Silvio: the Best Bike I Have Ever Owned!

[thebean]

Dear John,

I have been riding bikes all my life for fitness. I am 51 years old, and at this point, I have lost count how many I have owned. Seven years ago I turned to recumbents after back surgery.

Recently, I had an opportunity to trade my hand built guitar for a 2007 Silvio. The Cruzbikes had always caught my attention as they had a low seat height required for my short x seam. The deal was made. Little did I realize that this would change everything.

The Silvio is more than a bike, it is an engineering masterpiece. The design is well thought out, from the forward wheel drive and moving bottom bracket component, to even something as simple as the seat angle. The bike is without question the most efficient recumbent I have ridden to date. Despite its weight, it climbs significantly better than my Bacchetta Ti Aero.

The involvement of the total body in the bike makes it exhilarating to ride. Having road handlebars and gears, and a normal length chain is such a treat! This is the first recumbent that I have been able to own with 700c wheels because of my short x seam.

John, in over thirty years of riding, I have never enjoyed a bike more than the Silvio. Thank you for you dilgence and passion and for taking the chance to bring to the market a bike so different, and often controversial. You truly are a brillant designer.

Lisa Bromfield
Scottsdale, AZ

 

[igolfat8]

Hi Lisa,
Your exuberance for

Hi Lisa,

Your exuberance for your new Silvio has piqued my interest. The FWD has always intrigued me but I have never had a chance to ride one. Based on your extensive saddle time in your Ti-Arrow please make some comparrisons of the differences between the two distinct platforms of bikes. I currently ride a Volae Club which would roughly compare to your Bachetta. BTW, Are you still playing guitar?

Thanks,
tim...

 

[thebean]

Tim,
How are you?  Yes, still

Tim,

How are you? Yes, still playing guitar, in fact, I am evaluating a carbon fiber one made in Germany right now. It's a lovely nylon string and the luthier is new to the business. A lot of fun helping him out and trying different strings!

Comparison to my Bacchetta Ti Aero. Ok, I have to admit, since I got the Silvio, I been enjoying it so much that I have only ridden the Aero once! But basic impressions. Both are fast bikes, no question. The Silvio is a better climber. I will say this as a caveat, the BB on the Aero is 32", and on the Silvio it is 28". I firmly believe that a recumbent with a lower BB is a better climber. My ICE B1 has a 26" BB and is a tremendous climber. But the Silvio is more efficient, in my humble opinion. Nay Sayers may say this is not true, but the Silvio has a normal length chain and its simply the most efficient bent I have ridden to date.

Ok, you have given me a push to get the Aero out... I just got back from a quick twenty on the Silvio. I will report back!

 

[igolfat8]

Hi Lisa,
Does the suspension

Hi Lisa,

Does the suspension rob any power from the drive train? It makes me wonder if they left the suspension off of the Vendetta to squeeze even more performance out of it?

The CF classical guitar sounds interesting. The use of CF has come along way in a short period of time. I've played some mighty fine examples from CA Guitars. You aught to make a pilgrimage up to northern CA this summer and visist the Healdsburg Guitar Festival, held in Santa Rosa. It has to be added to the bucket list of every serious guitar player. We will be exhibiting there again and would love to meet you. Its one of our favorite shows to attend. Besides ... what's not to like about Northern, CA? (not counting the trafic of course)

 

[TimOz]

Graphite guitars

Hi Lisa from a fellow Silvio rider,
It is a long story but I own a carbon fibre guitar (I can't really play it well, I just own it). It is a Rainsong brand:

http://www.rainsong.com/

The photos don't do it justice. A beautiful thing, well made with a rich and unique sound.



Yes, I am overly fond of Carbon fibre!

 

[thebean]

Tim,
I  been working closely

Tim,

I been working closely with the CEO at Rainsong and Ted at LA guitars and I was responsible for the development of the Shorty Forum Limited Edition! I love my Shorty and travel everywhere with it! I volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, and after the morning chores, I go to each room and play and sing for the cats! I love getting involved in new projects, and love what John is doing with Cruzbikes! Yes, I have to get to Healdsburg! What luthier do you represent?

Ok, back to the suspension. Let me preface it by the fact that I have been riding thirty years and hate aluminum bikes...until I met the Silvio. It's a very subtle suspension but makes a big difference on the chip seal out here. I am a former championship power lifter, so I push this bike hard and feel no flex. I know Cruzbikes business is to folks a lot bigger than my 135lb frame, so I may not be the perfect reference point.

