for the flying start, 200 meter sprint event.

Any tips on how to best approach a sprint event in order to maximize your energy reserves when they are needed the most through those gates?
Or do you just have to mash it with every stroke from the very beginning?

 

[buyagain]

My 11 MPH represents 1.5" -40 lb tires in mostly new territory and crowded bike and hiking trails.

Additionally, I'm starting to explore the possible biking routes through Memphis streets. Riding on sidewalks may be against the law but I do at certain times in the City. I tend to max out at 8 to 10 mph on sidewalks with extreme caution on pedestrian and cars backing out of driveways. I have one of those "Air Zound" air horns that wakes um up pretty good. LOL I'll be pretty satisfied with 10 mph average on city streets. Part of the adventure is routing my destinations according to the most bike accommodating streets around town. I'm even using my Garmin from time to time. It has a bike route setting. LOL

Please note that I never negotiate any sidewalks where pedestrians predominate.
People who explore unfamiliar streets at much more that 15 to 20 mph look more like pot hole hunters to me. Man I hate them things although I have been spotted upwards of 35 mph on a city street.

 

[Mark B]

blief.z wrote: On my Silvio I have been cruising on the flats right about 21MPH (33KPH). On my hour commute my average comes in at about 16.5mph.
I have surprised myself on a few rollers (long low rises in the road) to be holding 19-20MPH all the way up and over.
Silvio power really lets the rider maintain momentum.

This has been my experience, to the letter.

Mark

 

[currystomper]

I haven't fitted a speedo yet - so I'm not sure what Mph/Kph I'm doing!! - but I'm starting to run out of gears on any road that have the slightest down hill!!

-time for a bigger front ring??

 

[currystomper]

It is worth learning to ride a Cruz - but for me is all the little things that makes it such a steep learning curve.

At the beginning I'd not got very good balance so I keep off the main road so end up riding up narrow paths! ( difficult at the beginning )

Working out how to attach ruck sack to rack took a while - the straps kept falling down

Learning how to lean the bike against a wall took a a while as the center of gravity of the empty bike is much further forward than a standard bike - actually now I think the cruz is more stable against a wall than a standard bike

Little things on the conversion where not 100% at the start, gearing changing was ragged until I fixed it, I left on the used squared off knobbly tires at the start - not good for balance. The trailing wheel bearing where not adjusted properly and caused a funny noise at the back of the bike.

Even trying to get past an open fire door took a while to get sorted.



Rapidly getting the wrinkles sorted out though!!