How fast is a CruzBike Vendetta?
Vložit
- čas přidán 31. 07. 2024
- I wanted to give you guys some examples of the speeds I am getting this year on the Vendetta. I am just now getting back into shape so I am not as fast as I hope I will be, but I am close to what I was doing last year.
FWIT a common mistake made by those new to recumbents is to gear too high, and spin too slow! This mistake is magnified by manufacturers who routinely overgear the stock bikes they market. This is the magic combo for injury on a recumbent as people make the mistake of riding in too big a gear by leveraging their leg power via pushing against the seat back and wind up blowing out their knees. I rode a 20" wheeled RANS Rocket in the mountains of Maine for about 3 years and loved every minute of it! Recumbents are the Ferraris of cycling!That said the standard gearing of the Rocket was wayyyyyyy too high for the mountains and I used a mountain bike chainwheel and 11/34 cassette. I routinely hit 45-50 on steep downhills and generally was able to keep pedaling until around the high 30 mph range despite the low gearing and small wheels. I'm 5' 10" and weigh 140 lbs and because of body type am forced to spin rather than grunt. My cruising cadence was around 120 and I could sprint for a short distance up to about 170/180. I've never been able to figure out why so many cyclists seem to equate gearing down with wimping out? I came to cycling from a background in sports car racing and we thought nothing of spending hours swapping out gearing based upon the particular demands of the track we were racing on...and swapping out gearing in a race car is a bit more complex, costly and time consuming than on a bicycle! Because of the far more efficient aerodynamics of recumbents top speeds are nowhere as nearly tied to huge chainwheels and tiny rear cogs as on uprights. So why risk blowing out your knees by gearing too high?
Woah, the aerodynamics really shine through in your examples!
Great video. On the hill climb, I noticed you were mashing just a little bit. It's easy to run out of gears on a recumbent at both the low end and the high end because of the wider performance envelope. If you have lower gears and your cardiovascular system is good enough, I'd say spin instead of mashing, which saves your muscles and knees, plus you recover quicker. I'm putting even lower gears on my bacchetta, because I've learned that it's not the distance that gets you first, it's not even the mountains it's those rollers that are just steep enough and high enough to ruin your rhythm and sap your energy. That's why I'm a big fan of lower gearing. Your aerodynamics will make up for your lack of a giant top gear. Best of luck this season please update us on your progress. Cheers
wow !!! you're so lucky to be riding with a regular roadie bike club !!
Cool Bean! I own an early Cruzbike. A Cannonade MTB / Cruzbike Frankenstein creation. It's 40 lbs and the perfect NYC Bike to take on Urban Jungle. Keep it up speedy! btw- I'm about 15 lbs too heavy:)
How does it do on dirt? I have friends that do gravel grinding. The Vendetta is a no go on dirt, but I thought a more upright seat position with bigger tires might be doable.
Thank you sir.
Those hills looks cool to ride!
Thank you for your video.
I'm thinking about buying a recumbent bike for my next one and I'm starting to look into it.
I didn’t even realize that Cruz bike was still in business. I remember back in the day when they used to offer that recumbent kit to To convert standard bikes into recumbent bikes. They use to offer those for like Four hundred bucks.
Nice! I have a S30 and love it. It's not quite as aerodynamic so my top speed coasting has been about 35/36mph. And over that I want to use the brakes as I'm not comfortable with speeds over that when there are cars around me even on a 4 lane road. Too much can happen too quickly.
How did you get the video and the speed on it?
I added a NuVinci back wheel, with the infinite gearing hills are easier as you can fractionally backup as the hill gets harder and you can keep up your momentum. As well when you come to a stop at a traffic light you just change down to start in your best settings, can’t call it gear.
good job
I have a Burly Limbo that I just purchased for $200 with all the bells and whistles with the overtopped handlebars. It’s heavy and slow. I also have an Actionbent with the handlebars underneath. It’s much lighter and faster. However the tubing chain cover often get caughup in the crank even with the clamps that supposed to keep the tubing from moving
.
Memory lane: I had an Actionbent as well before moving on to a Bacchetta Corsa, then a Carbent and finally a Cruzbike Silvio: those Cruzbikes do away with several drawbacks of the typical recumbents and excel on hills.
Nice video.
