Models

What products do you offer?

We make complete bikes, the Sigma, the Quest, Sofrider and the Freerider. Everything you need to ride down the road is included.

We make a frameset called Silvio. You need to supply the wheels and components, usually from a high-end road bike.

We make a conversion kit for the budget-minded or do-it-yourselfer who wants to convert a rear wheel drive bike to a front wheel drive recumbent.

What is the difference between a Sofrider and a Freerider? Which one would be better for me?

The handlebars reflect the difference in the two models. The Freerider has a wider handlebar with more possible adjustments while the Sofrider has more conventional handlebars.

The Sofrider is lighter, more aerodynamic and has 16 speeds. We recommend the Sofrider for

1) people who plan on longer rides or who need to commute; 2) people who don’t require the advantages of the wider bars; 3) people who like a bit of friendly competition with others; and 4) people who like to tour occasionally.

The logic behind the Freerider handlebars, apart from the relaxed lifestyle they invoke, is that the wide grip gives you easier control over the tendency for pedaling to affect steering. Because the handlebar rises from the telescopic front tube (TFT), it creates a larger cockpit. Freerider is more for shorter journeys or where enjoying the ride is paramount.

We recommend the Freerider for 1) people who are heavier, or more generously proportioned; 2) people who plan short neighbourhood hops; 3) people who want a little more upper body control and input; or 4) people who just like the “cool” look of the big handlebars.

What is the height range of people who can ride a Sofrider or Freerider?

In our experience, people from 5’1” to 6’5” can ride a Sofrider or Freerider.

What is the weight limit for a Cruzbike?

Here is a quote from our Owner's manual: "Rider weight: The Cruzbike frame, like most adult bicycle frames, is designed for riders up to 250 pounds (114 kg). While there are many Cruzbike enthusiasts whose weight exceeds 250 lbs., we cannot officially endorse its use for riders above this weight and we recommend caution and frequent examination of the frame and other components for signs of structural fatigue."

Are you going to make a Cruzbike for people above the weight limit?

Yes, in the future.

What other colors are available?

All models are produced in the colours pictured.

Buying

What if I buy one and I don't like it? Can I send it back?

Yes. You can rely on our "29-mile smile" guarantee, if you are familiar with the bike from riding it a couple of miles about every second day for a month,  in the unlikely event that it does not suit you we will take it back. Keep in mind it's better to ride a few miles per day over the course of a few weeks versus riding a bunch of miles in a couple of days before making up your mind whether the bike will be suitable for you. Once you are familiar with it, we are sure you will love your Cruzbike.

I have a disability/injury and I was wondering... will a Cruzbike allow me to get back into bicycling?

Cruzbikes have allowed many people with back, neck, shoulder, or other problems to renew their love of bicycling. But riding any bike requires a minimum of skill and strength. Here's a "rule-of-thumb" that applies to most people with an injury/disability: if you can ride a regular bike with pain, you can most likely ride a Cruzbike without pain. However, if your disability prevents you from riding a regular bike for even a few minutes, then you may want to consider alternatives such as trikes or handcycles.  If you think a Cruzbike may work for you, take advantage our our 30-day return policy and try one out.

What are the health risks of riding a regular road bike vs. a Cruzbike?

There have been numerous articles from peer-reviewed medical journals documenting and discussing the detrimental health effects of riding road bikes. This article discusses the major health issues of road bikes vs. Cruzbikes, and has a list of the reference articles for those who want more information.

How difficult is the assembly of the bicycle if I order through the Internet? Can I do it myself?

The bicycle comes 95% assembled and we provide step-by-step instructions. We recommend you have the final assembly done at your local bike shop, however many people do it themselves. If you take your time and work slowly, it takes about 90 minutes to complete the assembly. The assembly can be completed with tools found in a standard tool kit that sells for less than $20 at discount stores (the tool kit should include a set of metric allen wrenches). If you don't know how to adjust the brakes, find someone who does. Don't take any chances on improperly adjusted brakes.

I want to test ride a Cruzbike, but I don't have a dealer near me who carries one. What should I do?

As a new company, we are just beginning to sign-up dealers, so in many areas, there are no dealers. But there is a very good reason to skip the "bike shop test ride" anyway. We love bicycle shops. They are great places to buy bikes and accessories, talk to experts, and get repairs done. However, as a place to go for a test ride on a new kind of bike, most retail shops are not the best. Most people trying out any recumbent bike for the first time will prefer to have plenty of time and space. You don't want to worry about navigating a crowded or busy parking lot while trying to learn FWD recumbent balancing skills. It takes a combination of concentration and relaxation to do well on your first learning rides, and this is difficult to achieve at most retail outlets, which are usually located in busy retail districts. Hundreds of people all over the world have purchased Cruzbikes without a test ride. They made their decision based on research, common sense, and trusting the testimonials of others. They committed themselves to succeed on the Cruzbike before they touched one. When you are ready for your first test ride, dress for success... wear comfortable athletic shoes and a helmet. Take your time and get to know your new bike. You'll love it... we guarantee it. If you still are desperate to test ride one and there is no dealer near you, try asking our growing user group by posting a query on the Cruzbike forum. Goto http://www.cruzbike.com/phpbbforum/ and scroll down to "Find a local".

