Let me start by saying this is my third bd bike. Curse them and their good deals!
My bike came in on Wednesday and I finally got it dialed in so I could further tune it to my liking on the road. I have two rides in now and in neither case was I in fresh condition because my wife and I did a hilly 65 on the tandem Saturday.
Starting out I headed down our street Sunday for whatever I felt up to riding. I hit the 3.3 mile point at 21.2 mph withou crossing 165 beats per minute so I'm thinkin this might be a good ride since the last time I got there that fast I was crossing into 175 territory and was fresh. The bike just squirts forward with every pedal stroke. Any sort of kick at the pedals results in an increase in speed.
The bike handles quickly. The front end feels a bit on the loose side, but I think that's just because it's a fast handling machine and I lack coordination. I remember my ksyriums being a bit sensitive in a crosswind, but didn't feel it either today or yesterday despite what feels like fast handling.
I hit the base of bandy canyon road with a monster headwind on a 15% peak grade. Standing the bike jumps forward as well. I had throttled back a bit since this was supposed to be a recovery ride. Standing, it feels as if there is no weight on the front of the bike. It's strangely airy, but maybe that's because I had ridden that semi of a tandem the day before. I was scoffing at the 28 tooth cog on the rear thinking I would need to swap out the wimpy cog, but I certainly enjoyed spinning up bandy.
After cresting it's basically flat to descend highland valley road. This climb I believe was HC in the tour of ca when they came to San Diego. It has a nasty corner near the top and the bike went well through that, so I let it rip on the rest of the descent. It handled as well as any other bike I've ridden down that descent over the last 28 years.
Then flat to lake hodges I went. Big winds, and I can tell I'm gassed from the day before. I try to chase a rider that passes me but I've got nothing and this is supposed to be a recovery ride. I get to the lake shelled and spin it home up another climb of about 1 mile. I keep getting a shock about how well this thing seems to climb. Bump the cadence and you are moving faster.
It was a great ride. I got home and told my wife I was spent after my 30 mile test ride and she immediately knew. "you went too hard didn't you?". She knows me too well.
I've been riding 25mm tires so the 23s had me a little worried about ride harshness, but it was fine. I think the ti did something there. I'd describe the ride as having good road feel as I like to feel the road, but somewhat muted.
Today I did a little spin for an hour and found it enjoyable.
I bought this after I couldn't get a ti bike at any stores I visited in San Diego. I couldn't see the difference between a bd bike I couldn't test ride and one from a local store I couldn't ride. I repair and adjust my own bikes and have since I was 14.
The only thing I didn't like was was the front fork seemed wider than usual at the hub. I'm used to about a one to two mm gap at the hub, and this seemed closer to 5mm. Seems sloppy to me. I could care less about welds so don't ask me. I bought a 53 and I normally ride a 54. My previous favorite frame is aluminum with carbon stays. I'm 5'10" and about 200#.
The price and componetry levels are unbeatable and top notch components make for a nice ride no matter what they are attached to and bd makes it possible for you to own component levels you couldn't get from any other company at the price.
Previous bikes in the last 5 years
Fuji roubaix rc alum with carbon stays
Mongoose bosberg full carbon
Iron horse. Alum with carbon stays
Specialized alum
Bacchetta ti recumbent
Bacchetta alum recumbent
Rans crank forward
Catrike trike
Cannondale tandem
Raleigh tandem
I'll post an update here after 6 months or so
My bike came in on Wednesday and I finally got it dialed in so I could further tune it to my liking on the road. I have two rides in now and in neither case was I in fresh condition because my wife and I did a hilly 65 on the tandem Saturday.
Starting out I headed down our street Sunday for whatever I felt up to riding. I hit the 3.3 mile point at 21.2 mph withou crossing 165 beats per minute so I'm thinkin this might be a good ride since the last time I got there that fast I was crossing into 175 territory and was fresh. The bike just squirts forward with every pedal stroke. Any sort of kick at the pedals results in an increase in speed.
The bike handles quickly. The front end feels a bit on the loose side, but I think that's just because it's a fast handling machine and I lack coordination. I remember my ksyriums being a bit sensitive in a crosswind, but didn't feel it either today or yesterday despite what feels like fast handling.
I hit the base of bandy canyon road with a monster headwind on a 15% peak grade. Standing the bike jumps forward as well. I had throttled back a bit since this was supposed to be a recovery ride. Standing, it feels as if there is no weight on the front of the bike. It's strangely airy, but maybe that's because I had ridden that semi of a tandem the day before. I was scoffing at the 28 tooth cog on the rear thinking I would need to swap out the wimpy cog, but I certainly enjoyed spinning up bandy.
After cresting it's basically flat to descend highland valley road. This climb I believe was HC in the tour of ca when they came to San Diego. It has a nasty corner near the top and the bike went well through that, so I let it rip on the rest of the descent. It handled as well as any other bike I've ridden down that descent over the last 28 years.
Then flat to lake hodges I went. Big winds, and I can tell I'm gassed from the day before. I try to chase a rider that passes me but I've got nothing and this is supposed to be a recovery ride. I get to the lake shelled and spin it home up another climb of about 1 mile. I keep getting a shock about how well this thing seems to climb. Bump the cadence and you are moving faster.
It was a great ride. I got home and told my wife I was spent after my 30 mile test ride and she immediately knew. "you went too hard didn't you?". She knows me too well.
I've been riding 25mm tires so the 23s had me a little worried about ride harshness, but it was fine. I think the ti did something there. I'd describe the ride as having good road feel as I like to feel the road, but somewhat muted.
Today I did a little spin for an hour and found it enjoyable.
I bought this after I couldn't get a ti bike at any stores I visited in San Diego. I couldn't see the difference between a bd bike I couldn't test ride and one from a local store I couldn't ride. I repair and adjust my own bikes and have since I was 14.
The only thing I didn't like was was the front fork seemed wider than usual at the hub. I'm used to about a one to two mm gap at the hub, and this seemed closer to 5mm. Seems sloppy to me. I could care less about welds so don't ask me. I bought a 53 and I normally ride a 54. My previous favorite frame is aluminum with carbon stays. I'm 5'10" and about 200#.
The price and componetry levels are unbeatable and top notch components make for a nice ride no matter what they are attached to and bd makes it possible for you to own component levels you couldn't get from any other company at the price.
Previous bikes in the last 5 years
Fuji roubaix rc alum with carbon stays
Mongoose bosberg full carbon
Iron horse. Alum with carbon stays
Specialized alum
Bacchetta ti recumbent
Bacchetta alum recumbent
Rans crank forward
Catrike trike
Cannondale tandem
Raleigh tandem
I'll post an update here after 6 months or so