Biker man👍🏻👍🏻
Nice video! I’ve had a Lightning Bikes Stealth - super comfortable and fast - but not as fast as my Bacchetta high racer. My Bacchetta rides a bit slower than my V20. Same power output shows my V20 almost 2 mph faster in same conditions.
that 2mph is a plus or minus kind of measurement. Any gains are offset by extra calories and effort used in upper body. A total waste of energy since it is not expended to cause forward motion. And if there were any speed gains it would be aerodynamic related. The CA2.0 can cheat the air just as much with a little bit of modification.
@@davidfalgout7304 you're actually wrong. Using arms you can gain a lot of watts, which help you go faster, even in endurance rides. Furthermore, the chain drive is more efficient.
@@benbraceletspurple9108 ...are you serious ? Explain how energy used by arms to fight the pressure on each pedal stroke helps in forward locomotion! I can not wait to hear this.... ( be careful you are now thought of as an idiot-savant... choose your words carefully or else there will be no doubt)
looks interesting!
want to race a carney in cyxs in 2022?
I picked up a Lightning Stealth ot play with but I am not clear on what gear choice is best on a recumbent versus a road bike. Could I trouble you to list the number of teeth on your front and rear gears?
noice
I like to own one and how much is it ?.
So with a year more of riding your recumbent, how did the 100 go. Are you about topped out now on speed?
Like you I am undertall. If I could just stretch out from 5'10 to 6'4,,,
So what equipment are you using that shows the speed and such on the screen, that is pretty cool.
Aerodynamics matters in cycling and there is a definite advantages in that bike position. Just coming from riding the traditional road race bike I just wonder how will be on the street or hills?
PS, do you loose that ability to hop over bumps etc. Or can you lift up also?
You pretty much hit the bumps full force. I will lift my head when hitting bumps. It jolts you pretty good, but since the bump is spread across your entire back, it isn't that bad. On hills, it feels like a full body workout. It is manageable with the right gearing.
They're sprinting uphill !
We have a very competitive group of guys and girls in my club. Thankfully they are all great and a lot of fun to ride with.
@@bwalker642 that's awesome. reminds me of the group i ride with here - we're always attacking and forming chase groups and just having a blast in general. if you keep attacking those hills hard all the way over the top, those 'intervals' will bring your fitness up to the point that the group will have to be large and work hard together to have any chance of bringing you back!
The hills are great for the youngsters, to remind the oldsters they are getting passed by and get the youngsters in shape for life.
Cycle for life.
Thanks for the reply. I like going fast and being comfortable. But I'm retired, so comfort is more important right now.
I would consider the S40. I like that the incline is such that you aren’t necessarily laying on your neck. I would think for comfort either the v20 or S40 are great choices. I am trying to figure out this upright bike think and have to say my rear end and neck hurt so bad after riding any length of time. On the Cruzbike the only thing that hurt was my legs from the exercise. I am switching to mountain biking but only because of where I live has a lot more to offer compared to road biking. I have to say I really miss the speed.
Are you using clip in pedals?
Can you use the same gruppo as on regular bikes, like a Campagnolo or a Shimano Dura-Ace?
Yes, the bike uses the same clip on pedals as any other bike. You can use any set of pedals you prefer.
All components are the same as any road bike. The difference is the steering and the seat , Everything else is available at any bike shop.
I currently ride a Bacchetta Giro 26 and average around 30 kms per hour on flat roads.
Is the V20 much faster and are they difficult to ride?
Hey Bryan, I'm about to purchase the S40 and worry about braking. Like you, I'm a bigger guy (240 LB). How confident are you with your brakes at speed? Have you upgraded from the brakes that come with the Vendetta? I'd like your thoughts here. :-)
I think if you add front faring disk wheels and a tail box you average speed would increase 4 to 7mph faster
Aqui no Brasil parece que estou na pré história, não tem nenhum fabricante de reclinadas as 3 que já tive foram construídas por mim e já tive contato com fabricantes nacionais de bicicleta e aconselhei fabricarem mas eles não tem interesse.
I have a CruzeBike 559. It's more upright, so that, including my 73 years of age slows me down a bit. Where were the upright bikers when you finished your ride,and how far ahead or behind? It would be interesting to compare your speed on this course comparing you on an upright to you on your Vendetta.
On this course I am normally with the fastest group. There isn’t much climbing and we regroup after hills. On the regroup I am normally middle of the pack but many of the riders are in amazing shape. On a course with more climbing, I am normally the middle of the group again. I would definitely recommend the more upright models for more comfort. The Vendetta is somewhat difficult to balance at slow speed compared to a more upright model like the S40 so climbing can feel more like a fight compared to a less reclined version.
