Old 09-24-13, 06:26 AM
  #25  
cplager
The Recumbent Quant
 
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Fairfield, CT
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Bikes: 2012 Cruzbike Sofrider, 2013 Cruzigami Mantis, 2016 Folding CruziTandem

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Hi Luis,

Originally Posted by lblando
(B) FWD. I've learned (finally), what MBB stands for...and apparently there are some people who swear by it, and some who don't like it. A bit of a passion I've detected. And yet, it is an important variable for me as it appears that if you can (1) stand the slight movement of the BB without hurting your knees, and (2) can get used to handling a FWD, the fact that the chain is shorter etc makes those designs better for climbing and speed (at the same level of effort).
MBB - Moving bottom bracket - meaning the bottom bracket (and the pedals) move when you turn the steering.

When starting out, pedal steer (having the bike turn when you pedal) is a big deal. After getting used to the bike, it's not a big deal at all (many MBB riders can ride with no hands).

I know of many people who ride a MBB bike who have knee problems and no issues. I know of one individual who had (I believe) a knee replacement and for him it was an issue.

With most recumbents, you can't really pull hard and the handlebars (this is not universally true). With MBB bikes, you can. This means that for short periods of time, I find it easier to put out a lot of power on my MBB bikes than my LWB recumbent. There's a great debate about whether or not one can put out more power over a long period of time. I would claim said debate is still going on. (Yes, as you pointed out, it is clear that no idlers and shorter chain mean less losses on the drivetrain.)

Most people who try MBB bikes (after giving them a chance) like them. A few hate them. If you (or anybody else) is interested, I recommend looking at these short instructional videos. You can also read about my experiences learning here.

Cruzbike has a conversion kit that sells new for $400. You can convert an old y-frame mountain bike (often easily found on Craigslist) and have a recumbent up and running for $500 (less if you find a used kit). It's a great way to get a cheap bike and not a bad way to get a nicer bike (My Cruzigami Mantis is a Cruzbike converted folding bike).

If anybody wants to ask me questions about these bikes, you can PM me or visit the Cruzbike Forum.

Cheers,
Charles
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