[superj]

Ha ha ha, she gave in because she wanted some cosmetic modifications done to her that I didn't feel were necessary so she made a deal of the bike for what she wants done

[rynoman03]

Sounds like a fair trade I suppose. That seat has quite a rake to it, I would think it would feel kinda weird at first.

[retromike3]

Bet it turns a pretty quick turning radius. I have a long wheelbase one myself. My old bike was also a long wheelbase recumbent but, it's steering was set up so that I had better than 1 to 1 steering ratio so, I could just crank it over and pretty much point where I wanted it. I've been having a little more trouble with my new one. I can't seem to get the "feel" of the handle bar. I almost got it going but I still am a bit hesitant in traffic.

Good luck,

Mike Frye A.K.A. Frye Bikes

[superj]

it does turn well, like a normal bike. sometimes it is so quick that you can fall over outwards, easily. also, the wheels come out from under you quickly in any kind of slick surface. i ate it already turning into a church driveway. i felt the wheels going a way i wasn't aiming so i flung my feet down and out but the bike kept going to the side. it caught my left leg and sat me down on the driveway. my butt feels bruised now, ha ha ha. on a normal bike, it wouldn't have happened but i haven;t quite got the hang of this laying back yet so it took me down.

also, when really flying along in the top gears, the bike feels really loose. like it could very easily come out from under you. you really have to keep your head in the game at high speed or you are going to eat it bad. i topped out at 35 today (wind behind me) and did a stretch at 29.5 for two miles and it felt like i could have laid the bike down a pretty fair amount of that time. i guess since your weight is on the back wheel, instead of more centered, it takes some getting used to.

the rake on the seat does take a bit to get used to also. i laid the seat back a little more today because in the pic earlier, it was really upright. i adjusted the bars and laid the seat back to nice reclined position and you can really feel the air flowing over you instead of hitting your chest and tumbling around you.


a few more rides on this thing and i should be perfect though. the ride i did today is my old practice route, when i only have about 40 minutes to ride. it gives me a long workout into the wind and then a long flat 3 miles of no stops to go as fast as i can. my normal average speed in the 20-30 mph headwind is 11-12 mph and today i averaged 14 into the headwind.

[BlazingPedals]

Superj, you should make sure the bike is the right size for you. One reason that Bacchetta tries to sell only through its dealer network is to make sure the owner gets the right fit - which of course is bypassed when someone buys a used one.

Bacchetta has a page for fitting and one for adjusting.
http://bacchetta.com/support/fitting/
http://bacchetta.com/support/fitting/rider_setup.php

If your weight is too far back, the bike can feel like you're describing. If the frame is a bit on the small size for you, you may improve handling by using slightly less recline. Or, some of what you're feeling is just getting used to the new position and learning how to ride recumbents in general. Recumbents definitely don't like slippery conditions; they put you in a position that makes it hard to recover from a slide.

[superj]

I think it's just learning the new bike.

Dude, I love this bike. I took it out on my 14 mile route and it was so nice and comfortable but I could still feel it working me out. But even in 45mph wind gusts, it was a blast and was perfect. Plus, having that trunk on the back let's me stop at which ever store and buy junk and have a place to carry it.

[rynoman03]

Post up a pic of your actual bike when you get a chance.

[superj]

here it is

[BlazingPedals]

Yeah; with the seat there, the weight distribution should be fine. It's probably just a matter of learning the position. Keep the upper body relaxed and just let your arms hang from the handlebars. Steer by gently pulling one side toward you rather than what you're probably used to with uprights: pushing on one side.

[superj]

Yes, same as steering a motorcycle. I learned yesterday that I am not hitting all the gears. For some reason, it doesn't hit the top or bottom gears on the back. I am going to have to tinker with it some