Why do they cost so much more than bicycles at Wal-Mart?

Cruzbikes are actually a bargain. The average cost of a recumbent bicycle is about $2400. We have done our best to keep the list prices as low as possible but the cost of developing a dual suspension, front-wheel-drive bike, with a pivoting boom is very high. Mass-market bikes (like those you find at Wal-Mart) are made in lots of many thousands and the tooling and set up costs for these have already been absorbed. Products like ours that are new and different are going to cost more. Someday, we hope that Cruzbikes will be selling in sufficiently high volume for us to be able to sell them at mass-market prices.

How much does shipping cost? ...and do you ship to my location?

In the 48 contiguous U.S. States, shipping cost for a kit is $50 and a bike is $75. For other locations, put a bike or kit in your shopping cart and click 'Checkout' to see what the actual cost is. We ship worldwide, except we don't ship to China, Laos, New Guinea, or Vietnam.

What is the warranty against faulty parts/workmanship?

All bicycles or kit parts manufactured for Cruzbike, Inc. are warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period from the date of purchase of TWO YEARS.

Riding

Can you ride off-road on a Cruzbike?

Yes you can. The near perfect 50-50 weight balance and equal sized wheels of the Cruzbike makes it ideal for off-road conditions. Be careful in your selection of tires, and lean forward during uphill work to keep good traction on the front wheel. Rails-to-trails offroading is perfect, however Cruzbikes have been seen on rugged donkey trails in Central Mexico (reference) and climbing snow-covered hills during Norwegian blizzards (reference)!

How would you describe the handling on a Cruzbike?

The handling is steady, not twitchy.  Suspension on the front and rear wheels helps keep the bike tracking true on even rough surfaces. The center of gravity is lower than on a regular bike and this makes for good, confident handling. The weight distribution is approximately 50% to 55% on the front wheel, which contributes to secure and predictable handling. The geometry of the Cruzbike is very specific to ensure it handles correctly.

Does your foot hit the wheel when you turn, as it can on other recumbent bicycles?

No. A unique feature of the Cruzbike is the ability to pedal through even tight turns. The Cruzbike design eliminates “heel strike” because the foot rotates in unison with the front wheel as it corners through a turn. Nevertheless, there are very sharp, slow turns where it will be more comfortable to coast with the outside foot near 12 o'clock, but the issue is not one of the foot striking the wheel, but of comfort... the limiting factor in a very sharp turn (a turn you are unlikely to encounter in real life) is being able to reach the "outside" pedal if you are pedaling, rather than coasting, through that turn.

Can your feet affect the steering when you are pedaling?

Yes. Because the Cruzbike has the pedals attached to the front fork structure, your legs and feet can either hold the front wheel straight or allow it to turn to the right or left.

How long does it take to learn to ride a Cruzbike?

Five minutes is long enough to get most people riding at a beginner level. The time it takes to ride confidently along narrow paths and around obstacles will depend on how much you practice, but it's usually about two or three weeks. It is better to practice a little everyday or every other day versus several hours in one day. Your mind and body need time to learn and adapt to a new riding style. Don't rush it. Enjoy the learning process in a safe environment away from traffic until you feel confidant that you can handle narrow trails and roadways.

Can you really ride "no-hands" on a Cruzbike?

Yes you can. It takes practice over several weeks or months, but it is a skill nearly all will acquire in time if they work at it. If you ride with a light pressure on the grips and practice this a little during each ride you will come to realize that you can ride with no pressure at all on the grips. As you become more comfortable riding hands free, even turns are possible. It takes time to allow the leg muscles that control lateral motion to adapt, but the payoff is the fun and freedom of riding “no-hands”. Another tip, think about pointing your toes forward a little more than usual. Whether you realize it or not, you are steering a Cruzbike with your feet from day one… you might as well learn to steer it where you want to go. Remember that riding hands free does not give the full responsiveness and control and your hands are not near the brake levers. Be careful if you want to practice “no-hands” riding. Always wear your helmet and practice in a safe area away from traffic.

Will I be faster on a Cruzbike? How well does it climb?