@@bwalker642 - I'd also recommend looking for a used Cruzbike Silvio. Very capable, and easier angle than the Vendetta which is really just for going fast.
That was super helpful. Thank you! I had someone tell me the Vendetta is twitchy. Do you experience that?
I have a V20 and it is my first recumbent so I can't compare it to others, but what I can say about it compared with my road bike is that it is more twitchy. Due to the design and speed of it, you really have to focus more. You can get worn out trying to muscle it where you want to go, but it doesn't take much steering input to weave between other riders. Also, you have to plan a little bit further ahead since it is faster.
whats the wheele size on this bike?
700c
Do you experience lower bracket slipping? If so, what is your answer?
Tighten it up more. It worked on mine
@@casualguy393 FYI, loctite works. Found it on the cruzbike forum and tried it.
@@rmrlaw Yeah, I used it on my DF PF30 cups, and I will do it when I install the Dura Ace cups on my V20 in a year or so when I upgrade to Di2. As for everything else, no creaks or slipping so far.
Im at 341 and riding a recumbent. Love it. I have a Tour Easy but want something faster
CruzBikes racers are fast, but it takes a while to learn to ride without pedal induced steering problems. But easier than a Flevo, of course.
A mid-racer or high racer rides like an ordinary bike, but is also really fast. Peddling is isolated from steering, so there's very little pedal induced steering to get used to.
You might try the Cruzbike Forum and see if you can pick up a used bike to save money. They don't seem to offer the conversion kit any more.
Claude Thanks. Didn’t even think about the pedal/steering issue
@@user-ss6zt2mo1l
I found a video by CruzBikes about how to ride them. Apparently the trick is to push lightly on the left handlebar while pushing the right pedal to balance the forces.
You might want to check out the video and think about it while you're deciding. The CruzBike has the advantage of two large wheels like a high racer, to reduce rolling resistance, yet a low seat like a mid-racer.
czcams.com/video/G8Of-QS_w7M/video.html
In comparison with a trike, have an ICE SPirnt X 26Tour trike. In lowest gear am doing 2mph at 80 cadence taking it easy. In top gear spin out at 30mph, the trike though will speed up to about 37 mph going down the local hills.
If you are struggling going up hill, it isn't your bike or bike position. You weigh 225 lbs. and people who weigh 225 lbs. are not good climbers. Jonas Vingegaard, the guy won the Tour De France this year and one of the best climbers weighs 132 lbs. Even the sprinters in the Tour, who are some of the strongest riders in the world, struggle just to finish in the mountain stages because of their weight. Sprinters are usually more likely to be in the 160-170 lb. range and that's 170 lbs. of pure muscle.
no doubt, the recumbent bike will allow you to go much faster in a flat and downhill stretches, but probably slower going uphill since you can't get out of the saddle to ride. Also, if you really want to lose more weight, a regular bike will definitely use much more of your full body muscles.
in a cruzbike you can turn against the wheel to sort of emulate that back and forth rocking force. if you want to lose weight they should do what's fun, if they want to be extremely efficient about using their body they should use a rowing machine + swimming and mix up with other types of cardio.
I am not sure exactly how much power you lose switching from a regular road bike to a V20, but you can still pull on the bars during the pedal stroke to simulate leg presses on a machine. I think what hurts just as much as the reduced wattage is the extra weight in the bike over a diamond frame. You also have to compute in balance. Going slow on a V20 is not going to be as easy to keep the bike straight. I don't have a power meter, and don't do climbs so often. I most go fast on the flats. But I do have a 1500m climb coming up and what worries me more is keeping it in the bike lane on the climb, not having enough power.
Last few years 'standard' bikes have become painfully annoying to me... mainly to the neck, but also the butt, wrists, forearms, shoulders, etc.
When I look at this gent, whose made a stellar video about recumbent bicycles for us, and his neck, forward head positioning, while leaning way back... 0:13 I see and feel pain. I gotta somehow find a way to try one of these bad boys before buying.
Your inseam does natter on an upright bike by the simple fact your saddle will be higher off the ground.
Hm this or the bacchetta ca3.0
It would be great to see watts, weight and speed to really have an idea of speed.
I live in hills and a 4500 dollar racer is much faster than any equivalent recumbent.
