As a new distributor for Cruzbike here in Portland and in the process of setting up my small fleet of Cruzbikes I have been riding them alot - the Silvio more than most at the moment.
I have ridden two wheel recumbents of all types since 2005. My first recumbent ever was an old MTB converted with one of the early kits. My personal bikes have included many SWB's in 26/20, 20/20 and 650c highracers. I have done five week long Cycle Oregons (400-500 miles in a week) on 2-wheel recumbents and the last three years of Cycle Oregon have been on my ICE QNT trike.
That last part is important. Three years of near exclusive trike riding can change a man when it comes to riding on two wheels. For me, two wheels lost its attraction as I settled into the ease and comfort of spinning up nearly every hill that used to cause cold sweats on my highracer. It's amazing the energy that goes into balance on a climb. After starting to ride the trike I tried often to return to two wheels, but every time walked away disappointed or thinking on a climb "why the heck didn't I just ride my trike?!?!?!" Two years ago I became "trike only" and had sold off all of my 2-wheel recumbent bikes.
Enter falling in love with the Cruzbike.
At the 2013 Recumbent Cycle-Con in Pomona I had the opportunity to revisit the Cruzbike, with my first test ride being on the Vendetta they had for demo. Why not start at the most extreme I thought! I was skeptical, especially of the recline as I sat on it. I never did enjoy the extreme recline of my former highracers. After less than 100 yards on it I was in love. Somehow it worked. I hopped on the Silvio and loved it too. Same for the other models. It was not long before the Parkers were having to flag me down to give up the bikes for others who wanted to demo ride. I could not get enough laps on them and was having a blast powering around the corners.
Back home in Portland, hills abound. After building some Cruzbikes it was time for me to really see if the love would translate after experiencing some familiar hills that I had grown so accustomed to on my trike and loathed so much on my former 2-wheelers.
Today I have logged more miles on the Silvio on those same routes than I have done on two wheels in nearly 4 years. Hills where I have had "stall and fall" incidents in years past I power up in gear combos that were impossible on my highracers. These bikes work and do it well.
Simply amazing and anyone in the PNW wanting to try one I will happily demo and get you set up - I am sold on these bikes and am proud to now be a part of the Cruzbike world!
Robert
I have ridden two wheel recumbents of all types since 2005. My first recumbent ever was an old MTB converted with one of the early kits. My personal bikes have included many SWB's in 26/20, 20/20 and 650c highracers. I have done five week long Cycle Oregons (400-500 miles in a week) on 2-wheel recumbents and the last three years of Cycle Oregon have been on my ICE QNT trike.
That last part is important. Three years of near exclusive trike riding can change a man when it comes to riding on two wheels. For me, two wheels lost its attraction as I settled into the ease and comfort of spinning up nearly every hill that used to cause cold sweats on my highracer. It's amazing the energy that goes into balance on a climb. After starting to ride the trike I tried often to return to two wheels, but every time walked away disappointed or thinking on a climb "why the heck didn't I just ride my trike?!?!?!" Two years ago I became "trike only" and had sold off all of my 2-wheel recumbent bikes.
Enter falling in love with the Cruzbike.
At the 2013 Recumbent Cycle-Con in Pomona I had the opportunity to revisit the Cruzbike, with my first test ride being on the Vendetta they had for demo. Why not start at the most extreme I thought! I was skeptical, especially of the recline as I sat on it. I never did enjoy the extreme recline of my former highracers. After less than 100 yards on it I was in love. Somehow it worked. I hopped on the Silvio and loved it too. Same for the other models. It was not long before the Parkers were having to flag me down to give up the bikes for others who wanted to demo ride. I could not get enough laps on them and was having a blast powering around the corners.
Back home in Portland, hills abound. After building some Cruzbikes it was time for me to really see if the love would translate after experiencing some familiar hills that I had grown so accustomed to on my trike and loathed so much on my former 2-wheelers.
Today I have logged more miles on the Silvio on those same routes than I have done on two wheels in nearly 4 years. Hills where I have had "stall and fall" incidents in years past I power up in gear combos that were impossible on my highracers. These bikes work and do it well.
Simply amazing and anyone in the PNW wanting to try one I will happily demo and get you set up - I am sold on these bikes and am proud to now be a part of the Cruzbike world!
Robert
