First ride
- Thread starter pedlpadl
- Start date
JOSEPHWEISSERT
Zen MBB Master
That's a lot of blood on that parking lot. Are you feeling okay? How about a bandaid? Or maybe a blood transfusion?
jond
Zen MBB Master
keep up the good work and practice practice. joseph the new batman v superman movie......... will it be a turkey or will DC match the marvel avengers............ oh heck.....i am going for a ride right now .
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
That was good Joe - probably the best of the year so far!
Emeljay
WiskersBlowinInTheWind
The red ... that's the Piper saying "that's the blood I'm not going to get cause he's doing his skills practice." At least that's what I'm hoping since I have gotten stares from security at the local college when I practice figure 8s etc in their parking lot. Practice, practice, practice, then keep on practicing. Then i look at what im trying to avoid (bloodshed, broken bones, and pain!) and practice strategies to avoid that. My motto: Keep the Red OUT!
pedlpadl
Well-Known Member
JOSEPHWEISSERT
Zen MBB Master
Like everyone else says, practice is important. I had a huge, black bruise for a long time on my left hip and leg from not enough practicing and three resulting crashes on the same bruise. Add bruising to the list to be avoided. That's in addition to my left elbow skin that got ripped off three times in a row from the same three crashes. Ouch, ouch, and dammit, not again!
So far I still have all my skin and all my bike's paint.
quickbeam
Well-Known Member
Hey, I resemble that comment!Could be the 100th monkey effect if you believe in this kind of phenomenon.
I know in my case, I was doing research on two-wheeled recumbents, looking at Baccetta and Volae (Volae is made within a day trip of here) among others. Somehow I chanced upon the Cruzbike, I'm not even sure where, possibly BROL. First I learned about some of the advantages of the MBB FWD, the second thing I learned was the difficulty in learning how to ride it. Without an active forum here and people talking about learning to ride, videos, etc. I might have passed on it as too much of a risk, since I couldn't actually test ride it. (As an eg. see http://www.pedersenbicycles.com/chinkara.htm)
But with the 100 monkeys before me, I figured it was do-able. Given that I've ridden two wheels, three wheels (both RWD), one wheel (AWD), roller blades, ice skates, cross-country and downhill skis, and a very little on a skateboard and snowboard, I could probably figure out a new method of locomotion. And like most anybody willing to dive into recumbents, I'm willing and interesting in getting a bit off the beaten path. So far the learning's been going quicker than I feared it might, so I'm glad I made the leap!
PeteClark
Active Member
I recently built up a V20 and am just learning to ride it. Cruising at 15-20 mph, some pedal strokes cause enough wobble to release adrenaline and/or endorphins and make me feel like a kid on my first bike. Other pedal strokes make the bike surge ahead, letting me feel the bike's potential, and releasing some more endorphins. I can't wait to develop the muscle memory that will let me string together a long series of truly effective pedal strokes and let the bike do what it was designed to do. The folks in the neighborhood may be having a good laugh at my funny bike and my struggles to control it, but I'm having a blast.
Observation: When pedaling to start (vs. Flintstoning), I find it important to look at the horizon, not at my feet.
Question: On slow, tight turns my tendency is to tighten the radius. I find it more difficult to exit the turn that it was to initiate it. It is especially difficult to transition directly from one turn to another (eg. to do a figure 8 without a significant straight section between turns). Any suggestions on how to exit a turn?
Observation: When pedaling to start (vs. Flintstoning), I find it important to look at the horizon, not at my feet.
Question: On slow, tight turns my tendency is to tighten the radius. I find it more difficult to exit the turn that it was to initiate it. It is especially difficult to transition directly from one turn to another (eg. to do a figure 8 without a significant straight section between turns). Any suggestions on how to exit a turn?
jond
Zen MBB Master
it will come with practice. look through the turn drop your outside shoulder relax. practise. read ratz's learn to ride instructions and practice a little twice a day if you can. practise. and before you know it you will reach another stage.
but do the slow drills as per ratz's instructions they really pay off quickly. do not skip them.
it takes everyone different amounts of time to learn and deal with the balance and fine motor tuning skills being tuned. it took me 1000klm to be happy that i was able to put the bike on a line and have no more little moments.
the reward is worth the effort 100 times over. cycling does not get any better or smarter or faster or comfy.
stay safe take your time and get a first class pilots licence.
brokemyback
Well-Known Member
Another beginner here. I read you must shift your weight OUTside the bike to turn in. It works! If I shift my head/shoulders to the right, the bike will transition to the left in a figure 8 turn. I think it's related to un-learning DF skills. I have also experienced the "tightening spiral" turn, where I have to pour on the gas to get out of the spiral. That seems to be lessening with just more experience on the bike.
RojoRacing
Donut Powered Wise-guy
It's not a necessary but it helps to have your outside foot at 12oclock position for exiting a tight corner. If turning left with your right foot up when you go to accelerate you naturally push the right side of the crank causing a slight left hand steering action which will lift you out of the corner as you accelerate. The general concept is call counter steering and is basically what your already doing in order to balance on anything with two wheels. The exact opposite it true if you switch the upper foot, it'll feel like your falling over and cause you to make sudden steering corrections. As you get better it won't matter as much which foot is up during a tight corner but there will always be an advantage to keeping the outside foot up. Focus of trying both methods during your figure 8s to really grasp what is happening.
PeteClark
Active Member
Thanks for the advice. I have been reading the forum, reading and re-reading Ratz's instructions... but your comment to shift my weight OUTside the bike gave me a slightly new perspective that really helped. I'm having much more success with tight slow turns by pushing the bar forward slightly with my outer hand, and tilting my head to the outside of the turn... at least relative to the lean of the frame. The bike really loves to turn when you stop fighting it. And with my head "outside" the lean of the frame, it is much easier to straighten up and exit the turn... thanks again for the advice.
mzweili
Guru
you are not alone. This happened to me 2 or 3 times. Mainly on steep hills where I lost balance.
RojoRacing
Donut Powered Wise-guy
If your riding a recumbent chances are your not a Mtber but if you have Mtb shoes and pedals to practice with they are easier to get in and out of and have a grippier outsole.
I just got road shoes and pedals this week and plan to try them on the V for the first time this weekend.
I just got road shoes and pedals this week and plan to try them on the V for the first time this weekend.
DavidCH
In thought; expanding the paradigm of traversity
you are not alone. Mine are probably like yours with carbon soles. I am interested in seeing the power transfer in both torque and how its spread out on the foot. I decided on look ceo 2 max. What about you and how is your wrist; you must be itching to get out on the road by now?
RojoRacing
Donut Powered Wise-guy
I've actually been on the road for two weeks now but on my DF bike. I was hoping to remove the V from the trainer and take it out this weekend but we have rain on the way.
I've have one week with the power meter road pedals and shoes and can say once your clipped in they all feel about the same. I'm hoping due to the forward position of the crank on a recumbent that the pedals will always be in the correct angle for foot entry due to the weighted side always down.
I've have one week with the power meter road pedals and shoes and can say once your clipped in they all feel about the same. I'm hoping due to the forward position of the crank on a recumbent that the pedals will always be in the correct angle for foot entry due to the weighted side always down.
