Wednesday, February 11, 2009

rent my cruzbike thru bicycle forest



http://www.cruzbike.com/

I thought their product was interesting enough to order.

See my "unorthodox_recumbents" blog for more- Google it.

A few comments on building it:
- unless you can tear down and rebuild a bicycle, DON'T attempt it yourself
- take it to a bicycle shop and pay them to build it
- RTFM. You will need to acquire a coupla obscure and rare tools and parts
- the sad thing is that with more care at the company, this would have been a DIY.
- the parts are all very good quality
- the shipping costs were huge on the handlebars, but I wouldn't want the bike without them.

I had rented a Rotator SWB 'bent via Bicycle Forest the year before.
These guys were a joy to deal with!
http://www.bikeforest.com/rentals.php
D: the local guy operates out of his garage in Waterloo.
He has a simply amazing collection of commercial and custom 'bents.
If you ask nicely, he'll show you.
Anyway, in no time I was successfully riding the 'bent.

DON'T assume this means you can use a front-boom SWB Cruzbike on the road the first weekend.
It is a different beast entirely.
Admittedly, I bought a youth's frame on sale. 24" wheels, high seat combo.
I'm sure in time I will refer to my Cruzbike as nimble and agile.
Right now, unstable is the word I use.
I need much more practice before I'm willing to risk using a bike lane, let alone the road.

You see, the pedals and steering are connected.
You push on the pedal.
The steering... jerks!
OMG.
In time, this means you can steer with your feet.
I suspect the frame I selected will be fine up to 30kph, but will then destabilize.
This relegates the bike to commuting in my case, which is fine, I suppose.
I decked out the bike with heaps of various lights and locks and accessories.
I have Reelights, as well as a cheap Euro knockoff for amber sideways 'running lights'.
A coupla scares with cars pulling out on red lights to turn right convinced me this was wise.
I got tired of batteries dying during winter cycling, thus the terrific Reelights.
I have a screamer cable lock on it. As well as a standard U lock.
A coupla folding baskets at the rear.
I'm pondering making my own backpack/ adjustable rucksack mount.
I don't like strapping them down cuz of the chance of all those straps catching in the rear tire.
Plus a rucksack is too long.
This is a design issue with bents that nobody has addressed.

Still, I hafta learn how to handle a Cruzbike. It is training for my Mark II bike design.
Briefly, (again see other blog for more):
I - cheap DIY Flevobike GreenMachine BUT with proprietary suspension tested
II - pedal-thru-front-wheel mid-steerer, a bit Python esque
III - transforming partial fairing design
IV - no frame/ all exoskeleton 'pure' fairing design. A first.

The Mark I was proposed for the 'everybody bike design' this year. I didn't finish the CAD drawing, so will submit pics of the first prototype for next year.

Cheers.