Recumbent Bicycle Owner Story: "Life is good again!"
We love hearing from Cruzbike recumbent bicycle owners. There is often a great story about how someone falls in love with cycling and Cruzbike. Jim McGowan's experience below is no exception (originally shared as a comment on the Who Needs a Test Ride blog post here). Supporting his wife's fight against MS is what got him into cycling and Cruzbike is what, in his words, saved his riding life. Enjoy the story below and take Jim's advice!
I purchased my first Cruzbike sight unseen and without a test ride!
Backstory...
My wife was diagnosed with MS in 2004. I started seriously riding an entry level diamond frame Specialized road bike in September of 2005 so I could participate in the annual MS150 rides from Houston to Austin. I was 51 at the time.
In 2007, wanting to upgrade, I purchased a Cervelo S2 and in 2011, I upgraded again to a Cervelo Carbon S5 ignorantly thinking all that time that upgrading would finally get me into a more comfortable ride.
I continued riding my Cervelo Carbon S5 until my pain level got so bad in my neck, shoulders, back, and "the nether regions", that I actually thought of giving up riding altogether.
I tried different seats and positions on the bike to no avail. I was devastated.
Then, I heard about recumbent bikes and thought there might yet be hope. In the 1st quarter of 2014 I purchased my first recumbent bike, a used 2001 Rans Rocket and got hooked. But after about 2 months I knew I wanted something comparable to my Cervelo Carbon S5, so I could keep up with my riding buddies.
I think I checked out every recumbent bicycle brand on planet earth (at least it seemed so) and finally decided on a 2014 Silvio 2.0 from Cruzbike. Something about that front triangle just made sense to me. It arrived in July, 2014. It was love at first ride! After a short learning curve, I could easily keep up with my riding buddies and go for long distance rides, ALL WITH NO PAIN!
Life was (and is) good again! So much so, that I now own a 2016 QX100, a used 2020 V20 (purchased 11-2021), and a new 2021 S40 (06-2021). It is not an exaggeration to say that Cruzbike saved my riding life! I'm 66 now (2021) and whether outside or indoors on my Wahoo KICKR trainer and Zwift, I can't wait to get on my bike(s). So test ride or not, what do you have to lose?
*Cruzbikes all come with a money-back guarantee so, take the plunge! You won't regret it! * "Our promise through the 100 Mile Trial is that you will love your Cruzbike. If you don't love yours the way we love ours after riding 100 miles in 100 days, we will pay return shipping and offer a full refund on your complete Cruzbike Q45 or S40 (For the speed fiends among us eyeing the V20, check out our Fastest Road Bike Guarantee.) This is really about you riding the 100 Miles. If you don't reach 100 miles in 100 days, contact us. We will be happy to offer you an extension that makes sense for you." [Editor's note: all of the details and rules for the 100 Mile Trial program are here.]
*Cruzbikes all come with a money-back guarantee so, take the plunge! You won't regret it! * "Our promise through the 100 Mile Trial is that you will love your Cruzbike. If you don't love yours the way we love ours after riding 100 miles in 100 days, we will pay return shipping and offer a full refund on your complete Cruzbike Q45 or S40 (For the speed fiends among us eyeing the V20, check out our Fastest Road Bike Guarantee.) This is really about you riding the 100 Miles. If you don't reach 100 miles in 100 days, contact us. We will be happy to offer you an extension that makes sense for you." [Editor's note: all of the details and rules for the 100 Mile Trial program are here.]
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