It's Fine To Recline

[Allister]

It's finally arrived!

To recap - three and a half months ago I ordered my first bent, a Bacchetta Giro 26. After countless delays, a large box was delivered to my house late this afternoon.

It took me a bit under an hour to assemble everything, but it all went together without complication or missing pieces, so that was good.

The first push-off was a little nerve racking - remember this is the first time I've ever ridden a two wheeled recumbent and only the second time on a bent of any description - but it took surprisingly little time to get the feel for it. A few turns up and down the street (and tweaking the seat and handlebars) and I was feeling pretty confident. So, I put on my SPD shoes and tried it clipped in. No problems. This bike is surprisingly easy to adapt to.

I took it out for a 15km spin after dinner to really try it out. I'm still fairly wobbly, especially starting off, but practice makes perfect as they say. Still debating whether I'll ride it to work tomorrow. I want to, but the traffic here can be somewhat, um, unforgiving, so we'll see.

I don't have anything to compare them to, but I'm sold on the 'tweener' bars. Very comfy position, and my fears about them interfering with my legs proved unfounded. There's definitely a technique to them, but nothing too difficult.

The seat is very comfy, although I'm concerned about how easily the mount slides back. If anyone has a solution to this, I'd certainly appreciate it. It rolls over Brisbane's somewhat 'agricultural' streets nice and smooth - the seat absorbs a surprising amount of shock.

Only other niggle - I think it may have more to do with my shoe setup - I've got a bit of a twinge behind my right knee after the ride. I think I may have had the seat too far back, or rather, it slid back (see above) and I was overextending my knee. I was also getting some numbness in my right foot. I may have to look at the cleat position and push it back a bit.

I'm also painfully aware now of what people mean when they talk about getting their 'recumbent legs'. Looks like I've got a couple of weeks of mild pain ahead of me. :)

Thanks to all who offered advice that proved very helpful too. I see what you mean about steering with a light touch and keeping the upper body relaxed. All in all, today's been a delightful revelation, and the months of waiting are almost forgotten already.

[Mars]

That is fabulous! Best of luck with your awesome new ride. If your experience is anything like mine, you will have some knee pain from a tendency to mash the gears more than you did on the upright...

Those Bachettas are cool, nice choice, man!

[Paul L.]

I found I had numb feet when the seat was too far back. Does the Giro have the plastic seat clamp that goes around the tube like the Strada? I never had a problem with Slippage until a particularly hot 200k a few weeks back and I found I had to screw the quick release one more time around and then it gripped tight enough. I have also heard of people lightly sanding the paint under the mount (I am a bit squeemish and wouldn't do this). Cleaning the area under the mount might work just as good, if a bit of grease or something got on there at any point during shipping or anything else that could do it.

[jeff-o]

Use Bondo on that joint to keep it from slipping.



*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage resulting from this suggestion.

[Allister]

I found I had numb feet when the seat was too far back.

That could be it, although it was only my right foot that got the tingles.

Does the Giro have the plastic seat clamp that goes around the tube like the Strada? I never had a problem with Slippage until a particularly hot 300k a few weeks back and I found I had to screw the quick release one more time around and then it gripped tight enough. I have also heard of people lightly sanding the paint under the mount (I am a bit squeemish and wouldn't do this). Cleaning the area under the mount might work just as good, if a bit of grease or something got on there at any point during shipping or anything else that could do it.

Yeah, it's a plastic clamp. I'm concerned about over-tightening, although when I discovered the slipping I did tighten it a bit more and it seemed to hold. Sanding the inside of the plastic rather than the frame might help. Cheers.

[bentrox!]

Congratulations! You've chosen well.
I've found the only times I experience numb foot/feet is when I've tightened one or both of my bike shoes a tad too much. If I wear them a little looser than I do on my upright bikes, the incidence of numbing is less likely. I've also done what others have recommended in positioning the cleats as far back toward the arch as your shoes will allow.

[Bianchiriderlon]

Would shimming it with a bit of black friction tape provide the "bite" needed to keep the clamp from moving?

[jeff-o]

Would shimming it with a bit of black friction tape provide the "bite" needed to keep the clamp from moving?

For a little while it will, until the tape breaks down and leaves behind a sticky mess.