[QUOTE=79th Frame][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=3][FONT=Arial]I have found a new Canondale recumbent at a local dealership. It's being repaired so I didn't try a ride on it but it's just minor adjustment of the rear deraileur hanger. It seems to be comfortable and I like the high stance. The price of $1600 is about 20% off list. I assume that's not a great bargain but about normal for this bike new.
I'll go ride before I buy but let me ask some questions about this bike because the world changed between my last ride and today:
1. The shock absorber has me bothered. The idea of anything sprung, including a seat, seems 'impure' to an experienced rider (old guy) like me. It seems as though I'll waste all my energy bouncing the thing. Anyone want to reassure me?
{Depending on your riding style, that is a low percentage possibility, if you happen to resonate with
the natural frequency, it could happen, but probably not. Unfortunately your tentative new bent
rider trial rides will not give you any idea about whether this will happen}
2. The seat is so padded I can't believe it. It's like sitting on a sea sponge! Is this another energy waster or just normal on today's bikes? Remember, I have been away from serious riding for over 12 years. When I last built a bike, SIS shifters were so suspiciously new I wouldn't put them on my bike! The old rule was a hard seat for a hard-ass rider. Seats this soft were invitations to a sore butt. Have things changed?
{Bent seats are definitely on the cushy side, this one partakes of the Rans design. Remember you will not
be able to change positions on the seat like you can on a DF. This is an energy waster only from the
point of view of weight. (5-7# for a Rans type)}
3. The 16" and 20" wheels are bothering me. It seems to me I'll drop into every pot hole and feel every bit of irregular pavement. On a recumbent, what are the 'rules of wisdom' or common sense regarding tire size?
{Altho some benters go off road or into potholes, they are best avoided. All the weight is on the rear wheel. The tires are 1.95" so between the tires, suspension and seat you will not feel every bit of
gravel on the road. 16" is smaller than usual, 20" is not unusual. Mine is a dual 20", non suspended and
does very well with tires in the 1-1.25" range. }
4. Hubs are not specified for this bike so I assume they are whatever Canondale finds on the shelf to fit it. Maybe they don't make 'good' hubs for tiny tires? I'm used to a diamond frame with DurAce hubs that I've rebuilt several times as the bearings wore out. What are my worries with modern hubs? Why are these unbranded? Oh, and how often do you true these little wheels?
{Hubs will wear out in 50 to 100kmi unless you grease them and change the bearings every five yrs or so,
in which case they will last longer. The small wheels are very stiff and will never require truing. Short
spokes and small diameter rims make for bullet proof wheels. }
5. I am used to clipless pedals and shoes. This one has normal quills. Would you advise moving my clipless pedals over to the recumbent or do recumbent riders normally ride quills?
{You definitely want the quills for the first 100-300mi. Once you have the steering and handling down
pat you can switch. I would advise the use of pedals that allow ATB type cleats: ie recessed cleats and
semisoft soles as road pedals have plastic soles that can slip off the pedals more easily. ATB type shoes
with thin layers of rubberoid on the bottom are easier to walk in also. You don't want your shoes to slid
off the pedals. Suggested are SPD, Crank Brothers or Speedplay Frog and some like Bebops}
6. The gearing specs run from under 19" to 121" across 9X3 gears. The chain rings are 22-32-44 front and 11 to 34 rear in nine steps with a 20" rear wheel. I make it a true wheel size of about 24". My table runs 18.8" to 116.5" (am I missing something about the geometry of recumbents?) with very smooth and even patterns up the hub but no good crossover points. Is this a problem or do SIS shifters and nine-speed hubs make this a non-issue? I'm used to dealing with a 5-speed hub and a close-ratio Campy triple, with 'grinder' derailleurs and 'feelie' bar-end shifters. What are the issues here?
{9spd/triples result in shifting A LOT, it is totally unlike 5spd where you tend to vary your cadence a
lot more til you run out of your comfort zone and shift. With 9spd you tend to keep a more constant
cadence and shift all the time, 2-3x as much as 5 spd.}
7. I use (non-SIS) bar end shifters. Do these have any application to a recumbent with SIS hubs? {No opinion here}
8. It has bosses for a chain guard (I assume from their position) but no chain guard was in place. Do I need to bargain for one, buy one, or forget having one? That is a lot of chain capable of throwing a lot of muck at me. I use excellent chain oils and keep my chains super clean, but...
{Unless you are really high cadence type I find it hard to imagine chain slinging off oil....?}
9. Are there other features I need to check out or pay attention to?
10. Are there other accessories I need to have or consider?
{If weather is not a hassle, consider fenders, those tiny wheels have a tremendous rooster tail on wet
roads. Check out how the bike mounts water bottles and carries tools (back of seat bags are readily
available for Rans type seats, water bottle mounts are sometimes an afterthought. }
Steve