Based on our own experience and reports from hundreds of Cruzbike riders, the answer is a resounding YES. We have received many reports from Cruzbike owners that they ride not only more comfortably, but faster, than they did on their previous bike. Cruzbikes also climb hills exceptionally well because you can use your upper body and core muscles, unlike other recumbents but similar to road bikes. Hill-climbing requires good cardiovascular fitness. The more you practice, the better and faster you can climb hills on a Cruzbike. See the blog entry Thoughts on hill-climbing for an in-depth discussion of this. The more you ride, the more you develop the Cruzbike "body-english". Keep in mind that in general, recumbents weigh more than road bikes, and for this reason alone they are at a disadvantage when climbing. On the other hand, speed lost on climbing is usually more than made up for on the flat and downhill sections due to superior aerodynamics. Whether or not you will be faster on a Cruzbike, or better at climbing, will depends on many factors.

Any tips on the riding technique?

See the detailed competency based riding instructions prepared by one of our very first cruzbikers: Getting Started

Adjustments

My knees seem too close to the handlebar, what should I do?

Check the following: Is the pedal distance right? If adjusted too short, your knees may be too high. If you are under 5'6" you might move the seat support forward one or two positions on the frame, which will move your knees and pedals forward also Check your riding style, knees are supposed to some straight up, next to the steering tube - a bow-legged action is a poor technique on any bike. Try reversing the handlebar stem so it points backwards - disconnect the handlebar from the stem first, then swing the stem back and reconnect the handlebars.

I'm very tall, how should I set up the bike?

Move the seat support to the rear-most position. The seat support is between the seat pan and the frame.

I'm not very tall, how should I set up the bike?

Move the seat support to the forward-most position. The seat support is between the seat pan and the frame.

Modifications

Will the conversion work on my/this/that mountain bike?

There are hundreds of kinds of mountain bikes out there. Can you find a link that shows a picture of this model? The best place to check on such a question is on our forum, as the collective experience now exceeds our own and we read every post there anyhow. Please post a link to the conversion candidate that interests you in our forum.  We actively participate in the forum and like others to be able to see what new conversions are coming through. There are some surprising and wonderful stories there, for both doing the conversion and for doing special modifications.

Can the Cruzbike accept a front derailleur with a triple chainring?

Yes. Many people have successfully added either a double or a triple chainring and front derailleur to their Cruzbike. It works best if you have an x-seam above 38” (970mm) because when the pedals are moved in close for people with shorter x-seams, the chain may drag over the bottom of the front derailleur. Ask your local bike shop to install the necessary components (a long cage derailleur is recommended). You may also want to seek advice on our forums where many members have already performed this modification. 

Can you put disc brakes on a Cruzbike?

Yes, the Sofrider has tabs for a front wheel disk brake. There is no provision for disk mountings on the rear wheel. That wheel is substantially unloaded in serious braking, so a disk brake would have a marginal benefit.

The Silvio does not accept disk brakes, as it complies with component standards for road bikes.

Can you put fenders and a rear rack on a Cruzbike?

Yes, select from any mountain bike range of accessories for the Sofrider and any road bike range of accessories for the Silvio.

With a little ingenuity, you can hang panniers off the main frame under the seat as there is no chain to worry about, You can fit a rack to the rear seat post and hang them off that two – get a rack designed to work with a mountain bike with rear suspension and with a pair of rails hanging down so the panniers do not swing against the rear wheel.

Can you put a baby seat on it?

Yes. If it mounts to the seat stem and not to the rear wheel bolts. Follow all warnings and instructions from your child carrier's manufacturer.

Can it mount on a car carrier?

Yes. Cruzbikes, by virtue of their similar design to regular uprights fit easily on a car rack for easy transport.

I would like to purchase just one component of your Cruzbike kit. Is that possible?

The Cruzbike kit has parts that bicycle hobbyists may wish to purchase separately, such as the seat, seat mount, backrest, and front triangle assembly. We now offer the seat assembly separately for sale without the front triangle.  If you want other parts you may be able to find them on Ebay or in our forum.

Can I put bigger/different wheels on it?

The Sofrider and Freerider have been designed to accept 700c road bike wheels. Some modification to the brake bridge and fork crown mounting holes may be needed depending on the calliper brakes you choose. Up to 2.1" spiked snow tires have been successfully fitted, but they are tight. 1.75" tires have clearance.

Can I put an electric motor assist on it?

Some people have done this and been very happy with the results.  By placing the power-assist on the rear wheel, which is not encumbered with a drive system as most bicycles are, the resulting "all-wheel drive" is very practical.  Information can be found by searching the forum.  Keep in mind that the weight limit for the bike is more likely to be exceeded when adding an electric propulsion system.  Also, please note that adding gas or electric-assist voids the warranty and, for liability reasons, we can not officially recommend you make these modifications. If you choose to make these modifications, we will give advice as best we can, but you must accept any risk involved.