In the future I'm looking to get a 10,000 dollar recumbent, which might, maybe be faster than a 10000 dollar TT bike, but it will be close. I can do 47 mph with only 1,250 watts, so I may be a special case with upright aerodynamics. It takes away a lot of the benefits and then exasperated the negatives of 'bents since I climb at 3.6 to 5 watts/kilo for an hour to 15 minutes. That's a 4 minute difference in a 20 min climb, and 10 minutes faster than a bent on an hour climb.
* time difference based on the base V20c weight of 28.5 lbs, and my racer which is only 17.5 lbs for the same price.
Good stuff. Compare your cadence to the other riders as they passed you. They had to really work hard to pass. Lol
Most depends on the rider
Their secret for them passing you by uphill....gravity assist.
It is no faster than other top shelf recuments. CA2.0, Carbents, M5's etc. When I had mine, I would use way more calories to cover 50 miles on the CB VS my CA2.0. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.. you are going to need it!
That makes sense since it is more about aerodynamics of the position than the bike itself. Sorry to hear that the Vendetta didn't work out. I looked at the Carbon Aero Bechetta's when I was in the hunt. That bike looks very comfy. I always see that model at races I attend. They love how comfortable those bikes are. Glad you found a recumbent that works for you.
the easiest way to compare is with a power meter and you'll see that on a flat road, the cruzbike takes less power for the same speed as every other production recumbent with the M5 being the closest, perhaps equal until the road pitches up a little. still, you have a good point that compared to a road bike, the speed profile for most any racing recumbent is similar. i'm always surprised there are not more people enjoying them!
The moving bottom bracket bike needs to be steered by angling the pedal strokes. With practice it takes no effort from the hands to steer.
I have pictures of Tom Traylor riding no hands at the San Diego Velodrome.
Whether it's worth learning the technique is a personal decision. After years of looking for the best all around bike, I found the BikeE to be the most user friendly.
But now and then, I still dream of a good high racer. The BikeE is a really fast beach cruiser, but it's not as fast as my Iron Horse hybrid bike. The 700c tires really make a difference.
@Finna Sprang
Th BikeE is the most user friendly bike I've tried so far. I have faster machines and more expensive machines, but for running around town the BikeE is the first choice.
Travel is about more than just running as fast as possible in a straight line and race-ready isn't the only measure of quality.
@Finna Sprang
Mostly they look at me and say, "Cool bike!"
People like the recumbents. I think it's the novelty factor and the lawn chair posture.
Dude, you're tall enough for an M5 CHR. The V will really start to mess up your legs once your power goes up. Your knees will hate that bike.
How do you order those? The website is extremely confusing.
Put one of those fit guys on it against the other fit guys and see what happens.
Riding 2 years and you have a $3000 bike?
I've been riding hard for 4 years, and not only have a $4000 V20(Campagnolo Bullets, Conti 5000s, Shimano 105s, new bars and a few more tidbits) but a $7000 titanium bike. It's a lot better than drinking, doing drugs and galavanting around ;)
@@casualguy393 Point well made. My first reaction with people who spend so much money with so little experience is that they are depending on the gear rather than their own skill.
@@drytool Ah, ok. Now I get it. That is important info ;)
Speaking of that, I sometimes ride with a triathlete here in Japan. He has an old, rusted out steel-framed cross bike with what I think are 38mm wide tires and straight bars. The first time I rode with him I flew by him on my titanium bike doing about 40kph never thinking he'd chase me or try to catch up, and if he did, it would take a really long time since I blew his doors off (he was on a joy ride). Less than a minute later he pulled up next to me smiling, not even wheezing yet. I looked at his bike wondering where the motor was, dumbfounded.
I looked really stupid all slicked out in my sexy pants, fingerless gloves and fancy helmet riding with what looked like a homeless dude on a bike from Goodwill.
To be honest, I'm kinda glad I haven't seen him in a couple of months. Maybe he is biking across Thailand again. I hope he is.
@@casualguy393 What an awesome story!!
@@drytool Kinda humiliating too. Maybe I need an $80 steel framed tank with solid rubber tires to work out on haha.
Yeh but their cheating by standing up using their weight to give power you don't its just sheer leg power i had a lovley fujuin and once i passed the rodies they didn't often catch me up uphill or down
being overweight + being on a recumbent + going downhill = ?????
