Jorin

I have a SWB (Optima Lynxx, to be exact), with a coil over rear shock and a rigid front fork... The other day, turning off the highway I hit a rough patch (we have lots here...), and the bike almost bucked me off due to the bump. Should I be worried about getting fully bucked off, and if so, is there something I can do to protect myself? I have the shock cranked down tight.

MaxBender

I worry about that too. When I hit bumps at speed on my Rans Rocket, I get bucked too. The bumps up cause more bucking than the dips and potholes.

And it does not have any suspension!
(Unless you count the cushy seat)

Wheelchairman

I dought you could help it. If your shock has a damper adjustment, then that's the 1st thing I'd look at. If it doesn't then I don't know. I've never ridden a SWB bike, but in my experiences with trikes, if you do hit a bump and get airborne, the safest thing you could do is stop pedeling. If you're half way through a pedal-stroke, then you're bound to flick the rear wheel sideways whilst airborne, throwing you across the road. I'm sure the same action would result in a 2-wheeled bent getting crossed-up, and possibly resulting in a crash. So stop pedaling when u hit a bump. That's all I've got

cfblue

Are you using clipless pedals? If your feet stay where they are supposed to, and your hands stay where they are supposed to, most likely, so will your behind.

I would never dream of riding my trike w/o a real solid connection, one good bump, and with over 5000 miles, I've had plenty, and w/o the solid connection the feet are off the pedals with the potential of going under the machine.

Jorin

Thanks for the info... in other words, this is part of the package. I am riding Time pedals (amazing! Better than my SPDs by far, and I prefer to my Speedplay X-series as well), and figured that if I kept hold of bar, and with the feet attached at the pedals, I would PROBABLY land butt to seat. I have turned up the tension on the coil over, to take some of the bounce out of the rear end as well. Guess I will just hang on and pray. :-)

vik 

I felt a bit like I might get bucked out on my Vision R40 with USS. Partially because of the short wheel base and partially because of the USS. With my Volae ASS I don't get that feeling at all.

BikeZen.org

My bike has no such problems. Comparing pictures of your bike with my bike, one thing I notice is that the angle of your shock can be adjusted anywhere from vertical to maybe 15 degrees. Mine is currently at about 15 degrees. Maybe changing the shock angle would help? Unfortunately, that may also adjust your seat angle to a position that doesn't work for you.

Of course, it goes (almost) without saying that clip pedals help keep you connected. I love my BeBops, and my old Speedplays are pretty good too. Stop pedaling when the going gets nasty, and you won't have any self-inflicted side-to-side motion to contend with.

Slowing down is often a good idea, too. (I know, it's counter-testosterone, but believe me it's far better than a broken hip.)

vik 

Slowing down??...what! Never....

Jorin

What?!!??!! Slow down?!?!??!!? That would involve... oh, great, I'm going to have to use the "b" word....


brakes.


There, I said it. Are you happy with yourself?

Seriously, I have the seat laid back pretty far, and I think I will just stop pedaling and stay neutral... it sounds like what is happening to me is pretty normal, so I don't think I will stress too much about it.

Thanks for the feedback. There is one other 'bent rider in the city I live near, but that is all I know of in my province at this point, so I don't have much in the way of a local expert to help.

BlazingPedals

Slowing down sounds like an extreme solution. Isn't it easier to not hit the bump?

vik 

seat belt might work as well?...

Jorin

You haven't ridden here, have you? The bump was the least of all evils... and it comes at the entrance to the only paved road in town... I have driven all around NA, and I feel comfortable saying we in Saskatchewan have the consistently worst roads I have ever seen... oh well.

And no, I am not going to wear a seat belt. If I wanted to be that safe, I would play a team "sport." ;-)

gnome

I have a rigid SWB and have to stop pedalling or even slow down when the road is really bumpy. Have you tried replacing the standard coil over shock with an air/oil shock unit?

Jeepescu

With all due respect, I doubt your roads are worse than Montreal. It just simply can't be. Even our bike paths are bumpy and cracked ...

Jorin

I have been in Montreal... they are not great, but we do have you beaten. That said, I am sure some of what you have is really bad.

That is what happens when you have 10s of thousands of KM of road, and only 900,000 people to pay for it...