Metabikes has a very short wheelbase, and I have heard some complaints that it is a bumpy ride. The Silvio and Aero have similar wheelbases. John is making the new Silvio with a bit of a longer wheelbase, which may soften the ride.

The other factor is this. A nice wheelset with 25mm tire can make a difference. I have a 23mm tire on right now and will put on some 25s shortly. I can bet there will be a difference. On a side note, Cruzbike has some gorgeous wheels they are selling with the Vendetta! It has their name on the hub and sidewalls...I wonder who makes them for them?

Tim, the bottom line is this. The FWD/MBB is going to become a standard in the recumbent industry. These long chain lines are a pain, not efficient, and expensive (I need three chains for my Aero!). I think the Silvio is the best of the lot. Its a leisure bike or a racer.

 

[Eric Winn]

The Aero 67s are 700C wheels

The Aero 67s are 700C wheels offered as purchase options for either the Silvio or Vendetta, or if you want to buy them for some other bike for that matter.


The quandry now is they are currently only configured for rim brakes. Now that the Silvio and Vendetta include disc brake tabs, I don't know if Cruzbike will offer disc brake versions or not.





-Eric

 

[John Tolhurst]

For the Aero 67s I selected

For the Aero 67s I selected the hub, rim, spokes, spoke count, spoke pattern and chose the factory where they are made. They are available at any time for any 700c bike like Vendetta or Silvio. They are pretty light and pretty aero and have the slightly high spoke count that I think is sensible on a recumbent where the legs arn't available to soften the bumps. They are made exceptionally well, very true. A wheel like this is about the best bang for buck wheel you can buy. They have bladed spokes, aero profile rim, compact hubs and are very stiff and strong.

I will say it was difficult to improve the Silvio for the V2.0 release. I believe the rear suspension is improved. Still taught. but with more travel. The new frame does improve the looks and the aero too. And the standard headrest is an advantage because it is strong enough to attach a rack, which I am still working on. That would mean pannier loads are attached to the suspended frame. I think this is better than fitting to the wheel. The seat is more laid back, so it will be faster than earlier models. But its no so laid back as to make tight cornering difficult to judge. The headrest at this new Silvio seat angle is very nice indeed.

Thanks for your kind words Lisa in this thread.

 

[igolfat8]

"What luthier do you

"What luthier do you represent?" Well ... that would be ... me
Ted is a great guy and I am sure you found him a pleasure to work with.

Thanks for your honest feedback, ride & bike comparrisons. I find Aluminum frames a bit on the harsh side too.

You should be in sales ... just kidding but I am sure John appreciates you and other satisfied owners as a brand champions in his corner. Satisfied customers and word of mouth are successful advertsiing tools that moeny can't buy. As an engineer the FWD intrigues me and I would really like to find a Silvio to demo. I am certainly no racer but fast bikes appeal to me as does the suspension. we too have an abundance of chip sealed roads in our area as well ;(


John,
Do you have any Silvio owners in Ohio, by any chance?

 

[John Tolhurst]

Around Cleveland, I

Around Cleveland, I think.
Got to http://cruzbike.com/locals and zoom into your area. Click the pin to send a PM.
John

 

[thebean]

Tim,
Ha, I am in sales!  Have

Tim,

Ha, I am in sales! Have been for the better part of 18 years! I work for a hospital system here I Phoenix, but would much rather be selling guitars or recumbent bikes. I am very keen on marketing, and am a natural doing it. But alas, here in the States one needs health insurance and working for oneself can present quite the challenge. I keep hoping I can work myself into something else, as the job I have is quite a bore...

 

[Eric Winn]

Tim (igolfat8, luthier, et

Tim (igolfat8, luthier, et al),

I am a bit over 2 hours drive from you. I don't have a Silvio (yet), but I do have the new Vendetta that I am in the process of building out.

I also have a loaner Quest v2 with 26 inch wheels (until I get the Vendetta rolling and/or someone buys the Quest).

If you don't have any luck tracking anyone else down, send me a PM and I'll be happy discuss getting together. Depeding on your interests and my ability to transport I might be able to meet you halfway somewhere.

I will likely buy one of the new Silvios when John releases them so you might want to check with me when you see me posting about building a new Silvio...

-Eric

 

[igolfat8]

Hi Eric,
Thanks so much for

Hi Eric,

Thanks so much for the kind offer. I will try to hitch a demo ride and if I can't find one I may take you up on your offer. In the mean time I will watch your build with great anticipation.

 

[wwp3gamer@gmail.com]

lisa

That was the nicest, most positive dear john letter I've ever read. keep them coming that way, you may start a nwe trend.