The V20 costs like $4000 complete. Cheaper than some high end road racers. But do you think your'e getting value for your money. It's not cheap or even affordable for most people. Everybody's price tolerance is different. Put it another way. Do you think the $4000 is justified? Most people would scold me and say "don't your get business, it's economies of scale, etc...."
Most anyone can eventually ride a CB. Almost no one can ride them well. The problem is you have to balance power from both legs for the entire 360's on both legs at all times. When you don't, you have to counter the pressure of your powerful leg, with the less powerful upper body. In real life, this bike is like wrestling a very powerful reptile.... snake alligator your choose. After 2,000 mile and 1 year, I decided to try a non front wheel drive recumbent. It was a revelation and epiphany to how much fun a bent can be when you are not constantly fighting your legs. CB says you can make more power by incorporating your upper body. The TRUTH is you have to incorporate your upper body and that becomes very tiring... even after your in great shape. That is just the way it is. It is a flawed design... IMHO. UNLESS you are able to spin equally with both legs, your legs will always over power your arms and upper body. I have ridden with and behind many CB riders. Everyone of them fight the bike the entire time. I sold my CB at a loss, as fast as i could... and love my Bacchetta. The only way I would take a CB is if you gave it to me. Then I would sell it cheap! Yes I could rides hands off, supposedly the test to see if you are good enough. I guess the CB might be for some people, but the bike I found was dangerous. IF you are not paying attention, you can steer yourself real fast into a heap of trouble!!! Personally, i can not see how they are still in business.
Thanks for your honest opinion. I've been following CB for many years. If you're not a a true believer, some overzealous forum members will drive you off the site. I guess marketing to the super rich keeps them in business. Their youtube viewship is like in the low hundreds. While that is not an indicator of company health, its very odd.
I can't say I have had the same experience riding as the rider above but everyone is different. I don't have any issues controlling. It still isn't comfortable riding in peloton, but that is more due to having a different speed profile. You are either on the brakes or pedaling like mad, but never really cruising with the other riders. It is also impossible to provide a draft to upright riders.
Once I got used to riding it, I can press pretty hard when sprinting without causing steering issues. It does definitely work your abs, obliques and biceps, and since you are pulling with your hands, you feel like you have had a death grip on the handlebars after an intense ride.
The speeds are the same as other recumbents in a similar configuration since it is mostly aerodynamics. The main reason I went with CruzBike is for the built in knee protection and the climbing ability. From my experience, you can climb almost as fast as upright bike riders who have the same physical fitness level as yourself. I also really worry about my knees which I found a study discussing the benefits of a movable bottom bracket on recumbents since it is easy to over-stress your knees by pushing too hard. I would think you could manage this on other recumbents if you setup the bike right and are careful.
The bike is expensive, but if you check out the CruzBike forum, there are used ones that come up every so often. There is the option to build from a frame kit like I did. Of all the guys I ride with, I still have the cheapest bike by almost half. If you are getting into road racing, getting the bike is just the starting point from an expense standpoint. If you plan on riding a lot, you will start upgrading components and there is also the cost of going to race events. If you want to do any gravel grinding or bike packing, the Vendetta is not a good option. It is primarily great if you want to go fast on the road and like competing.
Good luck with your decision. It is amazing how much better I feel since I started riding. It is also something I look forward to doing since it is so much fun to get outside and ride so staying motivated is easy. Recumbents are a great choice for eliminating the common pain upright riders experience.
@@davidfalgout7304 I agree that you have to incorporate the upper body more but that is not a flaw from my perspective. I have ridden a V20 for about 7000 miles in 1-1/4 years and love the ease of cruising along at 21-22 mph by myself or behind some DFers. My upper body has strengthened some compared to the Giant I used to ride. All of the learning curve you talk about I have incorporated into muscle memory and I do not think about it anymore, autopilot. I suppose user experience may vary, but I do not think you can generalize your experience to all riders. I have ridden several rolling hill centuries (miles) with no pain. Like anything, you have to go out and do the work to become adapted to new toys. I will never go back to a DF and as an engineer, I grimace when I look at rear wheel recumbent chain and front wheel compromises. The next bike I get will likely be another Cruzbike when they invent something that I just cannot do without.
@@williamwightman8409 Have you ridden a Carbent or CA2.0? AND IF YES.... HOW FAR/ long?
Get a younger bloke who is super fit on a downhill stretch please